Practical Action - Director of Influence, Impact and Innovation

DIRECTOR OF INFLUENCE, IMPACT AND INNOVATION April 2022

Practical Action - Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

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Practical Action - Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

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Our aims Dear Candidate, Thank you for your interest in the role of Director of Influence, Impact and Innovation at Practical Action.

Reporting to the CEO, this role is strategically critical, shaping the way we develop our organisational strategy, our collaborations and our approach to change so that our work and partnerships continually increase the impact that we have against our mission to support people to lift themselves out of poverty.

Practical Action helps people find solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems, made worse by catastrophic climate change and persistent gender inequality. Rooted in our long-standing experience of working directly with communities, we bring people together in bold collaborations, combining knowledge and experience with innovation to change the systems that keep people poor and vulnerable.

We are looking for a big picture thinker, who is excited to convene and develop partnerships that can achieve change at scale and at the systems level and to support other leaders in Practical Action to do the same. You will be continually focused on how we increase our impact directly, in partnerships and through influencing relationships and on ensuring that we are capturing the evidence and learning from our work so that we, and others, can improve future outcomes.

If this sounds like you and you are excited to identify and embed innovations that can take our work to the next level, we would love to meet you.

Sarah Roberts CEO

Practical Action - Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

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Practical Action - Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

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About Us We’re a global change-making group, working with communities who are vulnerable to poverty and climate change to support them to change their world. Together we develop innovative, community powered and locally owned solutions that achieve transformative change in lives and livelihoods. And we work with a range of partners, including governments, business and international organisations to ensure improvements are sustained and scaled and to change the systems that keep people poor and vulnerable.

We were founded in 1969 by radical economist EF Schumacher who challenged the development thinking of the time. He believed in solutions suited to context, equipping people with the skills and knowledge to change their situation, economic systems that work for all and living within the planets means. This ethos continues to fuel all our work. Schumacher was the author of ‘Small is Beautiful: A study of economics as if people mattered’. In our work we start ‘small’, ensuring we understand what is already working but we aim big focussing on what will deliver the systems change required.

We have over 50 years of experience working across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Our group consists of a UK registered charity with experienced country teams, an expert consulting service and an independent development publishing company. We combine these specialisms to multiply our impact and help shape a world that works better for everyone.

Practical Action - Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

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Practical Action - Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

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Our aims We work across four thematic areas. Much of our most impactful work combines our expertise across issues to solve complex and interconnected problems such as supporting smallholder farmers with renewable energy to increase yields and open up bigger opportunities for the wider economy.

Harnessing energy that transforms for the one billion people without electricity, and the three billion people without clean cooking solutions. We’re supporting rural communities, displaced people, energy providers and decision makers to put clean energy to work. By 2025, our work with partners will have led to affordable, low-carbon energy access and cleaner cooking for two million people in ‘last mile’ communities and 18 million people through wider systems change.

Building resilience that protects for vulnerable people whose lives and livelihoods are threatened by climate change. We’re working to reduce vulnerability and impacts and support people to adapt so that they can continue to thrive in the future. By 2025, 0ur work with partners will have enhanced adaptive approaches so that four million people are better protected against current and future hazards.

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Practical Action - Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

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Our aims Making cities fit for people for the millions of people living in urban slums and settlements without proper sanitation, clean water and waste services. Our work with communities is making cities in poorer countries cleaner, healthier, fairer places for people to live and work, with clean water for drinking and sewage safely contained, collected and processed. By 2025, our work with partners will have led to improved water, sanitation and waste management services for one million people living in slum communities and a further 2.4 million people through wider systems change.

Cultivating farming that works for smallholder farmers struggling to make a sufficient income and adapt to the negative effects of climate change. We’re teaming up with smallholder farmers, many of whom are women, so they can adapt to climate change and achieve a good standard of living. By 2025, our work with partners will have improved food security and incomes for two million people in rural communities and a further one million people through wider systems change.

