Job cuts at Scope to stave off credit crunch

Fundraising | Vibeka Mair | 14 Oct 2008

Scope is axing five key management roles in a “pre-emptive strike” against a possible recession.

Two senior directors on the executive management board and three senior managers have been made redundant in response to a decline in income and a worsening economic slowdown.

The move has almost halved Scope’s executive management board which loses Stephen Bowen, the executive director of external affairs and Andy Rickell, the disability commissioner.

The three remaining board members are Jon Sparkes, chief executive; Sharon Collins, executive director for Scope services and David Prescott, chief operating officer.

Scope confirmed it would make further redundancies over the next few months but was unable to give an idea of the number of staff it would affect. A spokeswoman said it would involve “reducing the size of some of our teams”.

The charity is also taking steps to reduce overheads, such as cutting non-essential expenditure and reviewing purchasing arrangements.

Chief executive Jon Sparkes, a former HR director at the charity, said: “We are taking these difficult decisions now, to help us to better weather the worst of the current economic storm. We will have a leaner senior management team but one which will be completely focused on building on our achievements to date and working in alliance with disabled people to defend their human rights and promote equality.

Alice Maynard, chair of Scope’s board of trustees added: “Scope, like many other charities, is feeling the pinch of the current economic slowdown. We are operating in a tough economic environment and therefore need to take tough decisions – this is pre-emptive action aimed at mitigating the full impact of a possible recession.”

A Scope spokeswoman said there had been a shortfall in legacy income of £500,000 so far this year.

The other roles to go will be the director of campaigns, head of co-production and head of programme development unit.

Directory: Scope
Who's Who: Vibeka Mair

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