Page 1 of 6

Job Description and Person Specification

Please note this statement is for information only and does not form part of a contract. This list is not exhaustive and you will be expected to undertake such duties as may be assigned to you by ActionAid from time to time.Employees are expected to be flexible in their work in order to deliver the objectives of the organisation.

Job title / Head of Digital
Contract type / Full Time Permanent
Grade/starting salary / £51,821 - £55,479
Reporting to / Interim Director of Communications
Team and Department / Digital Team, Communications Department
Direct reports / Web and Digital Manager
Date Reviewed / December 2012
Context

Are you passionate about making a real difference?

As part of the global ActionAid family, we are helping to build a fair and just world where everyone can claim their rights. To achieve this we work with local people in more than 45 countries to fight hunger and disease, seek justice and education for women, hold companies and governments to account and help communities cope with emergencies.

In the UK our role is to raise funds to reduce poverty in the communities and countries where we work, to take action for long term change and to act in solidarity with people fighting poverty and injustice in poor countries. We aim to make a stronger global differenceby working closely with ActionAid International and our country programmes around the world. We want to achieve a way of communicating that creates a powerful emotional, intellectual and practical connection between people here and in developing countries so as to motivate and engage our supporters. We believe success will be driven by connecting people, demonstrating our impact, seizing opportunities and key moments, working with others, focussing on ethical and sustainable approaches and harnessing technology and digital. We are a value driven, forward thinking organisation, focused on achieving long-term and sustainable change in the lives of the poorest people in our world.

A Digital ‘Hub & Spoke’ approach:

At ActionAid UK (AAUK), we work within a ‘Hub and Spoke’ model where a central Digital Team ‘Hub’ develops and maintains a set of central strategic platforms and best practice processes for the rest of the organization. With digital becoming a central tool in our work across AAUK, the operational departments are increasingly folding digital communications into their day to day activities. As digital ‘Spokes’, these teams require support, training, encouragement and governance from the digital ‘Hub’.

The Digital Team’s role is to ensure appropriate support across a set of tools (content management system, analytics, email, social, etc) and collect, own and disseminate best practice in all digital activities through collaboration, training and leadership, working with the departmental ‘Spokes’.

This role sits within the Digital Team.

Purpose of the Role

To be ActionAid UK’s digital leader, creating change by providing a vision and strategy for how the organisation harnesses the power of digital channels to meet our strategic goals. To work collaboratively across the organisation to ensure digital channels are optimised. To lead the core digital team to provide channel expertise, training and innovation

Key tasks and responsibilities
  1. Digital leadership

a)Develop and lead a cross-organisational digital strategy aligned to strategic goals and delivered cost effectively.

b)Enable AAUK to optimise performance, influence and impact by identifying and embedding new ways of working digitally.

c)Ensure a consistent international vision for harnessing the power of digital and a joined up approach to digital strategy and planning across the international ActionAid federation, wherever possible.

  1. Optimise digital channels and improve digital ROI

a)Collaboratively determine targets/KPIs on key areas of digital success.

b)Ensure targets owned by digital hub are met and help deliver digital targets owned elsewhere.

c)Work with Heads of Fundraising to drive online revenue growth and the financial supporter journey.

d)Work with Head of Campaigns to drive online response rates and supporter engagement.

e)Work with Data and Insight to ensure web data analysis and management is working optimally

f)Work with all other relevant teams to improve performance and meet their targets through maximising the effectiveness of digital channels and media.

g)Take necessary steps to ensure AAUK’s investment in digital infrastructure or agencies is strategic and offers maximum value for money.

  1. Transform AAUK’s approach to digital in line with UK strategy

a)Drive organisational change to mainstream digital practices within current planning and ways of working

b)Champion and support the new digital hub & spoke model, ensuring a programme of phased change.

c)Move AAUK towards an agile “digital first” mentality in line with online audience behaviour and lead on changing ways of working to increase AAUK’s competitive advantage.

d)Use evidence and influence at the highest levels to adopt multi-channel and cross-organisational ways of working which drive success. Work with other Heads of Teams to create integrated planning processes to support this goal

e)Change thinking about the website to ensure it most effectively meets our goals.

