Managing Director – Fair Cobalt Alliance

UK, Europe and the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Impact Facility for Sustainable Mining Communities is recruiting an experienced individual for the position of Managing Director of the Fair Cobalt Alliance (FCA). The FCA is a multi-stakeholder initiative managed by The Impact Facility as its permanent secretariat, first launched in 2020. The FCA was set up to provide a meaningful response to reports of child labour and human rights challenges associated with artisanal cobalt mining in the DR Congo. As an action platform, FCA implements a series of interventions designed to address the route courses of child labour and upend hazardous working conditions associated with the artisanal production of cobalt in the DR Congo.

We implement activities through partnerships with local organisations on the ground, coordinated and supported by our local team based in Kolwezi. The FCA is managed through a lean management team reporting to FCA’s Steering Committee, comprising representatives of current FCA members. Our members comprise organisations across and along the cobalt supply chain, including both civil society actors and private sector players, from industrial miners, to refiners, to consumer electronics, battery manufacturers and EVs.

Role Summary

The Impact Facility is seeking a highly accomplished and passionate individual experienced in managing multi-stakeholder initiatives, managing multi-faceted, complex international programmes, public relations and sustainable natural resource management to fill a permanent time position as Managing Director of the FCA (24-32h a week), starting as soon as possible.

We have offices in Kolwezi in the DR Congo, Gloucestershire in the UK, Amsterdam, and Nairobi Kenya, but are used to facilitating remote work. As Managing Director, you will be required to travel to the DR Congo several times a year as well as within Europe and possibly China or the US for supply chain stakeholder engagements.

Key Responsibilities:

Your main responsibilities will include all aspects and stakeholder engagement of a new, multi-part programme designed to remediate child labour, professionalize conditions on artisanal mining sites through on-site investments and increase household incomes and financial resilience in Lualaba and Haute-Katanaga province.

This will include:

  • Responsible for the full FCA program & budget management & reporting (4 pillars);
  • Responsible for convening steering committee and FCA member meetings, reporting and being the point person to keep steering committee involved;
  • Responsible for the development of strengthened FCA processes & policies (together with the programme manager);
  • Responsible for developing, maintaining & articulating of 3-5 year FCA strategy;
  • Support the recruitment of new members (together with BI director);
  • Support fundraising & outreach efforts according to fundraising plan;
  • Support overall FCA stakeholder management.

Direct reports: programme manager, public relations officer (Kinshasa-based), programme support officer.

How we work

As director you will be exposed to and engage multiple stakeholders and stakeholder groups on a topic that draws considerable public and media attention. You will be required to confidently contribute to multi-party discussion and present on the programme’s progress at international forums.

Everyone who works in our team speaks directly with our business partners and donors, which means that strong written and verbal communications are a requisite, as well as confidence in dealing with people at different management levels and working in a range of institutional settings such as SMEs, corporations, NGOs and government agencies.

We are a small team, the members of which work remotely and travel frequently. The applicant will need to be happy working autonomously, managing their own time, prioritising work-load, thinking on their feet, and taking the initiative to ask questions and find solutions to problems.

Qualifications and Experience

  • Minimum of 8 years’ relevant professional work experience; working in an international consulting / contracting environment, international business, or international development agency or NGO is preferred;
  • Strong strategic development and implementation skills;
  • Strong experience of managing multi-stakeholder initiatives and international social development / environmental groups / NGOs, esp. in (East) Africa;
  • Excellent team and people-management skills;
  • Experience of designing, managing and / or delivering programmes related to or connected with raw materials, international mining and mineral development, especially artisanal and small-scale mining, and supply chains, a strong advantage;
  • Proficiency in budget development and management.
  • Extremely organised with excellent project and time management skills;
  • Familiarity with cobalt supply chains and with the DR Congo;
  • Good familiarity of CSR issues, particularly on childrens rights and child labour remediation, OHS, rural livelihoods, poverty alleviation and livelihood diversification;
  • Excellent oral, digital communication and presentation skills;
  • English and French fluency is a “must”;
  • Master’s degree in a related field including natural resource management / geography / political science / international relations / environmental or social management / CSR.

What we can offer you

This is a chance to work with and learn from a very experienced team and to lead and contribute to a fascinating, influential and potentially ground-breaking project in supply chain risk management, responsible sourcing, and impact investing.

  • A contract for 24-32h a week;
  • A competitive salary, commensurate with experience and aligned with development / NGO remuneration;
  • Diverse, exciting and impactful work collaborating with the private sector;
  • Being part of a dynamic and experienced international team passionate about serving its clients to build successful responsible businesses, and committed to corporate sustainability, human rights and social change;
  • Possibility to work remotely.

TIF’s offices are located near Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK, Nairobi, Kenya and Kolwezi, DR Congo with satellite offices in Amsterdam. We have a policy to accommodate remote, flexible and autonomous working arrangements in return for a commitment to extremely high-quality deliverables, working to fulfil project goals, and consistently meeting deadlines. Where the candidate is located is less important than their professional ability, commitment, enthusiasm and personal energy.

How to Apply

If you are interested in being considered for this role, please send your CV, a cover letter and a writing sample to jobs@theimpactfacility.com with the email subject heading: “Managing Director – Fair Cobalt Alliance”.

All applications will be reviewed on a continual basis until the position has been filled.

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to complete a written assessment exercise, followed by an interview.