R oyal Botanic Gardens, Kew K ew Foundation. Director of Development Operations

Transcription

1 R oyal Botanic Gardens, Kew K ew Foundation February

2 Contents A message from Michael Murphy, Chief Executive, Background information Organisation Structure Job Description Person Specification Terms and Conditions Recruitment Timetable How to Apply

3 A message from Michael Murphy, Chief Executive, Kew Foundation Dear Applicant, I am delighted that you are interested in the role of, Kew Foundation. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (Kew) is the world-leader in plant diversity science, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a major visitor attraction that discovers and shares the importance of plants in all our lives. Kew s mission is to inspire and deliver science-based plant conservation worldwide, enhancing the quality of life. The is an independent charity whose role is to support Kew s work by raising philanthropic support from individuals, companies and trusts in the UK and across the world. Through the Breathing Planet Campaign, our objective is to raise 100 million to strengthen Kew and help build a more resilient planet. So far we have raised nearly 63 million in gifts and pledges towards this target and it is an exciting time to join our team. Through the Breathing Planet Campaign we are reaching out for support for big international conservation initiatives such as the Millennium Seed Bank Partnership and efforts within the gardens to restore and share our heritage. Kew s expands our knowledge of plants and shares stories of how plants matter to people and our future in a rapidly changing climate. The is a member of the Foundation s senior management team with responsibility for managing our finances and enhancing our systems; embedding effective business processes across the whole charity to improve productivity and efficiency. The Foundation has recently undergone a successful change process, and this role will be essential to enabling us to achieve our ambitious targets, cementing changes to ensure we are a high performance and efficient organisation. Our ambition is to be the best development team in Britain. We are looking for an outstanding people manager with a proven track record in finance and systems in a fundraising or sales environment, and credibility as an effective internal ambassador with a variety of senior stakeholders. You will contribute to our fundraising strategy through leading the finance, research, database and events teams, as well as providing effective systems to help make our work run smoothly. Whether your interest is in science, conservation, culture or international development, Kew offers something for everyone. Globally, we work with partner organisations on seed banking, habitat restoration, reforestation, agriculture, energy, health care and adaptation and mitigation to climate change. Within our gardens we have regular artists in residence, botanic art galleries with permanent and temporary collections and world class horticultural displays. This is a unique opportunity to apply your operations experience within a dynamic and stimulating environment. Best wishes, Michael Murphy 3

4 Plants and people 1/5 One in five plant species is at risk of extinction 1/3 One third of the Earth s habitats have been damaged by humans 400,000 There are roughly 400,000 species of plants on Earth 1/4 One in four prescription drugs come from nature 3/4 Three out of four people in the world rely on plants for healthcare Kew: the numbers 800 Kew works with more than 800 organisations in over 100 countries 30,000 Some 30,000 species grow on Kew s two sites 50% Kew works with over 50% of the FTSE 100 companies to put its knowledge to work on a commercial basis 1,250,000 The new Fungarium holds 1.25 million dried fungus specimens 40,000 Kew holds the world s largest collection of plant DNA specimens with around 40,000 samples representing 35,000 species 4

5 Background Information Introduction to Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG) Kew The RBG Kew is an internationally recognised centre of excellence in the field of botanical research. It is first and foremost a scientific institution and its collections of living and preserved plants, plant products and botanical information, built over 250 years of collecting, form an encyclopaedia of knowledge about the plant kingdom. RBG Kew is devoted to increasing knowledge and public understanding of plant and fungal diversity, with a focus on scientific discovery, conservation and sustainable use. It works in partnership with organisations worldwide to help secure a future for some of the most threatened species and habitats and is responding to the demands brought about by climate change. Approximately 650 members of staff work at the RBG Kew, both on the Kew site in South West London and at Wakehurst Place in West Sussex. Our staff comprise around 150 scientists, 200 horticulturalists and the full range of technical, commercial, support and frontline staff. Kew also has around 450 volunteers and this number is planned to increase. RBG Kew s Location and Heritage RBG Kew s London site on the banks of the River Thames is an internationally renowned landscape that covers 300 acres. Within this Garden is one of the most diverse and valuable collections of plants on the planet. There is an arboretum of rare trees, extensive herbaceous beds, and some of the world s largest and most famous botanical glasshouses including the Palm House and Temperate House. 5

