Overview

Space for Giants is looking to recruit for the position of Chief of Staff. The Chief of Staff will work as a key resource person for the CEO playing a role in overseeing and managing a broad agenda and supporting high-level projects, relationships and initiatives critical to the daily operations of the organisation. 

Space for Giants

Space for Giants is an international conservation charity that protects Africa’s elephants from immediate threats like poaching while working to secure their habitats forever in landscapes facing ever-increasing pressures. Everywhere, Space for Giants works, in Botswana, Gabon, Kenya, Uganda and the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, it uses science and best-practice to inform its approach. It develops and deliver anti-poaching initiatives, secure protected landscapes for elephants, work to lessen the problems that arise where people and elephants live alongside each other, and find new ways to reach new audiences with informative stories on conservation. Space for Giants is Head Quartered in Kenya, and registered as a charity in the UK and the US.

Scope of Work

The Chief of Staff has the skill and experience to integrate into an organization and assess issues that serve as barriers to a team or organization operating at maximum effectiveness. By acting as a facilitator and problem solver, the Chief of Staff enables the CEO to focus on larger strategic organizational initiatives. These daily tasks may include:

  • Team management
  • Meeting preparation
  • Strategic lead on high-profile projects/Special Events
  • Representing the CEO at external or internal meetings and events
  • Providing directional leadership to management
  • Helping to facilitate information flow

Place of Work

You will be based in Nanyuki, Kenya, working at the Space for Giants Office. Your office hours will be from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Key responsibilities

The Chief of Staff performs a wide range of executive and administrative duties of broad scope and complexity requiring outstanding professional ability, mature judgment, creativity, and a thorough knowledge of the conservation and administrative programs and organizational structure of the institution. She/he helps to set priorities among the many issues and constituents that compete for the CEO’s time; filters, analyses, and summarises information flowing to and from the CEO; serves as the CEO’s liaison to internal and external parties at all levels; and tracks the CEO’s “whole agenda” with an eye to the details but a perspective on the big picture.

The position requires a commitment to creating the structures and protocols that will ensure progress on all fronts and enable smooth bilateral flow of information with multiple stakeholders. She/he works as a close partner with senior management and key partners across the organization as well as a range of external contacts.  The Chief of Staff provides guidance to the Personal Assistant of the CEO who can assist with the day-to-day calendar, correspondence and administrative functions.

Prioritizing and advancing work

  • Work closely with the CEO and other key colleagues to continually assess organisational priorities, meet deadlines, track progress, direct work, and advance work on all fronts.
  • Work closely with the CEO to ensure a smooth flow of communications and provide input, advice and structure for projects and programs.

Managing commitments

  • Monitor and manage the CEO’s participation in internal, external/public contexts. Help assess, priorities, and respond to invitations and requests for appearances or attendance at events, meetings, based on relative strategic value, overall priorities, and balance of attention/exposure.  The Chief of Staff will not be the scheduler for events but will help assess the relevance of, importance of and priority of requests for organizational and CEO involvement in external functions.
  • Serve as the CEO’s representative on matters that need the CEO’s imprimatur/authority but not necessarily his personal time and attention.

Effective communication and presentation

  • Help develop CEO’s talking points, speeches, and written or visual presentations as appropriate.

High-level project management

  • Research, advise on key issues or special projects as assigned.

Counsel and support

  • Help serve as CEO’s “eyes and ears” and brief/update/advise him on a range of issues,
  • Bring together multiple stakeholders and help drive decisions.
  • Researching, benchmarking, analyzing data, and making recommendations.
  • Creating systems and processes to streamline operations.

Strategic Planning

  • Helping to lead annual strategic planning for Space for Giants.
  • Creating & updating dashboards for reviewing key performance indicators.
  • Ensuring the day to day running of the Office of the CEO is effective and efficient through the below key points:
  • Main point of contact and interface between CEO and 1) Management; 2) Board; 3) Major Donors; 4) Partners-ensuring meetings are scheduled, minuted and action points followed up and executed.
  • Work with Management Team to ensure individual work plans and associated reports are produced, reviewed (by CEO) and approved in a timely manner at the end of each month
  • Support the CEO to manage Journeys for Giants commitments-including the development and delivery of immersive conservation experiences, in close coordination with the JFG Director.
  • Manage expenses of the Office of the CEO against the standard operating procedures.
  • Ensure Performance Reviews take place in a timely manner twice a year.
  • Ensure the office of the CEO is efficient, cost effective and responsive to the needs of Space for Giants.
  • Support the CEO with planning and participation in high level events and meetings that required his presence.
  • Any other tasks as requested by the CEO

Reporting and Delivery

The position will report to the CEO of Space for Giants.

Contract Term

The position is available to start as soon as possible. Please send your CV and cover letter to jobs@spaceforgiants.org before the 10th December 2018.