Chief of Staff

International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) • Bern, England

12d • £65,024 - £91,033

About The Position

The Chief of Staff serves as the Director General’s adviser and strategic partner in advancing IPPF’s mission, strategy and organisational priorities. The role supports the Director General through strategic advice, cross-organisational initiatives, executive decision support and disciplined follow-through on agreed priorities. Working closely with the Director’s Leadership Team (DLT), senior Federation leaders, Member Associations and selected external partners, the Chief of Staff coordinates and monitors high-priority initiatives and the Director General’s engagement in strategic initiatives and global platforms. The role operates through influence, credibility and trusted relationships rather than routine line authority. The Chief of Staff does not line-manage, evaluate or direct DLT members unless a separate reporting arrangement is formally approved. Institutional ownership of external relationships, policy, communications, resource mobilisation and technical portfolios remains with the relevant functions. The Executive Assistant retains responsibility for diary management, executive administration, travel, logistics, routine meeting coordination and day-to-day management of the Director General’s office.

The postholder provides strategic analysis and recommendations; prepares decision papers, briefings, presentations, speeches and talking points; leads a portfolio of Director General-sponsored initiatives and selected special projects; supports DLT effectiveness and leadership alignment; advises on selected strategic partnerships and external engagements; and develops executive dashboards, progress reports and learning approaches. Frequent travel to the London office is required as needed, where the Director General is based. Candidates based in France, Germany, Switzerland, Mexico or Tunisia must have the right to work in the country where the role will be based; remuneration for those locations will follow IPPF’s approved salary scale for the contractual location and may differ from the advertised London salary range.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree in international development, public health, international relations, political science, business administration, public policy or another relevant field.
• Significant progressively responsible experience, typically 15 years or more, in strategy, organisational leadership, executive advisory work, partnerships, programme leadership or comparable roles, including substantial senior-level experience.
• Demonstrated experience advising a chief executive, Director General or executive leadership team on complex strategic and organisational matters.
• Proven success originating, shaping and leading complex cross-functional initiatives involving multiple countries, regions or organisational functions.
• Experience influencing senior stakeholders and achieving results without relying on formal authority.
• Exceptional strategic thinking and political judgement, with the ability to connect organisational context to practical execution.
• Ability to originate ideas, define approaches and turn ambiguity into clear choices, frameworks and action.
• Outstanding analytical skills and ability to synthesize complex information into concise recommendations for senior decision-makers.
• Advanced programme and project leadership skills, including governance, risk, dependency and benefits management.
• Excellent facilitation, influencing, negotiation and relationship-building skills across diverse institutional and cultural contexts.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills in English.
• High levels of discretion, integrity, resilience and sound judgement.
• Commitment to IPPF’s mission, values, safeguarding principles, diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Ability to demonstrate strategic and systems thinking, collaborative and enabling leadership, respect for distributed accountability, courage, diplomacy, initiative, accountability, adaptability, curiosity and continuous learning.
• Ability to build trust across difference and operate effectively in ambiguity.
• Understanding of and commitment to safeguarding in local and international contexts.
• Ability and willingness to work in a diverse, multicultural, multilingual and intergenerational environment that is anti-racist and respectful of others.
• Commitment to feminist principles and sexual and reproductive health care, rights and justice, including safe abortion; support for people’s rights regardless of sexuality or gender identity or expression, and for workers’ rights and access to healthcare in sex work.
• Agreement to sign and adhere to IPPF’s Code of Conduct and Safeguarding (Children and Vulnerable Adults) Policy if employed.
• Right to work in the country where the role will be based.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in an international, federated, membership-based, civil-society or similarly complex organisation.
• Experience advancing the Sexual and Reproductive Rights, Health and Justice agenda.
• Experience advancing social justice, inclusion and intersectional approaches.
• Experience developing and sustaining high-level partnerships and supporting senior external engagement in politically sensitive environments.
• Proficiency in French and/or other languages relevant to IPPF’s work.
• Substantive understanding of sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender equality, feminist leadership and the realities of working in contested political environments.

Responsibilities

• Originate and develop strategic analysis, options and recommendations for the Director General on organisational priorities, opportunities and risks.
• Shape decision papers, briefings, presentations, speeches and talking points in collaboration with relevant Secretariat teams.
• Anticipate matters requiring executive attention and establish appropriate processes for analysis, consultation, decision-making and follow-through.
• Lead and oversee a portfolio of high-priority Director General-sponsored initiatives that cross functions or regions.
• Establish frameworks and ways of working that enable initiative owners and contributing teams to deliver collectively.
• Identify risks, dependencies, resource implications and implementation barriers, and present resolution options to accountable leaders.
• Lead selected special projects commissioned by the Director General, accountable for their quality, pace, scope and organisational value.
• Develop concise strategic updates, progress reports and executive dashboards covering progress, challenges and decisions required.
• Partner with the Director General and DLT to strengthen collective focus, strategic coherence and visibility of Federation priorities.
• Shape the strategic agenda and substantive preparation for DLT meetings, retreats and other executive forums, in collaboration with the Director General, DLT members and Executive Assistant.
• Facilitate alignment across divisions, regions and functions when priorities, dependencies or resource constraints require collective leadership attention.
• Maintain an executive-level view of agreed strategic commitments and support accountable leaders in surfacing progress, decisions and delivery barriers.
• Promote constructive collaboration and timely information flow without duplicating line-management, governance or functional accountabilities.
• Advise on and help shape selected high-level partnerships and collaborative initiatives linked to the Director General’s priorities.
• Work with relevant teams to assess strategic opportunities, clarify institutional objectives and maximise value to IPPF.
• Coordinate the Director General’s participation in selected external platforms and help translate commitments, intelligence and opportunities into internal action.
• Support strategic partnership opportunities arising from the Director General’s engagement while preserving institutional ownership by relevant functions.
• Represent the Director General only when specifically delegated and in agreement with the function accountable for the relevant relationship, policy or technical area.
• Establish concise executive dashboards and reporting approaches that provide insight into strategic progress, dependencies, risks and decisions required.
• Synthesize complex information from across the Federation into clear, decision-ready advice for the Director General and DLT.
• Capture learning from executive-sponsored initiatives and recommend practical improvements to organisational effectiveness, collaboration and execution.
• Ensure relevant intelligence and outcomes from the Director General’s engagements are shared with teams accountable for action and relationship management.
• Promote evidence-led prioritisation, learning and follow-through.

Benefits

• Meaningful work and an inspiring environment.
• Professional growth.
• Opportunity to make a lasting impact on individuals and communities around the world.
• Opportunity to work on a global scale and contribute to change and innovative approaches.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive