Development Initiatives - Chief Operating Officer

chief operating officer May 2021

Development Initiatives

Produced on behalf of Development Initiatives by:

Development Initiatives (DI) applies the power of data and evidence to build sustainable solutions that create an equitable and resilient world.

DI’s mission is to work closely with partners to ensure data-driven evidence and analysis are used effectively in policy and practice to end poverty, reduce inequality, and increase resilience.

While data alone cannot bring about a better world, it is vital to achieving it. Data has the power to unlock insight, shine a light on progress and empower people to increase accountability.

DI focuses on three core areas to maximise impact and achieve our mission: • Strengthen data ecosystems and improve data quality by helping others to collect, share and manage data and use data responsibility and effectively.

• Increase use of high-quality, actionable, and data-driven analysis that can be used in policy and practice.

• Create a culture of data use by growing people’s skills, expertise, and confidence in data.

about development initiatives

DI supports partners to: • Better respond to people’s needs through improved quality and use of data and evidence in policymaking.

• Improve the quantity, quality and coherence of public finance and private investment.

• Challenge systemic and structural barriers to equity and support the reform of existing systems.

DI works at global, national, and local levels, through a global hub connected to a growing network of regional hubs and partners. In the last five years alone DI’s work has covered 78 countries and DI currently have staff based in Kenya, Uganda, the US, and the UK. Photo: Adam Patterson/ Panos/DFID

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foundational principles

people

simplicity

partnerships

DI puts people at the heart of its agenda. DI serves the world’s poorest and most marginalised communities.

DI aim to bring about change in their lives and increase opportunities for all through improvements to systems, structures, and resource allocation.

DI believes less is more. By making data and evidence simple, visually appealing, and clear DI can reach people who would otherwise be excluded from accessing information that could empower them.

DI encourages collaboration, connection, and community. DI bring people together from different places, with different experiences, ideas, and perceptions so DI can come up with better ideas and solutions to achieve our purpose.

perseverance

transformation

DI believes anything is possible.

Through hard work, focus and commitment, change is possible, but it takes time and requires dedication.

DI’s organisation embodies perseverance, focus and resilience in the face of obstacles.

DI does not believe in standing still.

DI is always learning, developing, and changing. DI believe it is important to constantly seek out new ideas and ways of working, explore innovations and technological advances, and develop projects to achieve transformation and unlock change for all.

DI’s foundational principles guide how we work, informating organisational culture and shaping the services.

high performance DI is thriving because it consists of (and is informed by) high-performing individuals, who challenge and encourage each other to do better.

DI are committed to being the best they can be. As an organisation, DI value quality, rigour, and attention to detail.

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Chief Executive

executive team

Director of Research and Analysis

Director Partnerships & Engagement

Director of Business and Finance*

Director of Data Use

Director, East Africa Hub**

Chief Operating Officer**

* - To become Director of People from July ** - vacant

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Chief Operating Officer

Head of Finance

Head of Programme Management

Head of Development

Management Accountant

Business Development Manager

Finance Assistant

Development Intern

Senior Fundraising Officer

Senior Project Manager

Senior Project Manager

Senior Project Manager

Project Manager

Project Manager

GNR Programme Manager

Project Manager

Project Officer & CRM Co-Ordinator

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Title:

Chief Operating Officer

Reporting to:

Chief Executive Officer

Responsible for: Finance, Project Management, Income Generation, and Impact

the role

Location:

Bristol, United Kingdom

Status:

Legal right to live and work in the UK.

Salary:

£70,000-£80,000 + benefits

Contract: Permanent Start Date:

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As soon as possible, depending on notice period

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The Chief Operating Officer is a new role that has been created to take Development Initiatives (DI) forward as an organisation under its newly launched strategy.

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer and part of the Executive Team, the role holds substantial responsibility and accountability that is critical to the organisation’s future success.

DI are seeking a passionate and experienced individual who is confident with numbers, financial accounting, and financial management, as well as skilled at managing and motivating people across multiple departments and locations in and outside of the UK. This position will be responsible for finance, project management, income generation and impact along with the respective heads of those functions.

chief operating officer

Kipling EdgecombeWalker, Organisational Learning Assistant (Toby Richards/ Development Initiatives)

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Photo: Simon Davis/DFID

duties and responsibilities

Leadership • Contribute to the overall leadership and strategic direction of DI through the Executive Team, and in collaboration with the CEO. Work closely with the Executive overseeing organisational, structural and behaviour changes to deliver the new strategy and motivating and inspiring staff to meet and exceed DI’s goals. Develop frameworks, templates, and guidance documents for annual and three-year planning, and coordinate the annual business plan for the CEO • Collaborate with the CEO and the Chair of the Finance and People Committee to support the committee on documentation and enable it to deliver on its responsibilities • Working with the Director of People, encourage and promote a culture of ambition, excellence and learning and ensure staff align with DI’s foundational principles.

