ABOUT THE DIANA AWARD

Young people’s desire to tackle discrimination and injustice is demonstrated clearly in their strong involvement in movements like Black Lives Matter, the Youth Climate Strike and #MeToo. Young people are driving positive change. And yet their voice is still excluded from important conversations about how to build a just society.

We’re proud to be the only charity set up in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales and her belief that young people have the power to change the world. Our mission is to empower young people to lead that change through a range of initiatives which unlock their potential, inspire action and create opportunities, ensuring that no young person is left out or left behind.

Throughout all of our programmes ‘change’ for and by young people is central. Our Anti-Bullying work encourages change in attitudes and behaviours for young people by young people, our Mentoring schemes guide change for some of the UK’s most marginalised young people and our flagship Award and Development programme recognises the young people driving selfless change across the world, supporting them to go even further. Our newest initiative, ‘Changemakers’ in collaboration with UK Youth and Centre for Mental Health, aims to change the inequalities in mental health experienced by young people from racialised communities.  

We have an ambitious strategy which requires innovation, talented people and robust practice. We want to build our brand as one of the UK’s leading and trusted youth movements and enhance our expertise and profile as a platform and catalyst for youth-led social action. We will Increase our voice and influence on policies that affect the young people we work with and their ability to effect social change. 

Our goal is to be innovative and adaptive to the ever-changing cultural landscape, using digital technology to create the change we want to see across society. This will cut across all aspects of our work from our infrastructure to communications, fundraising and supporting our online communities. 

We are building a long-term, financially sustainable organisation that remains unique, relevant and compelling in a competitive landscape. We want to continue to be outcome-focused and youth-led in everything we do.

Most importantly we will continue to ensure our staff, volunteers and young people will feel valued, rewarded, included and inspired. Learn more about where we are headed by reading our strategy.

ABOUT THE ROLE

A key member of the Senior Leadership Team, this role will lead on transforming the ‘way’ the organisation works to maximise the impact we make with our resources and people, broadly defined into four key areas:

• People and Culture: Build and foster and inclusive values driven culture, positioning The Diana Award as a great place to work

• Governance and Compliance: Demonstrate the highest standards of governance, ensuring integrity and transparency across all that we do

• Resources and Technology: Embrace technology and digital tools across The Diana Award to drive efficiency, inform decision making and provide a better experience for our people, supporters and ultimately our service users

• Finance: Improve Financial Stewardship through robust finance management systems and governance, ensuring financial sustainability and accountability

Practically this means guiding and supporting the Operations Directorate, and wider organisation to embed best practice across all functions (Operations, Events, Compliance, HR, and Finance) and look at innovative and cost-effective ways to drive effectiveness and efficiency. You’ll lead with a ‘by design’ approach to further embed best practice and culture change, acting as a supportive partner to all business functions across the organisation.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious, capable professional to join a rapidly growing organisation at a pivotal point in our development. Your contribution will be critical in elevating our operations in line with the organisation's growth and mission.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Strategic Direction and Executive Leadership

• Influence and execute the The Diana Award’s strategy and vision

• Model and promote our organisational values, driving a culture of excellence and continuous improvement

• Advocate for The Diana Award’s interests and values in public and private forums, enhancing the organisation's reputation and impact.

• Drive forward our commitment to equity, justice and inclusion by leading and guiding our EDI Strategy Steering Committee

• Implement change management strategies to effectively manage organisational transformation and ensure staff buy-in and business continuity

• Engage with the Board and Senior Leadership Team to facilitate strategic planning, translating strategic goals into actionable plans

Operational Management and Team Leadership

• Provide visionary leadership to the Operations Directorate, inspiring and guiding teams across various functions (Operations, Events, Compliance, HR, and Finance)

• Promote a collaborative environment, encouraging cross-functional cooperation and knowledge sharing

• Evaluate and improve operational processes and systems to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of services

• Develop and maintain quality assurance processes to ensure that all aspects of operations meet the highest standards of service delivery and impact

Financial and Resource Stewardship: 

• Lead strategic financial planning, budgeting, and reporting, working closely with the CEO and Board

