SDCN RECRUITING FIRST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Take action by Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Position: Executive
Director, Sustained Dialogue Campus
Network
Type: Full-time,
Salaried
Organization
Overview:
Colleges and universities frequently pledge an
institutional commitment
to diversity; yet, student communities are
often dominated by racial,
social and cultural tensions. Increasingly,
students are seeking their
own solutions to these pressures by
participating in Sustained
Dialogue, a proven method that helps students
navigate complex social
dynamics, builds social capital on campuses,
and instills democratic
habits in the next generation of civic leaders.
Sustained
Dialogue was first implemented at Princeton
University in 1999 and then
spread in a grass-roots manner to other
campuses. In 2003, SD leaders
joined forces to form the Sustained Dialogue
Campus Network (SDCN). In
five years, SD spread to 15 campuses, and
demand for its services
continues to grow. Today, SDCN trains, mentors,
and connects hundreds
of students seeking to build more cohesive,
diverse, engaged campus
communities through dialogue. SDCN aims
to become the preeminent
organization leveraging the efforts of student
leaders to improve
campus climates and build social capital
nationwide.
SDCN
operates under the umbrella of the
International Institute for
Sustained Dialogue (IISD), a non-profit
organization with an $850k
annual budget that helps citizens in
international, community, and
campus settings to transform conflictual
relationships and to implement
positive change through Sustained Dialogue.
Sustained Dialogue is the
outgrowth of three decades of experience of
retired diplomat Harold
Saunders, who is best known for his involvement
in the Middle East
peace process in the 1970s, as well as for his
role as a facilitator of
citizen dialogues in Russia, Tajikistan,
Armenia, and Iraq.
Position Summary: SDCN seeks an
Executive
Director
to help us make our vision a reality. The
Executive Director will lead
SDCN’s expansion nationally, from a
multi-campus initiative into a
robust, sustainable organization. The
successful candidate will play a
significant role in setting the
organization’s overall strategic
direction and in achieving its mission. The
SDCN Executive Director
will report to IISD’s President and the SDCN
Advisory Board. A
four-person staff, already experienced with
Sustained Dialogue on
campuses, will collaborate with and report to
the Executive Director.
The position is located at IISD headquarters in
Washington, DC.
Job Responsibilities:
Strategy and
Operations:
- Engage SDCN Advisory Board, staff, and other key stakeholders to devise and implement a strategic plan for the organization
- Manage staff recruitment, support, monitoring, and evaluation
- Help integrate programmatic work into the broader IISD organizational strategy
- Engage and develop the role of the SDCN Advisory Board
- Develop and implement practices for reporting to key stakeholders, including tracking milestones and program developments
Resource Development and Financial Management:
- Develop and implement a sustainable fundraising plan to support network growth - including expanding existing funding sources and cultivating new prospects
- Oversee implementation of SDCN foundation grants
- Oversee development and management of the SDCN budget
External Relations:
- Strengthen and initiate relationships with campus administrators, to ensure strong support for campus SD initiatives
- Manage SDCN external relationships to build the profile of the organization
- Represent SDCN with key stakeholder audiences (e.g. dialogue and deliberation, diversity in higher education, civic-engagement and democracy-building)
- Strengthen targeted outreach to SDCN alumni community
Job Qualifications:
- Minimum 5 years experience in nonprofit or for-profit management role
- Evidence of exceptional leadership capabilities
- Strong fundraising track record, with diverse experience (e.g. individual, corporate, and foundation gifts)
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain external relationships (e.g. partner organizations, funders, key stakeholders)
- Demonstrated ability to build internal management systems and infrastructure
- Exceptional public speaking and communication skills
- MA degree strongly preferred (MBA, Public Policy, Public Administration, Social Work, Nonprofit Management, or similar degree)
Desirable Personal Qualities:
- Demonstrated commitment to social change; experience in civic engagement, diversity, and relevant social movements
- Entrepreneurial, motivated by start-up environment and working with young people
- Creative thinker, with superior strategic and analytical skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills, especially with people of diverse backgrounds
- Independent work style, with ability to work both as a leader and as part of a team
- Passionate, energetic, flexible, and positive
- Strong integrity and character
To Apply: Send cover letter, resume, salary and benefits history and requirements, and potential start date to employment@sdcampusnetwork.org. Please indicate how you learned about the position (ie, a particular job board, friend, etc). NO CALLS PLEASE.
Start Date: August 1, 2009 preferred
Compensation: Competitive non-profit salary and benefits
Organization Website: www.sdcampusnetwork.org OR www.sustaineddialogue.org