Overview

Job title: CEO

Location: Flexible

Salary: £20,000 annually, subject to review

Report to: The board of trustees

Deadline: Mid-late January or until the position is filled

Application: We leave documentation up to the applicant but for the first round ask for a minimum of a two page cover letter. Additionally, your CV, personal statement and any other supporting documents are optional but may add to your application.

About the LEAF

The Little Environmental Action Foundation (LEAF) is a UK registered charity, Charity No. 1184069, committed to planting native trees and restoring local biodiversity to combat the climate crisis and mass extinctions. Our main focus is on restoring threatened tropical habitats, using research-driven methodologies and a participatory community approach. The LEAF are made up of a team of passionate trustees with a range of expertise from biodiversity conservation, botany, marine biology and climate change ecology, to sustainable development, education and finance. LEAF works with local collaborators to employ staff members who work across its projects. Our focus is on forest habitat restoration: planting trees strategically to create resilient habitats, secure the survival of species and sequester carbon dioxide in biodiverse ecosystems both above- and below- ground. We use 100% native tree species including species threatened with extinction in our restoration projects. Community development,  engagement and participation is vital to the sustainability of and securing communities livelihoods and natural resources. Never has ecosystem restoration and the sustainable use of natural resources and biodiversity been more important than in the face of climate change. LEAF currently has multiple projects in Kenya conducting mangrove and coastal forest restoration projects, a new rainforest restoration project in Gabon and projects in development in Brazil, Peru and the UK.

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate individual to drive LEAF’s mission and reach forward. The CEO will be responsible for the overall running of the charity, reporting to the board of trustees, with the aim of growing LEAF’s capacity from a small to a medium charity and beyond. This will involve a large amount of fundraising, marketing and donor engagement, with key responsibilities being public fundraising and outreach campaigns, grant writing, and growing and engaging with LEAF’s corporate donor base. The CEO will be expected to take over much of the management of existing projects from the trustees alongside communications to the public and donors surrounding the status of projects. This includes running the charity’s social media, writing quarterly newsletters and donor reports, and updating the charity’s website. The CEO will manage the charity’s finances and ensure projects are completed within budget. The CEO will communicate with other LEAF employees and volunteers about project activities and advise on project activities. The CEO will be expected to do everything necessary for LEAF to meet its goals of planting 1 million trees in 10 countries by 2030 alongside a side goal of including 1,000 native species and >100 threatened species.

Qualities expected of the CEO

The LEAF is looking for a passionate and determined individual to run and grow the charity. This unique role will demand a high level of aptitude and motivation to manage everything from running social media and updating the website to accounting, fundraising and regular reporting to the board of trustees, partners and local authorities. While the trustees are not looking for any specific qualifications it is essential that the applicant is passionate, self-motivated and quick to learn and solve problems. All experience or qualifications exemplifying these qualities will be beneficial to the applicant. The CEO will be given total creative freedom to manage the charity and will act as the chief external advocate for the organisation. The CEO will be expected to ensure financial sustainability, accountability and transparency of the charity, and demonstrate highly effective use of charitable donations.

The primary requirement for the successful candidate will be an obsession with our mission: to restore forest ecosystems to combat the climate and biodiversity crises, and support sustainable community-forest relationships.

Skills and qualifications

There are no requisites for applying for this role except being over the age of 21, fluency in English and access to a personal computer. There are a range of skills that would be beneficial to your application:

A passionate, active interest in environmentalism
Experience of project management
Knowledge or experience of the charity sector
Evidence of experience self-learning
Experience of fundraising, including writing grant proposals, corporate engagement and leading crowdfunding campaigns
A high level of computer literacy including use of excel, word, powerpoint and some design software and online equivalents
Good English writing skills for a range of audiences
Willingness to travel internationally to remote locations
Ability to prepare and manage budgets, and prepare financial reports
Ability to write reports and feedback to trustees
Confident presenter and speaker

Benefits

This is a unique role offering great opportunities for long-term leadership of LEAF and its projects and huge potential for self-development and to make a strong  positive impact on the world in a social and environmental capacity. The CEO will be supported by a diverse range of trustees (both professionals and academics) wherever possible. Salary reviews will be linked to performance and it will ultimately be the CEO’s responsibility to ensure that the salary is financially viable.  The CEO will be expected to work from home or a public workspace potentially anywhere in the world. Expenses covered by the charity will be subject to approval by the board of trustees, depending on their nature and may become increasingly feasible as the charity’s finances grow.