Director of People, Culture & Change At Catholic Agency for Overseas Development

Starting Salary: £69,202 – £72,853 pa

Contract: Permanent

We’re looking for a forward-thinking People professional who can deliver strategic leadership in driving our people, culture and change agenda. As an agency of the Church, informed by Catholic Social Teaching, the dignity and sacredness of all people is our starting point. Our mission takes a particular concern for those who experience poverty and are marginalised, oppressed or excluded. This “preferential option for the poor” requires that we recognise how systems, structures and behaviours can work against people and undermine the very dignity that we profess. At the heart of CAFOD’s approach is what Pope Francis calls a “culture of encounter” whereby we seek to restore and strengthen relationships and seek the common good, through dialogue and deep listening, understanding, respect and generosity.

CAFOD has a new strategy, Our Common Home which seeks to make strategic shifts to our ways of working. We have started on this journey, seeking to better enable and support leadership of our partners and this will have an impact on CAFOD’s own role as an international NGO. Our strategy talks about us wanting to “dare to be different” in addressing the causes of injustice, poverty, and environmental destruction. We will continue to mobilise, engage and connect with the Catholic community in England and Wales.

At CAFOD we work towards a vision of a world where every person can flourish and fulfil their potential, and that the earth is protected and cared for. We work across the world with people, regardless of gender, disability, age, race, ethnicity, nationality, culture, sexual orientation, political or religious belief. We acknowledge and celebrate diversity, and the strength it gives us, as we come together and seek justice for all. Yet we know that there is much to do to address inequalities in an authentic way. CAFOD is a strong values-based organisation and seeks to ensure that all its activity reflects its values of hope, dignity, solidarity and compassion.

It is an exciting time to join CAFOD. We have a new strategy, an inspiring vision and a commitment to standing alongside those who face discrimination and specifically to be an anti-racist organisation.

Whether it be the impact of COVID on ways of working and well-being or tackling discrimination in the development sector, it is an important and challenging time where CAFOD and its staff and volunteers need to continue to evolve and change in a way that is collaborative and authentic.

If you are skilled in driving and embedding organisational effectiveness and cultural change then we want to hear from you!

Job Profile

Reporting directly to the CEO and as part of the Executive Team, this pivotal new role will drive culture change across CAFOD which is key to delivering Our Common Home strategy. Leading the People, Culture and Change (PCC) Group, this post holder will be expected to work collaboratively across the organisation and be responsible for delivering our People, Change and Safe and Inclusive Working Culture (CAFOD’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion programme) strategies across different cultures and contexts ensuring high standards, good practice and alignment with CAFOD’s values.

Job Scope

The post holder is responsible for:

• Setting the organisational People Culture and Change strategy and delivering the goals to support our strategy, Our Common Home.
• With the Executive team, sharing cabinet responsibility for all corporate decisions.
• Delivering CAFOD’s Safe & Inclusive Working Culture programme and supporting our work to be anti-racist; working with others to ensure CAFOD has an active culture of belonging.
• To develop and model desired leadership behaviours across CAFOD, supported by an effective, high quality suite of People policies, processes, tools, internal communication, and learning and development support, acknowledging different cultures, contexts and flexible working arrangements
• Providing advice and support to the Executive Director, Chair of Trustees and other senior staff on key People, culture and employee relations issues.
• Holding the remit of Corporate Safeguarding Lead, liaising with the Lead Trustee with support of the Safeguarding team
• Facilitating the Remuneration Committee of the Board of Trustees
• Being the primary point of contact with the Union as Management representative on the Joint Negotiating and Consultation Committee; and ensuring regular contact with the National Staff associations
• People aspects of security and safety through membership of the Security Cluster.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership of the People Culture and Change Group (PCC)

• Oversee the development, coherence and delivery of the plans of managers within the Group to ensure the vision of Our Common Home is realised in a collaborative and cross-organisational way.
• Ensure that PCC managers are equipped and supported to deliver to their plans, allocating and managing resources effectively.

This post holder leads the following teams within the PCC Group:

• HR Advisors and HR Services Teams who work collaboratively in the UK and with national based HR Focal Points to ensure that our support and systems facilitate excellent People Management across HR services, business partnership, training and learning, development, employee relations, reward, health and wellbeing.
• The Head of Organisational Change and a new fixed-term advisor on ED&I (to be appointed) to catalyse culture change.
• CAFOD’s Safeguarding team to ensure a coherent approach between our internal mechanisms and the approach to Safe, Accessible and Dignified and Inclusive programming with partners.
• Internal Communications and Engagement team to ensure that our internal communications continue to embed the strategic direction and support change and culture work across the organisation.

