Job Description

Job Title:National Director, Wales

Reference: SUS1892

Salary:Grade L

Hours: 37.5 per week

Base: 123 Bute Street Cardiff CF10 5AE

Job Purpose:

  • Responsible for the overall strategic-level direction of Sustrans in Wales including managing staff and resources to deliver Sustrans’ National Strategy for Wales
  • Strengthen strategic relationships with the key organisations and politicians responsible for relevant policy areas in Wales and influence decision-makers across a range of portfolios
  • Build relationships with partners/funding bodies and be responsible for leadership of income generation through business development
  • Support staff in the delivery of a broad range of high quality practical projects and promotional work
  • Contribute to Sustrans-wide strategic development as a member of the senior management group.

Place in organisational structure:

The post holder will report to the Operations Director who is a member of Sustrans Executive.

Key Relationships:

Internal:Chief Executive

Operations Director

Sustrans Executive and Senior Leadership team

The Sustrans Cymru team

The Sustrans Cymru Advisory Board and its Chair (Trustee for Wales).

Other senior management in geographical offices and head office

External:Welsh Government senior officials

National Assembly for Wales : Assembly Members and Assembly employees

Local Authority elected members and senior officers Existing and prospective funders

Statutory bodies including Natural Resources Wales, Public Health Wales, Public Health Boards

Welsh and UK Media

Key Responsibilities:

Influencing and external affairs

  • To build on and seek new political support in maximising the impact of the Active Travel (Wales) Act and its potential to deliver outcomes against a wide range of policy objectives
  • To establish strong relationships with major organisations involved in active travel such as the National Assembly for Wales and its Members, Welsh Government and local authorities
  • To raise the profile and reputation of Sustrans by acting as a media spokesperson and building relationships with journalists in order to promote active travel and highlight Sustrans solutions across a range of policy areas
  • To be responsible for the development of policy positions for Wales (in accordance with Sustrans protocols) and responding to key consultations, as well as providing strategic inputs to key policy debates and policy formulation
  • To take the lead responsibility for the Sustrans Welsh language scheme and liaison with the office of Welsh Language Commissioner
  • To take the lead for all external affairs work in Wales, ensuring that relevant staff members have communications plans in place which support project delivery work and strengthen influencing opportunities
  • Network with other organisations working in the transport, health and sustainable development fields and develop joint working, liaison and co-operation on key policy issues and areas of common interest

Strategic governance and business development:

  • Develop and publish a five year strategic plan for Sustrans Cymru in keeping with the charity’s overall objectives and business model. Keep such a strategy under constant review and develop a further strategy(ies) at further five year intervals as required
  • Be responsible for the production of an annual business plan and associated work plans deriving from the five year strategy and for quarterly reporting to the Executive using agreed templates and indicators
  • Build relationships with partners/funding bodies and be responsible for leadership of income generation through business development.
  • Give direction to the management team in Wales, empowering senior managers to be responsible for the development and successful delivery of project work
  • To be responsible for financial management of Sustrans operations in Wales which move Wales towards a position where it is self-financing
  • Ensure, through delegated responsibility successful management of project delivery, budget management and compliance with all relevant project management systems and processes
  • Raise the profile and reputation of Sustrans in Wales as a delivery agency by promoting our solutions-focused work by highlighting key demonstration projects
  • Facilitate the Sustrans Welsh Advisory Board, maximizing its networking and influencing benefits

Training and personal development:

  • Attend essential Sustrans training as required by the Charity
  • Ensure own personal development by working to objectives set as part of the Charity’s appraisal process

Health & Safety, Safeguarding and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

  • To support and comply with the organisation’s policy for the management of Health and Safety
  • To support and comply with the organisation’s policies for the management of safeguarding
  • To support and comply with the organisation’s policy and procedures relating to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and apply principles of best practice in own role and ensure others in Wales senior management are also compliant

Networks:

  • Represent Wales on the Senior Leadership team
  • Represent Wales within the internal Sustrans networks for the coordination of organisation-wide business development activities
  • This role may have additional responsibilities as a member of a network of colleagues working on Sustrans-wide oversight of strategic communications

Other:

  • Keep the charity’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and other internal information management systems up to date
  • Perform any other duties consistent with the nature and grade of the role as agreed with the line manager

Working Conditions:

The postholder will be based in Sustrans office in Cardiff and will be expected to be flexible in the ways hours are worked. Extensive and regular travel around Wales and visits to the organisation’s other offices throughout the UK will be expected.

Special Note:

This job description does not form part of the contract of employment, but indicates how that contract should be performed. The job description may be subject to amendment in the light of experience and in consultation with the post holder.

Compiled by:Operations Director

Date: May 2016

National Director, Wales (SUS858)

Person Specification

. Criteria / Essential
Qualifications, education and training / Educated to degree level or equivalent
Experience / Extensive experience in strategic planning
Broad significant experience of Government and national organisations
Experience of strengthening strategic relationships with key organisations and of building relationships with politicians/partners/funding bodies
Extensive experience of line management and team building / leadership
Experience of project management including delivery and implementation
Track record of acting as a media spokespersonand building relationships with journalists
Skills and abilities / Excellent written and verbal communications skills
Excellent interpersonal skills
Leadership skills
An ability to influence a wide range of individuals at senior level
An ability to think strategically
Project management
Excellent negotiation skills
Excellent presentation skills
Ability to act as a spokesperson for the organisation
Ability to produce reports, including drafting policies
Budget management skills
Self motivated with an ability to work independently
Knowledge / In-depth understanding of the policy and funding environment relating to Sustrans’ work
Excellent understanding of relevant organisations and political structures in Wales
A sound understanding of tender and bid processes.
Flair for preparing and pitching compelling business cases to potential clients, funders and/or partners
Other / Committed to the ideals of Sustrans
Criteria / Desirable
Skills and abilities / The ability to communicate in Welsh