Location: UK: London (hybrid)
Opportunity: Supported hiring into permanent employed or contract role
Start date: September 2023
Closing date: 21 August 2023
**This role is now closed for applications.**
The Diversity Project is pleased to partner with Women Returners for a Pathway Programme Manager role (3 to 4 days a week) to oversee the delivery of the Diversity Project Pathway Programme. The Diversity Project welcomes candidates who have taken an extended career break to apply for these roles. Candidates who have taken a career break of more than 18 months will receive coaching support through the transition period from Women Returners. During your career break, you may have worked on a small-scale or self-employed basis to fit around your other commitments or have not done any paid work for a number of years. Your career break could be for any reason.
About Diversity Project
The Diversity Project launched a programme at the start of 2023 to develop more female fund managers. The Pathway programme is the first of its kind worldwide, award winning and has attracted widespread interest, since just 12% of named fund managers are women, both globally and in the UK. 60 women are participating in the first cohort, from 33 firms. The programme comprises both online and in-person training sessions. The curriculum has been developed by a team of around 25 industry professionals. In-person events are typically hosted by member firms. The programme has been very well-received and much of the content will be repeated in 2024, with some adjustments reflecting feedback. For example, an investment technical training ‘bootcamp’ is being introduced for those joining the programme who do not currently work in an investment role and don’t have CFA or similar qualifications. The aim is to expand the programme to 80 participants in 2024 and the Diversity Project is looking to hire a high calibre professional to oversee the delivery of Pathway going forward.
The Diversity Project Pathway USPs are:
- Bespoke curriculum – Tailored to the participants on the programme and their specific experience. Created for the industry by the industry
- Unlock female PM talent – Find out which of your female employees want to become Portfolio Managers. Enhance their enthusiasm and accommodate their learning
- Community – Navigate careers with a likeminded co-hort from the beginning. Meet successful (female) Portfolio Managers and senior industry leaders
- Pay it forward – Participants are asked to become a mentor, sponsor or help others accelerate their Portfolio Manager Career
- Sponsor – Each participant will have her own sponsor within their organisation to champion, advocate and guide them
About the role
The Programme Manager role is offered at 3 to 4 days a week, which can be flexible, with hybrid working. The role is offered on either a consultancy or employed basis, depending on a candidate’s preferences and any other consultancies. The Programme Manager will be supported by an administrative assistant (who currently works 8-16 hours a week), by the team that has worked on the curriculum and by the Chair of the Diversity Project, Helena Morrissey, who also leads the Diversity Project’s Gender Workstream. The role will include a range of responsibilities:
- Ensuring each element of the course is high quality, that the trainers are prepared, that course participants are engaged and attending, that preparation materials, follow-up reading and feedback is provided
- Ensuring the calendar of sessions is appropriate, balanced and is communicated in advance to all relevant parties
- Ensuring that venues for in-person sessions and events are sourced and liaise with them on all event logistics
- Liaising with course participants, both through formal feedback mechanisms and more informal opportunities
- Planning training sessions for participants’ sponsors (each woman must be sponsored by someone at her firm)
- ‘Advertising’ the programme, working with the marketing team at the Diversity Project on presentations, social media and further opportunities to promote the programme
- Organising monthly meetings with the organising team of c.25 professionals, which take place either online or in-person, to review the curriculum, ensure the next few months’ sessions are well prepared and to consider lessons learned
- Liaise with the relevant HR or similar contacts at the participants’ firms
- To start work on the following year’s programme from April
- Reporting on progress to the Gender workstream, Steering Committee and Advisory Committee (C-Suite professionals)
- Managing the work of the administrative assistant
- Sharing feedback with relevant individuals and teams within the Diversity Project
- Running the DP Pathway Alumni
What they are looking for
- Strong organisational and management skills with excellent attention to detail
- Experience of stakeholder relationship management and ability to work collaboratively with highly experienced professionals
- Knowledge of the investment industry (or other relevant experience in financial markets)
- Comfortable with tech and open to learning new skills along the way
- Available to travel to in-person meetings, sessions and events in London
- Self starter and purpose-driven work ethic
- Flexibility and adaptability
How to apply
To apply please send your CV and covering letter to info@diversityproject.com by 21 August 2023 (11:59pm). In your cover letter please explain your motivations for applying, and feel free to highlight any additional information from your career break which may be relevant to this role. You must have the right to work in the UK to apply.
For any queries or further details please e-mail info@diversityproject.com