International development charity World Vision UK has put around 90 staff at risk of redundancy as part of a new consultation.
It is the second restructure at the Christian charity in less than a year, with plans to cut about 60 roles by 30 September.
Sources informed Civil Society that staff were discouraged by senior management from joining a union during last year’s redundancies.
They warned proposals from the current redundancy consultation period disproportionately impact front-facing staff, particularly fundraising and policy programmes.
According to documents seen by Civil Society, this includes 40 roles in its policy programmes and impact team being reduced to 28 jobs, while the individual giving team would be reduced from 15 to 12.
Four roles are at risk in central fundraising operations, while 16 are at risk in the communications and marketing team.
According to documents, the charity plans to outsource some of the affected roles’ functions.
Hours will be reduced for some positions while some staff will be required to work from the charity’s head office in Milton Keynes.
However, around 39 new positions will be created including multiple senior leadership roles such as chief operating officer and special assistant to the chief executive.
‘Challenging times’ for aid sector
Functions like governance, policy and government relations are expected to be brought under the chief executive’s remit.
The current changes follow a formal restructure last year, according to sources, which resulted in 30 job losses mainly impacting junior and fundraising roles.
World Vision UK has said the current plans are due to the financial challenges facing the international development sector caused by reductions in UK Official Development Assistance.
In response to claims staff were discouraged from joining a union, it added that employees have a range of formal and informal support mechanisms in place and have been invited to Q&A sessions with senior leadership including the CEO.
Fola Komolafe, World Vision’s chief executive, said: “I am deeply saddened by the impact that this restructuring is having on valued colleagues.
“In these exceptionally challenging times for the international development sector, World Vision UK remains committed and motivated by our goal to maintain and increase our outreach to help the millions of vulnerable children across the world facing hunger, poverty, threats to safety, and in need of urgent help in emergencies.”
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