Chief Partnerships Officer
Lightful
c. £100,000 + excellent benefits
Permanent
Remote – occasional domestic and international travel
Lightful is a high-impact, award winning B-Corp whose vision is a future where non-profits have the power to create more equitable communities and a healthier planet. Lightful’s BRIDGE programme equips charities and civil society organisations with the digital tools and capabilities to become more resilient organisations who can deliver greater impact. They are on a mission to help non-profits become better storytellers, build trust and raise more money. They achieve their ambitions by working within, and for, the ecosystem of international funders in the global south and global north, foundations, philanthropists, donors and corporations. They are at a key growth point in their journey and are seeking a new Chief Partnerships Officer to accelerate their growth and impact across the globe. Prospectus is excited to lead the search for Lightful, who we have worked with for many years.
Reporting directly to the CEO, you will use your passion for enabling impact locally and across the globe to be the leading voice and relationship-builder with new and existing funder partners. You will get to work with organisations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Comic Relief, UBS Optimus Foundation and many other leading UK, US and international funders. You will also utilise your existing network to identify and win new business and strategic partnerships, by finding leads, nurturing relationships and closing contracts.
As Lightful expands their reach and impact, you will have ultimate responsibility to identify, develop and steward strategic relationships with a wide array of philanthropic funders, which will enable small charities and non-profits to become more resilient through digital skills, tools and training. Lightful’s approach is to build strong, long-lasting and impactful partnerships, which can be bilaterally or in cohorts of collaborative funding partners within specific geographies or around impact cause/theme areas. There is no limit to how partnerships can flourish at Lightful.
You will inspire the Partnerships team, be a collaborative member of Lightful’s senior leadership team and work closely with a highly passionate and engaged board of directors and colleagues across the Programme, Impact, Engineering, Design, Finance and People teams.
The successful candidate will have a varied set of skills and experiences, with strong commercial acumen and a deep knowledge of the philanthropic sector and a proven track record of developing plans and executing those plans to reach large revenue targets, ideally from an existing network within the sector.
At Prospectus we invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you with your application. We welcome candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds. Please let us know if we can help you with the application process in any way. We are more than happy to make any reasonable adjustments to enable all interested candidates to apply. If you have any disability and would like assistance with completing an application then please contact Ryan Burdock at Prospectus.
If you are interested in applying to this Chief Partnerships Officer position, please submit your CV in the first instance. Should your experience be suitable, we will send you the full job description and will arrange for a call and/or meeting to brief you on the role and provide additional information about Lightful. You’ll then have all the information you need to formally apply. We are looking forward to connecting with you soon.
Citizens UK and the NRPF Partnership
Citizens UK
We are Citizens UK. We’re working together to make change on the issues that matter, from campaigning for zebra crossings on dangerous roads, to reforming the immigration system, to the Living Wage campaign.
We bring together everyday people and local organisations to build a better, fairer society. Too often communities are left out of decisions that affect their lives, but we know everyday people have the ability to shape the world around them. We develop local leaders who find solutions to problems big and small and hold power-holders to account.
We work with hundreds of civil society organisations, who we call our members - schools, universities, faith groups, charities, unions and more - to help them win change. Over the last 30 years, we’ve worked in alliance with 500+ members, trained 4,000+ community leaders, accredited 13,000 Living Wage employers, and won hundreds of campaigns.
NRPF Partnership
The NRPF partnership was set up in 2023 and is being developed by Citizens UK, Migration Exchange, and Praxis. We are working to build the necessary infrastructure for collaboration across a range of organisations, amplify their work, and build power to win change against the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) condition. You can learn more about the overall initiative via our FAQs page.
Each partner contributes staff capacity and will work closely with the appointed person to ensure a positive, professional and supportive culture. The Partnership centres around:
1) Placing decision-making power and strategic vision in the hands of people doing the work
(frontline staff and people with lived experience), via a steering group and working groups.
2) Establishing a strategic pooled fund so that the steering group has sufficient budget to guide the collaboration, act, identify and seize political opportunities, and facilitate active participation of everyone involved.
3) Expanding the movement and building power, using incremental wins to build towards broader change towards the goal of ending NRPF.
The Person and the Role
100,000s people in our communities have put down roots in the UK but are denied access to the welfare safety net (No Recourse to Public Funds).
Citizens UK has worked with Migration Exchange and Praxis to raise over £2m to develop a 5 year partnership to enable the movement to end NRPF.
This Senior Project role will be a core part of the support to the steering group of the partnership to make sure it runs effectively and achieves its potential.
If you're angry about injustice in the immigration system, have good communication and relationship building skills and self organised - apply below. We are particularly keen to hear from candidates who have been through the immigration system themselves.
We are looking for a values-driven and experienced person with exceptional skills and knowledge in project management, relationship-building, and community organising. This role will lead and coordinate all project management and tactical activities necessary to support the day-to-day functioning of the NRPF Partnership. The right person will be highly motivated by joining the distinctive ethos of Citizens UK and the shared values of the NRPF Partnership, where local leaders and people experiencing injustice are in the lead, and where grassroots community organising is combined with strategies for social change.
