Director, Opel Project

DIRECTOR, OPEL PROJECT

Job Title: Director

Location: London, Amnesty International UK

Hours: Full time (37 hours per week)

Salary: £41,062 per annum

Leave: 28 days per annum

Responsible to: Chief Officer, City of Sanctuary

Line Management: Five Regional Campaign Co-ordinators (from 2017)

Closing date: 26th September 2016, 9.00am

Interview date: 11th October 2016

The Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives (OPEL) is a new project that brings together and builds on the successful work of Still Human Still Here and Regional Asylum Activism (RAA).

OPEL will support local organisations and networks to inform and change attitudes about asylum seekers and refugees and campaign for positive change to the asylum system. By mobilising and coordinating local, regional and national advocacy work, the project will increase the impact of campaigns to secure improvements in asylum policy and practice.

In this way, OPEL will seek to drive forward and secure the eight goals identified at the Sanctuary Summit in November 2014

At the start of 2017, RAA Campaign Coordinators in the North West, Yorkshire and Humberside and the West Midlands (currently employed by STAR) will transfer into the OPEL project and additional Campaign Coordinators will be recruited for Wales and the North East.

The Director will be employed by City of Sanctuary and be based at the offices of Amnesty International UK in Shoreditch, London.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Manage the OPEL project

·  Direct, lead and develop OPEL, in line with its strategic objectives

·  Establish processes to effectively recruit, manage, support and develop staff and volunteers

·  Review, develop and implement OPEL fundraising strategy and ensure that the project has a sufficient funding base to sustain its work and its staff.

·  Manage relationships with funders, including reporting to funders and donors.

·  Convene and administer regular meetings of OPEL’s Advisory Board

·  Ensure that the Chief Officer at City of Sanctuary is kept fully informed of OPEL’s work and finances and notified of any issues relating to staff so that City of Sanctuary can fulfil its responsibilities to staff and comply with its legal obligations.

Undertake and support advocacy work to secure improvements in asylum policy and practice, both at a local and national level

·  Maintain and strengthen the organisation’s existing network of contacts, including by acting as a resource for members, providing regular policy and campaign updates and convening meetings, as appropriate.

·  Engage with national stakeholders to ensure good coordination and maximise the impact of joint actions to achieve OPEL’s goals.

·  Identify national advocacy targets and develop strategies for achieving them, including ways that network members can contribute to realising these goals.

·  Where appropriate, coordinate/facilitate national campaigns, bringing together expertise and other resources from different organisations in order to secure policy change and/or challenge prevailing attitudes to asylum seekers and refugees.

·  Seek to influence the development of asylum policy, including through regular engagement with key decision makers (e.g. relevant Ministers, MPs Home Office officials, etc.).

·  Undertake research and policy work to support local and national advocacy initiatives, as appropriate.

Other responsibilities

·  Act as the main contact point for all enquiries regarding OPEL.

·  Undertake any other relevant duties, in line with the responsibilities of the post.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

·  Track record of success in leading a project or organisation

·  Experience of creating and delivering strategic plans.

·  Experience of managing staff

·  Knowledge and understanding of Government decision making processes, particularly as they relate to asylum.

·  A good knowledge of how the asylum system impacts on asylum seekers and refugees and experience of asylum related policy or advocacy work.

·  Experience of developing and implementing a campaign or advocacy strategy to achieve positive changes in policy or promote positive changes in attitudes towards a particular group or issue.

·  Proven ability to build strong partnerships and maintain positive working relationships with individuals and organisations.

·  Ability to fundraise and report to funders.

·  Proven track record of managing budgets

·  Excellent communication skills, including experience of report writing and public speaking

·  Ability to be proactive and flexible and to work both independently and as part of a team.

·  Understanding of and commitment to the values and aims of the project.

·  Ability to travel within the UK.

Desirable

·  Direct experience of working with asylum seekers.

·  Ability to work with the media.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Please fill out the application form

Please email your application to Colleen Molloy

The closing date for applications is 9.00am on Monday 26th September 2016

Interviews will be held on Tuesday 11th October 2016

We are sorry that we will are unable to provide feedback to unsuccessful candidates.

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