Position: Executive Director, Sustained Dialogue Campus Network
Type: Full-time
Organization Overview:
Colleges and universities increasingly pledge an institutional commitment to diversity; yet, relations among diverse student communities are often dominated by racial and cultural tensions. Young people across the country frustrated with campus tensions have been drawn to a process called Sustained Dialogue (SD), first used to improve campus climate at Princeton University in 1999. Formed in 2003, the Sustained Dialogue Campus Network (SDCN) trains, mentors, and connects students seeking to build more cohesive, diverse, engaged campus communities through dialogue. SDCN seeks an Executive Director to lead its expansion nationally and to consolidate and build a strong and sustainable organization.
SDCN is a project of the International Institute for Sustained Dialogue (IISD), a non-profit organization with a $1.1M annual budget that helps citizens in international, community, corporate, and campus settings to transform conflictual relationships and to implement positive change through Sustained Dialogue. SD is the conceptualization of three decades of experience of former Assistant Secretary of State Harold Saunders in dialogues among citizens in deep-rooted conflict.
In five years, SD has spread to some 15 campuses and demand for its services continues to grow. This growth and the conviction that students—and the world—desperately need spaces for dialogue explain SDCN’s search for an Executive Director. We believe that SDCN can become the preeminent organization working with students in developing dialogue initiatives to address campus tensions. We seek a leader who can put us on the path to making this vision a reality.
Position Summary:
The Executive Director will focus on developing SDCN, within its mission and goals, from a young, growing initiative into a robust, sustainable organization. S/he will play a significant role in setting the organization's overall strategic direction and in achieving its social mission. The SDCN Executive Director will report to IISD’s President and the SDCN Advisory Board. Two Program Directors, both experienced with SD on campuses, will collaborate with and report to the Executive Director. Specific responsibilities include:
Strategy and Programs
- Plan and help implement a strategic assessment of SDCN in collaboration with SDCN Program Directors and Advisory Board
- Lead a strategic plan to ensure progress toward achieving long-term vision, including an approach for expansion to additional campuses
- Collaborate with Program Directors to develop and implement practices for reporting to key stakeholders, with a focus on tracking milestones and program development
- Collaborate with Program Directors on reporting to and engaging the SDCN Advisory Board
- Collaborate with the SDCN Advisory Board to maximize its strategic oversight role for the organization
- Manage existing system of Program Director recruitment, support, monitoring, and evaluation
- Help integrate programmatic work into the broader IISD organizational strategy
Resource Development/Fundraising and Financial Oversight
- Develop and implement a sustainable fundraising plan to support network growth - including expanding existing funding sources and cultivating new prospects
- Help to expand organizational structures and resources to leverage new fundraising capacity
- Oversee development and day-to-day management of the SDCN budget
- Manage responsibilities associated with implementation and reporting on SDCN foundation grants
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 the organization substantively in the fields of dialogue and deliberation, diversity in higher education, civic-engagement and democracy-building, conflict transformation, and campus activism
- Develop and implement a strategy for strengthening the SDCN alumni community
Qualifications:
- Minimum 5 years experience in nonprofit or for-profit management role
- Evidence of leadership capabilities
- Strong fundraising track record, with diverse experience (e.g. private support, corporate) a plus
- 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
- MBA, Public Policy, or Nonprofit Management degree, or similar preferred
Desired Personal Qualities:
- Demonstrated commitment to social change; past experience in diversity initiatives, civic engagement, higher education, etc.
- Entrepreneurial, engaged by start-up environment
- Creative thinker, with superior strategic and analytical skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills, especially with people of varied ages and 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
- Motivated by working with young people
Compensation:
Salary will be commensurate with experience and competitive with non-profit sector.
Start Date: Summer 2008 preferred
Organization Name: Sustained Dialogue Campus Network, an initiative of the International Institute for Sustained Dialogue
Type of Organization: Nonprofit
Mission Statement: There are some things that only governments can do - such as negotiate peace agreements. But there are some things that only citizens can do - such as transform conflictual human relationships, modify human behavior, change political culture. The capacities and energies of these citizens are the world's greatest untapped resources in meeting the challenges of the 21st century. Effective democracy and economic development depend on building effective relationships. Sustained Dialogue makes them happen.
Location: Washington, DC
Organization Web Site: www.sustaineddialogue.org; www.sdcampusnetwork.org