Organisational Change and culture

Ensure CAFOD has a strong culture of belonging and commitment to transformational change by:

• Driving the Safe & Inclusive Working Culture project, providing steer and input on relevant matters
• Overseeing an integrated and coherent approach to organisational change which ensures that processes include strong People and soft-skill elements and facilitate belonging
• Ensuring our internal communications support a culture of belonging by keeping our colleagues informed and facilitating meaningful staff engagement
• Ensuring the organisational objectives and People & Culture activities are responsive to meet organisational needs and priorities and reflect CAFOD’s values
• Ensuring that the senior leadership is able to model behaviour’s including being open to dialogue, learning and change on the effectiveness of our strategies.

High quality People support

• Ensure our interventions, systems and processes support good management practice and models CAFOD’s values in a way that enables all our people to fulfill their potential and contribute fully to the mission, ensuring continuous learning and review to improve policies and practices.
• Support, coach and challenge leadership and management to ensure that People matters are properly considered in decision making
• Facilitate the management relationship with the CAFOD Union shop, holding the role of management representative for negotiation and consultation matters in a culture of collaboration and mutual respect
• Ensure that the voice of stakeholder groups are heard and taken into account
• Bringing relevant progress reports, policies and other issues to the Executive leadership group for review/approval

Technical & specialist knowledge

• Championing dignity, inclusivity, diversity, equity and a safe working environment across our organisation, ensuring these aspirations are translated into good practice
• Provide technical expertise in employment law, pay and benefits within various country and cultural contexts, in line with our faith identity and best practice, keeping up to date on topical issues
• Overseeing the management of complaints, to ensure continued confidence in CAFOD’s external platform EthicsPoint.
• Maintaining relationships with external networks related to People, Culture and employment matters

This list of duties and responsibilities is by no means exhaustive and the post holder may be required to undertake other relevant and appropriate duties as required. This job description is subject to regular review and appropriate modification.

Person Specification /Essential Criteria

Understanding our context

• Understanding Catholic identity – Has an appreciation of CAFOD’s role as an agency of the Catholic church
• Understanding CAFOD – Ability to set and implement a People and Culture vision and goals for CAFOD in a way that facilitates inclusion and belonging.
• Understanding international development – Demonstrates an understanding of international development and working in complex environments

Working together

• Managing ourselves – Ability to manage own personal growth and development and manage emotions and stresses positively.
• Working with others – Proven experience of strategic leadership and partnering with Executive colleagues and other leaders to influence and drive a People & Culture agenda.
• Communicating – Exceptional relationship management and communication skills with the ability to earn the full trust and confidence of colleagues at all levels across the organisation.
• Looking outwards – Demonstrate a good understanding of external trends in organisational development and people issues and an appreciation of the dynamics of cultural change in diverse contexts.

Making change happen

• Managing resources – Proven ability to set priorities effectively, whilst working under pressure.
• Achieving results – Significant experience of initiating, delivering and leading a dynamic HR/OD function including financial and people management.
• Managing our performance – Willingly takes ownership; is openly accountable, with a proven ability to adjust to the changing external environment while keeping a focus on the delivery of agreed objectives.
• Taking the lead – Demonstrates strategic thinking, planning and leadership. Provides creativity and innovation and is able to build the capacity and potential of the others within the PCC group.

Job-specific competencies

• Qualified to MCIPD or equivalent track record.
• OD professional with considerable strategic thinking and change management experience including experience of leading Diversity and Inclusion strategies
• Experience of leading successful talent acquisition, learning and development and employee engagement programmes

Safeguarding for Children and Vulnerable Adults

CAFOD recognises the personal dignity and rights of children and vulnerable adults, towards whom it has a special responsibility and a duty of care and respect. CAFOD, and all its staff and volunteers, undertake to do all in our power to create a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults and to prevent their physical, sexual or emotional abuse. CAFOD is committed to acting at all times in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults, seeing these interests as paramount. Any candidate offered a job with CAFOD will be expected to adhere to CAFOD’s Safeguarding policy and sign CAFOD’s Code of Behaviour as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents. This post involves contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults, or has responsibility for people who will do, and applicants will be subject to specific checks related to safeguarding issues. If based in the UK the post holder is required to present or obtain a Disclosure from the DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service).

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references, and appropriate screening checks can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. CAFOD also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of, and consent to, these recruitment procedures.

Come and join us and help make a real difference in the lives of the world’s poorest communities.

CAFOD is an equal opportunities employer. Recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.

Interview Date: Monday, 23rd August 2021

CAFOD is committed to being an anti-racist organisation and are aware of the lack of diversity amongst its Executive team. We particularly are keen to seek out applications from people of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds.

As the majority of CAFOD staff are currently UK-based, this post will be based in the UK but the candidate needs to have a track record of working in diverse contexts. CAFOD champions flexibility and support a wide range of flexible working arrangements

Please click here for a full list of CAFOD’s Staff Benefits