HERA UK Her Equality, Rights and Autonomy

HERA Executive Director (Part-time Post)

Objective

Seeking a half-time Executive Director with extensive business knowledge, networks, and experience to develop and scale up a charity and limited company that offers entrepreneurship training, professional mentoring, and grants for formerly trafficked women, women exiting prostitution, and women vulnerable to trafficking.

Background of HERA

Her Equality, Rights, and Autonomy (HERA) is a British registered charity and limited company that provides entrepreneurship training in collaboration with Imperial College Business Schooland IMD/Lausanne to formerly trafficked women, women exiting prostitution, and women vulnerable to trafficking. HERA collaborates with several social service agencies in the London area to identify suitable candidates for the programme and to ensure follow up and social support. HERA also recruits, orients, matches and provides support to professional and business mentors for the women graduates of the entrepreneurship training. HERA provides small grants and equipment to women graduates of the programme, who are starting small businesses and/or to facilitate their employment and career development. In addition, HERA works in origin communities for trafficking in Armenia, Georgia, and the Ukraine to provide small grants for vulnerable women’s ventures to start or scale up their enterprises.

Founded in 2005, HERA to date has conducted two rounds of entrepreneurship training and mentoring in Belgrade (2005, 2006), three rounds in London (2008, 2009, 2010) and one round in Boston (2009). In addition, HERA has provided small grants to vulnerable women to start or scale up their ventures in Armenia and Georgia and expects this year to expand the grants programme to Ukraine and Egypt. HERA is governed by a board of nine trustees with international, business, and humanitarian experience. Three of the trustees founded the organization and others contribute to the teaching, training, and fund raising activities. By hiring an Executive Director, the trustees would like to expand HERA’s model and work throughout the UK, establish an endowment, and develop HERA’s organizational capacity to sustain a long term, largely volunteer programme. The Executive Director’s overall mandate is to work directly with London’s business community to engage corporate and business social responsibility through in kind donations, financing, and volunteerism to help trafficked women realise their professional aspirations.

Position Description

This part-time, Executive Director position(£20,000 pa) requires an experienced manager capable of working independently and interested in growing and developing HERA’s programme in London and throughout the UK and the grants programme both in London and in origin communities. The Executive Director will be expected to: (1) develop and implement an annual fund raising and endowment campaign with the private sector (including making regular presentations); (2) help manage the annual entrepreneurship training; (3)organise and supervise the recruitment, training and orientation, placement/matching and follow up of business mentors; (4) organise the grants’ review and selection; (5) supervise a part-time administrative assistant; and (6) assure regular monitoring, evaluation, and reporting to donors. The Executive Director will be assisted in all of these responsibilities and collaborate with various trustees and volunteer organisers. Thus, the Executive Director, as one of only two paid positions, must be able to motivate and encourage the engagement of others, particularly encouraging volunteerism and replication of the HERA model within the private sector.

The Executive Director will be expected to work virtually and out of his/her own office. Communication, printing, travel and other related costs will be supported. The post will entail regular travel to various social service providers, to business partners and potential collaborators, and to several business schools to develop and expand the HERA model. The position is for three years, subject to an initial three-month and annual review. The position may also be extended beyond the three years and/or develop as a full time post dependent on further funding and activities. The Executive Director will report to the Chair of Trustees and provide regular reports to the Board.

Key Capabilities and Requirements

  • Prior experience in managing and developing an organisation;
  • London business experience and contacts
  • Ability to work with a diverse group of people across different income strata, nationalities, and professions
  • Commitment to volunteerism that engages corporate social responsibility
  • Evidence of successful fund raising in another charity or venture
  • Experience in writing reports and grants proposals to donors and in making presentations to diverse communities

Desired Qualifications and Experience

  • MBA and/or financial background preferred
  • Public relations experience
  • Experience with the charity sector

HERA will not discriminate on the basis of gender, cultural or ethnic background; economic, social, or personal status; and/or age or nationality. All candidates, however, must have obtained the right to work in the UK and must be sufficiently motivated to work independently.

Applications

Please send a CV and cover letter to Ms. Alexandra Hobbs, Company Secretary, 7a Melrose Gardens, London W6 7RN by the 27 of May and/or by email to (see also ). Interviews with successful applicants will be conducted by a trustee committee from mid May onwards as received and a decision is expected by early June. Only successful candidates will be notified.

Companies House Reg. 05401337UK Registered Charity No: 1115628