Swansea University

The University of Manchester

Southern Africa Director at CBM International

CBM Global Disability Inclusion works alongside people with disabilities in the world’s poorest places to fight poverty and exclusion and transform lives. Drawing on over 100 years’ experience and driven by Christian values, we work with the most marginalised in society to: 
•	break the cycle of poverty and disability; 
•	treat and prevent conditions that lead to disability; and  
•	build inclusive communities where everyone can enjoy their rights and achieve their full potential.
   
We have Country Teams in 11 countries, in Africa, Asia and Latin America and work in over 20 countries in total, investing in long-term, authentic partnerships with the Disability Movement and multiplying our impact by delivering a combination of inclusive community-based programmes, advocacy for national and global policy change and inclusion advice to other organisations. 

As the International Director and a member of the senior leadership team, I provide leadership and support to CBM Global’s 11 Country Directors for the delivery of CBM Global’s programmatic strategy.

CBM Global Disability Inclusion

International Director

Our vision is an inclusive world in which all people with disabilities enjoy their human rights and achieve their full potential. We transform the lives of people with disabilities in the world's poorest communities.

As the Southern Africa Director, I am responsible for leading CBM's work in the Southern Africa region, which includes country offices in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Madagascar and additional programmes in Angola, Swaziland and South Africa

CBM International

Southern Africa Director

The vision of Mary's Meals is that every child receives one daily meal in their place of education and that all those who have more than they need, share with those who lack even the most basic things. Working together with those who share our vision, we believe there is no good reason why this cannot be realised.

During my time with the organisation the Programmes Directorate, under my leadership, was providing a daily meal in a place of education to more than 1.2 million children in 15 countries.

•	A member of the Senior Leadership Team, responsible for overall leadership and strategic direction of the organisation.
•	Leader of the Programmes Directorate, responsible for planning and delivering the ongoing growth of the organisation's school feeding operations; the efficient and effective delivery of the organisation’s school feeding programmes around the world; the ongoing development of the organisation’s school feeding model and approach; and for ongoing learning and assessment of impact. 
•	I led the team through a period of rapid growth, with a 20% increase in the number of children provided a school meal every school day, whilst also establishing a stronger platform for further rapid growth.
•	I led a period of significant change in the Programmes Directorate, whilst playing a key role in wider organisational change 
•	I line managed senior UK based staff and Country Directors overseas. 
•	Accountable for an annual programme budget approaching £20m and more than 300 staff in 5 countries

Mary's Meals

Director of Programmes

Best known for pioneering fair trade, Traidcraft comprises a trading company, with sales of about £12.5 million in 2013/14, and a development charity. I worked with Traidcraft Exchange, Traidcraft’s charity, which is the UK’s leading international development charity focusing on trade and poverty. The organisation develops and manages programmes that enable poor producers in developing countries to grow businesses, find markets and engage in local and international trade. 

•	A member of the organisation’s leadership team, which has overall responsibility for strategic direction and for oversight of the organisation’s work, including financial oversight. 
•	Responsible for leading and developing Traidcraft Exchange’s work in Africa, including responsibility for leading and managing programmes and staff in Malawi (until 2005) and East Africa and for the Traidcraft Consult/Development Support team (2010-2013). 
•	In this role I built upon existing skills and experience to become an accomplished manager of people (especially in remote teams), programmes and finances. 
•	I demonstrated strong project and programme development skills with a consistent record of successfully securing resources from major institutional donors. 
•	During this period I played an important role in the evolution of the organisation’s development approach, structure and way of working
•	I led on the development of a strategy to decentralise operations from the UK to overseas bases and successfully established an office in East Africa. 
•	I oversaw significant growth of the East Africa programme. From a limited project base and 1 staff member, it grew to a diverse portfolio employing 12 staff.

Traidcraft Exchange

Head of Africa Programmes

•	The most senior development professional within the organisation and a member of the Senior Management Team. 
•	Responsible for all Refugee Trust programmes. This involved providing leadership and strategic direction; winning resources for the organisation’s work; supervising Country Offices and providing them with management support and advice.  
•	Represented the organisation at a senior level with key donors, especially the Irish Government.  
•	I succeeded in significantly improving relations with key donors and in enhancing the professionalism, competence and standards of the programmes department.

Refugee Trust

Head of Programmes

•	Leadership of the Concern Universal programme in Malawi and ultimately responsible, as the most senior manager in country, for all aspects of leading a programme with an annual budget of approximately £2 million and employing more than 100 staff in the sectors of water, health, food security, small enterprise development and support to local NGOs. 
•	Represented the organisation at senior levels with Government, major donors and NGO partners/collaborators.

Concern Universal

Country Director

•	Deputy to the Country Director and member of the Senior Management Team. 
•	Specifically responsible for  the development and delivery of projects and for establishing, leading and winning resources for the NGO support unit, a unit within the organisation responsible for providing technical and organisational development support services to local NGOs.

•	Played a leading role in stimulating and managing the change from an NGO involved predominantly in relief activities to one recognised as a leading development organisation in the country and succeeded in evolving the organisation’s development approaches in line with this change
•	Part of a small senior management team which oversaw significant growth of the Malawi programme 
•	Succeeded in developing the NGO Support Unit within the organisation and its position as a leader in the field of organisational development to NGOs

Robert Donnelly