JOB DESCRIPTION & PERSON SPECIFICATION

JOB TITLE: Membership & Groups Development Director

REPORTS TO: Chief Executive

TEAM: Memberships Coordinator, Interns

PURPOSE / UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION

Slow Food’s reach and influence depends on implementing a set of engaging messages and relevant activities with our local groups in the organisation’s core thematic areas of biodiversity, knowledge sharing within food communities and taste education. Slow Food UK’s Membership Development Manager will focus primarily on driving the membership of the organisation and supporting local group leaders in all areas of their volunteer work with Slow Food.

This new post and comes at a critical time in Slow Food’s growth and will involve creating, promoting, facilitating and documenting leader involvement, progress and participation in domestic and international activities that broadly address the needs of the Slow Food movement as a whole. Slow Food UK is seeking to implement a development programme for leaders including a regional advocate initiative which will also enable them to become more actively involved in recruitment of new members

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Membership Development

• Be fully accountable for growing the membership of the organisation through appropriate recruitment drives and other activities
• Lead a Slow Food Local Group Working Group on Membership with the assistance of the membership coordinator to allow for the full participation and input in a collaborative effort to reshape the membership structure and experience in the UK
• Planning and delivery of appropriate tools and systems to support the growth of the organisation, e.g. membership database, interactive website and other organisational communication tools

Group Support and Development:

• Develop a robust leadership programme for SFUK group leaders, including a leadership guide, an on-line tool-kit for leaders, in-person leadership trainings and online and print resources
• Set up regional advocates initiative so that each geographical area is represented
• Produce leadership meetings including the Regional Advocates Forum, the National Annual General Meeting and prepare related meetings as necessary and relevant material
• Oversee the development of new groups and help them develop in a sustainable and productive way
• Oversee the closure of inactive or inappropriate groups
• Put methods and protocols in place to ensure that leaders are compliant with all SFUK regulations and policies.
• Develop a leader assessment structure and process
• To help support leaders to target key new audiences and take Slow Food to the wider community – for example, women, under-privileged, and minority ethnic communities.
• Identify, evaluate & report on the impact & changing perception of SFUK from leaders. This includes tailoring work planning and priorities to where evaluation shows perception of Slow Food can most be changed for the positive.
• Develop knowledge sharing and best practice tools for leaders to learn from each other and their experiences, especially across Slow Food core programmatic areas

Group Leader Communication and Relationship Management

• Lead collaborative efforts to develop SFUK resource and promotional material for group use including membership brochures
• Create as needed and maintain public profiles of each SFUK group for internal and external use
• Create and manage a group communications calendar that includes monthly programmatic and policy updates to leaders as well as annual reports and special communications
• Conduct group site visits and be familiar with the committees of each group
• Liaise with regional advocates through monthly group and individual calls and visits

Assist with Leadership Capacity Funding

• Work with the grants writer on opportunities for funding for group leadership training
• Research funding sources for related funding for building leadership capacity
• Help develop and maintain good relationships with trusts working in this theme
• Prepare joint funding proposals with partner organisations on the basis of projects involving local groups and leadership capacity

KEY RELATIONSHIPS AND INTERFACES

• CEO, other office based staff
• Work closely with the Grant Writer & Programmes Manager
• Create and facilitate relationships with local organisations

QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE:

1.  Essential

• Minimum BA or BS in related field
• Proven track record of successful design and management of nationwide volunteer networks
• Basic experience in budget management responsibility
• Command of Microsoft Office Software
• Excellent command of English language, excellent spoken and written communication

2. Desireable

• Education and/or experience in food, biodiversity, sustainability sector
• Second European language

CORE COMPETENCIES (BEHAVIOURAL):

Interpersonal Agility

• Motivating others
• Problem Solver
• Facilitation skills
• Organisational Know-how
• Ability to inspire, create and help sustain the activities of local groups
• Natural ease in developing relationships with volunteers and inspiring them
• Very strong interpersonal communication and relationship skills

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Contact: Catherine Gazzoli

c.gazzoli@slowfood.org.uk

Salary: £32k to £34k

Hours: fulltime,

Based at: 6 Neal’s Yard, Covent Garden, London

Expected Travel: frequent within UK, occasional European