Practical Action - Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

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Practical Action - Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

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Our International Organisation Chief Executive Officer

Director of Finance and Services

Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

Reporting lines not included in this diagram.

Key Global Management team Strategic Leadership Team (includes Global Management team)

Practical Action - Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

Director of Fundraising Marketing and Communications

Africa Director

International Director

Kenya Country Director

Latin America Regional Director

Zimbabwe Country Director

South Asia Regional Director

Sudan Country Director

Bangladesh Country Director

West Africa Regional Director

Head of International Operations

Rwanda Country Director

Head of Practical Action Consulting International Coordinator International Operations

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Practical Action - Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

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Influence, Impact, and Innovation Directorate

Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

Directorate Coordinator

Head of Agriculture

Head of Climate Resilience

Climate & Resilience Officer

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Regional Advisor Climate & Resilience

Head of Urban Services

Urban Wash and Waste Officer

Head of Practical Action Publishing

Head of Energy

Energy and Impact Officer

Publishing Team

Head of Impact & Learning

Impact & Learning Team

Practical Action - Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

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The Role

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Title:

Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

Reports to:

Chief Executive

Direct Reports:

Four Thematic Leaders, Head of Impact & Learning, Team Coordinator, Head of Practical Action Publishing

Relationships:

Strategic leadership team, Country Offices, Fundraising, Marketing and Communication leadership, Board of Trustees. Significant external relationships.

Location:

Flexible

Grade:

Director level salary – competitive

Travel:

Considerable travel to external events and some to country offices

Annual Budget:

Circa £1.5m p.a, as well as key influence on how the whole organisation invests/ spends circa £30m p.a. to achieve change

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About the Role Reporting to the Chief Executive, this highly influential director level has their eyes on the big picture, and future trends, shaping Practical Action’s strategy and representing the organisation internationally at a high level to build relationships that enable Practical Action and its partners to deliver greater change.

The post-holder will have a key role in shaping our global strategic direction, identifying and embedding innovative approaches that can take our work to the next level. The post-holder will ensure that we are capturing our impact and ensuring that we, and others are learning from our experience as we shape the next set of compelling and high-impact offers and partnerships that will make long-lasting improvements for people living in poverty and dealing with the impacts of climate change.

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Practical Action - Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

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Accountabilities Leadership, Strategy Delivery & Impact • You will lead and manage a high performing senior team, driving forward strategy and collaborating effectively across Practical Action and externally to ensure the continued development of a set of strategic, viable, and fundable offers which describe the impact we will make in the world.

• You will guide the group’s approaches – strategic change partnerships, innovative and high quality progamming with communities; consulting, influencing & knowledge brokering to ensure the maximum positive impact on the lives of women and men.

• You will oversee the development and delivery of an effective process to capture and share impact, ensuring learning is incorporated into future plans.

External Representation and Strategic Partnership Building • You will engage actively at high levels with the stakeholders critical to achieving our goals: governments, funding partners, companies, international and non-governmental organisations.

• You will ensure that we are known & respected for our work in key areas, are engaging with relevant issues and partnerships, keeping abreast of future trends and identifying the valued added roles that we can play in systems change to achieve our mission.

People, Capabilities and Leadership • You will support the development and implementation of specific group campaigns and strategic fundraising efforts.

• You will contribute to group-wide capacity building efforts in association with the People and Culture Team.

• You will support the creation of compelling internal and external communications enabling our stories, learning and impact to be effectively shared in particular with professional audiences crucial to future impact • As a member of the Group Management Team and Senior Leadership Team you will contribute to shaping overall group strategy, and delivery of key organisational projects.

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Practical Action - Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

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Person Profile To be successful in the role, the ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate: Experience & Knowledge Essential • High level analytical skills with the ability to interpret global trends and identify potential implications for organisational strategy • A deep understanding of international development, with expertise in a relevant sector and strong interest in poverty reduction and climate resilience.

• Excellent networking and representational skills, working comfortably with government, donors, private sector and civil society at all levels, with the ability to translate relationships into active high impact partnerships • Good understanding of systems change and ability to translate that to a relevant focus for Practical Action • Proven ability in strategic leadership at a senior level, and leading and managing a team of specialists to work to a group agenda.

