We are recruiting: Director of Corporate Services

Our vision

A world where people live in peace, conscious of their common humanity and their shared responsibilities for each other, the planet and future generations; where there is universal respect for human rights; where poverty has been eliminated and people are free from fear and oppression, and able to fulfil their true potential.

Our mission

We will use our experience and influence to work for peace, justice, human rights and a sustainable planet. We will engage with global leaders and civil society through private diplomacy and public advocacy, to address existential threats, promote global solutions, and encourage ethical leadership that supports the dignity of all human beings.

What we do

We work on existential threats to humanity that require a collective response - the climate crisis, pandemics, nuclear weapons, and artificial intelligence. We also work on conflict, a threat in itself and a risk factor for other threats. You can find more details on what we do here and how we work here.

Role Overview

The post is responsible for developing a strategic Corporate Services team that enhances organisational effectiveness, enables the growth and sustainability of our work, and embeds a culture of service, agility and continuous improvement.

With oversight of the Elders’ Secretariat’s Corporate Services team of 11 (10 FTE), encompassing finance, fundraising, HR, governance, operations, office management and IT, you will ensure interoperability between these functions and the ongoing development of the team. The role reports to the CEO and is part of the
Secretariat Senior Management Team (SMT).

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Financial Management

Oversee the setting and management of budgets and forecasting to ensure resources are prioritised in line with Elders’ priorities;
Provide regular and reliable financial information to the Board, Audit Finance and Governance Committee, CEO and SMT;
Sign off financial commitments to agreed limits and ensure proper application of delegated authority;
Oversee cash management, including managing The Elders’ bank accounts and other investments;
Ensure the organisation operates to high standards of financial management;
Oversee the annual audit, and production of the annual review and financial statements in line with the
Charities SORP requirements.

Fundraising

Oversee the fundraising function and its relationship with finance, ensuring that income and expenditure are coordinated and the Foundation remains financially stable and sustainable within agreed policies;
Ensure that a fundraising perspective, and the interests and potential contributions of Advisory Council members, are taken into account in SMT discussions and decisions;
Support the fundraising lead in the maintenance and development of relationships with existing and new donors;
Ensure compliance in the financial tracking, reporting and governance requirements of all donations.

HR and Governance

Promote a culture of valuing and enabling each team member to bring their best, and the values in the Secretariat Staff Charter of accountability to the Elders, inclusivity in our working environment, respect for every individual’s contribution, integrity in how we engage, and collaboration through teamwork and
open communication;
Support effective management of the HR function, including maintaining, developing and communicating internal processes, policies and guidelines to ensure good practice, fairness and legal obligations are applied consistently across the Secretariat, and reflected in an up-to-date Staff Handbook;
Further develop the partial internationalisation of Secretariat staffing, ensuring recruitment and onboarding are conducted in a compliant and inclusive manner, and the Secretariat’s culture and working practices adapt to a more global team;
Ensure that sound operational governance at Board and Secretariat level are maintained in line with regulatory obligations, best practice and Elders’ preferences;
Manage any legal advice The Elders may need.

Operations, Office Management and IT

Ensure the delivery to high standards of Elders’ board meetings, Elders’ and staff travel and visits, and events, taking account of security and value for money;
Ensure the smooth management of the Secretariat office to deliver a safe and pleasant working environment within budget;
Oversee the Secretariat’s IT systems and knowledge management, including the careful introduction of AI where there are significant efficiency savings and risks can be managed.

Strategic direction and management of the organisation

Participate in the overall leadership and management of the Secretariat as a member of the Senior Management Team of four;
Lead, manage and support the Corporate Services team of 11 (10 FTE), including five direct reports, building a high-skilled, high-functioning multi-disciplinary team and ensuring their ongoing welfare and development, including up-to-date knowledge of the regulations and best practice across the functions
the team is responsible for;
Promote teamwork, collaboration, respect and efficiency across all three Secretariat teams, in line with the values in the Secretariat mission statement;
Contribute to the ongoing evolution of The Elders’ overall strategy for agreement by Elders;
Undertake other work as requested by the CEO or otherwise required.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

Managing a multi-disciplinary corporate services team;
Setting and monitoring organisational budgets, working with budget holders and finance;
Hands-on approval of expenditure;
Financial and regulatory compliance requirements for UK charities, and the global context in which UK charities operate;
Financial, governance and HR processes that charities undertake, and developing policies and making decisions independently in these areas;
HR best practice and basic employment law;
Presenting complex information to different audiences clearly in writing and orally.

Desirable

Working with a Senior Management Team to lead a small organisation, or as part of a bigger organisation;
Audits and financial statements;
Content and application of the latest SORP rules (ideally as they relate to a Tier 2 charity);
International recruitment, including the options available (ideally with experience of working with an employer of record);
Overseeing a team responsible for some or all of IT, office management and complex international visits;
High-value fundraising.

Qualifications and Experience

Demonstrable experience leading at least two of the following: finance, HR, operations or governance. We welcome applicants who have built this expertise through work experience, formal study, professional qualifications or other routes;
High level of financial literacy gained through experience or qualification.

Behavioural

Strong personal commitment to the mission and values of The Elders;
Proactive growth mindset, and a commitment to continuous improvement of corporate services to enable the work of an organisation;
Enthusiasm to manage and learn about functions where you don’t have expertise, and to support staff to develop their own skills;
Ability to work at pace, juggle multiple priorities and adapt to the unexpected;
Excellent interpersonal and networking skills;
Desire to develop others and consider the wider team in decision-making processes impacting the organisation;
A flexible style and willingness to work in a small, collaborative, international organisation;
This role may require frequent international travel, sometimes at short notice and, in exceptional circumstances, for up to two weeks. Additionally, you may be required to attend staff or Elders events in the UK from time to time.

Given the Elders’ global outlook, we particularly welcome applicants originally from countries in the Global South. As we are not able to sponsor visas, all applicants must have the existing right to work in the UK.

Terms and conditions

The salary will be circa £90,000 per annum plus a 10% pension contribution. Annual leave is 28 days per year plus public holidays. The role will be required to be in the office (3 Tilney Street, London W1K 1BJ – near Green Park tube station) 1-2 days per week. Flexible working hours will be considered.

How to apply

Applications should be sent by email to Sam Stephens at [email protected]

The closing date for applications is 29 October.

Your application should comprise:

• a CV including a full employment history showing responsibilities held and relevant achievements;
• a covering note of not more than one and a half pages summarising your motivation and reasons for
being interested in this position.

Please do not use text written by an AI. Applications that use AI-generated text fail to show your true personality, unique experience and writing ability. If you are invited to an interview, you must be able to discuss everything in your application from your own firsthand experience and the interview process will include a written test.

The process

Macaulay Search has been engaged as adviser on this appointment. A selection of candidates will be invited to interview by Teams w/c 9 November, with a second round of interviews in person at The Elders’ Green Park office scheduled for w/c 23 November, together with an informal conversation with the CEO, a meeting with the Corporate Services team and representatives from the Programmes and Communications teams, psychometric testing and a written test. You can expect to
hear from Macaulay Search by 6 November if you have been invited for interview.