Progressio has made a significant contribution to international development and human rights for more than seventy years. We support poor and marginalised people, especially women, to empower themselves – People Powered Development – by placing development workers to share skills in nine countries, and through our international policy, advocacy and campaigning. Progressio has Catholic roots and works with people of all faiths and none.
Head of Public Engagement
Reports to Chief Executive
Posts reporting to Supporter Manager, Communications Officer, Digital Editor & Producer, Digital Content Officer, Activism Officer, and leads the Public Engagement team
Salary £37,972 - £41,122 (depending on skills and experience) gross pa, Grade F
Status Permanent, full-time (part-time, minimum of 28 hours, will be considered)
Based Brixton, London
Travel UK (mostly in London), plus occasional overseas travel
This role brings together UK supporter fundraising, campaigning and communications to deliver an integrated Public Engagement Strategy, to reach major new audiences and have a significant impact on Progressio’s UK funding, profile and campaigning. This is a high impact role for a highly successful professional with a great track record in fundraising, who will also lead campaigns and communications functions. The post holder will make a big contribution to our international People Powered Development work alongside some of the poorest and most marginalised communities in the world.The main purposes of the post are to increase income from UK audiences, maintain and further strengthen our first class campaigning and increase our profile, representing Progressio externally among UK priority audiences. The post holder will lead the delivery of the Public Engagement Strategy, maintaining team cohesiveness and collaborating closely across the organisation, and drive forward an ambitious 75th anniversary appeal, generating significant new sustainable income, especially among Catholic and young adult audiences.
ABOUT PROGRESSIO AND OUR APPROACH
Progressio is a UK-based charity working internationally to enable people in developing countries to challenge and change the situations that keep them poor. We currently work in nine countries and have a long history of working in fragile, post-conflict and authoritarian states.
We develop long-term partnerships with local organisations and community groups in the global South, providing practical support through development workers (DWs), mostly from the global South, who share skills, know-how and training. We also send committed young adults from the UK to engage in community development work for 10 weeks - this programme is called Progressio ICS. Both DWs and Progressio ICS placements contribute towards improving the lives of thousands of people in poor communities.
Because poverty is about unequal power relations and a lack of human rights, we work with a wide range of people who are poor and marginalised to change the structures that keep them in poverty. We support them in their calls for policy change. With our supporters, we stand alongside them in demanding that decision-makers around the world sit up and listen to them.
Inspired by our Catholic roots, we believe that experiencing ‘life in all its fullness’ includes freedom and control over one’s life and future. It means challenging inequalities and power imbalances. We see every person as sacred, having inherent dignity, so we stand in solidarity with poor and marginalised people in achieving their rights. We call this People Powered Development.
GOVERNANCE
As a UK registered charity, Progressio has a Board of Trustees that is responsible for the overall strategic vision of the organisation. The Board has two sub-committees and a working group. The Chief Executive is directly accountable to the Board and managed by the Chair of Trustees.
STAFF AND SUPPORTERS AROUND THE WORLD
The Progressio family includes our office in London; our regional and country offices; and Progressio Latina, which raises funds for and oversees our work in Central America except ICS.
Progressio works in Central America (El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua); Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti); Somaliland; Southern Africa (Malawi and Zimbabwe) and Yemen. We have a sub-regional office in Tegucigalpa that oversees our work in Central America, with smaller offices in Nicaragua and El Salvador. A sub-regional office in Harare oversees our work in Southern Africa, with a smaller office in Malawi. In Santo Domingo, a sub-regional office oversees our work in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, where Progressio works in strong collaboration with Christian Aid. We also have country offices in Somaliland and Yemen. Our country teams in El Salvador, Honduras, Malawi, Nicaragua and Zimbabwe are also responsible for the running of Progressio ICS in these countries.
Progressio has five teams:
The International Programmes team oversees Progressio’s development worker programmes. The team includes in-country staff, comprising Sub-Regional Managers, Country Representatives and support staff, and the UK-based Director of International Programmes, Programmes Officer and Programme Funding and Learning sub-teams, and works closely with all other teams. The Learning team is responsible for monitoring and evaluation and learning across the organisation. The Programme Funding team is made up of London-based staff and regionally-based Funding Officers, and secures grant funding from institutions.
