Director of Strategic Initiatives

2 months ago

London, Greater London, United Kingdom Zinc Network Full time

Zinc Network is a leading business solutions provider dedicated to driving meaningful, measurable change. Our team conceptualizes and creates impactful programs, interventions, and strategic communications campaigns around some of the world's most complex problems – from disinformation to extremism, media capture to authoritarianism.

We are headquartered in London with offices in Washington, D.C. and Warsaw with 80+ team members from diverse professional and cultural backgrounds. Zinc works with a broad range of governmental, non-profit, and private sector clients, including the UK Home Office (HO); the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO); the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); the U.S. Department of State (DOS); UN agencies and missions; and foundations.

The Director of Strategic Initiatives will lead Zinc Network's program management and project delivery functions globally, ensuring the successful execution of projects while driving new business development. This role requires strong leadership, strategic thinking, and the ability to effectively manage and develop a high-performing team.

This is a Senior role reporting directly to the CEO.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Leadership and Team Development

· Provide clear vision and direction for the program management and project delivery teams

· Refine our program management processes, workflows, templates, and quality controls across projects, train the team to use them, and enforce compliance.

· Support the professional development, capacity building, and effective utilization of team members

· Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous improvement, and high-impact delivery

· Cultivate best practice among inter-disciplinary teams focused on delivering meaningful, measurable change

· Participate in management meetings to help guide the company's overall performance and trajectory

2. Project Delivery Excellence

· Oversee the successful delivery of projects, ensuring adherence to work plans, budgets, results frameworks, and client expectations

· Ensure that project reporting is clear, compelling, and concise

· Ensure projects deliver against their financial objectives

· Evolve and implement robust project management processes, including resource planning, risk management, budgeting, and reporting

· Ensure seamless coordination between program management, business operations, finance, strategy, and service delivery teams

· Provide timely support and guidance to project leaders to navigate challenges and maintain client satisfaction

3. Business Development and Growth

· Work with the Director of New Business to ensure Zinc meets all growth targets and to conceptualize and secure new projects, particularly with FCDO (mostly, ISF), US, EU, and UN clients

· Ensure Portfolio Directors are guided and supported to meet their new business targets

· Ensure Portfolio Directors are guided and supported to re-secure all projects and grow their accounts

· Explore and expand Zinc Network's offerings into new thematic areas, such as governance, health, and security

· Develop a strong understanding of client needs, industry trends, and Zinc's unique value proposition to inform bid strategies

4. Client Relationship Management

· Serve as a trusted advisor and point of contact for senior clients and stakeholders

· Ensure the highest levels of client satisfaction on all projects, and implement a system for tracing customer satisfaction

· Ensure client expectations are exceeded, and projects are well-positioned for renewals and expansions

· Represent Zinc Network at conferences, donor events, and other external engagements to build brand and relationships

· Build and expand our network of clients, partners, and champions

5. Financial and Commercial Management

· Manage the program management department's P&L and drive project commercial performance

· Develop a deep understanding of commercial models and levers to optimize business performance

· Partner with the finance team to strengthen project accounting, budgeting, and reporting processes

· Oversee FCDO financial management, including invoicing and audit processes

· Working with other relevant teams, ensure we are working in line with our clients' compliance and regulatory standards and expectations

The Director of Strategic Initiatives will report to the Chief Executive Officer and serve as a key member of Zinc Network's senior management team. This is an exciting opportunity for an accomplished leader to shape the future direction and success of a dynamic and impactful organization.

Requirements

· 10+ years of experience leading and growing project delivery teams in the international development sector

· Proven track record of securing and delivering complex, multi-million pound/dollar projects

· Exceptional leadership skills with the ability to inspire, develop, and motivate high-performing teams

· Strong strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities

· Excellent stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills

· Robust project management and commercial acumen

· Collaborative and approachable working style

· Relevant advanced degree preferred

Conditions of Employment

Candidates who receive a job offer will be required to:

· Disclose any previous disciplinary action against them resulting from a substantiated safeguarding (including any breaches involving trafficking-related activities) or workplace investigation.

· Undergo background checks, including employment verification, sexual offender registry (as available), identity confirmation, and anti-terrorism vetting.

Area of Selection

We're committed to hiring a diverse workforce from different professional and cultural backgrounds, and to that end, we encourage a variety of people to apply to join our company to represent the diverse range of subjects associated with our projects.

How to Apply

Please include a CV showcasing how your background meets the position requirements. If you require an accommodation to be made at any point throughout the recruitment process, please let us know when contacted.

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