• Role model behaviours that promote DI’s values and build DI’s culture, share information and learning, and strategise to develop and lead the organisation into the future • Deputise for the CEO as required, represent the organisation externally and take on cross-functional responsibilities as appropriate.

Financial Oversight Provide strategic financial leadership: • Develop and steer the company’s financial strategy to guide financial decisionmaking and alignment of resources to ambition. Ensure and manage robust financial systems, controls, policies, and accounting procedures.

• Exploit opportunities for organisational growth and increased external funding, manage costs structures and ensure DI remains efficient and viable for the future • Support the income generation function to align revenue generation to the financial strategy and ensure the integration of reporting for the finance and income generation division. Ensure the financial systems support the provision of reports to funders and that the reports are produced in an accurate and timely manner • Develop and lead a dynamic global finance function that supports DI’s regional hubs around the globe. Support all programmes and projects to maintain good fiscal management of finances, ensuring the correct allocation of costs, cost recovery and annual programme budgets and providing templates and guidance as required, and oversee a smooth annual audit of all companies and regional hubs.

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Operations Risk and legal compliance: • Oversee the organisation’s approach to risk management, ensuring that robust risk management systems, controls and policies are in place to safeguard the organisation and its assets.

• Participate in and/or provide advice on all aspects of commercial risk and contracting, ensuring that contract management processes are being adhered to, providing advice, and checking all contracts for compliance. Oversee legal compliance within our group of companies.

• Oversee the establishment of regional hubs assessing risk and compliance requirements for all locations and make recommendations to the CEO and the Board • Develop and steer the approach for undertaking due diligence of all DI’s partners, ensuring national compliance with legal requirements and that consultants are remunerated correctly.

Operations and organisational performance • Develop and oversee the process for the development, delivery, and monitoring of the strategy, supporting the Executive Team in the development of an annual business planning process.

• Develop and coordinate a quarterly business review process. Evaluate and monitor performance by creating suitable dashboards, determining appropriate indicators analysing and interpreting data and metrics • Design and implement business strategies, plans and procedures, and oversee both the three-year planning and the annual planning and budgeting process to deliver on the strategy. Oversee the organisation’s ongoing operations and procedures on a day-to-day basis and co-ordinate regular reporting at project, function, and regional hub level

• Oversee the Monitoring, Evaluation, Impact and Learning (MEIL) and the implementation of the strategic impact framework through programmes and projects, ensuring that learning reviews are happening regularly, and that DI remains a learning organisation • Develop DI’s ‘Excellence Framework’ to maintain quality of content and process with leadership from other members of the Executive Team and ensure compliance across the organisation.

Programme and project management • Ensure the programme and management systems implemented are appropriate for DI’s needs and allow for agility, while ensuring we are delivering to cost and quality and within the timeframes agreed • Ensure all teams working on projects and programmes are trained on the systems and understand what is required of them • Regularly review all systems and ensure they are fully integrated with DI’s financial and reporting systems. Ensure programmes support income generation to achieve their goals.

Management Management and functional development: • Lead, manage, motivate and develop direct reports who hold responsibility for their functions • Ensure appropriate training and development plans are in place for these teams, and that all managers are undertaking their responsibilities of line management and supporting the development of staff.

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Experience

personal specification

• Proven experience as a leader in global operations, with a minimum of 15 years in senior management • Strong business acumen and financial management leadership • Demonstrable competency in strategic planning and business development • Knowledge of data analysis and performance operation metrics • Experience of transforming financial systems and functions • Experience of establishing operations outside of the UK and managing compliance for global entities • Experience of managing a financial and operations division • Strong people management skills, and excellent at motivating and inspiring people • Experience of setting up and running organisational performance management systems against objectives • Experience of regular reporting to the board • Previous experience as a Director of Finance and/or Operations.

Desirable • Experience of overseeing monitoring and evaluation within an organisation • Experience of leading or working within an internal audit function • Experience of managing at least five senior staff members, enabling, and guiding them, supporting their development, and getting the best out of them • Experience of the international development sector • Experience of managing grant and contract funding and the different reporting requirements.

Edyta Barker, Management Accountant (Toby Richards/ Development Initiatives)

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Skills

Personal attributes

Essential • Strong oral communication skills, with fluency in English • Organisational leadership skills – experience of being part of an organisation’s leadership team and a track record of driving the growth and development of an organisation or institution • Demonstrable ability to play a leadership role in an organisation and represent it externally as required • Proven ability to lead a large division within an organisation • Excellent management skills, and experience of working and managing across locations • Ability to work as a member of a team and train, develop and mentor staff to increase their skills and inspire them to exceed their own expectations • Strong analytical and data-driven mindset that translates into leadership skills • Strong decision-making and problem-solving skills.

