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We’re looking for a new Executive Director to lead ECU’s work for a more just, sustainable and resilient economy in the UK and beyond. 

For over a decade, the world has been experiencing a range of inter-related crises. Financial instability, widening inequalities and climate and environmental breakdown have now been brought into sharper focus by the global coronavirus pandemic. In response, there is a growing consensus among a broad range of people – including policymakers, business and civil society leaders, academics, campaigners and commentators – that fundamental changes are needed to our economic model.

ECU exists to connect and amplify the efforts of organisations working for a more just, sustainable and resilient economy. We create resources to promote understanding of post-neoliberal ideas, narratives, policies and practices. We explore opportunities for economic change and how to overcome the barriers to achieving it. And we help connect people and organisations from a variety of sectors who are interested and involved in seeking change.

In our first year of operation, we have tested our model, grown our networks, and achieved a number of early successes. Now we’re looking for an Executive Director to take our work to the next level, deepening ECU’s ability to translate post-neoliberal ideas into mainstream impact, and mobilising action around strategic opportunities for progressive reform. 

About the role

This is an outstanding opportunity to play a defining role in building a more just, sustainable and resilient economy, in the UK and beyond. Working with a talented team and a community of organisations at the cutting edge of economic reform, you will shape and lead our strategy to amplify the impact of new economic thinking on mainstream economic debates. 

You will use your networks and influencing skills to change mainstream thinking and practice, and you’ll convene and coordinate effective action across those seeking systemic economic change. In all of your work and relationships, you’ll embody ECU’s values: justice, inclusivity, generosity and collaboration. 

Key responsibilities

Leadership and strategy

  • Lead the development of ECU’s overall vision and strategy, and oversee all programmes to ensure that the strategy is delivered effectively
  • With the wider ECU team, undertake intelligence gathering and analysis on political and economic debates, and identify key strategic opportunities and challenges for the promotion of post-neoliberal ideas, narratives, policies and practice 
  • Ensure that ECU gathers evidence of its impact and uses this to learn from and continually improve the effectiveness of its work

External relationships

  • Build and maintain relationships with individuals and groups working in mainstream institutions within politics, policy-making, business and the media, developing networks and coalitions that can advance ECU’s agenda
  • Build and maintain relationships across the range of organisations seeking systemic economic change, including ECU’s Steering Group.  

Team and programmes

  • Oversee and where appropriate lead the delivery of ECU’s strategy and programmes, particularly in relation to ECU’s communications and political influencing work, and its Beyond Covid programme
  • Take overall responsibility for programme and project management and support the team to maximise the effectiveness of programme and project delivery
  • Line manage the Head of Strategic Communications, Programme Leads, and Finance and Operations Manager, and oversee the work of the Senior Adviser

Organisational development

  • Take overall responsibility for finance and operations, guiding the work of the Finance and Operations Manager, and ensure that ECU complies with its statutory and funder reporting requirements
  • Ensure the effective management of ECU’s budget and finances 
  • Lead ECU’s team and people development, with a strong focus on personal development, inclusion and anti-oppression approaches
  • Develop and lead the delivery of ECU’s fundraising strategy, maintaining strong collaborative relationships with ECU's current funders and building relationships with the potential to create new sources of funding for ECU
  • With the Chair, develop and maintain a strong Board of Directors, and engage Directors in ECU’s work both within and beyond Board meetings

About you

Essential requirements:

1. Deep commitment to ECU’s purpose and values (set out below), with a passion for increasing the influence and impact of post-neoliberal thought and practice

2. An excellent knowledge of current economic and political debates, in the UK and globally, and particularly of ideas to build a more sustainable, just and resilient economy 

3. A sophisticated understanding of how political change occurs, including the role of the media in driving change, and the ability to design and implement creative, high-impact strategic interventions which will promote systemic economic change 

4. The ability to convene and mobilise a diverse range of individuals and groups to act on strategic opportunities for change, with the tenacity and resourcefulness to see initiatives through to completion

5. Experience of working in public policy, public affairs, public relations, or political work at a national level, with a track record of influencing political decision-makers and influencers

6. Outstanding interpersonal and influencing skills, with experience of managing senior stakeholder relationships and the ability to align diverse viewpoints around common interests

7. Significant programme management experience, with the ability to translate strategic vision into concrete plans and deliver complex projects to challenging deadlines

8. A people-centred, empowering manager, with strong line management experience and the ability to build inclusive, collaborative organisational cultures

9. Experience of developing, managing and reporting on project and/or organisational budgets

10. Experience of fundraising and an understanding of the nature and constraints of funding provided by charitable foundations

11. Experience of working with or serving on a Board of Trustees or Directors, preferably within a not-for-profit context

The following qualities would be an advantage, but are not essential: 

12. A broad network of contacts within mainstream media and policymaking

13. Experience of designing and implementing strategies to shift media narratives within both mainstream and social media 

14. Knowledge and experience of monitoring, evaluation and learning in a policy context

15. A track record of attracting significant funding from trusts, foundations and other grant-making bodies

We are committed to providing equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of their background. We believe this is crucial to ensuring the legitimacy and effectiveness of our work. We recognise that people face systemic oppression based on factors including their gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age and disability, and therefore we have a responsibility to centre anti-oppression in our work.   

We acknowledge that people from a number of communities are underrepresented in our team and in the wider movement of those seeking systemic economic change, and we’re committed to doing what we can to address this. If you believe you would bring greater diversity to our team, we’re keen to hear from you. We are open to assisting with childcare or other duties that may prevent candidates from attending an interview. 

If you have any questions about the role, or if you feel you could do this role well but don’t have all the characteristics we’re looking for, please contact Anna Fielding on [email protected] for an informal conversation.  

How to apply

To apply for this role, please download an application pack and application form from econchange.org/jobs by clicking on the Apply button below.

Deadline: 9.00 am, Monday 30 November, 2020

Due to the volume of applications we usually receive, we regret that we are unable to offer feedback to individual applicants. 

 

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