Contract: 12-month fixed-term contract with possible extension subject to organizational need, performance, funding, and sustainability
Accountable to: Board of Trustees
Principal Board Contact: Chair of Trustees
About the NGO
The NGO is a UK-registered charity working to improve the lives of Africans affected by Parkinson’s disease. We work with people living with Parkinson’s, caregivers, healthcare professionals, researchers, community organisations, and other partners to strengthen awareness, information, support, care, and locally led responses. The organisation is at an important stage in its development and requires dedicated executive leadership to strengthen its strategic focus, organisational capacity, sustainability, and future direction.
Role purpose
The Associate Director will provide executive leadership to the NGO, working with the Board and Charity Manager to develop and implement the organisation’s strategic direction through clear priorities, sustainable plans, and coordinated action. The role will lead strategic implementation, organisational development, fundraising, resource planning, senior partnerships, and people leadership. A key purpose of the role is to reduce reliance on the Chair for executive leadership and create a clearer, more sustainable separation between governance, executive leadership, and day-to-day management.
Key responsibilities
Strategy and organisational leadership
- Guide the development of the organisation’s strategic direction with the Board, securing Board approval and Translating the agreed strategy into clear priorities, plans, budgets, responsibilities, and measurable outcomes.
- Lead organisational development and planning for 2027 and beyond, ensuring these support implementation of the agreed strategy.
- Help clarify the organization\'s positioning, priorities, and distinctive contribution.
- Ensure important decisions and Board actions are followed through.
Fundraising and sustainability
- Lead fundraising and income-development activity.
- Lead budgeting and resource planning with the Charity Manager, Treasurer, finance support, and Board.
- Help strengthen the organisation’s financial and operational sustainability.
- Support development of funding for core capacity as well as programme delivery.
Partnerships and external development
- Lead and develop key strategic partnerships.
- Assess new opportunities and collaborations against organisational priorities, capacity, and likely impact.
- Represent the NGO with funders, partners, and other key stakeholders.
- Work with the Chair/Founder on selected relationships where their involvement adds particular value.
People, systems, and organisational capacity
- Provide senior leadership to the staff team.
- Lead significant HR and people matters, while the Charity Manager retains day-to-day staff management.
- Strengthen policies, systems, delegation, accountability, and organisational follow-through.
- Reduce over-reliance on the Chair and other key individuals.
Programme oversight and learning
- Provide strategic oversight of the programme portfolio.
- Use programme evidence and learning to inform priorities, resource allocation, and organisational decisions.
First-year priorities and outcomes
- Maintain essential organisational continuity during the Charity Manager’s maternity leave.
- Complete an orderly transfer of agreed executive responsibilities from the Chair.
- Establish clear organisational priorities, plans, and budgets for 2027 and beyond.
- Strengthen fundraising, strategic partnerships, and organisational sustainability.
- Improve clarity of roles, delegated authority, accountability, and follow-through.
- Provide recommendations to the Board on the sustainable longer-term leadership structure.
Person specification
Essential
- Senior leadership experience in a charity, non-profit, health, social-impact, or related organisation.
- Strong strategic and organisational thinking, with experience turning direction into practical plans and delivery.
- Experience of fundraising, partnership development, budgeting, and resource planning.
- Experience of people leadership and organisational development.
- Strong communication, judgement, and stakeholder-management skills.
- Ability to operate strategically while remaining practical and hands-on where needed.
- Strong understanding of African contexts, ideally including Nigeria.
Desirable
- Experience of UK charity governance or regulation.
- Experience in health, disability, community, or lived-experience organisations.
- Experience working across African and international partnerships.
- Experience leading an organisation through growth, transition, or senior leadership change.
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