The Finance Innovation Lab
Lead Strategist
About the opportunity
The Finance Innovation Lab is growing. And we are now looking for a Lead Strategist
to drive our work and impact to the next level of scale – in the UK and beyond.
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Are you someone who is committed to enabling a more democratic,
responsible and fair financial system?
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Are you a proven collaborative leader, who can orchestrate the collective
impact of a strong team and network?
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Are you someone who has a demonstrable track record in attracting
significant investment for social change and / or innovation?
About the Finance Innovation Lab
The Finance Innovation Lab (The Lab) empowers positive disruptors in the financial
system. Our vision is a financial system that works for people and planet: one that is
democratic, responsible and fair.
We connect people who are changing the financial system, develop them as leaders
and help them scale their work. We work with entrepreneurs creating alternative
business models in finance, civil society leaders advocating for financial reform and
‘intrapreneurs’ in mainstream finance re-purposing their professions.
1 The Lab was founded by WWF-UK and ICAEW in 2009 in order to change the
financial system so it serves people and planet. Since then, The Lab has grown into
an award-winning initiative that has engaged thousands of people, created change in
government policy and enabled new campaigns and business models in finance.
In the next few months, The Lab will become an independent entity so that we can
scale our work – here in the UK and beyond.
About our culture
The Lab’s culture is based on three core principles:
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Collaboration: working with others to increase our collective impact
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Action learning: implementing innovation, learning, adapting, trying again
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Empowerment: distributing leadership amongst the team and The Lab network
In practice, this means that the Lab’s work is fractal in nature, with core team
members accountable for their area of Lab strategy. The Lead Strategist is
accountable for creating the overarching strategic “architecture” that holds all these
pieces together across the whole Lab.
In effect, The Lab is like an orchestra, with lead musicians in different sections of the
orchestra - Programme Leads - who set the tone for what is happening in that
section. The Lead Strategist is like the conductor: creating overall harmony and
collective impact across all the different sections of the orchestra.
About the role
The role has four major areas of focus:
1. Leadership and strategy
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To develop and hold the overall architecture and processes needed to embed
the DNA of the Lab across all of its programmes: its vision, strategy, purpose,
culture, brand
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To coach and empower the Lab team to reach their full potential
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To develop and hold the overall learning and impact strategy: systematise the
process by which the Lab tracks and communicates its impact
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To inspire others in the Lab’s vision and intention for growth
2. Business model development
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To develop and grow the Lab’s overall business model and funding strategy,
including developing new income streams to support core costs, as well as
working with Programme Leads to develop programmatic funding
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To develop relationships with key influencers and funders who can help grow
the Lab’s work in the UK and beyond
3. Governance and operations
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To cultivate a strong board of trustees: facilitating their involvement in the
development of the Lab’s strategy and growth plans and coordinating input for
Board meetings
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To be accountable for day-to-day decisions that impact overall Lab assets
including core budget, brand and people
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To develop and maintain The Lab’s overall operations to ensure the smooth
running of The Lab as an effective organisation
4. Brand Profile
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To create a coherent external presence for The Lab through orchestrating its
thought leadership, marketing, PR and external affairs
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To build relationships and communities of influence with key champions who
will help to grow the Lab’s work and impact
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To be a leading voice of The Lab on system change in order to raise
awareness, profile and credibility
3 The experience we are looking for:
As mapped against the four areas of focus:
Leadership and strategy
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Track-record of designing and implementing innovative strategies for
ambitious social change in a complex, ever changing environment
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Ability to think systemically as demonstrated through a rigorous analysis of
the drawbacks of the financial system and an understanding of the building
blocks of an alternative financial system
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Experience of the financial system – especially of innovation in alternative
finance and awareness of the regulatory environment
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Ability to lead in a collaborative culture, empowering other team members to
take leadership in their own areas of work
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Knowledge of evaluation tools and processes for complex social change
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Experienced and confident facilitator of participative processes
Business model development
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Ability to develop and implement a business model for complex social change
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Track record in attracting significant resources from multiple sources,
including trusts and foundations, sponsorship, academic sources and other
innovative funding models
Governance and operations
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Knowledge of cost-effective, agile operational solutions for an innovative
organisation
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Past success in working with a board of trustees / directors
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Experience of leading teams and running the day-to-day operations of an
organisation
4 Brand Profile
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Relationships with key influencers in finance and social change
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Credible thought leader in financial systems change
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Strong marketing, public relations and communications experience
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Strong written and verbal communication skills - a persuasive and passionate
communicator
The values and behaviours we are looking for:
The Lead Strategist, like all Lab team members, will align with the Lab’s culture of
collaboration, action learning and empowerment. Specifically, we are looking for:
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Ability to design and facilitate processes that enable the collaboration of all
team members and key stakeholders
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High degrees of emotional intelligence, for example the ability to empathise
with others, active listening, ability to appreciate others
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Ability to adapt to a constantly evolving complex agenda, both in terms of the
financial system and in terms of an innovative, growing organisation
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Someone who is able to reflect and learn and cultivate reflective practices in
others
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A visionary and a pioneer who is not afraid to push boundaries and challenge
the status-quo
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Self-responsible - someone who takes responsibility for the things they care
about and role models this to others
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Someone entrepreneurial who is able to spot opportunities and convert them
into tangible initiatives that create lasting impact
5 We are committed to providing equal opportunities for everyone regardless of their
background. We acknowledge that people from certain backgrounds are underrepresented in society and in our communities and we are keen to correct this. So
we are particularly eager to receive applications from Black, Asian and minority
ethnic people; people with disabilities; people who identify as being LGTBQIA;
people who have a mental health condition and people who identify as working class
or have done so in the past.
What we can offer you!
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A chance to work and grow with one of the world’s most exciting systems
change organisations that is leading pioneering change in finance
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Full Time – 5 days per week
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Salary of £60,000 per annum
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Retirement savings options
Deadline for applications: 30th June 2015
The first interviews will be on 14th and 21st July, please hold these dates. Second
interviews held shortly thereafter. We prefer a start date of August 2015 but are
flexible for the necessary notice periods to be served.
Please send a CV and a cover letter (each no longer than 2 pages) explaining: Why
is this the right opportunity for you? Why is this the right opportunity for The Finance
Innovation Lab? What would your top 3 priorities be in leading The Lab?
Please address your CV and cover letter to Charlotte Millar:
[email protected]
If you would like to talk to us please call Charlotte on 0785 401 6052.
You can find more information on the Finance Innovation Lab here:
www.financeinnovationlab.org
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