Executive Director

The deadline for applications is Sunday March 9^th 2025

Location:   Rome, Italy

Location type:  Hybrid

Reporting to:   Greenpeace Italy Board

Manages:   Senior Management Team and all staff

Annual salary:  €80,000/€95,000 EUR, Salary will be adjusted based on experience

Contract type:  Contract “Dirigenti”

Working hours:  Full time

Candidate level:  Executive management team

Background

Greenpeace is an environmental organisation dedicated to safeguarding the planet’s environment and promoting sustainability. The global organisation consists of Greenpeace International (Stichting Greenpeace Council) registered in the Netherlands, and 27 independent national and regional offices (NROs).

With our strong presence, we have been at the forefront of local environmental advocacy and activism in Italy for almost 40 years, operating together as an office since 1986. Our mission is to address pressing environmental issues, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and the protection of our oceans. We work tirelessly to drive positive change through grassroots campaigns, research, and advocacy efforts.

As we continue to evolve our campaigns, and as our current Executive Director will soon retire in 2025, we are now seeking a new Italy Executive Director to lead our organisation and amplify our impact in the region.

Purpose of role

The ED leads the Greenpeace Italia team with passion and professionalism, always taking care of the interests of the association, maintaining relations with the Board of Directors and with Greenpeace International’s Executive Director.

Primary responsibilities

The job holder will have the following key responsibilities:

1. Leadership

• Provides the direction and leadership of the organization by giving strategic and political vision, along with the development and managerial management of the organization’s resources, operations, and overall communications with regard to campaigns, marketing and communications tools, funding, and administration with the support of the Senior Management Team (SMT).
• Monitors and facilitates the development of the organization’s culture and its ability to learn and evolve from the environment in which it operates and from its own experiences. Ensures the implementation of Greenpeace International policies.
• Maintains and promotes the organization’s position as an independent player in Italy’s environmental debate.

2. Strategic Development

• Promotes the development and implementation of incisive environmental campaigns, pursuing effective fundraising and communication strategies.
• Develops the organization’s strategies, goals, and policies in consultation with the Board and the SMT.
• Optimizes the strategic relationship with other Greenpeace organizations and campaigns, in particular in relation to campaigns conducted in Europe.
• Analyses, interpret and contribute to the strategic objectives of Greenpeace Italy and Greenpeace at an international level.

3. Board of Directors

The Board of Directors (hereafter the Board) is the governing body of Greenpeace Italy, as regulated in the Statute of the Association (i.e.: Consiglio Direttivo).

• Maintains an effective relationship with the Board, providing regular reports, attending the meetings of the Board, and creating a fruitful relationship with the Chair of the Board.
• Assumes full responsibility for the preparation of all proposals for approval by the Board.
• Ensures that the Board is aware of all matters that require its intervention, or that may involve the Board or individual members in legal action.
• Participates in safeguarding activities that allow the Board to exercise its functions 100%.
• Informs the Board of all developments considered to be of fundamental importance to the organization and provide the Board with the secretarial support necessary for the performance of its activities.
• Ensures the implementation of the decisions of the Board.

4. Activities

• Exercises overall control over all aspects of the operation conducted by the organization including the implementation and evaluation of its overall strategies and policies, campaigns, mobilization, fundraising, communications, human resources, and administration.
• Ensures that correct and adequate financial controls and procedures are complied with at all times.
• Ensures the financial and administrative integrity of Greenpeace Italy.
• Monitors the preparation of annual budgets and schedules and formulates the organization’s financial forecasts.
• Regularly participates in meetings of International Executive Directors and other Greenpeace forums.
• Represents the organization externally in a clear and effective manner.

