WHAT IS START NETWORK?

Start Network is a global membership of 55 organisations, working across six continents, to tackle what we see as the biggest systemic problems in the global humanitarian system. Start Network is an independent charity. We also work with Save the Children UK, which acts a grant custodian for Start Network.

Start Network’s vision is for a locally led humanitarian system that is accountable to people affected by and at risk of crises. We aim to achieve this vision by making system-level shifts in how humanitarian assistance is approached and delivered.

OUR SOLUTIONS

DECENTRAISLING & LOCALLY-LED ACTION: Shifting power and resources and decentralising decision-making to locally led networks and organisations.

EARLY & RAPID FINANCING: Building a global financing system that reduces risk, anticipates, and acts ahead of predictable crises.

COMMUNITY-LED INNOVATION: Incentivising innovative, locally led, and contextual solutions and learning from them together with people affected by crises.

To devolve and decentralise power within the global humanitarian system, we are working to become a distributed and global network of civil society hubs and members supported by a global platform that fosters connections, alignment of members, and innovation. Hubs are locally led networks of local, national, and international humanitarian actors working together to develop contextualised ways of dealing with humanitarian crises. We currently have seven hubs in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Guatemala, India, the Pacific, Pakistan, and South Sudan, with a number of potential Hubs under discussion.

For more information about Start Network and what we do, please visit our website.

JOB PURPOSE

The Network Development Advisor (Partnership) plays a crucial role in achieving this transformation of Start Network into a distributed network of locally-led Hubs through dedicated engagement with and support to Hubs through the Hub development process, as well as advising Start Network through the transformation process.

Together with the Senior Network Development Advisor (Strategy and Partnership), this postholder will be responsible for supporting a portfolio of Hubs. The focus will be on brokering partnerships and supporting Hub leaders and members to work together to co-develop their Hub, engaging with wider networks and stakeholders and fostering a spirit of interdependence, mutual solidarity, and support amongst Hubs. At the same time, the role will provide a linking function for hubs to engage with the wider Start Network team and support the team to adapt and develop programming in support of each Hub’s vision.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

SUPPORT HUBS TO DEVELOP IN LINE WITH THEIR VISION AND GOALS

Working collaboratively with the Senior Network Development Advisor (Strategy and Partnership), as well as the wider Network Development Team, this role will be responsible for engaging with, brokering partnerships, and supporting a portfolio of Hubs in various stages of development. This will include a range of responsibilities, including:

• Support hubs to co-design and implement their vision and strategy for developing their Hub and catalysing systemic change in their respective contexts.

• Broker conversations between Hub representatives to help unlock challenges, spark strategic conversations, and overcome blockages, serving as both a critical friend and trusted partner. This could include facilitating workshops, reflection sessions or leadership development; holding challenging conversations with key stakeholders and encouraging open dialogue; providing practical support and advice to address problems, etc.

• Accompany Hubs through the Hub development journey, providing or linking Hubs to support, assistance or resources to develop Hub structures and ways of working that will enable them to complete the incubation process, and critically, ensure they are accountable, collaborative and impactful.

• Foster and promote peer support, collaboration and connection between Hubs as well as Hub-led decision making amongst the collective of Hubs, to enable Hubs to become an interdependent, mutually accountable and interconnected network of Hubs.

PROMOTE AN ENABLING ENVIRONMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR HUB FORMATION

• Engage with the Senior Network Development Advisor (Infrastructure and Design) and the Network Development Officer to promote a user-centred approach, ensuring that processes are not driven by the Start Team, but by Hubs themselves. This includes informing and collaborating in co-design of operational infrastructure and technical support mechanisms to improve support provided to Hubs.

• Work with Hubs, members, and colleagues, to ensure that Hubs represent a genuine transfer of power and do not replicate systematic failures within the humanitarian system, including sharing user feedback from Hub representatives, advocating for Hub needs and interests, working to practically problem solve and co-design ways to overcome challenges and critically examining our ways of working and practices in line with our strategy and values.

• Manage and build trusted and effective working relationships with consultants, partners or other potential providers of support or strategic alignment to Hubs.

PROMOTE AND CONTRIBUTE TO LEARNING AND STRATEGIC DESIGN

• Engage in and co-design reflection and learning opportunities with the Learning Advisor to enable Start Network and the Hubs to learn from both the process of Hub development as well as its impact;

• Actively embed learning, self-reflection and adaptation into personal projects and approaches and support the Network Development Team and the wider Start Network to pivot and course-correct based on testing and learning at both tactical and strategic levels;

• Contribute to strategic planning and design of future approaches and development of Hubs, including future intake of Hubs and co-design of alternative Hub models

START NETWORK CULTURE

• To carry out the responsibilities of the role in line with the Start Network Code of Conduct and with a commitment to safeguarding adults and children

• A commitment to the Start Network vision, principles, values, and approach

• The Start Network team is an agile group of individuals who use their experience and skills across the network, so flexibility to work in and with different teams and functions is a part of our culture.

