Executive Director

About ALIMA

The Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) was founded in 2009 in Niger, during a moment of urgent need. At that time, medical professionals were witnessing an alarming rise in acute malnutrition and infant mortality across the country, while the health system’s capacity to respond was rapidly deteriorating. The year before, many international humanitarian organisations had been expelled from the country, leaving local groups as the only ones left to act, but they lacked resources to address the scale of the crisis. A new model of humanitarian assistance was urgently needed, one that would unite the knowledge and proximity of local actors with the support and expertise of international partners.

From this vision, ALIMA was created: an African medical alliance connecting national NGOs with international assistance and research institutes, enabling medical care in places that are often inaccessible to other international NGOs.

The alliance-based model involves building alliances and partnerships between local health workers, national medical organisations, research institutes and international funders to provide quality care to people in Sub-Saharan Africa and Haiti during emergencies and protracted crises. Its work is all based on collaboration. ALIMA works together with local partners, co-designing and co-managing projects. In doing so, it is locally led. ALIMA’s local partners utilise their vast experience to create solutions adapted to local or regional contexts.

Departing from conventional humanitarian protocols, this network of local partner organisations increases the impact and speed with which ALIMA can provide medical emergency programmes. It also means that the organisation is harnessing the power of local medical talent and working alongside and through communities to build capacity and strengthen sustainable health systems.

Since its creation more than 15 years ago, ALIMA has treated over 18 million people in 15 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and Haiti. Today, ALIMA remains driven by its founding purpose: to save lives and to care for the most at-risk populations during health crises and emergencies. Recognised for its sector-leading and award-winning medical expertise, the organisation focuses on maternal and child health, nutrition, epidemics, emerging diseases, and medical research and innovation.

ALIMA also strives to transform humanitarian medicine by fostering research and innovation to improve care and help communities prepare for the future. Its alliance, therefore, includes international and local research institutions. Only 3.6% of international research projects are focused on low-income countries in the African continent, yet they are home to the largest proportion of people in need of humanitarian aid.

Local staff represent 95% of ALIMA’s workforce, serving at every level of the organisation, from Country Directors to colleagues based at the Operational Headquarters in Dakar, Senegal. Alongside its operational hub, ALIMA maintains offices in France, USA and the UK.

 

About ALIMA UK

ALIMA UK is the sister organisation of ALIMA and is a self-sustaining UK independent charity. ALIMA UK supports the work of ALIMA by raising funds and developing partnerships and collaborations in the UK.

ALIMA UK has a small but highly effective team of two staff members, working closely with a dedicated Board of Trustees and colleagues across the wider ALIMA international network. To maximise resources and minimise overheads, the team operates primarily remotely, while meeting regularly in a shared workspace in King’s Cross, London.

The organisation secures funding from UK-based donors, trusts, foundations and institutional partners in support of ALIMA’s humanitarian work. These funds are transferred to ALIMA, which in turn provides grant funding to ALIMA UK to support its operations and continued growth.

Despite its lean structure, ALIMA UK has delivered significant impact. In 2025, the organisation strengthened its operational efficiency, enhanced its governance framework and further developed a high-performing fundraising function. Through a focused and strategic approach to donor engagement, ALIMA UK has developed a robust pipeline of prospective funders and cultivated a range of high-value partnerships. This has resulted in substantial new income, culminated in the development of a major strategic funding partnership with the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF).

Job Summary

ALIMA UK is seeking an entrepreneurial and externally oriented Executive Director to lead the organisation through its next phase of growth and influence. Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the Executive Director will provide strategic leadership for ALIMA UK, strengthening the organisation’s profile, influence and reach across the UK. They will build relationships with funders, policymakers, media, research institutions and civil society, positioning ALIMA as a leading voice in humanitarian health while securing the partnerships and support needed to advance its mission.

Strategic Development

• Develop and deliver an ambitious yet practical UK strategy aligned with ALIMA’s international priorities, strengthening profile, partnerships and income.
• Increase ALIMA’s visibility and influence across the UK stakeholder ecosystem.
• Work closely with the Board to establish strategic priorities, monitor performance and manage organisational opportunities and risks.

External Engagement

• Represent ALIMA UK externally, acting as a spokesperson at sector events, conferences, media opportunities and strategic forums.
• Build and maintain relationships with media, research institutions, opinion-formers and strategic partners to increase awareness of ALIMA’s work and impact.
• Drive thought leadership, public engagement and strategic communications, working closely with international colleagues to ensure a coordinated approach.

Income Growth

• Lead a diversified income strategy spanning philanthropy, trusts and foundations, research funders and corporate partnerships.
• Cultivate, secure and steward high-value donors and funding partners.
• Strengthen engagement with UK institutional donors, including the FCDO and other relevant funding bodies.

Network Leadership

• Maintain a strong understanding of ALIMA’s strategic priorities, operational realities, humanitarian contexts and research agenda.
• Build and maintain strong relationships across ALIMA’s international network, working closely with leadership, operational teams and key stakeholders.
• Undertake visits to programmes and country offices (subject to operational and security considerations).

Organisational Leadership

• Work closely with the Board of Trustees to support effective governance, strategic decision-making and organisational growth.
• Lead and develop the UK team, fostering strong performance, collaboration and effective ways of working across ALIMA.
• Ensure robust financial management, regulatory compliance, risk oversight and donor accountability, upholding best practice in charity governance and organisational stewardship.

In addition to these, other duties may be required from time to time that are consistent with the post holder’s skills, experience and the grade of the post.

The successful candidate will be a strategic and entrepreneurial leader with a demonstrated ability to build influential relationships, raise organisational profile, develop strategic partnerships and secure significant support for an international mission. Comfortable operating in a lean environment, they will combine strategic thinking with a hands-on approach, driving results through relationships, influence and initiative.

They will have:

• Strong understanding of the UK funding landscape.
• Track record of securing funding and developing strategic partnerships with major donors, trusts and foundations, institutional funders and corporate partners.
• Experience raising an organisation’s profile and influence through strategic communications, stakeholder engagement and external representation.
• Outstanding communication and relationship-building skills with the credibility to engage senior donors, funders, policymakers, researchers and other stakeholders.
• Good understanding of the role of research, evidence and innovation in advancing humanitarian and global development outcomes.
• Experience leading people, budgets and strategic plans.
• A collaborative, pragmatic and resilient leadership style, with the ability to deliver in a lean and entrepreneurial environment.
• A commitment to ALIMA’s mission, values and humanitarian principles.

Desirable:

• Experience in humanitarian action, international development or global health, ideally including exposure to programme contexts and operations.
• Experience working closely with Trustees or Non-Executive Boards.
• French language skills.

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