5. Management

• Ensures effective and adequate management procedures throughout the organization.
• Communicates incisively and effectively the organization’s strategies and activities within the office.
• Communicates to all personnel the need to meet the highest possible operational requirements.
• Participates in the recruitment process of all management personnel and approves their appointment.
• Monitors the recruitment, orientation, training and development of all staff. Approves the dismissal of any staff member.
• With respect to staff managed online (management team members and others):
  • supervises and is directly accountable for their work.
  • delegates tasks and projects appropriately so that the highest possible operational requirements can be met.
  • measures and evaluates the results of the delegated activities in relation to the explicitly defined objectives.
  • regularly presides over SMT meetings, offers support and feedback to SMT members, and ensures that regular meetings are organised with the staff they manage.
  • Regularly meets with all the staff managed online, take care of their annual evaluation and identify training needs and opportunities.
  • Ensures that all those who manage other online employees within or outside the staff take appropriate responsibility and management of those employees and delegate tasks in a fair manner in order to achieve results that meet the highest possible operational requirements.

6. Communications

• Represents the organization externally in a clear and effective way.
• Ensures that Greenpeace has a positive profile in Italy.
• Ensures adequate and productive relationships with supporters of Greenpeace and other eligible organizations.

7. Human Resource Policy and Workers´ Health and Safety Policy

Respond to and ensure that all personnel comply with personnel, health, and safety policies and regulations.

8. Integrity and JEDIS

• The ED is also responsible for all the aspects connected to the respect of GP Integrity Policies, and the commitments to Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Safety principles.

9. Other

• Assumes any other responsibilities appropriate to the complexity of the role held.

Relationships

Main internal relationships:

• With the Board
• With the whole office
• With the Senior Management Team that he/she chairs
• With GPI Team
• With any other GP NRO

Main external relationships with others:

With national and business political realities, non-governmental realities and with any supplier/consultant/outsourcing company that deems appropriate.

Profile

Required skills and qualifications

• Understanding of national and global environmental issues as well as national & international politics, with an unwavering commitment to sustainability and to Greenpeace’s climate and environmental justice approach.
• Proven ability to rally different internal and external stakeholders around an inspiring vision.
• Strong Commitment to Nonviolent Direct Action.
• Demonstrated systems thinking with strategic and horizon scanning skills.
• Authentic and charismatic personality with the eloquence to deliver challenging but inspiring messages at a world leadership level.

• Evidenced ability to influence externally through vision, political skill and networking.
• Empowering leadership style, with evidenced ability to lead a complex organization and international network alongside experience of bringing different stakeholders on a change journey.
• Demonstrated experience in all aspects of governance and accountability and familiarity with legal and compliance matters.
• Experience in fostering effective programme delivery, with good experience of building support and working with allies, especially in the global South.
• Demonstrated experience of creating an empowering and positive work culture, strong on values and truly embracing all forms of diversity.
• Demonstrated experience of thriving in multicultural and diverse contexts.

• Strong experience, commitment or understanding of different campaigning approaches, including Greenpeace’s Nonviolent direct action, to influence change, and an appetite for innovative and worldwide rallying forms of action, like community organizing experience.
• A strong understanding and demonstrated practice of intersectionality and decolonisation and therefore a champion of Greenpeace’s values and commitments to Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Safety.
• Positive attitude towards digital and technology.
• Financial literacy at the top management level.
• Fluent in Italian and English, good knowledge of other languages is an asset.

Personal attributes

• Strong emotional intelligence and people skills.
• A decisive ‘can do’ attitude combined with excellent consultative and listening skills.
• Demonstrating courage and assertiveness as well as empathy and humility, able to be both consultative and decisive.
• Personal commitment to social and environmental justice.
• Integrity, transparency and respect.
• Passion for Greenpeace’s mission and determination.
• Activist and campaigner spirit

Terms and conditions

Adhering to Greenpeace Code of Conduct and to Greenpeace System of Integrity

Interview process/timeline:

• First stage interviews: March 2025
• GP panel interviews: April 2025
• Final interview – Board Decision: May 2025

To apply for the post

To apply for this role, please submit a copy of your CV/resume and a cover letter outlining your interest in the role and how you fulfil the requirements set out in the job announcement by clicking on the following link: https://recruitcrm.io/apply/17156965568530039627sgk

Please contact Ruth Gardner at ruth@darylupsall.com for any queries you may have.

The deadline for application is Sunday 9^th March 2025

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Daryl Upsall International actively promotes equality, diversity and inclusion. In recruiting candidates, we seek candidates with the proven skills required; irrespective of race, gender, religion or belief, age, disability or sexual orientation.