About World Vision UK

As a Christian organisation, World Vision UK encourages everyone to live their faith in the workplace and this helps to reflect the values of the organisation. People are free to speak their mind and give clear and accurate feedback. There are 17 senior leaders in the organisation, including The Executive Leadership Team (ELT), and they meet regularly to ensure alignment. All leaders are encouraged to lead an All Staff Devotions at least once a year and the ELT meets together on a weekly basis for a time of prayer and devotion. Directors attend drop-in meetings, along with the CEO, during which staff are invited to ask questions of the Senior Leadership. This encourages transparency in the way the organisation is run and how decisions are made. Each senior leader holds regular team meetings and one-to-ones with their direct reports; operating an open door policy and offering pastoral support for those in their teams. Leaders at World Vision do not ask of others things they are not prepared to do themselves and although some people have more authority and responsibility than others, the culture is not hierarchical.

World Vision UK have a dedicated development programme for new and experienced managers and leaders, that aims to develop and support them in carrying out their roles within the organisation. The programme includes The Leadership Development Programme, which is designed to provide World Vision UK with a cadre of leaders who are aligned, equipped and enthused to deliver their organisational priorities, by consistently living out the company’s values and Christian identity against a set of core behaviours. The Motivational Manager is a modular programme developed to support managers, at all levels, to become highly effective people managers and enable them to manage and lead their teams well. People Management Skills Workshop - a number of workshops are provided throughout the year that up-skill new managers in the use of the company’s people management systems, and the way we do things, e.g. recruitment and performance management. Coaching: all senior managers are given the opportunity to receive coaching with a qualified external coach. In addition, internal mentoring and/or coaching is available for people managers at all levels. HR Business Partner Meetings: HR Business Partners provide support to all people managers through monthly one-to-one meetings. These meetings provide managers with the opportunity to seek advice, discuss development within their teams and raise any concerns they may have regarding people management. Acting Up & Secondments: when opportunities arise, managers are encouraged to act up into more senior positions and/or take up secondments into roles, which will enable and encourage their personal and professional development.

World Vision UK is made up of 4 groups, each with between 30-120 people in them. Each group holds weekly 'stand-up' meetings, which last between 15 and 30 minutes. Anyone from across the organisation can attend to hear the headlines from the past and coming week for that group, including any upcoming deadlines, events, external influences or special occasions (including birthdays). In addition, several times a month all staff are given the opportunity to come along to a Brown Bag Lunch – an informal learning opportunity, which provides staff and visitors with a platform from which to share information and/or stories about the work that World Vision UK do around the world. All new employees attend the company’s Foundations Programme within their first 6 months at World Vision UK. Foundations is an interactive 3 day course that gives staff a full induction to World Vision in the UK and globally. Sessions throughout the 3 days are led by members of their Leadership Forum from across the organisation, including Directors and the CEO, and at the end of the third day, employees are given the opportunity to ask any questions they have in a panel style interview with the Executive Leadership Team. Finally, all staff members receive a weekly internal news bulletin, which highlights some of the key work happening around the organisation, upcoming learning opportunities, internal vacancies and any other information deemed important, inspiring and helpful for staff to know about.