Interim Chief Executive Officer Appointment Brief January 2024
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Appointment Brief | 2024
WELCOME Dear Reader, Thank you for your interest in this exciting opportunity at Safe Passage International! When we set up Safe Passage International as an independent charity in 2018, there was no blueprint for a refugee legal charity fighting across borders for system change, so we had to build it. Over the last 5 years - under the leadership of our founding CEO, Beth Gardiner-Smith, and a focused and committed board of trustees - we’ve achieved policy change, we’ve won over hearts and minds, and we’ve reunited hundreds of families. We’ve built a dedicated and talented staff team operating in four countries and reaching out across Europe and beyond in our work to help refugees navigate safe routes to sanctuary in the UK and in EU countries. We’ve been faithful to our values and striven to work with, not for, refugees. We have recently been fortunate enough to receive further transformational levels of funding, showing the high levels of external confidence in our work. With Beth deciding to take up a new opportunity after years of outstanding leadership, we are looking for an interim CEO for a period expected to be of three to six months while we work on the profile of, and search for, a permanent successor. Reporting to the Chair of trustees and managing the Senior Leadership Team, the interim CEO will lead the organisation as it executes its operational plan for 2024. This is a critical year for the refugee sector, with recent UK legislation introducing profound and highly controversial change for refugees seeking asylum within the UK and with a general election due. In this context, the interim CEO will be asked to: •
maintain our focus on fighting for refugee rights and for more humane, smarter solutions to the desperate plight of so many people fleeing war and persecution;
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ensure that we deliver on our ambitious development and investment plan for 2024;
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review our internal organisation, structure and governance (international included) to ensure that they are fit for purpose and make recommendations to the Board on this subject;
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enhance the fundamentals of people management and of collaborative leadership across the organisation, with a specific focus on staff leadership.
If you have the appetite, passion and energy to take on this challenge, we would love to hear from you! You are likely to have a demonstrable track record in change management and in the development of collaborative and inclusive leadership styles and practices. A deep knowledge of the charitable sector and of working with a board of trustees is desirable. We consciously recruit to attract talent from Black and minoritised communities and those with lived experience of being a refugee and / or seeking asylum. We warmly welcome such applications. Thank you and warm regards, Magid
Appointment Brief | 2024
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ABOUT
SAFE PASSAGE INTERNATIONAL Safe Passage International is a registered UK Charity with subsidiary organisations in France and Greece. An independent charity since 2019, our work has assisted over 3,000 refugees to access safe routes to family and protection.
We do this by providing legal assistance to unaccompanied children and other refugees across Europe to access safe routes to family reunion and protection. In addition, we have recently launched ground-breaking new projects assisting refugees from Ukraine and Afghanistan. We also conduct advocacy and campaign work on refugee law and policy. As a young and ambitious organisation, our values of compassion, determination and ground-breaking underpin everything we seek to achieve.
The charity currently has a workforce of 34, including CEO and a staff leadership team comprised of the CEO and 7 Heads of Departments including Directors from two countries of the charitable group. The organisation has undergone sustained growth since 2019 and our 2024 budget forecasts an overall expenditure of more than £2.2 million. In addition to our regular budget, we have started work on an ambitious £1.6 million five-year investment plan.
OUR CURRENT GOALS ARE:
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to improve access to safe routes for refugees who arrive in Europe and for those outside of Europe seeking protection within Europe. to challenge policies and rhetoric that undermine the fundamental right to seek asylum in the UK and in Europe. to hold ourselves accountable to all those connected and committed to our work by embodying our values and mission on every level that we operate.
Appointment Brief | 2024
FINANCES Since Safe Passage International became an independent charity, it has generated annual surpluses and built solid financial reserves that meet our statutory reserves and allow us to be confident in the future. The 2023 exercise is no exception to the rule, with the income secured exceeding our expenditure, which reached over £1.8M. While our activities have increased steadily over the last few years, we continue raising sufficient income to implement our strategy and ambitious plans to support refugees better and increase our impact. Our 2024 budget forecasts an overall expenditure of more than £2.2M. Our team of dedicated professionals represents three-fourths of the budget, and service delivery amounts to almost four-fifths. In the last quarter of 2023, in addition to our regular budget, SPI started implementing
an ambitious £1.6M five-year investment plan whose objective is to build our longterm sustainability through three goals: strengthening our structure to become a fit-for-purpose organisation, increasing and diversifying our resources, and developing and widening our programmes to scale our impact. SPI founded two sister organisations in France and Greece whose budgets, respectively, exceed €420K and €220K. SPI has also run a programme in Poland supporting refugees from Ukraine with an annual budget of over €100K. Our operations and programmes in France, Greece, and Poland are included in the organisation’s overall budget, which is summarised above. Read more on the Charity Commission website.