The Finance and Administration team is responsible for financial management, recruitment, selection and training, Progressio Central America/Progressio Latina, Progressio ICS, and general administrative, HR and IT support to Progressio.
The International Citizen Service team oversees our young adult volunteering programme, Progressio ICS, working closely with in-country staff on planning and delivery.
The Policy team works closely with partners, development workers, young adult volunteers and UK-policy-makers to influence and bring about change in policy at national, regional and international levels. The team seeks to provide a platform for Southern voices through its policy work.
The Public Engagement team is a new integrated department combining campaigns, communications and UK supporter staff, who also work closely with the Policy and ICS teams. The integrated team will deliver our new Public Engagement Strategy. The team works to secure funds from priority UK audiences. Progressio is a membership organisation and we have a supporter and campaigning base of approximately 5,000 people. Active engagement with our supporters, to inform and mobilise them, is a vital part of our mandate.
More detailed information about our work, thematic areas and overseas programmes is available on our website: www.progressio.org.uk
PROGRESSIO’S FUNDING
Progressio’s funding comes in part through a Programme Partnership Agreement (PPA) signed with the British government’s Department for International Development (DFID). Further substantial income is received through a consortium contract with VSO to deliver the International Citizen Service (ICS) programme. Other donors include the European Commission, the Big Lottery Fund, Comic Relief, other British development agencies, trusts and foundations.[1] In addition, gifts are received through legacies and other donations from members of the public and community groups. Progressio’s plans to diversify its income include increasing the range of funders and further developing the capacity of our programmes to raise funds from donors in the region.
PURPOSE OF THE POST
§ Increase income from UK audiences, maintain and further strengthen our first class campaigning and increase our profile, representing Progressio externally among UK priority audiences.
§ Lead the delivery of the Public Engagement Strategy, maintaining team cohesiveness and collaborating closely across the organisation.
§ Drive forward an ambitious 75th anniversary appeal, generating significant new sustainable income, especially among Catholic and young adult audiences.
- Duties and responsibilities
1. Public engagement to increase income, profile and campaigning in 2015 (which is a crucial year for international development and Progressio’s 75th anniversary) and beyond:
§ Increase income from UK priority audiences through traditional channels and online, meeting annual and longer-term targets.
§ Drive forward an ambitious 75th anniversary appeal in 2015-16 generating significant new sustainable income, especially among Catholic and young adult audiences, as well as support from corporate sponsors.
§ Develop personal relationships with new major supporters, appeal ambassadors and networkers, who will open doors to major new support, building on existing contacts and relations among Catholic and corporate audiences, in order to secure significant new income. This includes coordinating major gift and corporate fundraising work with the Business Development Manager.
§ Maintain and further strengthen our first class campaigning and raise our profile, representing Progressio externally among UK priority audiences.
§ Lead the further development and delivery of the Public Engagement Strategy, leading the team and collaborating closely across the organisation.
§ Lead the integration of public engagement work both within the team and with other teams, especially Policy and ICS.
§ Lead and support the Supporter Manager and team to increase income from new and existing individuals, community groups, events and religious orders. This includes implementing our integrated supporter journey for supporters and campaigners, including Progressio ICS returned volunteers.
§ Secure grants for public engagement projects, with the support from the Programme Funding team.
§ Work with the Activism Officer to maintain and further strengthen recent progress in campaigning. This includes campaigning to influence policy, in close liaison with the Head of Policy, and to increase understanding of and support for Progressio’s People Powered Development issues.
§ Work with the Communications Officer to increase press and social media coverage among key UK audiences, in support of fundraising and agreed advocacy and campaigning. This includes overseeing staff delivery of agreed publications and other communications online and in print.
§ Represent Progressio at other key meetings, events and in the media.
§ In consultation with the Chief Executive, develop and safeguard Progressio’s brand in a way that distinctively engages key internal and external audiences and consistently promotes key messages and images.
