Arcus Foundation – Position Description
Position: Director, Executive Initiatives
Reports to: Executive Director
Location: New York
Position Summary
The Director, Executive Initiatives is a critically important role supporting the Arcus Foundation Executive Director (ED) in seizing and creating opportunities to further advance the foundation’s goals and priorities. This is not an administrative role, rather it is a facilitative project management/leadership role which requires a willingness to play a combination of active behind-the scenes roles as well as demonstrate individual initiative and leadership.
The Director position requires a highly resourceful individual with strong emotional intelligence, self-motivation, integrity, and cultural competence. He/she is willing to put the Foundation’s interest above all else and demonstrate absolute confidentiality and discretion. The Director has exceptional writing, analytical, and planning skills and takes a collaborative and approach to process design and facilitation. The Director, Executive Initiatives plays 3 key roles on behalf of the ED’s Office:
· Executive Office Program initiatives – To help extend the ED’s capacity to advance Arcus goals in general and the Executive Director’s external strategy in particular. The Director, will provide both support and independent leadership to aid in the research, design, development and execution of ED-initiated projects and program initiatives. Examples may include: creating presentations and other written materials for the ED, planning and facilitating convenings, attending meetings on the ED’s behalf, and acting as Program Officer for specific ED grants.
· Executive Office Planning, Management, and Reporting – This role is accountable for managing Executive Office team members in order to help maximize the EDs time, keep the projects he is working on moving forward, and ensure effective communication across/ to/from the Executive Office. This includes weekly planning & priority setting, staff management and delegation of work, and proactive identification and resolution of time or resource conflicts within and across teams. This role also has ownership of the overall organizational planning and meeting processes. This includes the design, obtaining buy-in, facilitation and communication related to annual strategic planning processes, regular progress reporting, quarterly SLT retreats, monthly all staff meetings, and weekly SLT meetings.
· Board Governance Liaison – This role will enable effective and timely communication and coordination with the Arcus Board of Directors and will support the Executive Director and SLT in the planning and execution of all Board and committee meetings. Additionally, the Director, will be help ensure understanding and compliance with all board governance mandates
QUALIFICATIONS:
Technical Expertise
• BA/BS degree required, Master’s degree preferred.
• A minimum of 10 years professional work experience, with at least 5 in a comparable role such as project manager, program director, chief of staff, or director of planning/special projects.
• Experience working in a foundation or not-for-profit to advance social movements ishighly valued. Demonstrated knowledge/commitment to working with Social Justice and/or Conservation issues strongly preferred.
• Proven track record planning and managing multiple complex projects and initiatives. Must be extremely well organized with great attention to detail. Must enjoy the challenges of taking an ambiguous project vision or goal and translate it into concrete objectives and steps
• Excellent staff management and coaching/staff development skills.
• Exceptional team orientation and possession of a facilitative and collaborate style of engaging others in projects. Able to effectively interface with senior management and the Board.
• Demonstrated ability to excel in a fast paced environment with competing priorities, while remaining flexible and proactive
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills required. Effectively engages and communicates with various stakeholders/audiences at multiple levels. Possesses the confidence and public speaking ability to represent Arcus on behalf of the ED with diverse audiences.
• Must possess solid decision making ability, independence and initiative. Able to create systems and solve difficult problems using sound judgment and analysis.
Professional Integrity
• Exceptional reliability and exhibits a high degree of professionalism at all times
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with limited supervision. Must be able to translate ideas and needs into action with minimal guidance.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of information and operate with maximum discretion.
• Effective stewardship of foundation staff and financial resources
• Shared commitment to the Arcus Foundation mission and values.
Cultural Competence
• Demonstrates sensitivity and respect for cultural values, practices, beliefs, and social experiences of diverse communities; effectively and comfortable engages in a variety of cultural settings
• Must be able to take direction from a variety of management styles and roles.
• Experience working in a global, multi-cultural, multi-location organization preferred
Positive Partnerships
• Positively and professionally strengthens the capacity of Arcus’s teams and external partners
• A confident and team oriented relationship builder who is able to communicate and work with people at all levels and backgrounds. Must be able to build appropriate rapport and to resolve issues of ambiguity and to diffuse high-tension situations comfortably.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust and collaboration across departments and teams
• Able to represent the foundation to external stakeholders
BENEFITS
Competitive salary and generous benefits package offered
APPLICATION PROCESS
Please apply online directly on our website at:http://www.arcusfoundation.org/employment/ .. In your coverletter, we would love for you to tell us something about yourself, why you are interested in the position and your current salary/salary requirements.
The deadline for all application submissions isJune 29th 2015.
The Arcus Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and is firmly committed to complying with all federal, state and local equal employment opportunity (“EEO”) laws. The Arcus Foundation strictly prohibits discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment because of the individual’s race, creed, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, height and weight, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, partnership status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, military status, arrest record and any other characteristic protected by law.