6 Its many other historically important buildings are complemented by modern laboratories and specialist facilities in which RBG Kew undertakes world class scientific work. In recognition of the unique value of this contribution of landscape, buildings and collections, RBG Kew was officially included in the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in July RBG Kew celebrated its 250th anniversary in Outside London, RBG Kew manages Wakehurst Place, a beautiful woodland garden in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the rolling High Weald of West Sussex. It is leased and managed on behalf of the National Trust, and is their most visited garden in the UK. It is also home to the Millennium Seed Bank. The cooler, moister environmental conditions on the estate of 468 acres complement those on the Kew site and greatly increase the range of plants that can be cultivated outside. RBG Kew s Public Status RBG Kew is a Non Departmental Public Body (NDPB) with exempt charitable status, governed by a Board of Trustees, under the terms of the National Heritage Act, The Trustees are appointed by the Government Department Defra (Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), except for one who is appointed by the Queen. Day to day control of RBG Kew is in the hands of the Director and the Executive Team. As a body set up under statute, RBG Kew s sponsoring Government Department; Defra has a role in ensuring that Kew is adequately resourced, through grant in aid to fulfil its statutory obligations. Funding also comes from visitor income and fundraising. RBG Kew's statutory objectives are to: Carry out investigation and research into the science of plants and related subjects and disseminate the results; Provide advice, instruction and education in relation to the aspects of botany in which we are involved; Provide other plant related services including quarantine; Care for the collections; keep the collections secure as national reference collections, allow access to them and supplement them as resources allow; Allow public access for the purposes of gaining knowledge and enjoyment. RBG Kew s Key Values RGB Kew has ten key values that incorporate statutory and other obligations, and guide the means by which we will achieve impact through our Breathing Planet Programme. 1 Global conservation and sustainability using RBG Kew s unique combination of resources to support and deliver conservation and sustainability projects around the world. 2 High quality, high impact research discovering and sharing information about plants and fungi, using and enhancing RBG Kew s globally important scientific collections and knowledge. 3 Capacity building and collaboration achieving plant conservation through capacity building, partnership and collaboration, higher education and training in local, national and international frameworks. 6

7 4 Policy advice providing sound, scientific evidence and advice to advance and support informed debate, policy-making and action. 5 Engagement and learning engaging large and diverse audiences in inspirational, enjoyable experiences, which encourage learning and positively change attitudes to plants and fungi, their conservation and sustainable use. 6 World-class horticulture developing, promoting, teaching and delivering best practice in horticulture. 7 World heritage caring for and enhancing RBG Kew s heritage collections, buildings and landscapes, and communicating their universal value. 8 Empowering staff and volunteers making Kew a great place to work for a vital cause. 9 Resources and infrastructure developing professional, modern governance management, systems and services, communication and networks, and generating income and resources to achieve RBG Kew s mission. 10 Excellent Customer Service exceeding expectations in the quality and timeliness of customer service. RBG Kew Breathing Planet Programme The Breathing Planet Programme (BPP) is a way of organising, focusing and presenting RGB Kew s work in order to maximise its relevance and impact in addressing the major environmental challenges we face today including habitat destruction and degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change. The BPP outlines seven key strategies which RGB Kew and its global partners will use to counter environmental challenges by saving threatened plants and habitats and improving people s quality of life. The Breathing Planet Programme Strategies 1 Accelerating discovery and global access to plant and fungal diversity information - ddiscovering, collating and accelerating global access to essential information on plant and fungal diversity, through fundamental science, enhanced collection programmes and data-capture, including GIS baseline information and novel identification tools such as web-based floras and DNA barcoding. 2 Mapping and prioritising - identifying plant and fungal species and regions of the world most at risk of losing their wild diversity, to enable priority setting for conservation programmes, with the application of cutting edge IT and GIS approaches where they can enhance this process. 3 Conserving what remains - helping implement global plant and fungal conservation programmes such as creation of new sustainably managed areas through established and new partnerships in countries richest in diversity and geographical extent of remaining wild vegetation. 4 Sustainable local use - expanding plant and fungal diversity knowledge and Kew s innovative science programmes to the identification and successful use of locallyappropriate plant species under changing climatic regimes on agricultural, urban and suburban lands. 5 MSB partnership seed banking - extending the Millennium Seed Bank s global partnership programmes to secure in safe storage 25% of the world s plant species by 2020, targeting species and regions most at risk from climate change. 6 Restoration ecology - establishing a global network of partners in restoration ecology to facilitate the use of seed banks and other botanic garden resources in the urgent repair and re-establishment of damaged native vegetation. 7 Inspiring through botanic gardens - Kew for You delivering enjoyable, inspiring experiences and horticultural displays that transform people s understanding 7