§ Champion and ensure good coordination of fundraising and people engagement across the organisation.
2. Team leadership and management
§ Lead the Public Engagement team internally and externally ensuring a supporter/people-centred approach, focused on results, with strong team-working across the team, as well as with others, and with well-coordinated processes and structures.
§ Ensure effective staff support, management and personal/professional development, working to objectives, targets and key performance indicators, integrated within the Public Engagement Strategy.
§ Manage the staff reporting directly to the post holder and provide team leadership.
3. Strategy, targets, delivery, learning, monitoring and evaluation
§ Develop further the Public Engagement Strategy, as required, and prepare annual plans and budgets.
§ Lead delivery of ambitious plans achieving targets to raise more income and further strengthen campaigning and communications among priority UK audiences, through an integrated marketing approach.
§ Recommend strategy, annual plans, budgets and internal policies to the Chief Executive and Leadership team. Prepare reports for the Leadership team and the Board, on a quarterly basis and as requested.
§ Ensure sound processes are in place for monitoring and evaluating public engagement, in liaison with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Manager.
§ Seek continual improvement through learning and innovation and keep abreast of the latest developments, trends and innovations in public engagement.
§ Offer occasional strategic input to other teams, especially the ICS team on recruitment/marketing.
4. Other requirements
§ Attend and contribute to regular staff meetings as required.
§ All Progressio posts are self-servicing and the post holder will be expected to do her/his own typing, administration and filing.
§ The post holder will be required to comply with Progressio’s organisational policies, especially with regards to health and safety, equal opportunities and diversity, anti-bribery and other relevant policies as advised.
The balance of these tasks will be determined by the requirements of Progressio at any particular time and agreed in consultation with the Chief Executive. Since Progressio is a small organisation, staff may be asked to share, from time to time, in central service functions. Therefore, there may be times when the post holder is asked to take part in work not specifically indicated in their job description.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
This section outlines the skills and requirements we seek for this post, please read it carefully and ensure that your application addresses each of these requirements (giving clear examples).
Specification / Essential / Desirable /Education and
training / 1. Degree/post-graduate qualification in fundraising, campaigning, communications or marketing, or equivalent experience
2. Continuing professional development and training in leadership/management skills / 18. Qualification in leadership/management
Experience / 3. Proven experience and track record of significant success in fundraising, especially community/events/corporate
4. Proven experience of successfully leading a team and managing people effectively
5. Experience of partnership-building/working and representing an organisation externally
6. Experience of developing strategies and annual plans / 19. Experience in communications and/or campaigning
20. Experience of working with Christian and especially Catholic audiences, young adults, diaspora and volunteers
21. Experience of securing grants, tenders and contracts
22. Experience of using client relationship databases or other project management systems
Skills and
knowledge / 7. In-depth knowledge of a range of fundraising areas, including major donor/corporate fundraising, plus knowledge of communications and campaigning
8. Reputation management skills, including sound political judgement on sensitive issues
9. Excellent interpersonal and negotiating skills, including the ability to effectively build rapport and strong working relationships with a range of people
10. Proven skills in effective written and oral communication and the ability to present complex ideas clearly and persuasively to engage and inspire audiences and win support
11. Dynamic, self-motivated and results-orientated
12. Sound organisational, project and time management skills, including the ability to prioritise effectively, meet tight deadlines and balance a demanding workload
13. Sound grasp of budgets and numeracy skills
14. Computer literacy (particularly Word processing, spreadsheets, databases, email and internet) / 23. Knowledge of international development issues
24. Understanding of Catholic Social Teaching and the Catholic faith
Other qualities
/ 15. Commitment to Progressio’s purpose, vision and values16. Cultural awareness and sensitivity in an inter-faith setting, including the ability to work effectively with Catholic audiences, as well as a diverse range of people of all faiths, and at all levels
17. Willingness for occasional overseas travel and short trips to Europe
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
§ £37,972 - £41,122 (depending on skills and experience) gross pa, Grade F.