Development Assistant

Information & application pack

Deadline for applications: 23:59 GMT, Wednesday 31stAugust 2016

Interviews are provisionally scheduled during the week commencing 12thSeptember 2016.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Introduction

Dear Applicant,

Launched in 2004, Crisis Action is a pioneering organisation that works behind the scenes to enable civil society to respond more effectively to armed conflict.

Crisis Action’s aim is to prevent suffering caused by armed conflict and to change the calculations of the world’s most powerful decision makers so that they take meaningful action to protect civilians. We bring together a world-class network of partners and leverage their respective skills, expertise and resources to increase their joint impact. Our rationale is that focused advocacy and campaigning by NGOs, think-tanks, faith groups and others is far more likely to succeed if it is done strategically and collectively.

Crisis Action has a talented, international team of 40 people in Addis, Beirut, Brussels, Johannesburg, London, Nairobi, New Delhi, New York, Paris and Washington DC. Crisis Action’s current budget is £2.9M.

Crisis Action’s unique model and record of impact earned the team the 2012 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions and the 2013 Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship.

We are looking for an exceptional Development Assistant to join the Fundraising Team. If you are interested in the role then we look forward to receiving your application.

Andrew Hudson

Executive Director

About Crisis Action

Crisis Action is an independent, non-profit organisation that works with others to ensure civilians are protected both from and during armed conflict.

To achieve this aim Crisis Action works behind the scenes to catalyse, co-ordinate and support strategic coalition campaigns by our civil society partners. Our partners include Africa Peace Forum, Amnesty International, Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, Conectas, Human Rights Watch, International Crisis Group, International Rescue Committee, Institute for Security Studies, Mercy Corps, Muslim Aid, Oxfam, World Vision and many others.

We aim to complement our partners’ existing work on conflict related campaigning and advocacy by increasing their collective influence on foreign policy as it affects specific country/regional conflicts. Crisis Action draws together existing strengths and capacities into effective joint action that has impact.

Crisis Action’s Board is composed of respected leaders from across the humanitarian, human rights, policy and business spheres.

Our recent annual reports summarise Crisis Action's achievements. You can also find out more about Crisis Action through the following films:

  • 2012 MacArthur Award
  • 2013 Skoll Foundation Award

What others say about Crisis Action

"Crisis Action continues to prove that its model works and has impact. We repeatedly see that policymakers are more likely to take stronger and more effective action when NGOs coordinate and collaborate. Crisis Action helps make this happen." Kenneth Roth, Executive Director, Human Rights Watch

“Crisis Action offered the religious leaders an international platform at a critical time when their calls for peace needed to be heard. Crisis Action’s collaboration with the faith leaders was of enormous support to the French government’s engagement on Central African Republic.” Laurent Fabius – French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development

“Crisis Action continues to lead savvy, well-targeted campaigns that, bringing together humanitarian agencies with other influential players, have a real impact for civilians on the ground.” Jasmine Whitbread, Chief Executive, Save the Children International

“Through its ability to bring civil society leaders straight to decision makers, Crisis Action ensures that AU policy is better informed by the needs and experiences of those that are most affected by conflict.” Dr. Ali Mustafa, Secretary-General of the African Council for Religious Leaders

“Crisis Action took the initiative to reach out to us to put Syria on the agenda of the BRICS summit. With their help, we persuaded BRICS to call on President Assad to grant humanitarian access across the country – a rare example of BRICS responding to civil society demands on foreign policy. Crisis Action was invaluable in coordinating this action.” Nicole Fritz, Executive Director, Southern Africa Litigation Centre

Job description & key details

Salary: According to experience

Contract: Permanent full time. Standard working hours are from 9am to 6pm (8 hours daily)

