Salary: £60,000 – 70,000
Location: London, UK
Applicants are required to hold the relevant UK visas/ work permits.
About DataKind UK:
DataKind UK is DataKind’s founding Chapter and a registered UK charity dedicated to using data science for social good. This position is to lead the UK chapter of DataKind.
DataKind UK brings pro bono data scientists together with organizations that are dedicated to solving the world’s most pressing challenges. Every day, charities and social enterprises apply to us with their data science needs. We work to understand what they do, their pain points, and how their data and other data sources can be used to make the biggest impact on the world. We then build teams of pro bono data scientists who work alongside the social change organisations to help them have a greater social impact.
Job Description
We are looking for an ambitious Executive Director to lead and manage this young, thriving non-profit which is at the forefront of technology for social good. This role is an incredible opportunity to shape the direction and trajectory of an organisation that is at an inflection point primed to make a big difference in the UK social sector. We are a small team made up of three staff members, 25 core volunteers and an active board of trustees, plus a wider community of over a thousand data volunteers who work on projects and participate in events.
You will be responsible for leading the community and managing the organisation, setting its strategic direction as it grows. You will be accountable for the financial and operational success of the charity.
You must be passionate about data and the role it can play in social change. You do not need to have hard data skills or analysis experience, but rather understand conceptually how important and transformative data can be. You must have experience of building partnerships across sectors and ideally community management. You must have a successful track record of fundraising and/or income generation.
You must be able and willing to work evenings and weekends. This role requires working one evening every week and one weekend every month (you receive time off in lieu). The position is London based, with occasional travel within the UK and to the States.
Key Responsibilities:
Leadership & Management
- Empower and grow our community of data scientists to maximise productivity. Actively engage and energize volunteers, board members, partnering organizations, and funders
- Ensure programmatic excellence in the delivery of DataDives, DataCorps and other programme formats so as to grow the organisation’s impact
- Oversee the planning, implementation and evaluation of the organization’s programs and services
- Develop, maintain, and support a strong Board of Directors
- Work with the Board to set the direction and vision for the organization
- Develop policies for the approval of the Board and prepare procedures to implement the organizational policies
- Oversee organisational finances and administration. Building systems to scale work and handle regulatory compliance, including GDPR
- Maintain strong relationship with DataKind HQ and the DataKind chapter network, plus the wider tech for good space
Communications & Fundraising:
- Pursue opportunities to ensure DataKind UK is at the forefront of the conversation about data for good in the UK and Europe
- Build partnerships in new regions of the UK. Be a local and national presence that communicates our work and grows the data for good movement
- Deepen and refine all aspects of communications—from web presence to external relations with the goal of creating a stronger brand
- Expand revenue generation and fundraising activities from corporate sponsors, trusts and foundations, and paying charities
- Ensure the financial security of the organisation
Knowledge, skills and qualifications:
- A bachelor’s degree
- Minimum 8 years of work experience
- Experience of leadership and senior level management, ideally in the non-profit sector
- Understanding of and passion for how data can be used by charities and social enterprises to improve their work
- Experience of speaking in public and clear writing
- Experience of being part of or managing a community of volunteers
- Proven track record of fundraising. Experience building and maintaining relationships with funders, writing funding proposals, and finding other more creative ways of generating income
- Proficiency in financial planning and budget management
- Training in statistics/ data science is a bonus
Personal characteristics:
- Passionate: Interested in and excited about data for good and the opportunities it presents whilst understanding the nuances of when and where it can work well
- Approachable and friendly: Establish and maintain positive working relationships with volunteers, charity partners and funders
- Jack or Jill of all trades: Demonstrate willingness to be flexible; able to roll up your sleeves and get stuck into all parts of our work
- Self-starter: works well independently and happily uses initiative when setting up processes/ projects from scratch
- Creativity: Develop new and unique ways to improve operations of the organisation and to create new opportunities
- Leadership: Positively influence others to achieve results, in particular our community of volunteers. Think strategically about how to take the organisation forward in line with its vision and values
- Organized: Set goals, create and implement plans, and evaluate the process and results. Track details, data, information and activities
- Resilience: grit and determination to deal with knockbacks
Do you have the right skills and experience to lead DataKind UK? If so, send your CV and a cover letter answering the three questions below to emma@datakind.org.uk by Sunday, September 30th 2018. First round interviews will be on Wednesday, October 10th.
- At its core, DataKind is a community of volunteers. What do you think the main elements of good community management are?
- What is the key opportunity facing the data for good movement in the next 5 years?
- What is the key threat facing the data for good movement in the next 5 years?
Commitment to diversity is one of DataKind’s core values as we work to foster an inclusive work environment. We cannot do our work without collaboration between people with diverse skill-sets and backgrounds. That’s why we intentionally recruit staff with varied backgrounds, cultures, histories and values to create the rich and vibrant team we need to tackle wicked problems. We encourage candidates to include and describe parallel or equivalent experience where appropriate. We particularly welcome applicants from underrepresented groups.