8 worldwide of plant diversity and conservation and their relevance to environmental challenges. RBG Kew s Collections RBG Kew is a world's leader in plant knowledge with unique expertise in plant diversity. Its 19 major collections are the world's most comprehensive inventory of plants and knowledge forming a unique global resource. The collections are mostly held on the two sites at Kew in South West London and Wakehurst Place in West Sussex and the key collections are: Living Plant Collections This is the largest and most comprehensive living plant collection in the world, with 70,000 living plants representing more than one in eight of all flowering plant species. Plants are included in the collection for their scientific or educational value and used in research. Many species within the collection are endangered in their natural habitats and RBG Kew is involved in their conservation as threats to the world s vegetation escalate. Specimens of such plants are cultivated and propagated for distribution to other botanic gardens or for return to natural habitats. Tender woody species are grown in the Temperate and Palm Houses and tender herbaceous plants are grown in the Princess of Wales Conservatory. The Davies Alpine House contains plants from mountains and high latitudes. Other hardy herbaceous plants are grown in the rock, grass and woodland gardens. Most of the hardy trees and shrubs grown in the Arboretum are arranged according to the Bentham and Hooker scientific classification. The Herbarium, Library, Art and Archives The Herbarium houses 7 million preserved plant specimens. 300,000 of these are type specimens that determine the scientific application of plant names. The Herbarium is a bedrock resource. Its organisation and scale enables an increasingly wide range of studies in conservation and science by users from around the world. Improving Internet access to Kew s resources increases the assistance given to workers around the world. The Library, Art and Archives hold a global collection of botanical literature, comprising more than 750,000 volumes. The new Shirley Sherwood Botanical Art Gallery, which opened in 2008, show cases some of RBG Kew s wonderful botanical art collection. The Jodrell Laboratory The Jodrell Laboratory holds the largest DNA Bank in the world. The Jodrell scientists study plant structure, biochemistry, plant genetics and characteristics. Their research complements the taxonomic studies carried out in the Herbarium and helps to identify plants of potential economic importance. Among the benefits emerging from this research are the isolation of plant chemicals of value as drugs and the identification of high-yielding fuel-wood trees. The economic value of plants has been recognised since RBG Kew s earliest days. 8

9 Over time, a collection of over 72,000 plants and their products has been amassed by the Jodrell s Centre for Economic Botany. The mycological collections comprise 850,000 fungal specimens, including the 300,000 specimen national reference collection for UK taxa. The merge with CABI s mycology unit in 2009 will bring a further 400,000 specimens into the collection and add valuable complementary skills. The Millennium Seed Bank The Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) collection based at Wakehurst Place in West Sussex, is the largest wild plant seed bank and one of the most ambitious global, conservation projects, collecting 10% of world's seeds by the year 2010 and 25% of the world's seeds by With the capacity to store up to half the world s wild flowering plant species, it currently holds over one billion seeds, representing nearly 33,000 different types and over 20,000 species. Seeds are preserved in chilled, dry conditions and made available for study by scientists or for reintroduction into native habitats. As a result of the MSB s partnerships and capacity building programme, all of this collection are now duplicated in over 50 countries Wakehurst Place, West Sussex. RBG Kew s country garden, is in the beautiful High Weald of Sussex. With its geography, climate and soil conditions both different from and complementing those found on the Kew site, Wakehurst Place allows many different species to flourish. The planting styles range from formal walled gardens, through expansive specimen beds, to waterside and bog gardens. The estate is home to four National Collections: hypericums, skimmias, birches and southern beeches. The vast expanse of natural woodland contains trees from all the temperate zones in the world. There is great emphasis on conservation, with the Loder Valley Nature Reserve embracing three major types of local habitat: woodland, meadowland and wetland. The Francis Rose Reserve is the first nature reserve in Europe dedicated to mosses, liverworts, lichens and Cryptogams. 9

