WSPA International
REPORTS TO: The Deputy CEO of WSPA International (with an annual joint
appraisal/review with the CEO and DCEO)
LOCATION: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (preferred but negotiable)
SALARY: Internationally competitive salary and benefits package
BACKGROUND
WSPA www.wspa-international.org believes that development in the world today can only be truly sustainable if animal welfare is considered alongside the social, environmental and economic factors, which have traditionally been considered in any definition of ‘sustainability’.
The suffering of animals is already taking place on an enormous international scale with literally billions of animals suffering in the course of intensive farming, through ill informed attempts to tackle issues like rabies and through natural and man made disasters. It is clear that this trend in suffering will rise. Set to counter this trend is the work of WSPA and its partners.
WSPA is developing fast and we need to recruit a high calibre senior executive with a proven track record in managing change in an international organisation. This is a new role within WSPA and part of a new regional structure. The Regional Director post is being introduced to lead change for animals in South & Central America & the Caribbean by directly working with their own team of Directors, WSPA’s Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and the International Operations Management Team (see charts below).
A high level strategy to turn the international tide of suffering has been agreed within WSPA, which is now in the process of developing the detailed strategy for implementation from 2011 onwards. This is a pivotal and exciting moment for WSPA, for animal welfare globally and the person who will take the role of Regional Director.
There is plenty to build on at WSPA, which has delivered successful projects protecting and
improving the welfare of animals throughout the world since it was founded nearly 30 years ago.
We now look forward to another exciting chapter in the work of this globally respected and highly
effective animal welfare charity with the new Regional Director at the heart of that work.
As WSPA’s Regional Director for South & Central America & the Caribbean you will play a key role in contributing to the development of WSPA’s global strategy and lead and direct the
implementation of that strategy within your region, working with a group of expert and committed
Directors (the Regional Directorate). The strategy covers the delivery of animal welfare
programmes, advocating for policy change and a change in practice as it affects animals through governments, international institutions like the UN, major companies and any other influencers who can help us to realise our ambitions. The Regional Director, through his/her Regional Directorate, is also directly responsible for ensuring success in WSPA’s income generation and brand building strategies as they apply in the region through the development and application of a set of global frameworks led by WSPA’s International Teams based in the international office in London.
WSPA operates in 15 countries through offices that fundraise, advocate and deliver programmes in line with a global strategy. These countries are managed through a regional structure that currently comprises four regions with each led by a Regional Director. Within each region there are country offices – sometimes covering more than one country - led by a Director and, in most cases, there is a Board of Trustees. The Regional Director will be expected to join those Boards as a high level WSPA International representative working alongside the Director for that country who, in governance terms for that country, will have the prime role.
INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE
• The REGIONAL DIRECTOR is a member of two key international management groups:
o The International Senior Management Team (ISMT) is comprised of the four members of
the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) - CEO, DCEO, Resources Director and Programme
Director - and the four Regional Directors. The purpose of this management group is to
ensure global strategies are directly informed and shaped with a clear regional input.
o The International Operational Management Team (OMT) is comprised of senior staff
drawn from the International Teams operating from the International office (in London)
covering Resources, Marketing & Communications and Programmes and the RD (or
staff they delegate to). The purpose of this management group is to ensure the effective
implementation of global strategies.
RESPONSIBLE FOR:
• The Regional Director leads a regional directorate comprised of Directors responsible for a
country/countries within the region and regional support staff
• A budget for the region (made up of country budgets and expected to build in specific regional
elements).
JOB DESCRIPTION
MAIN DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
(Refer to the various structure diagrams attached to explain reporting lines and decision-making processes)
1. Meeting strategic objectives for the region as set out in the WSPA global
strategy and associated strategies related to programmes to improve animal
welfare and develop WSPA as a robust global organisation.
a. Establish a cohesive Regional Directorate
b. To directly contribute to all of WSPA’s strategic planning with a particular focus on
how those strategies develop in the region.
c. Be responsible for the development and delivery of the WSPA’s Strategy for the
region including agreed outcomes and targets for evaluation and impact
d. To contribute (directly or through delegation) to the high level work related to the
implementation of those strategies as a key member of WSPA’s International
Operational Management Team (OMT).