• Excellent facilitation skills with the ability to listen, and to lead.

• First hand experience of working in different countries.

• A sound understanding of and commitment to gender equality and diversity, equity and inclusion.

• Excellent written and oral communications skills in English • Empathy with Practical Action’s vision, mission and values.

Desirable • Knowledge of monitoring, evaluation and learning strategies.

• A second language (French, Spanish, Arabic)

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Practical Action - Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

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Terms and Conditions You will join a high performing team of leaders, all committed to making the world work better for everyone. You will experience and contribute to a friendly and supportive culture, working with values driven and highly engaged teams. In addition, we offer the following benefits: • • • • • • • •

A fair and competitive salary Full time hours of 35 per week Minimum 25 days’ annual leave, in addition to public holidays An attractive pension scheme (through either a salary allowance or opportunity to join a pension scheme) Group travel, life and accident cover Depending on the location, group in-patient and out-patient medical cover Family friendly policies, including maternity and paternity leave Access to the global Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

We treat all applications for employment on their merits and do not take into consideration any factors that are not relevant to the job such as disability, race, age, religion, gender, gender reassignment or sexual orientation.

Practical Action are committed to safeguarding and protecting children and vulnerable adults and as such candidates will be subject to preemployment checks, including criminal checks and terrorist financing.

Our offer would be subject to: • A six month probationary period • At least two satisfactory employment references covering at least the last three years of employment history and including the most recent employer

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Practical Action - Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

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How to Apply All correspondence, at this stage, should be via Oxford HR. Before applying, please check that you can answer yes to all the following questions: • • •

Do you have an excellent track record of mobilising partners behind a compelling vision for change and developing strategic partnerships that deliver?

Do you have substantial experience in driving impactful initiatives and scaling up successful approaches preferably in Practical Action’s focus sectors?

Do you have first-hand experience in working in different countries?

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. To apply for this post, click on the “Apply” button on the job advert page, complete our online application form, and submit your CV and cover letter in two different documents. The CV should be upto-date and no more than 2-3 pages.

The documents should be saved in MS Word in the following format: Your First Name-Your Last Name-Document Name-Date (mmyy) -Organisation-role e.g., Sara-Musa-CV-0422-Practical ActionDirectorIA or Sara-Musa- CoverLetter-0422- Practical ActionDirectorIA.

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Practical Action - Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

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How to Apply 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 Practical Action how your skills and experience make you a good fit for the role.

For guidance on preparing a statement, please see here.

Timeline Closing Date: Preliminary interviews with Oxford HR: Client interviews: Final panel interviews:

15th May Week of 30th May TBC TBC

Applications will be assessed on an ongoing basis and early application is recommended.

Selection process All candidates will receive an update regarding their application after the closing date. We advise candidates to add the role email to their safe senders list and regularly check their spam folder. Shortlisted candidates may be required to undertake an additional assessment prior to the final interview.

Equality Statement Equality and diversity are at the core of Practical Action values.

Staff are expected to work collectively and individually to promote a constructive and sensitive approach to others from a variety of backgrounds, where the work of others is valued and respected.

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 at practical-action-impact@oxfordhr.co.uk in the first instance.

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Practical Action - Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

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About Oxford HR 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 client.

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Practical Action - Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

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OXFORD

LONDON

AMSTERDAM

NAIROBI

46 Woodstock Road

5 Tanner Street

Korte Schimmelstraat 12

Workify Africa

Oxford

Bermondsey

1053 SZ

ABC Place

OX2 6HT

London

Amsterdam

Waiyaki way

SE1 3LE

Nairobi

United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The Netherlands

Kenya

+44 (0) 1865 985 457

+44 (0)20 7939 7451

+31 (0) 683 334 473

+254 (0) 797 233 217

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

Practical Action - Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

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Practical Action - Director of Influence, Impact, and Innovation

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