Job Description

Fifth Sense
Development Director

• Are you passionate about helping people who often feel marginalised?
• Are you looking for a job with purpose?
• Could you build on some amazing work done to date entirely by volunteers and trustees and help Fifth Sense grow into becoming an established national charity? 

If so, please read on….

Introduction to Fifth Sense

Fifth Sense is the charity for people affected by smell and taste disorders – such as anosmia, the loss or lack of the sense of smell – conditions which are often invisible to those unaffected.  The vision of our pioneering and innovative organisation is to transform society’s understanding of the senses of smell and taste, and through doing so, transform the lives of those affected by smell and taste disorders.  We educate people on the importance of smell and taste and the impact that impairments of these senses can have whilst providing support, advice and a signpost to potential diagnosis and treatment to those affected, including their partners, family members and friends.  We also support, promote and facilitate research into such conditions. 

Established in 2012 by the current Chair, Fifth Sense has already established a programme of activity on which our 3 year Development Plan has been built.  Having now been granted a significant award from the National Lottery Community Fund to support our plan, we are in a position to scale-up our existing activity which will enable us to benefit many more people. 

Fifth Sense are therefore seeking a positive, motivated and dynamic individual with an interest in the senses of smell and taste to commit to leading our ambitious Development Plan and grow our organisation towards becoming a sustainable national charity.

The Role

You will lead the delivery of a multi-strand three-year project to grow Fifth Sense towards becoming an established charity with a national reach.

• Working in partnership with Consultant ENT Surgeons, Scientists, Academics and relevant external organisations, you will direct and oversee a programme of beneficiary-led activity to ensure that the people we represent:
  • will be better informed about potential medical treatment available;
  • will receive improved support and understanding both from their partners and from their medical practitioners;
  • will be better able to manage their own condition and thereby alleviate the distress caused;
  • will be able to use their personal experience to help others, for example by taking part in research and by volunteering.
• Using your enthusiasm and motivational and organisational skills, you’ll empower teams of volunteers to become the champions of their own condition and make their invisible condition visible. 
• Securing the future of our organisation is a crucial part of our Development Plan, and you’ll build on the external relationships already established by the trustee board to increase our reach and grow revenue in line with our sustainability plans.

This is a three year contract, with a six month probationary period.  Applicants will need to submit their cvs and to complete the application form to show how they match the requirements.  Please note that candidates selected for interview will be required to demonstrate that they are eligible to work in the UK.

The proposed timetable which may be subject to change if necessary is as follows:

13 Oct 2019
Applications close

17 Oct 2019
Selected candidates will be invited for interview in Leeds. Candidates will be expected to complete some assessment tests.

21 Oct 2019
Shortlisted candidates will receive additional information from the 3 year development plan from which they will be expected to prepare a presentation explaining how they propose to achieve the organisations aims. 

30 Oct 2019
Presentations from the shortlisted candidates will be received in London. 

Fifth Sense celebrates diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

Please click here to be redirected to the Fifth Sense website where you can download a full job description and an application form.