Location: London

Start date: ASAP

Responsible to: Senior Development Managers

Overview of role

You will play a key role in assisting the development team to coordinate and implement our fundraising efforts. Crisis Action receives funding from a spectrum of foundation, government and private donors as well as from core NGO partners. We are looking for someone who shares our passion for Crisis Action’s work and can help us communicate the impact of our work to existing and prospective donors. You will be expected to be self-motivated and have good attention to detail. This is a new post so there will be plenty of room for initiative and scope to make the role your own. You will work alongside an excellent international team, under the direct guidance of the two Senior Development Managers (who respectively lead on foundation and government relations) and in close coordination with the Executive Director.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Working closely with the development team and Executive Director to support relationships with current and potential donors
  • Carrying out donor research and providing donor related updates and background information to relevant colleagues
  • Drafting funding proposals, donor reports, donor updates and other related outreach material as needed for a variety of foundation, government and individual donors, in close cooperation with the development, finance and campaign teams
  • Managing and further developing the relevant administrative infrastructure, including grant tracking and reporting systems, Salesforce contact database etc.
  • Scheduling donor meetings and managing related travel arrangements

Person specification

The following are essential:

  • Excellent writing, editing and all-round communication and interpersonal skills
  • Ability to tell a story in a compelling way – distilling the most impactful points in a pithy manner
  • Experience of drafting grant reports and proposals, preferably for major international foundation or government donors
  • Experience of fundraising from a variety of European / North American foundation, government and/or individual donors
  • Ability to work with colleagues dispersed across international offices
  • Enthusiasm, initiative and willingness to learn
  • Ability to work well under pressure and meet multiple deadlines
  • Excellent organisational and administrative skills, including a systematic approach to maintaining donor tracking systems
  • Experience of maintaining IT systems and excellent computer/technology and Microsoft Office proficiency are vital, ideally with experience using wider tools (e.g. Office365 and Salesforce)
  • Keen attention to detail and quality control on all documents produced
  • Commitment to Crisis Action’s aims
  • Fluency in oral and written English

The following are desirable:

  • Experience of working for an international organisation and/or international fundraising
  • Experience producing a range of communications materials for different audiences
  • Financial literacy and a proven ability to understand budgets
  • Knowledge of conflict and human rights issues

Terms and conditions

Salary:Competitive according to experience

Benefits:Excellent benefits package including 6% contributory pension, 25 days holiday increasing to 30 days after 3 years and paid sabbatical after 5 years

Equal opportunities: Crisis Action values diversity and is committed to equal opportunities. All applicants for employment will receive equal treatment without discrimination on grounds of gender, ethnic origins, personal disability or sexual orientation

Disabilities:We are committed to making every reasonable adjustment to the workplace or working arrangements so as to accommodate people with disabilities

Application instructions:

Please email your CV, completed application and cover letter ith “Crisis Action Development Assistant” in the subject line.

The deadline for applications is 23.59 GMT, Wednesday 31st August 2016.

Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an interview. Interviews are provisionally scheduled to take place during the week commencing 12thSeptember 2016.

We regret that due to the volume of applications we cannot respond individually to each applicant.

Application for the post of
Development Assistant /
CVs on their own will not be considered

1. Personal Details

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First names
Address
Telephone - Home
Work
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Email
Nationality

2. Present or most recent employment

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3. Previous Employment (most recent first)

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4. Education and qualifications

Please list details of your educational qualification including further education and professional qualifications giving dates and grade where known.

  1. Language skills

Please list the languages you command including your level of proficiency in each of them (native - fluent – very good – good – basic).

  1. Other training

Please list any other courses you have undertaken you feel are relevant to the role for which you are applying.

6. References

Please give details of three people, not related to you, who may be approached for references as to your suitability for the post. One should be your present or most recent employer. The second and third should be references who are can speak to your ability to fulfil the role for which you are applying.
Please note that references will not be approached prior to interview.
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7. Supporting statement

With reference to the job description for the position for which you are applying, please provide a statement of up to 1 A4 sheet in length in support of your suitability for the role and why you are applying. Please cite specific examples of your experience that demonstrate you have the particular skills and qualities required for the job.

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8. Declaration

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