Practical Action is an international development agency working
with poor communities to help them choose and use technology to improve their
lives for today and generations to come.
Our work in Africa, Asia and Latin America is in partnership
with poor people and their communities, building on their own knowledge and
skills to come up with innovative, sustainable and practical solutions.
Through our work we demonstrate alternatives, share knowledge
and influence change.
Our new 5 year strategy focuses on
(1) universal access to energy;
(2) urban water; sanitation and waste services;
(3) food security, agriculture and disaster risk reduction;
(4) markets development;
(5) climate change and
(6) gender.
We aim to improve the lives of 6 million people directly and 25
million indirectly.
We are searching for reputable leaders and professionals to
serve on the board of the Eastern Africa Regional office for a two-year term
with eligibility for renewal.
The Role:
- Contribute
to overall strategy and direction of the organization, through effective
participation at board meetings
- Provide
technical input, advice and guidance on Regional strategy and act as a
sounding board to aid in evaluating program ideas and opportunities
- Act
as Ambassadors for Practical Action, helping to build its profile and
reputation among stakeholders and partners
- Be
prepared to contribute their time and other resources. Board members
should be willing to contribute their expertise (e.g. advocacy, energy, HR
and change management, networking, financial management, fundraising,
program management, accounting, legal, etc) to further the aims the
regional office
- Advocate
on behalf of the organization – Board members must be prepared to promote
the views of the organization in order to secure funding, legislation and
other support for the organization
- Ensure
compliance with regulations and accrediting bodies
- Ensure
that major risks to which the organization is exposed are reviewed
regularly and that systems are established to mitigate the risks.
Experience/Skills we are looking for:
- High
level professional with demonstrated experience and expertise in
professional field related to Practical Action work
- Experience
of strategic decision making and board-level governance
- Frontline
experience in organizational development, change management, fundraising,
policy and public/private sector partnerships and engagement
- Excellent
strategic and analytical thinking skills combined with a practical and
pragmatic mindset and a strong interest in serving the public sector
- Team
player with personal impact and superior communication skills, able to
work effectively with a broadly based peer group and represent the
organization effectively externally
- Commitment
to the vision, mission and values of Practical Action
- Board
Members will be expected to exercise the duties and responsibilities of
their office with integrity, collegiality and care
- Experience
and extensive knowledge of development trends in the Eastern African
region.
To apply, please send us a covering letter explaining why you
would like to be a Practical Action trustee, outlining briefly your skills,
qualifications and experiences that you feel you have for this role.
Please also attach a copy of your CV, including contact details,
formal qualifications and training and a short career history.
This is an exciting opportunity to bring your professional
expertise to a highly regarded international organization as part of the team
of Board who provide governance and direction for our work.
For full details of this role and background information about
Practical Action, call our HR Unit on +254 (0) 20 2595311-6/0722 200883 or
email recruitment@practicalaction.or.ke.
Closing date for applications: 18th
January 2013.
Website: www.practicalaction.org