e. To promote a commitment to ‘one WSPA’ by ensuring the region works within
agreed/delegated global frameworks - related to all aspects of WSPA’s work and its
effectiveness - with the support and input from WSPA’s International teams (covering
brand, HR, fundraising, finance, reporting, etc)
f. Collaboration with strategic campaign leaders and their teams in the development of
the strategies for WSPA’s animal welfare programmes
g. As the lead representative of WSPA International in the region, working with
Directors and local Boards to lead the development of the delivery of strategic plans
and targets for the region in line with WSPA’s global strategy
h. Working with Directors in the region, engaging and influencing key decision makers
including government authorities, major businesses and media in that region to
develop strategic partnerships that extend the reach and impact of WSPA’s work
2. To lead and develop a Regional Directorate of senior staff
a. To provide vision and leadership to the regional team ensuring that
organisational structure and culture is in place to deliver the agreed strategy
b. Recruit, develop and support Directors in the region to high levels of
performance
c. Ensure staff have the correct skills to carry out and deliver the agreed
strategy
d. Drive the development of WSPA’s advocacy capacity in the region
e. Ensure effective management of change in the region
f. To work directly with and through the International Operations Management Team
(OMT) as appropriate and the Senior Leadership Team to support and inform your
work in the region.
3. To be a spokesperson for WSPA in the region
a. Guardianship of vision and mission in the region – changing attitudes, raising
awareness and involvement in animal welfare issues
b. Leading/joining negotiations with and presenting to high level contacts in
government, international institutions, other INGOs and NGOs and the media
c. Engaging and influencing key decision makers
4. To ensure the Region is legally compliant and adopts a due diligence approach to its
work
a. To join the Boards of Trustees in your region as the lead representative of WSPA
International alongside the Director who attends the meeting as the country-level
lead staff member who implements the collaboration agreement that forms the basis
of WSPA’s relationship with Boards across its global network of offices.
5. Working with International colleagues (including the SLT) to complete a significant
review of the regional structure and make recommendations to the SLT
Person Specification
WSPA is committed to the recruitment and development of effective leadership and
recognises the importance of certain values and competencies that its senior staff should
hold if we are to realise our ambitions. The expectations of the RD’s competencies, skills
and values are as follows:
1. Strategy
a. Faithful and committed to the organisation’s global strategy and be able to
demonstrate that in practical terms from experience of working in other
organisations
b. Expertise in developing plans and strategies for complex organisations
2. Leadership
a. Significant experience of successfully operating at senior strategic management
level in a range of organisations
b. An innovative thinker with the ability to manage through others
c. As a key senior staff member with significant line management responsibilities,
willing to have difficult conversations with own staff where necessary
d. Committed to enabling and expecting high performance in a multi disciplinary
team
e. Committed to creating a supportive, enabling and empowering working culture
with the ability to motivate a highly qualified and engaged staff
f. A very capable and experienced manager of people across a number of
organisations and markets who wins the support and loyalty of staff in the
achievement of organisational objectives
3. Experience/Key Skills
a. Leadership experience with particular emphasis on managing remote teams
b. A commitment to animal welfare
c. An excellent communicator internally, at all levels of an organisation. Specifically,
an effective team player with a successful track record of working in senior teams
in a range of organisations
d. Working with Boards
e. Excellent networker with the ability to build relationships with a wide range of
stakeholders
f. An excellent communicator externally with a proven track record at all levels and
in a range of environments (national and regional governments, media –
broadcast, print and online - business, international institutions, etc.).
g. An expert negotiator. You should have a track record of success in securing a
measurable impact/benefit from presentations, meetings and negotiations you
have led/taken a significant role in.
h. Previous involvement with and a good understanding of campaigning and what it
takes to achieve policy and social change
i. Ability to partner internal fundraising teams and work with them to establish
potential fundraising and new market entry opportunities in the region
j. Excellent in both written and spoken English with a proven track record of
producing written materials that make a clear and fully supported case for action
which enables projects to progress and decisions to be made
k. Fluent in Portuguese (essential) and Spanish (desirable)
l. International experience – specifically operating successfully in a multi
cultural/multi national environment including working with people in different
countries
m. High level IT skills for efficient production of written reports, emails, etc
n. Proven track record in developing, managing and analysing complex income and
expenditure budgets
4. Personal
a. Willing to regularly travel both within the region and internationally
b. Willing to work from one of WSPA’s existing locations in South & Central America
& the Caribbean, preferably Rio de Janeiro in Brazil
c. A commitment to the WSPA mission
Application procedure
To apply for the post, please send a letter of application stating the skills and approach that
you would bring to the post along with your CV/resume (no photos) in English in strict
confidence BY EMAIL ONLY to Isabel Leal at: rrhh@darylupsall.com.
Applications sent by other means will not be considered.
Please ensure that they are sent as Word documents with the titles “your name cover
letter” and “your name CV”. Please put “WSPA Latin Am Regional Director” in the email
subject line and state how you came across about the job.
Deadline for applications: Monday 4 April 2011, 6pm Central European Time