  1. Improve digital processes and planning

a)Work with the Fundraising teams and agencies to support digital marketing, maximise digital revenue and ensure high levels of supporter engagement and retention.

b)Work with the Campaigns and Youth teams to help mobilise support and win campaigns.

c)Work with the schools team to maximise our engagement with teachers and support global learning and fundraising.

d)Work with the Brand and Content and Media teams to ensure best use of digital channels to improve brand awareness and inclination to support.

e)Ensure processes are in place to support a hub & spoke approach to content publishing and CMS access

f)Ensure digital infrastructure or maintenance projects are recognised as organisational priorities when necessary

g)Explore the effectiveness of Agile Project Management and implement as appropriate.

  1. Lead and manage the Digital team

a)Help shape the team. Create and embed new ways of working and ensure clear team role and mandate.

b)Lead the team to provide core digital expertise, education and innovation.

c)Take responsibility for management decisions as part of the leadership team. Communicate decisions to the team and contribute to delivering the strategic objectives.

d)Manage the team by setting clear team objectives, supporting team development, collaboration and cross departmental working. Monitor and evaluate progress and contribute to organisational performance reporting to Directors, Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and the Board. Oversee evaluations of key activities and projects as requested by Directors or SMT.

e)Take responsibility for the line management of team members, including recruiting team members, setting individual objectives, having regular one to ones, supporting and developing individuals and pro-actively managing any sickness absence and performance management issues. Raise risk awareness within the team and ensures all risks relating to their team and area of work are documented, monitored and managed. Escalate key risks up to director as appropriate.

f)Identify budget requirements in a cost conscious way through planning and quarterly forecasting and regularly monitors budgets to ensure delivery within allocated resources.

g)Ensure value for money by operating as cost effectively as possible and manages supplier relationships within the organisational procurement policy.

h)Advise other teams to ensure best practice and digital understanding influences their internal and agency budgets.

i)Take responsibility for the Health, Safety and Welfare of self and team members and pro-actively ensures duty of care towards staff. Ensures team comply with all Health and Safety Regulations.

  1. Be ActionAid’s digital champion

a)Act as external spokesperson, building our reputation in the digital industry.

b)Keep abreast of external trends and innovations and what they mean for AAUK and ensure we respond effectively

c)Build relationships with decision makers across AAUK and AAI and champion effective collaboration which adds value.

d)Ensure relations between the digital team, audience managers and content producers are positive and productive.

  1. Ensure good digital governance

a)Establish and embed digital governance approach, policies and processes

b)Meet regularly with the Digital Advisory Board to ensure AAUK’s digital strategy is informed by external perspectives and optimise performance.

c)Meet regularly with the Technology Governance Board to ensure digital needs are addressed by IT.

  1. Other

a)Support the Director of Communications and the Departmental Management Team, ensuring strategic and cohesive management of the department.

b)As required, deputise for the Director of Communications in her absence.

c)Carry out duties with due regard to ActionAid UK’s Equal Opportunities and Dignity at Work Policies and standards of behaviour.

d)Undertake any other duties, appropriate to the post, as delegated by the Director of Communications. This job description will be subject to regular review and will be amended to reflect the requirements of the role.

e)Be prepared to work out-of-hours and at weekends as necessary.

Person Specification
Knowledge and Experience
Essential / Desirable
Proven experience of successfully creating and delivering digital marketing and mobilisation strategies.
Proven experience of leading effective digital teams, managing the development and performanceof the team and its individual members. / Experience of working with a developed ‘ hub and spoke model’ type of model and ideally agile development.
Experience of working in the charity sector and international development.
Proven experience of delivering significant digital projects on time and within budget.
Person Specification
Strong technical knowledge and track record of managing digital operations which maximise engagement and deliver value for money. / Experience of working within leadership teams.
Ability to communicate digital technology, developments and best practice to non-digital audiences and teams.
Excellent interpersonal skills and behaviours, including relationship building internally and externally.
Ability to think strategically, deal with complexity, take difficult decisions and model new ways of working.