Mentoring with On Purpose
Mentoring is a critical part of the On Purpose Associate Programme. Mentors guide and challenge Associates to add value and create lasting impact through their work in a placement. This could involve helping them develop a new strategy for their department, collaborating on a new impact measurement framework, or guiding them through a consulting project or investment deal.
Mentors act as a sounding board and advisor as the Associates deliver great work in their placements whilst also exploring and defining what they want to learn and experience as they look at their future career.
Our Associates have been selected through a highly competitive process, and they are all talented generalists who have the potential to become leaders in the impact sector. Our hope is that they can go on to bring about systemic change and help to build a healthy economy that works for everyone. Mentoring is a great opportunity to be a part of their journey.
Who we look for
Our mentors are professionals with 15 or more years’ experience, preferably across a wide range of organisations where they have interacted with top level management, who are passionate about helping to develop the next generation of purpose-led leaders. We are very grateful for the support of mentors who all offer their time pro bono. Over the course of the On Purpose year mentors work with two Associates placed in a particular host organisation with whom they meet fortnightly.
What's involved?
Mentoring involves:
- Helping Associates prioritise and problem solve in a structured manner
- Acting as a sounding board and providing some quality assurance for the Associate’s work
- Drawing down on the mentor’s expertise to support the Associate’s Learning & Development
- Being part of the On Purpose community, a community of individuals and organisations that put purpose before profit
Become a mentor
We particularly welcome applications from female, disabled, LGBTQA+ and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people as these groups are currently under-represented within On Purpose mentors.
Our mentors enjoy the opportunity to apply their professional skill set to a different context. They gain insight into, and connections within, different sectors and industries, and are able to refine the skill of having developmental conversations.
This is a great opportunity to shape the development of a high-potential leader who could go on to deliver impactful, systemic change in the impact sector. We select Associates who are both motivated and talented, so they are highly engaged and interested mentees.
Becoming a mentor also enables you to become part of the On Purpose community - which will give you the chance to join us for events and learning sessions as well as connect with a like-minded network of people who want to contribute to transforming the economy so that it better serves people and planet.
We launch a new cohort of Associates every April and October and look to start conversations with new mentors a couple of months before each launch. You can register your interest at any time of the year, however be aware that it may be a short while before there is an opportunity to have conversations with the team and begin mentoring.
FAQs
- What do On Purpose mentors do?
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Mentors are the most frequent regular support for Associates. They provide guidance and challenge to Associates and quality assurance to the host organisation during their placement. Topics you might work through with an Associate range from reviewing a board presentation to navigating organisational politics. Mentors also get to know the Associates on a personal level and help them with their careers beyond On Purpose.
- What is the commitment mentors have to make?
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On average, we estimate this is about one hour per week. Every second week mentors meet face-to-face with their Associate to help them with whatever their hot topics are in their placement. During the remaining weeks, they might check in briefly by phone or email if any specific issues or deadlines are looming.
- What kinds of people do you look for to be a mentor?
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Mentors need to be able to help Associates deliver as much value to each placement as possible, during the six months that the Associate is doing their placement. We don’t require you to have specific social enterprise or social sector experience, but a strong transferable skill set.
You will need to have worked in jobs that have given you exposure to many different organisations in a short amount of time and where you have worked with senior stakeholders. Our mentors often have some experience in top-flight management consultancies, private equity firms or banks, although mentors with relevant experience from other places are also very welcome.
- What will I get out of it?
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As a mentor you will not only work with two smart and highly motivated Associates, but you will also get great experience of the placement organisation you are working with and so gain insight into how some cutting edge organisations are harnessing the power of business to achieve social benefit. In addition, we make sure you have plenty of opportunities to meet and network with other parts of the On Purpose family, be that other mentors, coaches, trainers or placement hosts.
A recent mentor said: “Being an On Purpose mentor has been a fantastic mix of fun, rewarding and extremely helpful for the day job. The last of these was the most surprising, but obvious when you think about it – getting to know some of the most talented people and exciting enterprises working at the intersection of business and society is always going to be a great investment of time. The fact that everyone involved is so lovely and fun is the icing on the cake.”
- Do you pay mentors?
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No, all our mentors volunteer.
- When can I start?
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We look for new mentors twice a year: One cohort starts in April, and a second cohort starts in October. You are welcome to express your interest at any time of the year but we are likely to begin conversations just a 1-2 months ahead of a cohort start date.