• Develop and implement financial policies and procedures to ensure sound fiscal management and accountability

• Oversee the annual budgeting process, ensuring it is rigorous, participative, and reflective of organisational priorities

• Ensure timely and accurate financial reporting in compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements

• Lead the preparation for the annual audit, liaising with external auditors and ensuring all financial statements and reports meet required standards and deadlines

• Encourage cross-departmental collaboration, ensuring finance is a supportive partner to all areas of the organisation

Governance, Compliance, and Risk Management

• Develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure all aspects of the charity’s operations comply with statutory requirements

• Establish a comprehensive risk management framework, identifying potential risks and implementing effective mitigation strategies to manage these risks

• Oversee The Diana Award’s information governance policies, ensuring compliance with data protection laws and best practices for data security and privacy

• Oversee and uphold a robust safeguarding framework that ensures the protection and well-being of all individuals engaged with The Diana Award

• Maintain open and transparent communication with stakeholders regarding governance and compliance matters. This includes regular reporting to the Board, donors, and regulatory bodies

People and Culture

• Foster a dynamic workplace culture that attracts, develops, and retains talent, ensuring The Diana Award is seen as an employer of choice within the nonprofit sector

• Develop and execute forward-thinking people strategies that align with the Diana Award’s mission and long-term objectives

• Oversee the creation and implementation of comprehensive HR policies and procedures that promote a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment

• Oversee employee engagement using feedback to inform improvements in organisational culture and HR practices

Digital Transformation

• Lead the strategic planning and execution of a comprehensive digital transformation strategy, ensuring technology integration aligns with and advances The Diana Award’s mission and service delivery

• Evaluate current technology infrastructure and identify areas for digital innovation, focusing on enhancing efficiency, engagement, and impact

PERSON SPECIFICATION

If you are interested in applying but aren’t sure that you have all of the skills and experience, please do still apply. We are open to learning on the job and supporting the development of the successful candidate so that they are able to do the job to the best of their ability.

PERSONAL QUALITIES          

• An excellent relationship builder who thrives on working collaboratively and leads with emotional intelligence

• Flexible and dynamic, with an ability to adapt and respond quickly to a fast-changing environment and varied projects.

• A commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion

• Growth mindset and ability to foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement

• Positive, pragmatic, and solution-focused and able to get things done

EXPERIENCE  

• Experience of leadership and working at a senior level within an organisation including helping to create and maintain a positive organisational culture

• Extensive management of a high performing team

• Influencing and inspiring a variety of stakeholders verbally, in presentations, face-to-face meetings and in writing

• Experience translating strategy into deliverable plans with measurable outcomes

• Experience of working with the CEO/Board with strategic financial planning, budgeting and reporting

• Experience of managing complex projects with a range of stakeholders

• Strategic and business planning and management experience

SKILLS 

• Strong communicator able to interpret and simplify complex issues and communicate them in a compelling way

• Innovative & tech savvy with an excellent understanding of the digital landscape and evolving technology

• Sound understanding of charity accounting

• Resilient and results-focused

• Ability to plan and organise workloads and manage multiple tasks within deadlines

OUR ORGANISATION

The Diana Award is committed to anti-racism, social justice and building and developing a workforce which reflects the diversity of the young people we support. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer that values and respects the people who work for us. We seek to ensure all job applications are treated fairly, with respect and without bias.

We positively encourage applications from suitably experienced candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity.

We know that change is a team effort, and work hard to make sure every member of staff is inspired, nurtured and supported.

Every staff member has their own personal training and development budget, ability to work flexibly around core hours, access to our employee assistance programme 24/7, wellbeing initiatives, equipment to support you both at home and in an office environment (if applicable), opportunities to connect, collaborate and celebrate with colleagues both in person and online, and much more.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all. This is a responsibility that is shared by all members of staff the successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS or equivalent police check.

APPLICATION DETAILS

Application deadline: Wednesday 17th January 2024 at 12.00pm (midday)

Please reach out to people@diana-award.org.uk if you require any support with the application process or have questions about the role.