This role is a really exciting opportunity to forge real change and to shift the power dynamics in social change work. The successful candidate will be at the heart of making change happen on one of the most important social justice issues of our time. Top Priorities
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Building and maintaining relationships and communication – maintaining excellent working relationships and effective communications with the Coordination Backbone Group (CBG), Steering Group, working groups, wider community partners involved in the NRPF partnership, and the Citizens UK Migration Team
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Managing and coordinating capacity-building and leadership development in support of the shared strategy set by the steering group– developing and maintaining the effectiveness of a capacity-building and leadership development inputs that enables everyone in the Partnership, especially those with expertise by lived experience, to fully participate across all levels of the Partnership
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Project managing all partnership implementation logistics and follow-up – managing meeting logistics from planning to scheduling to outreach to follow-up to ensure seamless participation of Steering Group and Working Group members and ensure that planned activities take place effectively in support of the goals and values of the Partnership
The role will be reporting to Assistant Director, Migrant and Refugee Organising.
Main Responsibilities
Reporting directly to X with oversight from the NRPF Partnership CBG, the post holder will be expected to manage their own independent workload, as well as support the broader CBG. The main responsibilities are outlined below:
Working with the NRPF Partnership’s key stakeholders
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Developing and maintaining relationships with Partnership stakeholders
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Working with the CBG to update outreach strategy as new needs emerge
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Building and maintaining trust and relationships across the whole Partnership and more widely (within and across sectors from migration to anti-poverty to children’s rights, etc.)
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Supporting with the facilitation of Working Group meetings
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Develop and implement ideas for action that are consistent with the goals of the project
Strategic coherence
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Supporting the coordination of activities with partners to align strategies and actions and minimise duplication
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Working with the CBG to coordinate with other related projects and coalitions to maintain a full understanding of the current landscape of local and regional activities
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Maintaining understanding of current implementation challenges and developing comprehensive solutions to address them in dialogue with partners
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Developing, maintaining, and monitoring political opportunities to support Working Groups to develop and execute on their action plans
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In partnership with the CBG and steering group, providing support to partner organisations to coordinate and collaborate on joint initiatives
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Coordinating advocacy activities across stakeholders that support the wider aims of the Partnership
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Supporting the independent learning partner to deliver evaluation and learning activities
Communications
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Organising appropriate outreach and communications efforts across the Partnership (e.g. publishing a regular newsletter, email updates, insights from learning and evaluation etc.)
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Ensuring effective internal communication with CUK organisers, leaders, and partners involved with the NRPF Partnership and with funders
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Facilitating on-going communication across the NRPF Partnership to ensure alignment of activity
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Supporting the development of any communications materials such as summary documents, brochures, FAQs, social media content, etc.
Build leadership development offer for the Partnership
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Working alongside CBG and the CUK Migration team, refine community organising and leadership development support for all members of the NRPF partnership especially those with lived experience of NRPF
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Ensuring that everyone in the group can contribute to the best of their ability by managing a training and external facilitation budget to build skills, confidence and trust
Fundraising and reporting
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Working with the CBG to develop and support fundraising bids and support reporting requirements and funder relationships
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Contributing to the budgeting process and the effective management of financial resources in the project working closely with Global Dialogue who will hold pooled funds on behalf of the partnership
Managing meeting/event logistics
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Planning and managing the logistics of all Partnership meetings and gatherings of the Steering Group, working groups and CBG (e.g., dial-in, attendance, cancellations, etc.)
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Consolidating Working Group updates for Steering Group, including summarising meeting notes and highlighting key outputs and decisions so they can be easily shared with others across the Partnership
Any other reasonable tasks as required by the line manager.
Person Specification
REQUIREMENTS
ESSENTIAL (E)
DESIRABLE (D)
QUALIFICATIONS
Degree or equivalent professional qualification (D)
EXPERIENCE
Significant proven, comprehensive experience in a project management role (E)
Experience of initiating new projects and developing them so that they become sustainable underpinned by strong values (E)
Experience of building consensus between diverse stakeholders and managing complexity in relationships (E)
Experience of organising and managing all aspects of community events, incl. logistics (E)
Proven experience of raising significant funds for charitable purposes (D)
A proven track record of delivering and reporting against targets and on budgets (D)
KEY SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge of No Recourse to Public Funds and working with individuals who have an NRPF designation on their immigration status (E)
Outstanding communication skills (verbally and written) combined with the ability to liaise with stakeholders (E)
Ability to work well as part of a team, and maintain effective communication with colleagues (E)
Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships, lead, influence and motivate others (E)
Ability to act on own initiative to introduce and develop new projects and systems (E)
Proven computer literacy to include MS Office (E)
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES
Exceptional leadership skills, with an ability to enthuse and inspire staff and volunteers (E)
A proactive approach to all areas of work with a flexible approach to work demands (E)
An appreciation and respect for different communities; including faith groups and different cultures. (E)
A strong commitment to the CUK values and the values of the NRPF partnership, which include: (E)
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Being open to new ideas (specifically ensuring that all our 121 conversations, small group discussions with the sector and funders create an environment that fosters creative problem-solving and innovation)
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Fostering connection
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Championing co-design and co-production
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Being equity-focused and enabling any one interested to participate and feed into the design and development of this work
Please note there will be recruitment webinar on Tuesday, 7th May from 14:30-15:30. Please register via the following link if you are interested in attending: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwpcO-rrzsoH9ecIXUaaFbqDjaVxVSvqJLq.