PERSON PROFILE

ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

TECHNICAL SKILLS

• Extensive experience of collaboration and partnership brokering, including forging and maintaining effective new relationships and partnerships, often across organisational and cultural boundaries

• Demonstrable experience working to promote locally-led action, localisation, community-organising or decolonisation of aid;

• Demonstrable experience in facilitation, coaching, mentoring and leadership support

• Proven experience of embracing new approaches, technology and ways of working

• Experience in the humanitarian, development, human rights or related fields.

PERSONAL SKILLS

• Innovative, collaborative and creative thinker

• Proven analytical and problem-solving skills, with a proactive mindset to co-design, identify or build upon opportunities to improve our work

• Strong ability to build trust, show empathy and inspire change

• Effective and empathetic communicator levels, with strong listening skills and ability to facilitate complex and challenging conversations amongst diverse stakeholders

• Presentation skills and ability to confidently internally and externally represent the Network

• Knowledge and experience of ways of working that are non-extractive, culturally-informed and seek to rebalance power dynamics

• Ability to work flexibly and adapt to rapidly changing contexts

DESIRABLE SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Additional languages, particularly French and Spanish or national languages in the existing Hub countries

• Experience directly working within or in partnership with local or national non-governmental organisations

• Experience working in the existing Hub countries

• Experience working in the humanitarian sector, with knowledge of the humanitarian architecture, advocacy fora and current debates within the sector

• Demonstrable experience of working with innovation programmes, innovation approaches or systems thinking to deliver change

• Experience brokering partnerships, facilitating dialogue or building relationships remotely

KEY COMPETENCIES

Communication

Influence stakeholders to address difficult or complex issues by listening to diverse perspectives, finding common ground and avoiding criticism or complaint

Actively listen and know when to hold space rather than fill it, inviting others to participate by asking questions based on an understanding of individuals

Strategic Thinking

Balance the tension between thinking, trialling and deciding to move forward in line with expectations from key stakeholders, namely members and Hubs

Collaboration

Recognise and actively seek to build trust, working through conflicts by acknowledging their importance, focusing on the issue not the person, analysing different perspectives and working together

Leadership of self and others

Seek to understand and act upon own areas for growth, reflecting and learning from things that have not gone so well by showing vulnerability and openness to change

Ability to adapt and learn

Anticipate the ‘what ifs’ and actively plan to navigate them together with the team, seeking collaborative solutions and drawing on those with relevant expertise

Balance the need to follow systems and processes with the courage, identifying when systems and processes do not align with the mission, suggesting alternatives

Getting things done the Start Network way

Identify opportunities and take calculated risks to capitalise on opportunities that further our purpose and mission without compromising our vision

OUR OFFER TO YOU

• Centrally located office space if based in the UK, with onsite drinks available free of charge

• Hybrid working with options to work from home and remotely

• Flexible working arrangements

• Contributory pension

• Life Assurance

• Family friendly policies

• Learning and development opportunities for individuals and cross-organisationally

• 25 days’ holiday plus 2 company days over the Christmas/End of Year period

INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

Our roles are open to discussion about flexible working. For part-time working and job-shares, please get in touch with us for a conversation about possibilities.

Start Network is committed to protecting people, particularly children, at-risk adults and affected populations from any harm. We are also committed to safeguarding staff from any forms of bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and abuse of power as outlined in the Dignity at Work policy. Start Network embraces diversity, promotes equality of opportunity and eliminates unlawful discrimination. We are an equal opportunities employer and treat every application on merit alone. We particularly encourage applications from disabled, BAME, LGBTQ+ and non-binary candidates. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet our essential selection criteria set out in the Person Profile.

APPLICATION

Applications should be through our online recruitment platform which uses anonymised applications and predictive, skill-based assessments which are blind- reviewed to reduce bias.

If you have any questions or need support with your application, please email us using peopleandculture@startnetwork.org

Closing date: Sunday 19th March, 11.59 GMT

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early when we receive a high number of candidates. Please apply early to avoid disappointment.

Any offer of employment will be conditional subject to relevant checks. Please refer to our privacy statement and candidate privacy notice regarding treatment of your data. Start Network also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. The core of the scheme is that participating organisations share information about safeguarding-related misconduct (i.e., sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment) that a candidate has been found to have committed during employment, or incidents under investigation when the candidate left employment. For more information regarding this scheme, please visit their website: https://misconduct-disclosure-scheme.org/