Unique Job Opportunity - Executive Director

Tiyeni is seeking a passionate Executive Director to help us deliver our strategic direction; continuing to shape, develop and fund our organisation for the future.

Tiyeni is a UK-based charity seeking to eradicate food poverty and combat climate change in Malawi through climate smart agriculture known as Deep Bed Farming. The UK-based charity provides funding, vision and direction to the Malawi-registered company (Tiyeni Malawi) which trains farmers in Deep Bed Farming. The seeds of Tiyeni were sown during the famines of the 1990s. Having dramatically proved the effectiveness of the method, the Tiyeni Fund was set up as a charitable organisation to raise money in the UK in 2005. It has gone from strength to strength. Tiyeni Malawi has grown from 38 farmers in 2012 to over 20,000 today. Tiyeni’s aim is that by 2025, 80% of all Malawian farmers will not only know about Deep Bed Farming but will also be able to access training.

The role

As Executive Director, you will lead the organisation to the next stage of our growth. This will involve refining, building on and driving our new 5-year strategy, using our success so far as a springboard. You will have excellent communication skills to engage our brilliant staff in Malawi, our small UK team, funders, partner organisations, volunteers and trustees. You will build relationships with relevant influential organisations to inform & implement strategy.

Critically, you will develop and spearhead delivery of a funding and financial plan that will enable Tiyeni's strategy to become a reality. Reporting directly to the Chair of the Board of Trustees, you will oversee performance, ensuring the progress needed towards our strategic vision. You will provide direction and management for our small, UK based team and high level management and direction for the well-established Malawi delivery team. You will line manage the UK Development Manager and, in time, potentially the Executive Director of Tiyeni Malawi. You will oversee effective governance, including supporting Tiyeni’s board.

Essential requirements – you will have:

• Excellent communication and leadership skills with a demonstrable ability to build influential relationships with a wide range of key stakeholders including donors, partner organisations, volunteers and trustees.
• Proven ability to identify and engage with a wide variety of donors, securing new funding streams.
• The ability to work collegially with a small, remote team and engage with staff & volunteers from a range of backgrounds and with different skill sets.
• Proven record of successful strategy development and delivery and financial and operational management.
• Experience and knowledge of working at a senior level in a charity and the governance and operation of a small or medium sized charity.

Desirable:

• Understanding of rural subsistence agriculture
• Experience of scaling up programmes
• Experience of living and working in Africa

Terms:

• Remuneration equivalent to £45-60K prorated on a consultancy basis.
• 3-5 days a week – to be agreed with the job holder.
• Initial contract period of 18 months with the potential to become permanent.
• Flexible working hours to be agreed with the job holder.
• Working from home in the UK, though the role is likely to involve some travel e.g. to meet with trustees once a quarter and to meet with key stakeholders as required.

How to apply

Please send to thetiyenifund@gmail.com and colinandrews100@gmail.com by 11pm on Tuesday 12 October:

• brief CV, and
• a statement of no more than 1500 words setting out your suitability for this post.

For further information about the role please contact: Colin Andrews – colinandrews100@gmail.com

For further information about Tiyeni, please contact thetiyenifund@gmail.com.