Interviews are planned to take place on Thursday, June 13th (subject to change.)
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Closing date for applications: 11th May 2024, 23:59 (BST)
Organisation: Scriptoria Sustainable Development Solutions
Contract: Full time, permanent
Location: Flexible (London and/or remote, plus business travel)
Salary: £35,000 – £38,000 – depending on experience
Start date: ASAP
Do you have a scientific PhD and postdoc/industry experience? Do you want to apply your scientific skills and research experience to health and sustainable development projects? Are you interested in meeting people, sharing your skills and learning to be a first-class communicator? Then this is the job for you.
Who we are
Scriptoria is a values-driven, ethically-focused consulting company that has a strong international reputation for excellence. We specialise in helping clients around the world to tackle sustainable development, poverty reduction, health, and climate and environmental issues. Our Consulting, Data, Communications and Training Teams focus on knowledge management, data management and communications to help research, international development, government and other organisations better manage information and communicate their findings.
Who we're looking for
We are looking for a dynamic new team member with a PhD in a science/STEM subject to join our innovative Consulting Team and to contribute to the work of our Data and Training Teams. Agriculture and the health sciences are areas we are particularly interested in.
Specifically, we want an individual with a passion for research and sustainable development, a friendly, outgoing personality and a willingness to learn new skills. We’re looking for someone who wants to engage with international development and research projects to help them work more efficiently and have a greater impact.
This role will offer a range of experience and the opportunity to contribute to the diverse range of services that Scriptoria provides.
Approximately half of your time will be spent working with our exceptionally experienced team of knowledge management and data consultants to help us develop and deliver cutting-edge data-management/analytics solutions and project-management software systems to our clients. Your work will also involve working to help us manage and organise the projects we deliver to clients. The other half of your time will involve meeting with and training clients (to pass on your skills in research communications), both online and through face-to-face courses. Finally, you will be encouraged to contribute to company-wide strategy and business development.
Your role will include:
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Helping sustainable development and research programs to develop and implement digital tools and analytics systems to better manage their workflows and use their data
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Working with projects in Africa and Asia to provide technical advisory and consulting services to help them to better manage and share information, knowledge and data
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Training and mentoring international researchers by delivering courses, workshops, and individual support in areas including journal article/report writing, grant writing, project management and communications for non-specialists
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Contributing to business development across the company, including marketing and client outreach.
Working with Scriptoria
Our senior team has an exceptional skill set, and we recognise that candidates with all the skills we need simply may not exist. But don’t worry, if you have some of the skills we want but lack others – we will train you to fill those gaps. This will include thorough training in the delivery of our well-respected training courses.
Our staff have the choice to work wholly or partly from home or from our office in Tooting, SW London, during regular operational hours (08.30-17.30). If working from home, staff must have a working environment suitable for holding video-call meetings/training sessions with clients.
Wherever you work, you will interact regularly with senior team members to gain new skills and exchange ideas.
This job will require regular travel to deliver training courses (mostly in the UK, estimated 2 to 8 days per month) and may also involve international travel, including to developing countries. So, applicants must be willing to travel (in line with UK government guidance).
Key skills and experience
Essential
Qualifications and skills
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A PhD in a quantitative STEM research subject
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2 years minimum of postdoc/industry experience (in a research or research-support role)
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A strong understanding of research processes and data analysis and management
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A demonstrated talent for writing - including writing journal articles and writing for non-specialists
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At least one first-author paper in a peer-reviewed journal
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Experience delivering live training/teaching courses
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An excellent, practical knowledge of MS Excel and MS PowerPoint
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Excellent English language skills, to the standard of a native speaker
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The right to work in the UK
Characteristics and interests
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A friendly, open personality (bright, resilient, cheerful, confident)
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A passion for international development and building researchers’ skills
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An interest in information management and technology, data systems and analytics and in helping create new IT systems and software (programming skills are not required for this role)
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A willingness to travel and to take a flexible approach to working hours when travelling
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The confidence required to give presentations and training courses and to lead (facilitate) meetings, online and in person
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The ability to work very well under pressure and self-manage
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The ability to juggle multiple tasks and work alongside the company Directors
Desirable
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Experience working on collaborative research projects with international partners
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Experience working with programs such as Microsoft SharePoint or other knowledge management tools
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Experience with statistical analysis in R
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Experience in grant writing and/or grant management
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Experience writing communications materials that translate science for non-specialists and encourage engagement
Salary and annual leave
Salary will depend on qualifications and experience but is expected to be between £35,000 and £38,000 p/a (depending on experience). Annual leave is 25 days per year plus public holidays (33 days).
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.