Oxfam’s
international division is running a specialist international recruitment
campaign to encourage high-flying management from the corporate and public
sectors to become country programme managers around the globe.
The
development organisation – which employs 2,500 staff outside the UK – hopes to
fill a number of key country programme manager positions in the next four
months. The campaign, which aims to attract applicants from around the world,
runs alongside its traditional recruitment strategy that targets experienced
NGO (non-governmental organisation) workers.
Oxfam
is seeking general managers and project managers willing to become its most
senior representatives in various countries where international development,
advocacy and humanitarian projects are under way.
Vacancies
currently exist in Bangladesh, North Sudan and Zimbabwe, with the potential for
other posts around the world.
The
recruitment campaign has been launched after several individuals successfully
transferred from the corporate sector to key overseas positions within the NGO.
Oxfam’s policy and advocacy co-ordinator in Amman is a former management
consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Its regional director for West Africa
previously worked for Nike, Disney and Salomon Brothers, while Oxfam’s
international division director has a background in IT with US-based firm
Thomson Financial.
"We
have an exceptionally strong team of more than 60 country programme managers,
but more are needed," said Andrew Thompson, Oxfam’s international HR director.
"We are continuing to recruit from the NGO and development sectors, but
now we are openly inviting applicants from the business world and the public
sector because their skills are transferable. Half of Oxfam’s country programme
managers are female – we have no glass ceiling and have true equality in the
workplace.
"We
have several senior employees who have successfully switched from corporate
jobs and we want more candidates like them," he added. "Oxfam is
looking for high-calibre managers with the ability to pull together diverse
people and build successful programmes in tough situations. However, ‘country
programme manager’ is an extremely demanding role. No-one should apply without
doing their homework, understanding what Oxfam does and researching the country
they wish to work in.
"Working
for Oxfam is extremely rewarding. We are committed to training, investment in
career development and providing in-depth support systems to help country
programme managers work successfully around the world."
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Anyone
interested can e-mail CVs to Oxfam’s website – www.oxfam.org.uk/jobs