OUR REVENUE RESOURCES ARE DIVERSE:
44% 22% 11%
Individual donors
11% 6%
Regular donors
And Gift Aid.
Trusts and foundations
Sponsorship and corporate partnership
Community fundraising
Appointment Brief | 2024
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EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION STATEMENT We are ground-breaking, determined, and compassionate. Committed to opening and defending safe, legal routes for people seeking sanctuary, particularly children.
We value equality and diversity in our organisation, and strive to build a workforce reflective of the communities we work in. We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith, or disability. People with refugee or asylum-seeking backgrounds are experts by experience and are particularly encouraged to apply. We enjoy creativity, imagination, challenge, and a good sense of humour. We work hard to deliver excellence for all our partners: clients, donors, and other strategic partners. We look for talented, passionate souls to join our team and take us further.
FURTHER READING https://www.safepassage.org.uk/ Our 2022 Impact Report Our October 2023 report and proposals: “Routes to safety: a new approach to people crossing the Channel”
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Appointment Brief | 2024
ORGANISATION CHART
Appointment Brief | 2024
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ROLE DESCRIPTION OVERVIEW Safe Passage International (SPI) is recruiting an Interim Chief Executive Officer to lead the organisation in our groundbreaking work to ensure that safe routes to sanctuary exist for all people seeking asylum.
Safe Passage International is a registered UK Charity with subsidiary organisations in France and Greece. An independent charity since 2019, our work has assisted over 3,000 refugees to access safe routes to family and protection. We do this by providing legal assistance to unaccompanied children and other refugees across Europe to access safe routes to family reunion and protection. In addition, we have recently launched groundbreaking new projects assisting refugees from Ukraine and Afghanistan. We also conduct advocacy and campaign work on refugee law and policy. SPI currently has a Board of 12 Trustees, and a workforce of 34, including Directors in France and Greece who report to the CEO. The Leadership Team is currently comprised of the CEO and 7 Heads of Departments including Directors from two countries of the charitable group. We are deeply committed to further substantial increases in the diversity and lived experience of our leadership and will particularly welcome applications from candidates with personal experience of being a refugee and seeking asylum and from diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds, to help us by their leadership and life experience on our journey to being a truly diverse and inclusive charity.
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Appointment Brief | 2024
CONTEXT AND PRIORITIES This is a critical time for refugee rights in the UK and across Europe. The CEO plays a key role in providing thought leadership on our work to defend refugee rights and enhance their access to safe routes, to the UK and but also in Europe.
Internally, the organisation has undergone sustained growth since 2019 and last year had a budget of £2.2m. We have recently been fortunate enough to receive further transformational levels of funding, showing the high levels of external confidence in our work. With our founding CEO, Beth Gardiner-Smith, deciding to take up a new opportunity after years of outstanding leadership, we are looking for an interim CEO for a period expected to be of three to six months while we work on the profile of, and search for, a permanent successor. Reporting to the Chair of trustees and managing the Senior Leadership Team, the interim CEO will lead the organisation as it executes its operational plan for 2024. This is a critical year for the refugee sector, with recent UK legislation introducing profound and highly controversial change for refugees seeking asylum within the UK and with a general election due. In this context, the interim CEO will be asked to: •
maintain our focus on fighting for refugee rights and for more humane, smarter solutions to the desperate plight of so many people fleeing war and persecution;
•
ensure that we remain on track to deliver on our ambitious development and investment plan for 2024;
•
review our internal organisation, structure and governance (international included) to ensure that they are fit for purpose and make recommendations to the Board on this subject;
•
enhance the fundamentals of people management and of collaborative leadership across the organisation, with a specific focus on staff leadership.
A new Chair of Trustees was appointed in early 2023. Safe Passage values collaborative and shared leadership and the interim CEO will continue to foster this approach, working closely with the new Chair and Board, as well as the international Leadership Team and our young leaders and Experts by Experience, who all play a vital role in shaping our organisation. The interim CEO will drive forward progress on our commitments to valuing and championing lived experience within our decision-making and to anti-racism, diversity and equity, as well as maintaining the highest standards of safeguarding and accountability.
Appointment Brief | 2024
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KEY RESPONSIBILITIES To manage the charity’s day to day operations and administration •
Lead and manage the staff team as a whole according to good employment practice, and ensuring sustained, high levels of motivation, well-being and performance.
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Supply the necessary combination of inspiration, support, guidance, delegation and challenge to the Leadership Team and wider staff body.
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Ensure the approved strategy is being delivered and ensure milestones and organisational priorities met.
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Keep the finances of the charity under careful review at all times and take whatever steps are necessary to ensure sustainability and enable the charity to live within its means.
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Ensure that the charity adheres to all legal requirements and is well administered according to best practice.
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Ensure effective working between the head office of Safe Passage in the UK and the country organisations.
