| Contract duration | permanent |
| Start date | March 2022 |
| Working hours | Full-time |
| Holidays | 25 days p.a + 9 Geneva public holidays |
| Location | R. Cornavin 11, 1201 Geneva, Switzerland (see map) |
| Closing date | 7th February 2022 |
Graines de Paix is hiring its Director to lead forward its growing operations. He/she will be responsible for operations and administration, driving the healthy growth of the organisation in response to the current societal challenges regarding education and societal cohesion.
The context is exciting and challenging. Education systems worldwide are undergoing major transformational changes, including the teaching profession’s very purpose. Teachers are disoriented by the move from transmitting facts and knowledge to developing life skills concurrently to learning. They are insufficiently trained in developing emotional, relational, creative resolution and engagement competencies. Many students worldwide are in deep sufferance in public education systems because these do not provide them with humaneness, empowerment or purpose. Too many feel rejected. Many still suffer from disciplinary violence, be it physical, verbal, psychological or discriminatory. Yet students learn more, faster and more durably when they are at peace, feel physically and emotionally safe, respected and valued. More girls and boys are encouraged to go to school and less drop out and abandon altogether. Our theory of change is that transforming education with a clear societal peace purpose not only positively impacts education indicators, it will positively impact societal indicators. These include less family, social and geocultural violence, less civil strife, improved mental health of children and teachers, greater societal harmony and broader economic inclusion.
The Graines de Paix Foundation is a recognised independent and humanitarian non-profit organisation, based in Geneva and active in Switzerland, France, West Africa and the MENA region. It was founded in 2005 as an association and became a foundation in 2020.
It develops transformative educational training programmes and resources that foster and combine full Quality education, prevention of violence in all its forms and societal peace. It is the only international organisation to provide one systemic set of practical training programmes and resources that achieve these three societal objectives for the joint needs of the Education, Social Affairs and/or Women Ministries. It helps governments and organisations achieve their SDG goals 3, 4, 5, 16 and 17 simultaneously.
We help teachers and educators take up the above challenges by upskilling them in the teaching competencies required for children to become healthy citizens. We design school activities for students to learn by dialogue and practice humaneness between themselves as the means for all students to progress and grow without exception. We focus teachers on helping their students develop their self-esteem and a sense of belonging, gain discernment skills, practice non-violent means of interacting and be motivated to develop a better world around them. We help teaching hierarchies and social workers go beyond learning about Children’s Rights, Human Rights and Environmental Rights: we help them make these a daily reality in their interactions to ensure that development becomes sound, inclusive, equitable and sustainable.
Position Description
The Director is the key management leader of the Graines de Paix Foundation. He/she is responsible for operations and administration, driving the healthy growth of the organisation in response to the current societal challenges and in line with the strategic plan. This includes identifying and pushing forward new programmes, ensuring the success of existing ones and ensuring both types are externally evaluated and accurately managed. Other key duties include managing financial control and reporting, fundraising, funding through innovative financing solutions, advocacy, community outreach, HR and administration. The senior staff reporting to the Director are highly knowledgeable. The position reports directly to the Foundation Board headed by the President/Founder.
Main responsibilities
- Lead, manage and grow the organisation in harmony with the Board.
- Lead and manage the NGO’s programmes efficiently, develop these and secure their funding.
- Ensure the financial health and growth of the organisation as it develops.
- Support the Fundraising Manager to ensure that funding is top priority and covers programmes, development, administration and growth.
- Build and communicate the organisation’s reputation and be a key spokesperson for the NGO.
- Hire, manage, develop and motivate the staff. Ensure positive collaboration between all.
- Work closely with the Board and its members to define the strategy, fulfil the mission, goals and objectives, and achieve high performance. Report regularly on progress, successes and issues regarding program development, implementation, funding, finance and staff. Ensure the organisation complies with the statutes, bye-laws and governance policies and with its legal and fiscal requirements.
Professional qualifications required
- Strong, high-integrity leadership, at ease with all levels of hierarchy, degree-educated.
- 5+ years senior management experience of a dynamic NGO with a track record of increasing financial results, generating new funded opportunities and expanding into new countries.
- Experience and skill in collaborating with a Board of Directors.
- Strong work ethic and a high degree of energy.
- High-level strategic thinking and planning. Ability to envision and convey convincingly the organisation’s strategic future to the staff, Board, funders and stakeholders.
- Solid organisational abilities, including planning, delegating and collaboration amongst staff.
- Demonstrated ability to manage, motivate and collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of 20-50 persons of diverse cultures and different geographical locations to achieve these.
- Full financial management skills, including budgeting, analysis, risk assessment and reporting.
- Proven success in establishing excellent relationships with funders, partner agencies, ministries, key influencers and stakeholders and in understanding the funding ecosystem.
- Fluency in English and French, with strong written and oral communication skills for addressing funders, governments, media and stakeholders, including public speaking.
- Fluent digital skills and the ability to push forward the digital optimisation of the NGO’s processes.
Soft skills required
- High motivation and ability to carry forward our mission of transforming education to be child-focused and purpose-designed for the key societal goals of educational fulfilment, violence and radicalisation prevention; societal cohesion, harmony, peacefulness and ecocitizenship.
- Positive energy, focus and serenity to lead, guide and prioritise multiple programmes and activities.
- A creative, solutions-oriented mindset for problem-solving and tension-resolving.
- The insight and agility to seize opportunities and build them into fundable programmes.
- Empathy-based empowering managerial skills to develop the full potential of the staff, build team spirit and foster mutually satisfying relationships, including with the Board.