10 Established as an independent charity in 1990, raises much needed funds from individuals, companies and trusts to support Kew s work. Kew receives approximately half of its income from central government but is also reliant on income from other sources. Without the voluntary monies raised through membership, donations and grants, Kew would have to significantly scale back activities at a time when, as environmental challenges become ever more acute, its resources and expertise are needed in the world more than ever. The Foundation s purpose is to secure voluntary income and, in recent years, its activities have contributed approximately 11% of Kew s yearly income. The Foundation is a Company limited by guarantee, regulated by the Charity Commission and governed by a Board of Trustees. Strategic aims The Foundation has a number of strategic aims: to maximise net income to support the future plans of RBG Kew; to build relationships with key stakeholders who support, or could support, the work of RBG Kew through the gift of money, time or advocacy; to continue to position the work of RBG Kew as a 'cause' both in the UK and internationally and to enhance RBG Kew's reputation; to manage fundraising activities cost effectively while maintaining reserves in line with policy; and to increase understanding of fundraising across RBG Kew and engage all key departments in order to build fundraising capacity. In particular we will continue to: ensure that the Foundation attracts and retains high quality staff committed to the cause, and manages its operations efficiently and effectively so as to achieve the maximum return on investment; gain insight into the key interest areas of our existing supporters, to ensure we are up-to-date and responding to their needs. To do this, we will continue to profile and segment our base of supporters to help identify and maximise the potential for giving, as well as to identify donors' preferred type and channel of communication; to deliver an effective, relevant and integrated fundraising and communications programme that engages new potential supporters and maintains long-term relationships with existing supporters, by articulating appropriate and timely information on RBG Kew projects, their urgency and impact; recruit further leadership to the Board and ambassadors for particular projects; and strengthen the RBG Kew/ partnership working on project fundraising. The Breathing Planet Campaign The key focus of our current work is our Breathing Planet Campaign, which runs from April 2010 to March 2015, and was launched to the public in summer As of February 2012 we have raised nearly 63 million against our overall goal of 100 million. Our major initiatives for the campaign (and targets) include: 10

11 Banking and sharing the world's seeds ( 15 million) Kew s Millenium Seed Bank Partnership will collect and preserve seeds from 25% of the world s wild plants by 2020 and put them to use for food security, livelihoods and habitat restoration. Conserving and restoring habitats ( 10 million) We will expand Kew s capabilities for on-the-ground conservation and the new science of restoration ecology with partners around the world. Unlocking the power of plants for people ( 15 million) We will put Kew s collections and expertise to use to find sustainable properties of plants for humankind in food, medicines and energy. Educating the next generation ( 5 million) We will construct an iconic new building and landscape to educate and inspire children who visit Kew Gardens. Preserving Kew's heritage ( 20 million) Our status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site is an honour but also a responsibility. We will fully restore the historic Temperate House at Kew Gardens. Meeting our immediate and long term needs ( 29 million) We will strengthen Kew through annual giving and by building an endowment. Kew s 85,000 Friends and Patrons will play a crucial role through annual gifts and legacies. Everyone can play a part in the Breathing Planet Campaign. Click here to view our Campaign video, introduced by David Attenborough: For further information on how funds raised by the Foundation have supported Kew s work in the last financial year, please view: Trustees Report and Financial Statement for year ending March 2012 (pdf) For further information on Kew please visit 11

