PROJECTS MANAGER
JOB DESCRIPTION
Background
The Foundation is named for Steve Sinnott who was, until his premature death in April 2008, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers of England and Wales. He was passionate and committed in his support for the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, in particular Goal 2 (MDG2), the achievement, by 2015 of universal primary education, the opportunity for all children throughout the world to attend school at primary age.
The Foundation does not presume to substitute itself for the United Nations nor for the many charities already actively engage in the pursuit of MDG2. Rather its aim is to motivate teachers and educators throughout the world to support MDG2, to encourage their active participation in its achievement and to provide a central resource of information, knowledge and experience to those many individuals and groups throughout the world who are involved in projects to bring the achievement of the goal closer.
This is possible for the Foundation because of Steve Sinnott’s reputation and the respect he earned. He was a very active participant in the work of Education International (“EI”), the world federation of teachers’ organisations with 401 member organisations operating in 172 countries and territories. In the course of his contribution to EI, Steve was in regular contact with teachers’ leaders throughout the world and it was their liking and respect he won. The mention of Steve’s name to the senior figures in education in relation to any project secures immediate interest and support.
Structure of the Foundation
The Foundation is a company limited by guarantee with charitable objects. It is also a registered charity. Its directors are Mary Sinnott, Christine Blower (General Secretary of the NUT), Jerry Glazier (NUT Executive Member) and Graham Clayton (former NUT Senior Solicitor). Though closely associated with the NUT it is not a body directed by the NUT. It has its own independent decision making structure.
The Foundation is also supported by a small team of leading education consultants, who maintain an oversight of the Foundation’s educational values and contribute to its projects.
The Foundation works at high level aiming to influence leading politicians in the UK and elsewhere and leading officials and campaigners in the international effort to achieve the Millennium Development Goals for education.
Terms
Location / Watford, United KingdomSalary / £25,000 PA
Holidays / 28 working days inclusive of public holidays (occasional work on public holidays may be required with days off in lieu)
Restrictions / UK permanent resident or must have relevant permit/visa to work in the UK
Expected travel / Considerable travel within the UK and possibly international travel
Purpose of the Appointment
Based on Steve’s values and commitments, the Foundation has its own particular approach to tackling the issues around Education for All. Central to its work is the building of community activity in a common cause. The Foundation maintains a worldwide online community encouraging teachers and educators around the world to establish contacts with each other, to promote their local community based projects online and to share ideas and offer mutual help and support.
The Foundation directly manages an annual Education for All Day in participating UK schools towards the end of the schools’ summer term. The day is supported by educational resources developed by the Foundation’s education team. Teachers are asked to utilise these resources to promote awareness of Education for All issues across the curriculum and pupils are encouraged to make their commitment to the campaign, to write to political leaders and encourage visits to their schools by local MPs, to adopt and raise funds for community projects in developing countries and to connect with schools in other countries through the online community ,Some 60 schools were involved in the first EfA Day in 2013, and 120 schools in 2014. The Foundation’s intention is to expand this project to growing numbers of UK schools each year and stimulate the organisation of similar events through partnerships with organisations in other countries.
Directly linked to the Education for All Days the Foundation manages a school partnerships project for EfA Day participating schools linking willing schools with partners schools in Africa, south Asia and elsewhere.
The Foundation runs projects in partnership with other organisations including currently a school building and teacher training project in Nepal and a cascading teacher training project for Sierra Leonean teachers. The Foundation’s online community website with over 2500 members hosts information on around 300 community based education projects posted onto the website by the project organisers themselves. As the Foundation expands our aim is to raise and direct funds to projects selected from within the online community and to identify them with the Foundation’s international ‘brand’.
The Foundation publishes a twice yearly magazine, ENGAGE with contributions from leading politicians from the UK and elsewhere in the world, from leading international campaigners include celebrities involved in international development campaigns alongside articles from teachers, students and pupils in UK schools
The role of the Projects Manager is to manage existing projects, to develop and expand the Foundation’s project based activity and to fund raise to assist these projects.
Responsibilities
1. To be responsible for the management of the Foundation’s projects, to develop and expand the Foundation’s project based activity and to fund raise to support and assist the Foundation’s own projects including in particular the Foundation’s annual Education for All Day.
2. To work to promote the identity of the Foundation amongst organisations with similar objectives and co-operate with them in managing projects, to assist in raising funds for such projects
3. To be responsible for developing good relationships with relevant press and media and be a spokesperson for the Foundation under the authority of the Directors.
4. Assisted by the Foundation’s Community Manager, and under the overall direction of Foundation Directors, to have responsibility for the editing and publication of the Foundation’s magazine, contributing to the editorial content, commissioning articles and other contributions, soliciting ethically acceptable paid advertisements and liaising with layout specialists and printers
5. To undertake such other responsibilities as may be appropriate in the course of the Foundation’s work, to assist in the administration of the Foundation generally and to substitute for the Community Manager in his/her absence.
Accountability
The Projects Manager will be directly accountable to the Foundation’s Directors. Directors will be involved in steering the Foundation on a regular basis and will formally meet quarterly for strategic decision making purposes. The Projects Manager will be required to attend these meetings.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
a. Project management experience
b. Understanding of the values and effectiveness of collective community activity
c. Originality and personal initiative
d. Excellent IT, interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills
e. Ability to operate at high level in political and campaigning activity
f. Experience of use of social media.
g. Commitment to the objectives and values of the Steve Sinnott Foundation
h. Experience of fund raising
i. Willingness to travel, occasionally outside of normal working hours as may be reasonably required
j. Degree qualification is desirable but not essential