Essential • Rigorous and conscientious – able to ensure high quality and attention to detail • A strong commitment to quality, able to ensure all content produced adheres to DI’s quality assurance framework and meets the needs of our partners • Culturally sensitive, with demonstrable ability to work successfully and independently with diverse groups • Ability to work under pressure and deliver on time • Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously to different timeframes • Excellent facilitation and presentation skills, with ability to represent the organisation at all levels • A leader who is dynamic, visionary, good with people and able to motivate and inspire staff and lead by example • Positive outlook and energetic – looks for solutions and help staff explore new ways of doing things • Considerate and supportive, a self-starter able to work collaboratively within and across teams and to organise time accordingly • Flexibility and willingness/ability to travel (including abroad) • Willingness to work beyond the working day and be contacted out-of-office hours as may be required.

Desirable • Fluency in other languages would be an advantage, specifically French, Portuguese and/or Spanish.

Education Essential • Qualified accountant (CIMA/ACA/ACCA) Desirable • Master’s in Public Administration.

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If you cannot answer yes to these questions, please do not apply, as we will be unable to progress your application.

If you can answer yes to all the above questions, then please click here to apply. here you will need to complete a short application form and submit an up-to-date curriculum vitae (of no more than 2-3 pages), and a cover letter. Please prepare your CV and cover letter before applying as they will be requested at the end of the application form. The documents should be saved in MS Word in the following format: Your First Name-Your Last Name-Document Name-Date (mmyyyy) e.g., Malika Cook-CV-052021Development Initiatives.

how to apply Before applying, please check that you can answer yes to all the following questions: • Are you a qualified accountant (CIMA/ACA/ ACCA/CPA/CA)?

• Do you have experience of overseeing risk and legal compliance and establishing, robust risk management systems, controls, and policies?

• Do you have experience of managing, motivating, and developing heads of departments?

• Have you led a change process in an organisation which has supported international growth?

The cover letter should be no more than 2 pages long – bullet points are acceptable.

It should explain: • why you are interested in this role • why you are interested in Development Initiatives • how your skills and experience make you a good fit • For guidance on preparing a statement, please see here.

Timeline Closing date: Preliminary interviews: Final panel interviews:

July 2nd 2021 (Applications will be assessed on an ongoing basis and early application is recommended) Week commencing 12th July 2021 Week commencing 26th July 2021

Selection process All candidates will be notified about the status of their applications. Shortlisted candidates may be required to undertake an additional assessment prior to the final interview.

Queries If you have any queries on any aspect of the appointment process, need additional information, or would like to have an informal discussion, please email: dicoo@oxfordhr.co.uk in the first instance.

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DI welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

DI have a duty to prevent illegal working by checking potential employees’ documents, before employing them, to ensure they have the right to work in the country in which this post is based.

DI is an equal opportunities employer, and in line with our policies, we aim to ensure that no job applicant receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, religion, ethnic or national origin, age, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, or disability.

DI is committed to the aims of Disability Confident and in particular will: ensure that the recruitment process is inclusive and accessible, communicate and promote all vacancies, offer an interview to applicants with a disability who meet the minimum requirements.

other considerations

We are a Living Wage and Disability Confident employer in the UK and apply these principles to our staff worldwide.

Photo: Simon Davis/DFID

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Oxford HR operates globally - mainly within the international development and charity sectors.

We carry out retained executive search mandates at board and senior management levels. We also offer human resource and organisational development consultancy.

Oxford HR has many years of experience in search as well as an extensive network of international development, social sector, corporate, public sector, and academic contacts from across the world. We carry out comprehensive and often international searches designed to meet the specific needs of our clients.

Oxford HR’s team members have significant personal experience of working in international development and the social sector as well as the corporate and governmental sectors. We are in a unique position to find and assess talented individuals from a variety of backgrounds.

about oxford hr

Martha Gewtachew Bekele, Lead Analyst, East Africa (Toby Richards/ Development Initiatives)

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OXFORD

LONDON

AMSTERDAM

NAIROBI

46 Woodstock Road

Three Tuns House,

Korte Schimmelstraat 12

Watermark Business Park

Oxford

109 Borough High Street,

1053 SZ

Cove Court,

OX2 6HT

London

Amsterdam

1st Floor

SE1 1NL

Ndege Road off Langata Road

United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The Netherlands

Kenya

+44 (0) 1865 985 457

+44 (0)20 7939 7451

+31 (0) 621 153 452

+254 (0) 797 233 217

www.oxfordhr.co.uk | Company No. 6456325

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