12 Organisation charts Royal Botanic Garden, Kew 12

13 13

14 , Operations Deputy Director of Development, Operations Financial Analyst Associate Director, Research Financial Manager Revenue Accountant Events Manager Database Manager Research Manager Accounts Officer Revenue Assistant Events Officer Reports Writer/Database analyst Research Manager Revenue Assistant Database Assistant Research Manager 14

15 Job Description Job Title Location Reports to Principle working relationships Purpose Direct Reports Kew Gardens, South West London CEO CEO, Deputy Director of Major Gifts, Deputy Director of Individual Giving, Governance Manager, Director of Corporate Operations and Finance, Treasurer and other Trustees To lead Development Operations for the and the Breathing Planet Campaign including prospect research, database services, prospect management, events, campaign planning and reporting, finance, HR and policy development. Finance Team, Associate Director of Research, Events Manager, Database Manager. Key criteria for success After 12 months in post, the successful candidate will have: 1. Gained an in-depth understanding of the full range of Kew s fundraising activities. 2. Contributed to overall strategic planning as an active member of the Foundation Leadership Team. 3. Gained the confidence of the Treasurer, Chairman, Trustees and work closely with provide support for the Finance and General Purposes Committee. 4. Aligned the market research, prospect research, database management and events operations to serve the needs of major gifts moves management, individual giving and membership programmes. 5. Support the CEO in reviewing the project bank for the Breathing Planet Campaign including financial and activity targets of each project. 6. Successfully conclude all governance and policy changes as called for in the Deloitte s governance review. 7. Successfully re-forecast cash flows and Breathing Planet Campaign fundraising targets and liaise with RBG Kew Finance to develop agreed strategic financial plans and processes. 8. Gained the confidence of Kew s Director and Foundation Trustees. 9. Set measurable objectives and KPIs for each member of the Development Operations team. 15

16 Key Responsibilities Operations, database and systems Ensure database and operations support the fundraising needs of the Major Gifts and Individual Giving Teams. Integrate major gifts tracking, forecasting and management with database operations. Ensure all gifts are promptly and appropriately acknowledged. Ensure that the ThankQ and Great Plains databases meet the Foundation s needs, and ensure that any strategic/architectural issues are addressed. Ensure a central filing system is in place and adequately maintained to support fundraising and financial activities. Ensure appropriate systems are in place for identifying, retrieving and storing information and that retention policies are in place, and in line with Data Protection Act (liaising with the Foundation s Data Protection Officer). Finance Provide clear and concise reports on funds raised against targets for the overall Breathing Planet Campaign and strategic projects within it. Work with the CEO and Kew stakeholders to develop budgets and activity targets for fundraising strategic projects. Provide leadership to the Finance Team to create clear income and expenditure budgets, cash flow projections, set and monitor KPIs and analyse the results. Ensure that appropriate management accounts and statutory accounts are presented in a timely and accurate manner. Ensure that foundation wide budgeting, planning and financial management meets fundraising needs. Research Ensure high quality market research, confidential briefings, proposals, and other information are provided within specified deadlines. Best practice Ensure that the Foundation complies with best practice, including legal compliance, data management, volunteer support, risk management, financial/hr/hse policies and procedures. Develop and coordinate fundraising and Campaign policies including naming, ethics, gift acceptance and reporting policies. Events Manage the Events team and develop inspirational and effective fundraising events. Ensure liaison with Trustees, Directorate, and internal Kew stakeholders on all events. Provide coordination of all off-site events including those at Wakehurst Place and international events. 16

17 Leadership Manage the everyday performance of direct reports. With other members of the Senior Leadership Team, deputise for and support the CEO To attend Foundation and Kew meetings as appropriate or necessary, sometimes deputising for the CEO. 17

