Location: UK: Virtual, flexible working with meetings in London
Opportunity: Supported Hiring roles, consultancy basis, part-time
Apply by: 7 December 2021
The Diversity Project is looking for a Project Manager and a Member Relationship Manager and welcomes professionals who have taken an extended career break to apply. Roles are part-time, on a consultancy paid basis. Applicants with a career break of 18 months or more will benefit from Career Returners Coaching Support provided by Women Returners (to qualify, you may have been working on a small-scale basis to fit around your other commitments or have not carried out any paid work for a number of years).
About The Diversity Project
The Diversity Project (DP) is a campaign to create a more diverse and inclusive investment and savings industry. There are almost 90 member organisations, ranging from the largest asset management company to small pension fund consultants. The DP has been running for around five years and helps companies to improve their diversity by sharing best practice, and working on specific initiatives to improve diversity across all dimensions. There are now seventeen different workstreams mainly focused on specific aspects of diversity such as ethnicity, socio-economic, neurodiversity, disability and gender. These workstreams are led by volunteers who are based in member firms. The Diversity Project is a longstanding supporter of career returners, and partners with Women Returners on a number of initiatives as part of its Returners workstream. Please see the Diversity Project website here for more information.
Opportunities Available
A small group of consultants and administrators, paid on a daily rate, supports the work of the whole project. These roles would fall in this category (note the DP has no employees).
Project Manager
The Diversity Project seeks to change the industry through numerous efforts, many of which take the form of specific projects. The Project Manager will be involved in many of the individual DP workstreams, helping to lead or support projects. This requires building and maintaining strong relationships across the whole organisation, especially with leads or co-leads of workstreams. In addition, building good relationships with third parties who can provide expert input to the DP. There is also the opportunity to work on a number of separate projects. Examples of previous project are: investigating the role of line managers in helping or hindering diversity (and actions that can be taken to improve this); an accreditation to encourage firms to translate their commitment to D&I into faster and stronger results; ‘Ten Standards’ that members are expected to self-assess against each year. The Project Manager will also take the lead on answering a number of the questions in the regulators’ discussion papers on D&I within the finance sector. This role also includes the delivery and project management of the DP Annual Event, typically held in Q4.
Desirable qualities for this role:
- Strong project management skills
- Strong sense of purpose
- Good understanding of the investment and savings industry
- Strong organisational skills
- A collaborative approach
- Event management skills (F2F and Hybrid)
Member Relationship Manager
As the DP continues to grow, many member firms need assistance to make the most of their involvement. Typically, an organisation will have several people involved in the DP, with the Steering Committee representative the key contact point, but there may also be participation in several workstreams and the CEO may also serve on the campaign’s Advisory Council. Calls have been held at least annually with all member firms to ensure they are getting the help they need and are happy with the level of their engagement and results that are being generated. These frequency of these calls will increase to initially semi-annually and then quarterly to ensure that members are well looked-after, that the DP stays front of mind and able to respond to any needs. In addition, building and maintaining relationships with prospective members by sharing information and encouraging them to join this collaborative effort will be an important aspect of this role.
Desirable qualities for this role:
- Strong relationship management skills
- Strong sense of purpose
- Good ‘sales’ skills
- Good understanding of the investment and savings industry
- Strong organisational skills
- A collaborative approach
How to Apply
Please apply with your CV and a brief cover letter to info@diversityproject.com. In your cover letter please outline why you are interested and what you would bring to the role, and mention that you found the role via Women Returners and have taken an extended career break.
With any questions please contact info@diversityproject.com.
Closing date for applications 7 December 2021.