Chief Executive Officer - Recruitment Pack - Project Possible

Chief Executive Officer
 Recruitment Pack

Project Possible, 24 London Road West, Amersham HP7 0EZ
01494 433170 / www.projectpossible.org.uk / office@projectpossible.org.uk
Registered Charity: 1069608 / Project Possible is a company limited by guarantee
Company No.:3524732 First registered at Companies House, Cardiff, March 1998

VACANCY DETAILS
Position:       Chief Executive Officer

Salary:         to £60,000 pa (pro rata)

Location:       Project Possible Office, 24 London Road West, Amersham HP7 0EZ, combined with home
                working. Some UK and foreign travel will be required.
Hours:          3 days per week with 12 Sundays

Contract:       Permanent position

Pension:        5% into Project Possible scheme (NEST)

Leave:          25 days per year plus public holidays (pro rata)

Closing date for applications: 9th January 2022

INTRODUCTION – from the Chair of Trustees, Philip Derbyshire
This is an exciting time for Project Possible and we are delighted that you are considering applying for the post
of CEO.

Project Possible is a relatively small international charity founded 30 years ago by Michael Wood. Our work has
always been with Christian partners in forgotten parts of the world helping disadvantaged people to release
themselves from poverty. Over the last couple of years we have examined in considerable depth and detail all
that we and our partners do. We needed to do this so as to reduce long term dependency on us by partners
and their communities. Importantly, it has given us a clear, distinctive message to attract new supporters of all
kinds. The immediate, visible outcome of this has been the change of name from Rope to Project Possible and
a rebranding together with an increased focus on sustainability. All our partners share this vision and have been
part of the process to evolve our next successful chapter.

How we work has also changed. We now champion what we call ‘Spark Projects’. These are small, bite sized
projects helping get new businesses launched. Many of the people setting up these businesses have benefited
from our longer term projects, ‘Next Generation Projects’. They are very varied but all help people see greater
possibilities for their lives.

We are proud to be ‘small’. It enables us to act quickly, as we have done during the Covid pandemic, adjusting
the support we give to the different situations our partners find themselves in. Our financial position, relative
to our size, is strong thanks to generous legacies we have received from our founder, his wife and other
supporters but we must broaden our donor base to secure the future of our work.

Much has been achieved under the leadership of our current CEO, Andy Jong, together with a small and very
committed staff team. Andy will retire in the spring of 2022 and we now seek his successor: a Christian leader
with energy and passion to bring to this key role. More details can be found in this pack but please feel free to
contact me at philip@projectpossible.org.uk if you require further information.

We are Project Possible
Big change comes from small beginnings… it just needs a
spark.

Project Possible is a small Christian overseas charity.
Our 30 years’ experience has shown us that in the small
corners of the world, remarkable potential is on the move.
People and communities, often overlooked and forgotten,
are busy searching for a way to make life better. They just
need backing – someone to believe in them and ‘be their
spark’.
This is our ‘small-first’ approach to tackling global poverty.
We look for people with potential in the poorest parts of the
world, and we back them. We get behind their bite-sized
projects so they can lift themselves out of poverty. We focus
on the tangible, the impactful, the sustainable.
Fuelled by our faith, we stand with those who are small in
the eyes of the world and help them uncover a world of
possibility.
We are currently backing twenty overlooked communities across sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and South
America through our next generation projects and our spark projects.

Next generation projects provide hands-on, early stage nurturing to forgotten people - sex workers, recovering
addicts, widows. Working with local partners on the ground, we restore dignity and provide hands-on skills
training, helping people to see greater possibilities
for their lives.
From our experience this ‘small beginnings’
approach delivers lasting impact. Children are now
going to school in places where schools didn’t exist,
people with disabilities are running micro-
enterprises when before they hid away, women
and girls are the first in their communities to read
and sew, when before life was to be lived ‘inside
the walls of their homes’.

Our next generation project in Roodewal, South Africa
transforms men from a lifetime of drugs and gangs to
employment and family reconciliation. Family breakdown and
domestic violence are a sobering reality for children growing
up in Roodewal. 80% of children have no father figure in their
life. Faced with this background, teenagers are pulled into
street gangs where alcohol and drug abuse become
commonplace. We offer young men a chance to break this
perpetual cycle of addiction, crime and prison through a four-
stage programme: detox to employment. Each man has the
chance to realise their ambitions and the end results are
incredible. Over the last 8 years, 57% of men are still in
employment.

We then go further.

We are passionate to see sustainable outcomes through our Spark projects - bite-sized, achievable, time-bound,
poverty-fighting ventures.

In June 2021 we launched the first of our spark projects. One
of them was the ‘Belle Couture’ Dressmakers of Kinshasa.
Twenty women wanted to set up their own sewing
businesses.
Exploited and abused on the streets of the capital city, this
group of resilient women had ambition and skills. Having
gained sewing and tailoring skills on our next generation
project they were ready to become the Belle Couture
Dressmakers of Kinshasa. Having gained 100% funding
through our spark project, these women are currently
opening up their businesses.
Sandra and Ruphine, two of the women, spoke about their
excitement at this opportunity, ‘What we want to do is show
the value of our new skills. Compared to the situation we were
in, we have each become a woman of value. This business, we
will work six days a week, we will not abandon it.’

2022 onwards

Even though 2021 was a pivotal year for the charity, 2022 will be another exciting year in our journey.
In all three areas of operation there is much to work on to take Project Possible forward.
The Programme and Partnership team have begun an exciting agenda bringing a very sharp focus to
sustainability, not just for people and communities through our spark projects but also our partners themselves.

The Fundraising and Marketing team have completed the first year of an exciting 3 year plan which underpins
the Project Possible brand and new project development of next generation and sparks. Having spent 2021
bedding in the new name and brand with current supporters, ensuring that retention of this crucial group was
achieved, there is now the need to gain new support through the implementation of an acquisition marketing
project.
The Operations and Data team ensure that the charity has strong foundations to support development and
growth. One priority for them in 2022 is the selection and implementation of a new CRM database system.
All our teams are supported by the Board of Trustees, who meet the staff regularly in two sub committees.

ROLE DESCRIPTION

Job Title:      Chief Executive

Reporting To: Chair of Board of Trustees
Direct reports: Head of Fundraising and Marketing
                Operations and Data Manager
                Programmes Manager
                Finance Manager

Purpose of the job

To provide leadership to the operation of Project Possible, working to implement and deliver the strategic plan
(advising refinements as necessary), and responsible for ensuring that activities achieve the vision set by the
Board of Trustees. Take overall responsibility for the management and administration of the charity, including
fundraising and international programmes, and working with the Chair of Trustees to enable the Board to fulfil
their governance duties and fiduciary responsibilities.

Specific Duties to include:

1. Leadership
   • Inspire and motivate the Project Possible team to achieve the charity’s vision, mission and goals whilst
      maintaining financial stability.
   • Provide line management for the Leadership Team and ensure that all staff have clear job descriptions,
      and that there are clear lines of accountability and responsibility which foster and maintain effective
      working relationships for the organisation.
   • Promote continuous learning, professional development and promote equity, diversity and inclusion in
      the team and in every aspect of Project Possible’s work.
   • Ensure effective communications with all international partners to ensure plans are implemented, to
      achieve short and medium term outcomes, future sustainability and lasting impact.

2. Delivering the Strategy
   • Lead the delivery of Project Possible’s strategy in agreement with the Chair and other Trustees. Work
       with the full team in executing, reviewing, evaluating and rolling forward the strategy.
   • Ensure that the necessary fundraising and marketing programme, people, resources and systems are in
       place to deliver the strategy. Execute initiatives to achieve funding targets, visiting and promoting to
       churches and other venues as deemed appropriate.

•   Explore opportunities for new resources and training provision based on research evidence, ensuring
        that promising prospects are evaluated and developed where appropriate.
    •   With the Programmes and Partnerships team, explore opportunities for new international partnerships,
        ensuring that promising prospects are evaluated and developed where appropriate.

