Director - Medair UK

Job Description

Role and Responsibilities

We are seeking a full-time Director to build on the work to date and lead and manage the further growth of Medair UK. The post holder will be responsible to the UK Board of Trustees, reporting through the Chair, and will work in collaboration with international colleagues to devise and implement a robust strategy for growth in all areas. S/he will act as Medair’s primary vision-holder in the UK and will make a life-saving difference to the world’s most vulnerable people.

Purpose

Enable Medair’s life-saving work by leading and structuring Medair UK to meet its strategic objectives of:

PEOPLE – resource Medair’s mission with high-calibre, Christian, humanitarian staff from UK who reflect the requirements of our field programmes.

INCOME - grow sustainably to achieve at least £1million private income by 2017.

PROFILE - become a “well-known” brand within the UK Christian, internationally concerned and philanthropy community and better known amongst the general public.

SUPPORTERS - have a growing band of enthused, engaged and dedicated supporters who are committed to Medair’s cause.

Medair United Kingdom

Medair UK is an affiliate of the Swiss-based humanitarian organisation, Medair International, which brings life-saving relief and recovery to communities devastated by natural disasters, conflicts, and other crises. Together, we work in some of the most remote and difficult places on earth, empowering people to build a better future. Medair is a humanitarian organisation inspired by Christian faith. We bring relief and recovery to people in crisis, regardless of race, creed or nationality. For more details on our work, see www.medair.org. Medair UK is in exciting time of growth and we are looking for a new Director to lead the organisation.

About you

You will be an inspiring leader and compelling communicator, especially in person, whether one-to-one or speaking to large groups. You’ll have a proven track record in fundraising and management, preferably in humanitarian or international development organisations, with experience of working with major donors. You’ll have well-developed project management skills, a first-hand understanding of humanitarian aid, as well as what motivates generosity in UK markets, and use these creatively to engage others. You will be financially literate and have experience of managing budgets and the ability to manage a small but growing team.

Workplace

Based in Clapham, SW London, Medair UK

Starting Date

By April 2015 (earlier if possible)

Contract Details

Full-time, open ended contract

Key Activity Areas

Strategic Planning

• Create, establish and manage plans to deliver on strategic objectives, in consultation with the board of trustees and international colleagues. Contribute to international strategic planning process with Medair HQ.

Fundraising

• Engage with existing and prospective donors (esp. philanthropists, trusts and corporates); set and deliver on demanding income targets; exemplify Medair values.

Team Management

• Lead, manage and, as necessary, recruit dedicated UK team. Model Medair values and beliefs, and lead the shared spiritual life of the team, including leading and participating in regular organisational team prayer meetings.

Expansion

• Build on team’s work to date and, with international colleagues and the UK Board, grow Medair UK’s contribution to the work of Medair International

Recruitment of Overseas Field Staff

• Closely collaborate with Medair International to recruit field staff which match the requirements of our overseas programmes.

Tasks common to all staff

• Act as an ambassador for Medair UK at all times when liaising externally and internally.
• Ensure consistent implementation of Medair brand across all relevant activities.
• Record information as necessary and comply at all times with requirements for handling personal / sensitive data.

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent (or significant work experience)
• Professional fundraising / marketing qualification and/or project management qualification desirable

Languages

• Strong working knowledge of English (spoken and written)
• Working knowledge of French desirable but not essential

Experience / Competencies – ESSENTIAL:

• Demonstrable professional success in development and management of fundraising – able to personally deliver, as well as manage
• Experience of partnership working with UK Christian churches, business and other networks
• Financially numerate & comfortable with development and interpretation of budgets and reports
• Experience of line managing staff
• Understanding of web analytics / Google ads, Fundraising database(s) and reporting
• Inspired by and in full agreement with Medair’s Christian values and ethos
• Robust understanding of humanitarian issues
• Builds and maintains effective and collaborative long-term relationships internally and externally
• Willing to lead spiritual life of team inc. prayer meetings
• Highly-effective communicator & influencer; outstanding networker, public speaker and relationship-builder; credible at all levels
• Well-able to lead, motivate and manage staff, volunteers and other supporters

Experience / Competencies – DESIRABLE:

• Experience in / links with potentially supportive individuals / organisations
• Experience in communications / working with media channels to gain visibility
• Experience in dealing with media
• Direct experience in relief / development work
• Experience of recruiting humanitarian workers
• Understanding of graphic design / multimedia, Finance software, Website development, ThankQ CRM System

Working Conditions

• This is a position based in Clapham, SW London with frequent UK and regular international travel.
• Willingness to be flexible in terms of hours worked at occasional, but inevitable moments of crisis and opportunity particularly evening and weekends.
• Only those eligible to work in the UK can apply.

About the Organization

Medair

Medair is a humanitarian organisation inspired by Christian faith to relieve human suffering in some of the world’s most remote and devastated places. We bring relief and recovery to people in crisis, regardless of race, creed or nationality. As signatories of the Red Cross Code of Conduct, we believe that aid should be given to everyone who is in need, regardless of political, social or religious viewpoint. We save lives in emergencies and then stay to help people recover from crisis with dignity—working side by side with communities to leave a lasting impact. We provide a range of emergency relief and recovery services: health care and nutrition; safe water, sanitation, and hygiene; shelter and infrastructure.

Application Process

Please email a covering letter (maximum of two pages) explaining your motivation for applying and your proven aptitude for the role, together with your CV to alex.day@medair.org. Please also state where you saw the job advertised.

Salary: £45,000

Deadline for applications: 17th December 2014.

First Interviews: Week commencing 5th January 2015.

NOTE: In order to maintain the organisation’s Christian ethos, there is a genuine occupational requirement for the holder of this leadership position to be a committed Christian.

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