Policy and practice director

Background

Practical Action is an international NGO, with its Head Office in the UK, specialising in technology and sustainable development. Practical Action was founded in 1966 by the author of “Small is Beautiful” EF Schumacher. Our vision is for a world with Technology Justice for all, which we will drive through four global goals to improve energy access; urban water, sanitation and waste management services; agricultural production and marketing; and disaster risk reduction measures. Climate adaptation and “making markets work for the poor” are considered in all our programmes as cross-cutting themes

Duties and responsibilities

• The Policy and Practice Director leads Practical Action’s global work to influence the policies and practice of others, leading organisational thinking on positioning, strategies and tactics to bring about the maximum impact on the policies and practices of others.   
• The post holder will need to be a good manager of people, a talented networker and able to formulate and spread good practice and policy initiatives.
• S/he will be accountable for developing organisational models for global influence.
• S/he will also lead and coordinate the development and delivery of a coherent programme of global learning and influence to change the policies and practices of others.
• Success will ensure that Practical Action is able to achieve significant impact internationally through influence and to maintain and develop the organisation’s international profile and reputation and role in the related fields of technology, poverty reduction and environmental sustainability.
• To lead the development and implementation of Practical Action’s international advocacy efforts to influence the policies and practices of others, representing the organisation to key influencing targets and allies.
• To lead the international learning agenda and ensure this draws lessons from and feeds into the organisation’s programmes.
• To lead and manage the Policy and Practice Team, bringing coherence to the team’s work, ensuring they collaborate effectively across the organization.

Scope of role

• The Policy and Practice Director leads Practical Action’s global work to influence the policies and practice of others, leading organisational thinking on positioning, strategies and tactics to bring about the maximum impact on the policies and practices of others.
• The post holder plays an active role to represent Practical Action amongst key influence targets, building relationships and alliances and playing an important role in the development of a movement for change.
• The post holder provides management and leadership of the Policy & Practice Team to drive a dynamic & collaborative global learning and influencing agenda aligned to Practical Action’s values and vision for Technology Justice and its’ four goals, (energy, water/sanitation/waste management, agriculture and disaster risk reduction) and two cross-cutting themes (markets and climate change).
• S/he will play a central role in guiding Practical Action’s priority change agendas, (initially “Energy Access for all”) advising on strategies and tactics to ensure success and giving advice on when and how to adopt new global priority change agendas