DIRECTOR

JOB DESCRIPTION

(AT SEPTEMBER 2007)

Job title: Director - full time post

Salary scale: £36,959 - £41,6001

Duration: Open ended contract with a six-month probationary period

Location: Based initially in Woking Surrey, moving to London mid 2008

- Frequent travel to HI offices in Europe

- Occasional travel to field programmes

Reports to: HI-UK Board of Trustees

Start date: As soon as possible

HANDICAP INTERNATIONAL (HI) AT A GLANCE

Handicap International is an international organisation specialised in the field of disability. Non-governmental, non-religious, non-political and non-profit making, Handicap International works alongside people with disabilities, whatever the context, offering them assistance and supporting them in their efforts to become self-reliant. Since its creation, the organisation has set up programmes in approximately 60 countries and intervened in many emergency situations. We are a network of eight national associations (Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States) which provide human and financial resources, manage projects and raise awareness of Handicap International’s actions and campaigns. The HI Network was set up in 1982 and HIUK was set up as a UK-based charity and company limited by guarantee in 2000. HI is one of the six founding NGOs of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines which co-ordinates the efforts of more than 1000 associations in over 60 countries. The International Campaign was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997. HI’s Education Department and the disability information resource, Source, are based in the UK.

(Further details, including annual Reports, on www.handicap-international.org.uk)

TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DIRECTOR

Reporting to the HI-UK Board of Trustees, the main tasks of the Director will be:

1. Governance

• To participate and report to the Board of Trustees meetings in order to offer relevant information on activities of the section as well as HI’s international network activities which have an impact on HI UK, and ensure implementation and follow up of decisions.

• To ensure that Trustees receive all relevant documents for consideration such as adequate information on outstanding issues, regular reporting on finances and advancement of activities in connexion with the approved action plan and Annual Reports

2. Strategy and action plan

• To develop and propose to the Board of Trustees a global strategy for HI UK, consistent with the relevant strategy adopted by the HI’s international network.

• To develop and propose to the Board of Trustees, for final approval, a yearly action plan based on individual objectives of each staff member consistent with the objectives agreed within the network, and ensure that adequate implementation and follow up are taking place.

3. Management

• To support, guide and manage staff in UK

• To direct all organisational activities (see description of objectives above) and ensure the interaction with counterparts of other sections in the following four domains:

- Financial and organisational Management

- Fundraising & Communication

- Programmes

- Recruitment and Support of expatriate Field Staff

- Technical support in the domains of Inclusive Education and Disability Information (in conjunction with functional managers within the HI network)

- To inform and agree with the Board any change or development with regard to staffing, operational or financial imperatives affecting the yearly action plan together with the general running of HI-UK

- To prepare Annual Reports and regular progress reports

4. Finance

• To propose the Annual Budget for approval by the Boards of Trustees of both HI-UK and HI-France

• To take management decisions regarding the use of funds according to the yearly budget, the financial commitments, established administrative rules and specific regulations adopted by the HI’s network

• To ensure financial and fundraising support to overseas projects

• To ensure regular issue and approval of financial statements

• To ensure that adequate relations with the external auditor are maintained, and to authorise and facilitate when relevant necessary contacts with auditors of other HI sections in order to clarify any issues related to the annual compilation of accounts of the HI’s network, as well as the satisfactory implementation of contractual operational agreements with donors.

5. Representation of HI

• To ensure smooth communication and liaison with other HI offices and programmes in the field

• To represent Handicap International on both national and international levels as agreed amongst the HI’s network

• To develop good relations with donors and the media

• To oversee the development of legal agreements with working partners

6. HI’s international network

• To represent HI UK at the intersection Directors meetings, commit HI UK as appropriate and report to the Board of Trustees regarding collective decisions.

• To ensure and be the efficient interface between HI UK and the other HI’s sections in respect of existing and newly established contractual links.

• To manage the interactions between personnel of HI UK and their counterparts in other sections. To identify difficulties and solutions with the Executive Director of the section involved.

• To contribute to the intersection mechanisms where HI’s network advocacy and political positions are defined and regularly re-visited.

• To work towards the conception and creation of the future HI Federation together with other HI Sections

Applicants must be prepared to undertake occasional travel to other HI offices and to field programmes.

PERSON SPEC.

Candidates will be expected to demonstrate the following.

1. Knowledge and experience of the UK institutional donors environment

- Proven experience in the UK fundraising environment for international development, preferably in connection with disability projects. Familiarity with private fundraising requirements is recommended but not essential.

2. Management

- Ability to manage, lead and motivate a small culturally diverse, professional staff within a complex organisational structure. Able to recognise potential and create a climate in which potential can be realised. Able to lead any necessary change processes and to weigh conflicting information and make sound decisions on a range of situations.

3. Collaborative working

- Demonstrates a capacity to contribute to the build up of a corporate vision and works in partnership and actively collaborates with colleagues across the international organisation to the benefit of the whole of Handicap International in order to achieve corporate interdependence and solidarity.

- Recognising shared objectives and priorities, and putting these before personal preferences and objectives.

- Able to identify causal relationships, and construct frameworks, for problem solving and/or developments which may arise within a network.

- Demonstrates an awareness of and commitment to the whole organisation before personal preferences and objectives and links this through to HI UK.

4. Planning and organising

- Is able to plan effectively at the organisational level, setting realistic goals for HIUK which are consistent with corporate priorities and work towards achievement of the HIUK strategy.

- To be able to represent efficiently the HIUK contributions into the revisions of the strategy of the HI network building a common vision and transforming this into a practical reality through research, campaigning and other plans.

5. Communication

- Able to get one’s message understood clearly orally and in writing. Able to build and maintain effective working relationships and to represent Handicap International UK and its network with governments, in regional and international settings, with the media and the public at large.

- Able to fully represent HIUK at Intersection Directors meetings of Handicap International and reporting back to the Board of HIUK.

6. Accountability

- Fulfils accountability in respect of job purpose and objectives;

- Manages staff and resources in accordance with Handicap International’s associated values, agreed policies, controls and procedures;

- Behaves in a manner which supports Handicap International’s values.

7. Resilience

- Can maintain personal effectiveness by managing own emotions in the face of pressure, setbacks or when dealing with provocative situations.

- Can demonstrate an approach to work that is characterized by commitment, motivation and energy.

8. Self development

- Is able to identify and apply opportunities for learning and development.

9. Language skills

- Fluent written and spoken English is essential. Advanced level in French with a willingness to become fluent in spoken French within a reasonable time scale is also essential.

Due to the high numbers of applications we regret that we are unable to answer individual queries in relation to posts or on the progress of individual applications. Please assume that if you have not been contacted within 6 weeks after the closing date your application has been unsuccessful.

Please send your application to  : recruitment@hi-uk.org