Chief Executive – Integrated Education Fund

Chief Executive – Integrated Education Fund

MCS Group have been retained by Integrated Education Fund, who wish to appoint a Chief Executive on a full-time, permanent basis. The purpose of the role is to lead the organisation to help empower communities to access Integrated Education, support its growth, challenge our divided education system and support Integration in action.

The Organisation

For 30 years the Integrated Education Fund (IEF) has been supporting the growth and development of Integrated Education.

The IEF was set up in 1992 as an independent charitable foundation supporting the growth and development of Integrated Education in Northern Ireland. Its mandate is drawn from the expressed demand from parents and schools who seek an Integrated Education for their children and pupils.

Between 1992 and 2022, the IEF has raised and invested over £26million from supporters and donors to advance Integrated Education, contributing to an increase in Integrated school places (from 3,408 in 1992 to over 27,000 in 2023) and Integrated schools (from 16 in 1992 to 71 in 2023), and has supported a substantial evidence base on the benefits of a more Integrated system of education.

Integrated education has grown since 1981 from educating 28 pupils in the first Integrated school to 27,000 students currently in 71 schools. The IEF shares the vision, held by the overwhelming majority of people in Northern Ireland, of a united community and a shared future. Many believe that more integration and mixing between communities are essential to building a better and more reconciled society. Children from different traditions learning and developing together, every day at the same school, helping to build a society where there is respect and celebration of religious and cultural diversity.

The Position

The Integrated Education Fund is going through an exciting period of change and wish to appoint a Chief Executive. This is an incredibly positive and challenging opportunity for a strategic leader, driven by making a difference, to lead the organisation to help empower communities to access Integrated Education.

Main duties of the post:

• Be the outward face of the organisation in partnership with the Chair and Board of Directors of IEF.
• Work with the Board of Directors to develop a challenging and robust Strategic Plan post 2025 and to lead the IEF team to implement the Plan. Monitor, review, and revise the work strands as required to achieve the best outcomes.
• Identify and effectively manage risks to the organisation in partnership with the Senior Management Team.
• Be responsible and accountable to the Board of Directors for the operational management of all the Fund’s activities supported by the team leads of the various work strands.
• Lead, support and manage the Senior Management Team in their work with their respective teams – currently sixteen members of staff in total.
• Line manage Senior Management Team (SMT) and other staff members.
• Membership, advice, and contribution to various sub-committees including, Advocacy & Public Affairs Group, Grants Committee, Strategic Funding Oversight Group, Risk Management Committee and Staffing Committee
• Work with and support the other IEF groups/committees including Campaign Council (in partnership with the Head of Campaign and Directors), Integrated Education Act group (in partnership with the Head of Public Affairs and Advocacy and Directors), IEF Research groups – projects led by senior management leaders e.g., Transformation, social attitudes etc and Interfaith Directors Group (supported by an IEF staff member)
• Liaise with all other relevant stakeholders including Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE), Department of Education, Ulster University, Education Authority and establish and maintain good relationships with funders.
• Build and maintain positive and productive relationships with Integrated schools.
• Carry out all other duties as may be required from time to time by the IEF Board of Directors.

The Successful Candidate

Essential Criteria

• Third Level qualification in relevant discipline or equivalent relevant professional experience
• A minimum of three years’ recent senior management experience including:
• Strategic and operational planning including management of multiple objectives, competing demands, and monitoring progress and impact for results.
• Leading, managing and motivating a senior leadership team.
• Experience of budgetary and resource management including preparation of budgets, driving continuous improvement and board level reporting.
• Demonstrable experience of mixed income generation (restricted, unrestricted, charitable and business.)
• Demonstrable experience of stakeholder holder management to influence policy development and change through working with government and political/civic leadership.

Desirable Criteria

• Senior management experience within a charitable organisation.
• Understanding of relevant legislative and governance requirements including the NI Charities Act and Companies Act.
• Demonstrable experience within an organisation where volunteers are seen as an essential resource.

We reserve the right to enhance the desirable criteria for shortlisting purposes.

For further information about the Chief Executive opportunity and to obtain a candidate pack, please email s or call in absolute confidence. Completed CV’s and Cover Letters must be emailed and received by 12 noon, Monday 8th April 2024.