Sheltersuit’s face when it comes to connecting its strong social mission with the need for business acumen.

• Driven by the belief that – in an era of hyper-wealth and seemingly boundless growth - major social problems have to be addressed with urgency and solved through viable, market based and scalable solutions.

• An outspoken Social Entrepreneur who perfectly understands how to make impact, how to connect people and how to spread the Sheltersuit word. Impact is your key driver.

• A true communicator and bridge builder, both internally as well as externally.

• An innovative mind, thinking in possibilities when it comes to resolve the global and distressing problem of homelessness.

SHELTERSUIT FOUNDATION

Immediate shelter to the homeless – Using upcycled material – Providing jobs

Worldwide, over 150 million people are experiencing homelessness. That number is growing by the minute. Poverty, mental illness, unexpected loss of jobs, natural disasters and wars are the top causes of homelessness around the world. In the Netherlands alone, more than 30,000 people are currently experiencing homelessness.

How Sheltersuit was founded

When a father of a friend died on the streets of hyperthermia, Bas Timmer had the urge to make a change. He felt that no one should experience the conditions that led to this. To help protect people experiencing homelessness from the elements, he designed the Sheltersuit, a wind- and waterproof coat that can be transformed into a sleeping bag. Sheltersuit Foundation was founded in 2014 to help ease the symptoms of homelessness.

Nowadays, Sheltersuit exists in Europe, South Africa and the United States, continuing to create products suited to local climates and needs while using upcycled materials and providing jobs.

Mission

Sheltersuit believes that everyone deserves warmth, protection and dignity. This keeps the Sheltersuit team focussed on creating specially designed products and working with partners to distribute them where they are needed most. Sheltersuit thrives on bringing people together and their products are made in social factories, employing people with a distance to the labour market.

Reducing waste-streams

The fashion and textiles industry is extraordinarily wasteful. Upcycling material is an important part of the process of making Sheltersuits and other Shelterproducts (e.g. the Shelterbag). Sheltersuits are lined with repurposed sleeping bags, making each one unique, and often utilise upcycled tent fabric for the outer. Other partnerships also aid in repurposing factory seconds meaning less waste and more environmental awareness.

Partnerships

Sheltersuit believes in the power of co-operation is the only way to create a sustainable positive change. For example, TenCate Outdoor Fabrics is a valued partner, suppling the outer fabric of the Sheltersuit. Furthermore, the organization is supported by Start Foundation, who invests in the further professionalization of the organization and the creation of workplaces for people with a distance to the labour market. And many other companies and funds, like Maersk and Cloé, who believe in the Sheltersuit mission.

YOUR ROLE

Your ultimate goal

In Europe alone, over 800,000 people are homeless of which 10% live on the street. It’s Sheltersuit’s goal for 2025 to support 20,000 people with thoughtfully made products that help ease the symptoms of homelessness.

Backed by new funding, it’s up to you to help:

• Build a vast network of strategic partners

• Grow funding through corporate partnerships, grants, funds and donations.

• Professionalize the Sheltersuit commercial model

• Optimize and expand factory capacity

• Further build teams in: HR; Production; Finance; Sales

• Bringing Sheltersuit to the next level.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and support the success of all direct reports in establishing, executing and achieving goals that supports the Sheltersuit Mission & Vision.

• Establish, execute and achieve short- and long-term strategies that advance the Sheltersuit capacity to carry out its mission.

• Protect and enhance the Sheltersuit national, European and global reputation alongside all stakeholders to support and foster the organization’s health and well-being.

• Ensure a productive, open and transparent partnership with the Board that supports and fosters the organization’s health and well-being.

• Ensures that the Sheltersuit infrastructure and systems can support the organization’s ongoing growth and development.
  
  
  

Team & Organization

“People helping People” - a team of 15 employees and approximately 25 volunteers work in the social sewing atelier in Enschede. Many of whom are distanced to the labour market. For newcomers, who have overcome hardship or people with a disability Sheltersuit Factory creates employment opportunities. Supported by the Sheltersuit founder and Chief Creative Officer, Bas Timmer and together with the Chief Operations Officer you run both Sheltersuit Foundation as well as Sheltersuit Factory.

BACKGROUND / CANDIDATE PROFILE

Skills and Knowledge

• Confident and decisive leader who is organized, strategic, financially aware and politically astute; able to develop and maintain, on all fronts, a sense of team spirit and common purpose as a seasoned professional.

• Proven managerial problem solving and strategic planning capability, preferably at a socially conscious and values-led organization.

• Proven ability to interact professionally with a committed board and to create constructive relationships with board and staff.

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing and verbally, excellent public speaking skills and ability to represent the Sheltersuit as a product to a broad public. (English and Dutch)

• Understanding of government grants and contracts, with an awareness of current and ongoing changes in the political landscape that may impact the funding of the Sheltersuit Foundation.

• Diplomatic and persuasive in order to manage a diverse group of able professionals and board members with strong opinions and personalities.

• Entrepreneur and dealmaker; able to articulate a vision and engage others in order to achieve it; a big-picture seer, with the ability to delegate day-to-day responsibilities to others.

• Sense of humor and maturity in order to maintain perspective and a sense of balance.

Education

Bachelor degree required. MBA preferred.