HEKS/EPER has over 1500 permanent employees. The organisation is active at 24 locations in Switzerland and in 35 countries worldwide with 290 programs and projects worth around CHF 144 million. In 2024, HEKS/EPER reached around 16 million people with its work.
HEKS/EPER pursues the vision of a just world where the dignity of everyone is respected, peace reigns, and the natural environment is preserved. The aim is a systemic change at a social, economic and political level. HEKS/EPER is doing its part to improve the living conditions of people in Switzerland and around the world, to promote their rights, raise awareness and mobilise to this end.
Lived diversity - inclusion is important to us:
We welcome applications regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, age or sexual orientation.
For our Global Cooperation (GC) division at the head office in Zurich, we are looking for an experienced, strategically minded and inspiring leader to take up this key position as soon as possible or by agreement:
Head of Global Cooperation (80–100%)
Your main responsibilities:
Member of the Executive Board
In this role you carry overall responsibility for HEKS/EPER's international work – strategically, operationally, financially and in terms of leadership. Together with your Deputy, you lead the division across its working domains (development cooperation, humanitarian aid, church cooperation, and development policy), position HEKS/EPER in the international arena and shape our international programme in line with our overall strategy.
Leadership, culture and organisational steering
- Provide strategic leadership to the Global Cooperation division, ensuring organizational effectiveness, long-term impact and alignment with HEKS/EPER’s overall strategy as member of the Executive Board
- Lead the division in close cooperation with the Deputy Head of Global Cooperation, being accountable for strategic leadership, organisational performance and strategic development and alignment
- Lead, develop and recruit Heads of Programmes and Team Leaders, in close partnership with HR, promoting a professional, caring and participative leadership culture
- Lead change management processes, ensure agility and proactively steer the division through shifting disruptive political, societal, funding and security contexts
- Strengthen collaboration within and across divisions as well as partners on local, national and international level
Programme management
- Forward- thinking strategic development and implementation of the HEKS/EPER international programme in its complementary working domains
- Responsibility for the compliance of all programmes and processes with HEKS/EPER standards, and for efficient instruments as well as implementation and governance structures
Representation, networking and fundraising
- Representation to institutional donors, including the SDC, and membership in relevant national and international executive networks (Alliance Sud, ACT Alliance and others)
- Building and maintaining an active network of strategic and consortium partners at executive level
- Expanding the donor base of Global Cooperation through proactive engagement and relationship building
Finances
- Sound and sustainable financial management of the division: budgeting, financial planning, controlling, compliance and maximizing cost recovery
- Ensuring adequate financial risk management and compliance processes
Human Resources, security and safeguarding
- Leading and recruiting of Team leaders and Heads
- Overall responsibility for HEKS/EPER's security policies, processes and instruments, and leading or participating in crisis management task forces
- Overall responsibility for division-specific HR instruments and compliance with HEKS/EPER's HR and safeguarding standards
Public communication and advocacy
- Positioning HEKS/EPER in the public discourse and the global context, ensuring appropriate and coordinated advocacy
- Shaping the international public profile of Global Cooperation in collaboration with the Communications division
To be successful you bring:
- A relevant university degree at Master's level or equivalent experience, including having lived and worked 3-5 years in (highly) fragile program areas
- At least 10 years' experience at senior management level in international cooperation, ideally with experience in the domains of humanitarian aid, development cooperation, development policy, church cooperation, and/or impact investment
- Proven experience in leading motivated, results-driven, diverse and intercultural teams
- Proven experience in responsibility for multi-million budgets in complex international environments
- Track record in the successful acquisition and implementation of internationally funded projects, and in building networks of partners and donors
- Proven experience in crisis, security and incident management
- Strategic, visionary thinking, excellent analytical and conceptual skills, and a sound command of business administration instruments
- Excellent communication, representation and intercultural skills, combined with strategic vision, resilience, integrity, sound judgment, and a collaborative, value-based leadership style
- Diplomatic experiences e.g. in multilateral settings, negotiations
- Availability for frequent international travel, at times at short notice
- Excellent command of English and German and/or French; additional languages are an asset
- Willingness to identify with the objectives and values of HEKS/EPER, including its proximity to the Protestant Church
What you can expect from us:
- A challenging and impactful executive leadership role at the top management level of a renowned NGO and civil society actor with national and international reach
- Significant scope to shape the future of the Global Cooperation division and actively contribute to HEKS/EPER’s strategic direction and organisational development as a member of the Executive Board
- A highly committed, professional and diverse team, as well as a collaborative and value-driven Executive Board
- Modern employment conditions, including flexible working arrangements, and an attractive workplace in the heart of Zurich