Purpose of Role
The purpose of this role is to build on London National Park City’s success by scaling up the impact of the many networks, communities and individuals creating change, working with an energised Board full of ambition to further the aims of National Park City Foundation.
We aim to have 25 National Park Cities around the world by 2025, growing our family and ambition to make urban living better for people and wildlife.
Reporting to: The Chair of the Board of Trustees
Accountable to: The Board of Trustees
Location: Home-based, flexible, but resident in London.
Salary: £55,000 Full time. Adjusted pro rata if you prefer to work 4 days per week.
Tasks and responsibilities?
- Lead the National Park City Foundation, inspiring people and organisations from across the city to contribute to its success
- activate and grow our network in London
- promoting the identity of London as the world’s first National Park City, including representing NPCF at events and in the media.
- gain profile for NPC projects (e.g. Rangers) with London audiences through broadcast, print and social media
- Oversee the creation of regular engaging content to be shared through NPC's website and social media channels
- Fundraise to expand, build financial sustainability and adequately resource operations, activities and projects, from trusts and foundations to corporate sponsors and donors.
- Create and manage a fundraising plan, identifying potentially suitable funders, building ongoing relationships with highest priority funders and submitting applications as opportunities arise
- Develop a pipeline of fundable projects
- Promote, engage and grow the National Park City family globally
- Establish a clear annual plan for the Foundation, for Board Endorsement
- London programme
- International programme
- Influence policy and public agendas
- National, local and regional government
- Media
- Build, enhance and protect NPCF’s brand and reputation by:
- Developing and implementing a communications strategy
- Building and maintaining effective relationships with partners and stakeholders and keeping them appropriately informed and consulted wherever appropriate
- Engaging and consulting supporters and volunteers
- Lead in the achievement of NPCF’s objectives and targets, as set by the Board.
- Effective strategic and business planning systems established and implemented.
- Establish, build, and cultivate excellent working relationships and partnerships with a wide range of contacts, businesses, and organisations to deliver impact through collaboration.
- Liaise and collaborate with emerging and established National Park Cities elsewhere in the UK and internationally
Build and lead the team of staff and volunteers:
- Effective recruitment, appraisal and development of staff that raise and maintain high levels of competence and morale.
- Provide empowering management to support and motivate staff.
- Employment practices comply with legislation and promote high personal standards.
- Actively promote equality, diversity and inclusion within teams and networks.
- Set, manage and monitor effective financial and budgetary controls to maximise efficiency and effectiveness.
Set Operational budgets, control and monitor expenditure.
- Activities and projects adequately resourced and funded.
- Effective internal control environment maintained.
- Effectively operating within levels of delegated authority from the Board.
Put in place innovative and effective ICT to build internal capacity and engage the public and support our networks.
- Ensure GDPR requirements are met and monitored.
- Enable the Board to fulfil its governance role and provide overall direction of the National Park City Foundation
- Provide high quality reporting to the Board ensuring they are able to make decisions against a background of full, timely and accurate information.
Undertake any other duties relating to the post.
Person specification:
Essential criteria:
- Commitment to the vision of National Park City.
- Strong communication skills – articulate, inspiring and good at building rapport with people from different backgrounds and in different contexts.
- Demonstrable experience of:
- Thinking and working creatively, identifying opportunities and joining the dots to successfully achieve organisational aims
- Creating successful and sustainable diverse partnerships including raising significant funding
- Influencing key stakeholders
- Ability to plan, prioritise, and monitoring your own and your teams work to meet strategic objectives, managing time effectively and efficiently.
- Managing, motivating and supporting a remote working team
- Ambitious, motivated, and resilient
- Self-motivated and able to work both autonomously and collaboratively in a virtual working environment.
- Deep commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, open to different perspectives, ideas and approaches.
- Able to travel to meet the demands of the role.
- Able to work evenings and weekends as required to meet the demands and nature of the role (with time off in lieu).
Desirable criteria
- Experience of building international partnerships
- Experience in the environmental/conservation and/or community sectors.
- Experience of being a media spokesperson
Diversity and Inclusion
Diversity and inclusion is extremely important to us.
- We will work hard to reach as many people as possible and will review and consider all the applications received
- We will brief our selection panel in best practice recruitment and will set up a check and challenge to counter any unconscious discrimination or bias.
Selection process and timeline
The closing date for applications is March 25th.
Please complete our online application uploading your CV with a cover letter outlining why you think you would be good in this role.
We expect shortlisting and selection to take 2 weeks. We expect to interview in April and make offers of employment during April. We will respond to all applicants.
Any questions or support?
If you have any questions on the role please email hello@nationalparkcity.org. One of our Trustees will get back to you. Note that our Trustees are volunteers and have other roles - so may need 24-48 to respond to enquiries.
Respecting your privacy
The information you provide will be held and managed by the National Park City Foundation. Applications will be shared with 3rd party members of an appointed London National Park City Selection Panel (i.e. a subset of our Trustees), for the purposes of selection only. For more details please read our Privacy Policy.
About the London National Park City
London National Park City, put simply, is a movement to improve life in London.
It will mean residents, visitors and partners working together to:
- Enjoy London’s great outdoors more
- Make the city greener, healthier and wilder
- Promote London’s identity as a National Park City
We want more bird song, more clean air, more ultimate frisbee, more tree climbing, more sharing, more cycling, more hedgehogs, more volunteering, more hill-rolling, more outdoor play, more kayaking, more otters, greener streets, more outdoor learning, more ball games, more outdoor art and yes, more dancing in the city. Why not?
You can discover more about the London National Park City on the National Park City website.
The National Park City Foundation has led the campaign for London to be declared a National Park City and has set the vision, brand and tone for the London National Park City. In 2021 Adelaide, Australia was declared as the World's second National Park City and we have other cities on the journey to becoming National Park Cities.