Chief Operations Officer

About us

Practical Action is an innovative global change-making group, working with communities who are vulnerable to poverty and climate change to support them to change their world. We are an organisation with a mission to create substantive large-scale change. We develop innovative, community powered, and locally owned solutions that achieve transformative change in lives and livelihoods. And we work with a range of partners, including governments, business, and international organisations to ensure improvements are sustained and scaled and to change the systems that keep people poor and vulnerable.

Why join us?

We are a highly respected organisation that makes a difference in the world, with a talented and committed global team. This role offers a unique opportunity to play an important role in the transition to a more inclusive sustainable world and to lead our organisation internally at a critical time of change and development.

About the role

We are seeking an outstanding Chief Operations Officer (COO) with a track record in financial leadership and the ability to lead management across central finance, people and culture, IT, governance and international operations to ensure that we are operating in the most effective way to deliver our vision and strategy, now and in the future.

This is an enhanced role within Practical Action, bringing together the responsibilities under Finance and Services with key operational functions. Reporting to the CEO, the COO will be an integral member of the Senior Leadership Team, leading strategic and day-to-day operations for 600 staff around the globe, so that the organisation can grow our impact and long-term sustainability.

As well as strong financial and operational leadership, the strategic challenges and breadth of the work demand an adaptable person prepared to take on a wide range of tasks and responsibilities and requires creative problem-solving skills, an analytical mind, and good judgment.

The COO should possess strong financial acumen with a proven track record in senior leadership in multi-function commercial or not-for-profit companies. They will ensure that business systems and necessary controls are in place, operating effectively, and future-proofed to enable Directors and their teams to deliver current and long-term change ambitions. The next COO will:

• Bring experience in senior leadership for an international organisation, with responsibility for financial strategy, cross-functional management, and significant contributions to organisational strategy;
• Possess a deep understanding of leading and managing international operations, with the proven ability to create effective processes and procedures for a mid-size or large organisation with different business models;
• Be an excellent strategic and systems thinker, with the ability to think in an interdisciplinary way, make clear, transparent decisions, and develop operational solutions to meet strategic needs;
• Communicate well with the ability to explain complex concepts in straightforward ways and build trusted relationships and consensus across language and cultural barriers;
• Have high levels of resilience and tenacity: proven ability to overcome obstacles;
• A highly ethical person with integrity; a clear commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and personal values that align with Practical Action’s purpose and values.

HOW TO APPLY 

To apply, please submit a CV and covering letter, detailing how you fulfil the role description to the Perret Laver application page, quoting reference 5782.

The deadline for applications is 9am BST Monday 23rd May 2022.

Perrett Laver will conduct an executive search process in parallel with the public advertisement of the role. Longlisted candidates will be invited to interview with Perrett Laver in early-mid June and the Selection Panel will subsequently meet to decide upon a final shortlist for the post in early July, following which, interviews with the Practical Action will take place in mid-late July.

Location

While we welcome candidates of all nationalities and from all locations, candidates will need to be based in and eligible to work in the UK, where our headquarters is based, or in one of our offices in Bangladesh, Kenya, Nepal, Senegal, or Zimbabwe. They must be fluent in English and will undergo a mandatory basic DBS check, PEP compliance screening and training in safeguarding.

The salary for the role is commensurate with the seniority of the appointment.

Additional information

We treat all applications for employment on their merits and do not take into consideration any factors that are not relevant to the job such as disability, race, age, religion, gender, gender reassignment, or sexual orientation.