To advise the Trustees on the strategy, policies, and effective organisational development of the charity •
Ensure the Board receives timely, accurate and proportionate information and advice to enable them to fulfil their responsibilities.
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Maintain open, fluent communication with the Chair, consulting them on all decisions that may affect the responsibilities of the Board.
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Report regularly and honestly to the Board against the approved strategy, so they are fully aware of progress, shortcomings and risks.
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Ensure well drafted policies are in place as necessary for the sound running of the charity according to high standards of good practice in all dimensions.
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Maintain an up-to-date risk register and enable the Board to integrate a full awareness of risks in its decision-making at all times.
To act as an external spokesperson and ambassador for the charity desired but not required for the interim CEO
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Maintain and develop fruitful relationships with the charity’s key stakeholders, including donors and supporters, Government Ministers and officials, allies in the legal profession, politics and the media, and other organisations working in fields relevant to our mission.
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Ensure maximum effectiveness in advocacy, lobbying and campaigning in support of Safe Passage’s mission, linked to strategically guided casework with individuals.
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Play a leadership role in developing the overall messaging and communications of the charity, to ensure that they are effective, consistent with our values and strategy, and high impact for all audiences who hear them.
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Be a spokesperson for the charity in the media, with politicians and with allies in the sector.
Appointment Brief | 2024
PERSON SPECIFICATION Skills and abilities: REQUIRED: •
Commitment to Safe Passage’s programme and values.
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Demonstrable ability to think and act strategically in a senior leadership role.
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Track record of organisational development and change management; managing staff to a high level of motivation and effectiveness.
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Experience working on policy and legal issues or use of the law to advance strategic policy objectives.
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Experience of leadership and working with a Board of Directors.
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Strong understanding of charity law and governance.
DESIRED: •
Lived experience of seeking asylum.
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Excellent public communication skills, and ability to inspire and persuade a wide variety of different audiences including public and decision-makers.
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Track record of successful advocacy, lobbying or campaigning in a relevant policy area.
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Demonstrable media and/or political savvy.
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Strong track record of successful income generation.
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An understanding of UK and European refugee and migration issues.
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Experience working on policy and legal issues relating to refugees and migrants, in the UK/ Europe.
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Proficiency in a relevant language, in addition to fluent English, such as French, Greek or another.
We are looking for a leader with the experience and skills as detailed in this Person Specification. Experience in a similar role would be welcome but is not required, or you could be returning to work after time out. We value equality and diversity in our organisation and are striving to build a workforce reflective of the communities we work with. We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith, or disability.
People with refugee or asylum-seeking backgrounds are experts by experience and are particularly encouraged to apply.
Appointment Brief | 2024
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HOW TO APPLY To apply for the role of Interim Chief Executive Officer with Safe Passage International you can either upload your CV together with a supporting statement (of no more than 1000 words) onto the Prospectus website via the link, or you can apply by post to: Executive Search Prospectus (Head Office) 20-22 Stukeley Street Holborn, London WC2B 5LR Please ensure that your application fully addresses the requirements for the role. So that we can ensure everyone can participate fairly in the recruitment process, please let us know if you will require any special provision as a result of any disability should you be called for interview. Please ensure that you have included a telephone number, as well as any dates when you will not be available or might have difficulty with the recruitment timetable. If you wish to apply using an alternative format, please contact Prospectus on 020 7691 1920 or email executive.admin@prospect-us.co.uk. Applications via the Prospectus website should be made at: https://prospect-us.co.uk/jobs/187233 At Prospectus we believe passionately that a truly inclusive workplace leads to increased social impact. We are committed to supporting our clients build more inclusive teams. To understand how we are performing, we ask that you kindly complete the brief equal opportunities questionnaire when you submit your application via our website. Please be assured that your responses are kept confidential, separate from your candidate record, are not part of any application you make, and that the consultants never see individual responses to the questionnaire.
QUERIES RECRUITMENT TIMETABLE Application closing date: 18 February Interviews will take place on a rolling basis.
If you wish to have an informal discussion about the opportunity, please contact our retained advisors Camille Revuelta or Joan Mwangi at Prospectus on 020 7691 1920, or email: camille.revuelta@prospect-us.co.uk joan.mwangi@prospect-us.co.uk
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Appointment Brief | 2024
Misconduct Disclosure Scheme: Further information to support your application: If you are excited by this role but do not have all the experience you believe is required, we encourage you to contact us for an informal conversation ahead of submitting your application, to discuss why you would like to apply for the role and what skills and experience you think are relevant. Please email camille. revuelta@prospect-us.co.uk to arrange.
Safe Passage is committed to ensuring safer recruitment practices and participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We request consent from successful candidates to approach their employers from the last five years to ask for a Statement of Conduct. In line with this Scheme, we request information from the appointee’s previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents that were under investigation. By submitting an application, the candidate confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.
Appointment Brief | 2024
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