Managing Director

Are you a strong leader, passionate about contributing to change that matters? Terre des Hommes offers you a rewarding and meaningful job in an inspiring and international setting with the opportunity to make a real difference in the world.

Organisation

It is Terre des Hommes’ mission to contribute to a world where children can thrive and realise their full potential in societies free from all forms of exploitation. To realise this ambition, Terre des Hommes Netherlands (TdH NL) works with communities, partners and governments to strengthen local child protection mechanisms (in development and or emergency situations) and works with sector partners and corporate partners to exclude child exploitation in value chains. With its new multi annual strategic vision (2022-2030) and Theory of Change being updated, TdH Netherlands is now in the process of formulating operational plans and strategies and refining its overall role and value add as a child rights organisation.

Terre des Hommes Netherlands is a relatively flat organisation, with an annual budget of around Euro 25 million Euros. In the Hague 45 employees, globally a team of 150 employees and working in approximately 10 countries in South and South-East Asia, East Africa and Madagascar. TDH Netherlands is part of the international federation of Terre des Hommes organisations (TDHIF), a strategic partnership of member organisations sharing the same brand name and core values for joint lobby and advocacy around children’s rights.

Terre des Hommes Netherlands (TdH NL) is transitioning into a three headed Executive Team with three directors: a Program Director, an Operations Director and as Chair of the Executive Team a Managing Director. The position of Managing Director is full time, and based in The Hague, Netherlands.

In addition to leading the Executive Team of the Terre des Hommes organisation in the Netherlands, the MD will also be appointed as Managing Director of the Terre des Hommes Retail Organisation (TdH-W) in the Netherlands. While aiming to serve the same purpose as one brand, TdH-W is a separate foundation and as such the MD of TdH NL also functions as the Executive of the Retail Organisation reporting to the separate Supervisory Board of TdH-W.

Position

A very important aspect of The Managing Director will be the role as ‘figurehead’ of the organisation focussing on strategic strategy and organisational development and growth, external relations with our growing partner- and academic network and representation at various donor- and relevant advocacy platforms. Inside, the new MD will obviously focus on building and developing the Executive Team and maintaining good working relations with the two Supervisory Boards, the Works Council, our global employee team and our volunteer network.

Implementing the ambitions from the strategic direction and further future-proofing the organisation are the most important tasks for the MD. TdH has a good reputation and position, but would benefit from further strengthening, through collaboration, co design and co-implementation, but also in influencing policies and behaviours of (ultimate) duty bearers. This requires an Executive Team led by the MD that demonstrates commitment to implement and further shape the new strategy. An MD who can get employees and stakeholders on board in an inspiring way, who can listen well, who wants to delve into all parts of the organisation and who gives them confidence.

Core Responsibilities

• Builds and develops a high performing Executive Team
• With the executive team, ensures adequate preparation of the overall Strategy for the entire organisation
• Translates this strategy to concrete, achievable, measurable, ambitious and inspiring objectives for the organisation
• Inspires the colleagues in the executive team and executive support team to translate these objectives to ambitious and realistic annual plans and targets for all departments
• Makes sure that the ambitions of the organisation are achieved while keeping a healthy balance between costs, investments and income
• As such ambitions and costs are translated to ratios which are monitored on monthly, quarterly and annual basis, following the agreed Planning and Control cycle.
• Understands the social and public relevance of the organisation and appreciates the responsibilities of being the leader of such organisation, including keeping to the highest standards of integrity and transparency
• Monitors actively the developments in our sector and in the countries where TdH operates and translates these to adjustments in our strategy and policies.
• Represents the organisation externally at all relevant levels and is comfortable to meet and lobby with high level representatives of governments and international organisations
• Has the relevant networks to gain access to such high level officials

Job requirements

Personality traits

• Strong moral compass, inspired, committed, self-critical, connector, accessible and approachable
• Excellent people management skills with demonstrated experience in coaching and developing talent of a diverse team.
• Demonstrated strength in cultivating trust and relationship management to guide confidential information and situations with flexibility and diplomacy.
• Ability to work well with a varied range of stakeholders to incorporate new information and drive to appropriate decisions with and for the team.
• Able to negotiate, persuade, and build coalitions without formal authority.
• Comfortable in a wide range of cultural, geographic, and operational situations, demonstrating culturally sensitive behaviour with a diverse range of people.
• Must be highly organised and efficient, possess excellent judgement with a demonstrated ability to handle multiple tasks, complex issues, and competing priorities with excellent attention to detail, including a keen eye on continuous process improvement
• Fluent in strategy development and implementation, performance management systems of goals, targets, and monitoring process
• Generalist, thinker and doer, all in one.
• Lives the values of TdH and demonstrates in all behaviours the highest standards of integrity and transparency. You say what you think, you do what you say.
• Fluent in English, spoken and written. Fluency in Dutch an asset or at least proven ability to learn additional languages.

Education & Experience

• At least a master’s degree in a relevant field of studies such as Social Work, Law, Economics, International Development, Strategic Management, Public Policy, or a combination of equivalent academic training and experience.
• 15+ years of global experience, preferably also in Asia and or Africa in roles of expanding scope, responsibility, and demonstrable results.
• You will bring a combination of experience in strategy development and implementation, programme operations, performance management and impact measurement, as well as deep exposure to global child rights and humanitarian issues, in low-resource settings.
• Experience in research and systemic change strategies (Theories of Change) and business development for NGOs is highly preferred
• Strong preference for individuals with an interest in cross-discipline and cross-sectoral collaboration (e.g. international NGO and volunteer engagement, corporate sector engagement, academic and policy research) and a background combining strategy, business development and implementation in child rights-based advocacy and awareness-raising.
• Successful track record in resource mobilization.

Employment offer

We offer a challenging and responsible position in a changing environment. TdH-NL is a result driven, professional organisation staffed by individuals dedicated and determined to prevent and fight child exploitation. We offer a salary in accordance with the function and what is common in the charitable sector, including a contribution towards the costs of a health scheme and participation in a pension scheme.