18 Person Specification PART ONE Experience and knowledge: Essential Extensive operations, financial and management experience in the charitable and/or commercial sector. Strategic financial management experience Demonstraable track record in fundraising or sales operations ideally in a major international campaign. Substantial experience as a people-manager, with experience working with diverse teams and knowledge of best practice in HR Project management skills, including experience of managing multiple complex projects simultaneously Experience of developing and delivering fundraising strategies and policies (e.g. prospect solicitation plans, campaign policies) Experience in leading cross-departmental teams to maximise efficacy of database systems Knowledge of stewardship best practice and implementation Educated to degree level or equivalent IT literate and in-depth experience of fundraising or sales databases Desirable Science-related degree subject Experience with leading teams to design and deliver inspirational and engaging events Experience working in a large complex organisation, or with multiple stakeholders Experience of change management PART TWO Skills and abilities: Highly developed interpersonal skills and ability to influence at all levels through persuasion and negotiation Capacity for synthesis finding and summarising information on a wide range of topics to tight deadlines Outstanding analytical and communication skills, both written and verbal Creative and lateral thinking Ability to juggle streams of information and input from others against tight deadlines Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information tactfully, and to elicit information in a discreet and professional manner from internal and external sources. 18

19 High degree of personal initiative and to work within, co-ordinate and lead inter and intra-departmental teams working under pressure. Ability to demonstrate an interest in and appreciation of the activities, purpose and ethos of Kew Ability to maintain strict confidentiality, and to ensure this in others. Attitudes: Active interest in and understanding of people, social and current affairs and the business world Highly organised and able to manage conflicting priorities Self motivated and proactive Enjoys making things happen, can-do attitude Confident and mature approach Able to remain calm under pressure Demonstrated commitment to teamwork Target driven, with a grounding in long-term strategic approach Flexible and adaptable to changing environment Strong interest in Kew s core activities and commitment to the organisation as a conservation body. 19

20 Terms and Conditions Salary Place of work Hours Competitive salary Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Richmond Surrey TW9 3AB (Please note that the nearest stations are Kew Bridge which is on a direct line from Clapham Junction/Waterloo; and Kew Gardens (London Underground and London Overground) 37 hours For a post at this level the post holder will be required to work the hours required to do the job. We are able to consider flexible working arrangements. Annual leave Pension Other benefits 25 days annual leave, rising to 30 days with length of service 6% employer contributed pension from day one of service Season ticket loan for public transportation Access to childcare vouchers and cycle to work scheme Free use of Employee Assistance Programme Free entry to most London museums 20

21 Recruitment Process and Timetable Should you decide to make a formal application, you will hear from Veredus if you are being called for a preliminary interview. Those candidates not longlisted will be advised by . Preliminary interviews will be carried out by Veredus at their London offices. All longlisted candidates will be advised as to the outcome of this stage of the process by telephone, immediately after formal shortlisting. Shortlisted candidates may be required to undertake additional assessment prior to the final interview. Closing date for advertisement and search. Monday 11 March Veredus interviews March Final Panel interviews at Wednesday 10 April 21

22 How to Apply Veredus are working with the on the recruitment and selection process for this key post. If you have any queries or wish to have an informal discussion about this role then please contact Emma Harvey on , or Catherine Andrews on at Veredus. To apply for this role, please submit a detailed CV and supporting statement that addresses the criteria set out in PART ONE of the person specification quoting reference The selection process follows a competency-based approach. Please therefore ensure that your supporting statement provides concise and specific examples to demonstrate your competencies, achievements and skills addressing the specific criteria as set out. For those candidates who are invited to interview, this information will be explored further, together with the areas highlighted under PART TWO of the person specification. Please provide the names, positions, organisations and telephone contact numbers of at least two referees, one of whom should ideally be your current or most recent employer. Referees will not be approached without your prior permission. You are invited to complete and return the Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form. A Word version is available from to allow the form to be completed electronically. This will help us to follow the recommendations of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, that employers should monitor selection decisions to assess whether equality of opportunity is being achieved. The information on the form will be treated as confidential, and used for statistical purposes. The form will not be treated as part of your application. Finally, please include your work, mobile and home telephone contact numbers and an e- mail address if applicable. The closing date for applications is Monday 11 March Applications should be ed to paula.kyprian@veredus.co.uk (quoting reference in the subject heading). Alternatively you can fax your application on If you fax your application, please follow this up by post to: Paula Kyprian Ref: Veredus 2 nd Floor Ludgate House 245 Blackfriars Road London SE1 9UF 22