3. Fundraising and Marketing (F&M), Communications and Data
   • Lead and work with the Head of F&M to implement the charity’s fundraising strategy, to build a
      sustainable and diversified stream of individual and major donor gifts, and corporate, legacy and trust
      donations.
   • Hold strategic responsibility for the development of a rolling 3 year F&M plan and delivery of agreed
      annual income targets, and other identified KPI’s, to approved expenditure budgets.
   • Act as an Ambassador for the charity, networking widely and taking the lead on major donor liaison,
      and work closely with staff to identify, approach and engage churches, trusts and key stakeholders.
   • Be responsible for leading and ensuring high quality donor care, where donors’ and prospects’
      expectations are being met, or where this may not be possible, carefully managed to secure long term
      support.

4. Finance, Risk and Governance
   • Working with the Board, ensure effective mechanisms to provide robust internal and external controls
       (financial and non-financial).
   • Work with the Treasurer (a Trustee) and Finance Manager in preparing the annual report, accounts and
       budgets, ensuring they are accurate and timely and oversee the preparation of an annual audit.
   • Ensure the sound financial management of the charity within the agreed operational plan, and provide
       the Board with reports on the organisation’s performance against its goals, budgets, KPIs and strategic
       plan. Ensure that the Board of Trustees have appropriate information to make good decisions and fulfil
       their duties.
   • Ensure that Project Possible has a comprehensive risk register which is regularly updated, with prompt
       action to eliminate, mitigate or manage risk, alerting Trustees to strategic risk or compliance concerns.
   • Ensure that policies and procedures are in place to enable the charity to comply with all relevant legal,
       data protection and charity requirements and best practice guidance.

5. International programmes
   • Provide leadership and oversight of all Project Possible international projects and programmes, working
       with the Programmes Team to develop and implement strategy.
   • Ensure that transformational outcomes are being achieved and maintain the focus on sustainability as
       a key part of our partners’ vision.
   • Develop and build positive relationships with our partners, participating in capacity building activities,
       whilst also being proactive in problem solving and responding to situations and events overseas that
       impact the work of our programmes.

6. HR and People development, IT and Operations
   • Oversee development of the Project Possible Team, monitoring performance, training and wellbeing of
      staff and recruitment.
   • Lead on the development of IT and data strategy and oversee implementation of IT projects, including
      replacement of CRM systems.
   • Ensure the production, implementation and review of HR policies and procedures, and liaise with
      external HR consultants where relevant.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential:

•   A committed and prayerful Christian, passionate about sustainable holistic development and the vision,
    mission and values of Project Possible
•   Experience at senior executive level overseeing a staff team
•   Good leadership skills and the ability to enthuse, motivate, inspire confidence and develop a small team to
    deliver results, whilst building an inclusive intercultural environment where staff of all backgrounds and
    abilities can thrive
•   Ability to communicate well with directors/trustees
•   Ability to implement our vision, including programme delivery and fundraising campaigns, and developing
    budgetary plans for sustainable growth
•   Confident at public speaking and presenting to a variety of audiences, including churches and meetings of
    supporters
•   Ability to build healthy and enduring partner relationships at a distance, with sensitivity to the complexities
    of international development programmes and cross-cultural communication.

Desirable:

•   Experience within a charity at senior level
•   Demonstrable experience in identifying, cultivating and maintaining productive relationships with
    potential and existing donors and key influencers
•   Experience to oversee finance, human resources, safeguarding, operations, fundraising, grant
    management, charity reporting, governance and IT

APPLICATION PROCESS AND TIMETABLE

Please submit a 2 page letter explaining how your experience would equip you to take on the role of CEO of
Project Possible, together with an up to date CV. Please submit electronically to philip@projectpossible.org.uk

The closing date for applications is 9th January 2022. We anticipate inviting some applicants for interview via
Zoom during week commencing 31st January 2022, followed by a second interview in person (Covid restrictions
permitting) if appropriate the following week.