On Call Africa
Terms of appointment
Salary: up to 2,064,000 ZMW gross per annum, plus gratuity
Position: Full time
Contract: Five years (renewed subject to performance and funding)
Location: Zambia. Will consider applicants based in Livingstone or Lusaka. Regular travel within Zambia is required as part of this role.
On Call Africa is unable to sponsor work permits and does not cover flights or relocation costs.
Benefits In addition to gazette public holidays in Zambia, annual leave entitlement shall be 24 days, plus a days annual leave on your birthday. This role comes with statutory pension and national health insurance contributions to NAPSA and NHIMA respectively and currently does not include private health insurance.
About the role
On Call Africa is looking for a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to join us at an exciting time, as we take the next step in our growth. The successful applicant will be passionate about improving access to quality healthcare for rural communities and will bring a strong track record of visionary leadership to help us achieve our ambitious goals.
The role involves a high level of responsibility, with pivotal decision-making and setting the overall vision of the organization. Working closely with the board of trustees, the CEO will develop the organization’s long-term strategy, budget, and business plans and take responsibility for delivering on their implementation. The CEO will be responsible for the organization’s income generation, financial management, governance, and risk management.
As an ambassador for the organization, you will provide the public face of On Call Africa, taking ultimate responsibility for relationships with key stakeholders such as the media, the Zambian Ministry of Health, partners, and funders.
Our team
The CEO will be supported by a strong senior leadership team, including:
Finance Director
Chief Operating Officer
Head of Programs
Head of HR and Operations
Once in post, there will also be an opportunity to recruit into a senior fundraising position to support organisational growth.
Responsibilities of Chief Executive
Leadership and people
- Provide exceptional leadership to enable the charity to flourish Embody the charity’s values, inspiring others to do the same
- Shape and influence a positive staff culture
- Lead the Senior Leadership team and wider staff team, empowering them to achieve the Charity’s shared strategic goals, as well as supporting their learning and development and wellbeing.
Finance and Strategy
- Work with the board of trustees, staff, stakeholders and partner communities to develop organisational strategic and business plans, for approval by the board of trustees
- Develop annual budgets for approval by the board of trustees
- To be responsible for the overall financial health of the charity
- Provide regular financial reports and forecasts to the board of trustees
- Manage and monitor financial resources in line with financial and audit requirements.
Governance
- Ensure the organisation fulfils its legal, statutory and regulatory responsibilities in the UK and Zambia
- Ensure that organisational policies are up to date, relevant and adhered to by all staff
- Maintain awareness of and manage risks and changes in the external environment that affect the organisation. Ensuring that significant risks are shared and discussed with the board of trustees
- Build an effective working relationship with the board of trustees
- Supply regular and timely reports to the full trustee board and all sub-committees to keep trustees informed of performance against agreed plans and budgets, to ensure sound risk management and to help inform key decision making
- Ensure effective implementation of decisions and policies
External Affairs and Representation
- Build relationships with politicians, relevant ministries, the media and government officials in order to advance the organisation’s aims
- Help to raise the profile of On Call Africa by representing the organisation at external events and publicity opportunities.
- Identify and pursue partnership opportunities that help to achieve the organisations objectives
Income Generation
- Support the development of a clear fundraising strategy that supports the achievement of organisational goals
- Manage relationships with key funders to ensure sustainable income from major donors, trusts and foundations, partnerships, corporates and statutory bodies
Key skills
Leadership skills: A prime role of a chief executive is to motivate staff and volunteers, requiring personal drive and energy to achieve this. The ideal candidate will have demonstrable experience in a senior leadership role, where they have shaped team culture and achieved significant results.
Advocacy skills: Chief executives often serve as the public and private face of their organization and need to effectively promote its aims. The ideal candidate will have experience in external advocacy, helping to influence policy change and inspiring others to support organizational goals.
Excellent interpersonal skills: Chief executives need to build relationships with a variety of people, from beneficiaries and staff members to senior corporate executives and government officials. The ideal candidate will have experience in building effective working relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders.
Financial acumen: Chief executives must set and operate within an agreed budget. The ideal candidate will have experience in budgeting, ensuring that key financial policies and processes are fit for purpose and understood and followed by all staff.
A quick learner with contextual understanding: Chief executives need prior knowledge of the organisation they wish to work for but also, once in post, to quickly get up to speed with the situations of beneficiaries and the nature of service provision and aims. The ideal candidate for On Call Africa will have a strong understanding of the health system in Zambia and the challenges faced by rural communities.
Decision making: The board of trustees delegates operational responsibilities to the CEO and trusts the CEO to act in the organisations best interests. The CEO should have effective decision-making skills with excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Person Specification
Candidates should have a proven track record of strategic leadership and impact, an appetite and ambition for growth, and the ability to inspire the trust and confidence of the Board of Trustees, the senior leadership team, the wider executive team, and key external stakeholders, including national policymakers.
Experience
- Sound strategic planning and a track record of achieving targets
- Successful financial planning and budget management with budgets of at least $1 million
- Experience in scaling programs and/or growing organizations
- Experience in developing strong external public relationships, promoting, and representing an organization
- Securing funds and working with funding partners and grant making organisations
- Experience working with or within the Zambian health system
- Minimum of five years experience in a senior leadership position
- Experience leading teams to delivery high quality results
- Experience in developing and delivering business plans
- Experience in setting and implementing organisational policies and procedures
- Experience reporting to and working with a board of trustees
Personal qualities
- Passionate commitment to the vision, mission and values of On Call Africa
- Commitment to ensuring that On Call Africa’s strategy and programmes are driven by the needs and priorities of rural communities
- An agile, energetic and can-do approach
- A collaborative, visible and supportive leadership style with the ability to inspire and motivate others to deliver positive change
- An outstanding champion, advocate and media spokesperson with excellent communication and influencing skills
- Strong personal credibility and integrity with a proven track record in building effective and impactful relationships at all levels
- Willingness to confront issues and make difficult decisions. Personal resilience
Method of Application
To make an application please complete the google form using this link: https://bit.ly/4bsjZQk
You will be asked to answer some questions and to upload:
- Your CV (no more than three sides)
- A cover letter (no more than 2 sides) setting out why you are applying for the role and how you meet the criteria in the person specification
Applications must be submitted, using the form, by 17:00 on 21st June 2024. Only applications submitted using the google form will be accepted.
If you would like to speak to an On Call Africa trustee about the role, before applying, please email [email protected] with your availability. Trustees will do their best to make themselves available for informal chats between 3rd and 14th June.
Recruitment timeline
The below timeline is intended to give an approximate indication of the process that will be followed.
Closing date for applications: 21st June 2024
Preliminary interviews: week commencing 15th July 2024
Second round interviews: week commencing 29th July 2024
Final stage interviews: 9th and 10th August 2024