Candidate Information
Head of Partnerships
Background Briefing
Job Description
Person Specification
Application Form
How to Apply and timetable
For Background Information please go to www.gaiafoundation.org
- 4 -
Gaia Foundation - Background Briefing
The Gaia Foundation (Gaia) has 25 years experience working to protect the environment and the rights of local communities. We are a small team who thrive on passion for the work and a commitment to make a difference.
Gaia is the Greek Earth Mother Goddess, and the name given to James Lovelock’s scientific Hypothesis, recognising that the Earth is a dynamic living whole, of which humans, and all other life, are an inextricable part.
Gaia works with a global network of innovative people and initiatives that strengthen cultural and biological diversity, local governance and resilience. We provide access to information, advocacy support, strategic advice, funding, international alliances and media with a wide sphere of influence. This began in the Colombian rainforest in the 1980s when, collaborating with our partner Gaia Amazonas, we worked with Amazon indigenous peoples to secure their right to govern and protect their traditional lands. Twenty years on, an area larger than the size of the UK is safe from destruction and legally back in the hands of these communities.
Today, our network has grown into a global web of partners in Africa, India, Europe and South America. Gaia serves as the networking hub creating added value and strength through connecting our partners across the globe. Our purpose is to strengthen community cohesion and people’s collective capacity to respond to the unfolding social and ecological crises. We believe there has never been a more critical time to strengthen and scale up this work.
Gaia operates from a small, busy base in North London, and a nearby learning centre from where we host talks, workshops, strategic meetings, and where Associates and partners stay as they travel through London.
There has never been a more important moment for Gaia, in terms of drawing from 25 years experience of working with local and indigenous people in the South, to contribute to the debate around climate change and inspire a fundamental shift in thinking that will bring about positive change. There will be much scope for the successful candidate to make a significant impact on and contribution to Gaia’s work.
Job description: Head of Partnerships
Reporting to: the Director
Location: Belsize Park/ Hampstead with occasional local and international travel
Hours: full time
Job purpose
To strengthen the resilience of our global network by:
· Identifying, securing and managing traditional and innovative ways of joint funding with our partners
· Strengthening coordination and management of links with and between partners
· Strengthening and diversifying Gaia’s institutional, trust and foundation funding base.
Roles and responsibilities
1) Institutional and trust fundraising
· Develop and implement an institutional, trust and foundation fundraising strategy
· Research and monitor the changing context; be alert to the trends and dynamics including new and innovative forms of funding in the sector.
· Develop and diversify collaborative approaches with partners and allies to secure funding.
· Identify potential new institutional, trust and foundation fundraising opportunities for Gaia, its partners, and joint proposals.
· Secure grants from institutional, trust and foundation funders, including joint applications with global partners.
· Represent Gaia at events, promote Gaia’s work and develop new relationships.
· Support partners to develop their fundraising and grant management capacity, including development of fundraising strategies.
2) Donor liaison and grant management
· Keep up to date with donor policies, application and reporting processes.
· Manage relations with potential and existing funders, including provision of relevant news and information, invitations to events and meetings with partners.
· Monitor overall and grant specific work programmes with partners.
· Ensure compliance with donor agreements.
· Work with partners to develop and implement monitoring and evaluation systems, including baseline studies and data collection systems.
· Work with partners to draft donor reports (narrative and financial) and on external evaluations.
Terms and conditions
The salary for this post will be £36,000- £42,500 depending on experience.
The position is full time; 35 hours per week, with core hours of 9.30-5.30pm including lunchtime. In addition, evening and/or weekend events (on average 1 event per month) may need to be attended.
The post is subject to a three-month probationary period. Annual leave is 25 days per year plus public holidays and any organization-provided extra days (this usually includes office closure between Christmas and New Year). There is a contributory stakeholder pension scheme, and a season ticket and bicycle loan scheme.
Person specification
All experience and qualities are essential unless otherwise stated:
· Experience of developing institutional funding strategies.
· Knowledge of and interest in innovative and new forms of funding in the sector.
· Experience of writing funding proposals to a range of institutional donors including the EC and other government and multilateral bodies, international NGOs, trusts and foundations, including development of project budgets.
· Experience of working with a wide range of programme funding donors, both in-country (e.g. EC delegations) and headquarters-based.
· Experience of conducting training or other capacity building initiatives
· Experience of managing funding contracts including delivery of high quality narrative and financial reports.
· Experience of researching new donors for UK development NGOs and overseas partner organisations
· Experience of working overseas (preferable)
· Degree or professional qualification, most likely in Development Studies or Social Sciences (preferably also a post-graduate qualification in Development, International Relations or similar).
· Excellent written and spoken English to engage effectively with a wide range of audiences
· Ability to work well in a team, including with people from a range of cultural, social, ethnic backgrounds and with different skills, and with an understanding of Gaia’s values and approach.
· Ability to plan own work, setting priorities and completing under pressure or when faced with competing demands.
· Excellent presentation skills to represent Gaia at a senior level
· Computer literate and able to work in Microsoft Word and Excel environment.
· The numerical ability to analyse financial information, budget and monitor costs.
· Understanding of and experience in the areas Gaia’s work (preferable)
Confidential Application
Head of Partnerships
The Gaia Foundation
Please complete this brief application form and attach a CV outlining your career to date, plus any academic and professional qualifications. Also include details of any voluntary post undertaken. Please send your application, by 5pm, Friday 10th February 2012, to
Full Name:
Address:
Mobile Phone:
Home Phone:
Email:
How did you hear of this post:
Are you eligible to work in the UK? :
REFERENCES
Please give details of two professional referees: your current employer (they will not be contacted prior to an offer), your previous employer and also a personal referee:-
1 - Name and professional relationship to you:
Tel:
Email:
OK to approach Yes / No
2 - Name and professional relationship to you:
Tel:
Email:
OK to approach Yes / No
Current Employment Terms Details
Basic Annual Salary: Annual Leave:
Pension: Employer contribution: Employee contribution:
Any other benefits?:
Notice required:
Please state – on no more than 2 pages:
1) Why you would like to be the Head of Partnerships at the Gaia Foundation
2) What three key areas of your experience and skills you can bring to this role
(Please draw upon the Person Specification to inform your answer)
DECLARATION
I declare that the information that I have provided on this form is true and accurate, and in particular that I have not omitted any fact which may have a bearing on my application. I understand that any subsequent contract of employment with the Gaia Foundation will be made on the basis of the information I have provided. Furthermore, I understand that a false declaration, which results in my appointment to the Gaia Foundation, will render me liable to dismissal without notice.
Signature ______Date ______
The Recruitment Process
Timetable
Deadline for applications
/10th February 2012
First stage interviews
/17th – 22nd February 2012
Second stage interviews
/27th – 28th February 2012
Third stage interviews
/29th February 2012
Decision made & successful candidate notified
/By 2nd March 2012
To Apply
If you would like to apply for the role then please send your CV and Application Form to
Information
If you require any further information or you would like to discuss anything in more detail, please contact Allyson at the above contact details.
- 4 -