Resource Type:

Job

Posted On: May 05, 2009

Posted By: Joanna Hecht

Description:

The Connect U.S. Fund is seeking a leader committed to our vision of responsible U.S. global engagement and the belief that the whole of NGO advocacy in support of this goal must be greater than the sum of its parts.

The Connect U.S. Fund is a foundation/NGO initiative that promotes responsible U.S. global engagement in an increasingly interdependent world through grantmaking and operations that advance critical foreign policy objectives and support an effective, collaborative community of individuals and organizations working toward common objectives.  The Connect U.S. community includes over 1,900 individuals, initiatives and organizations that share the goals of promoting responsible U.S. global engagement and using collaboration as a strategy to accomplish policy objectives.  The Fund was created in 2004 and is supported by a funders' collaborative which presently includes the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Open Society Institute, the Ford Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Atlantic Philanthropies and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. The Connect U.S. Fund is managed by the Tides Foundation. The Connect U.S. Council provides policy and program guidance for the Connect U.S. initiative, and is comprised of representatives from each of the five supporting foundations.  For more information about the Fund, please visit our website at http://www.connectusfund.org.

The Fund is currently led by a full-time Executive Director.  In recruiting for a successor, we are looking for a very high caliber leader and, therefore, are considering a variety of leadership models, including continuing with a full-time Executive Director or, depending on the seniority and experience of the candidate, a part-time President.

For more information about the Connect U.S. Fund, visit our website, at www.connectusfund.org

To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to jobs@connectusfund.org.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis as we wish to fill the position as soon as possible. 

Responsibilities

The new leader will have the following responsibilities:

• Provide leadership in developing strategic direction and program implementation plans for the Fund's grantmaking and operational activities and supervise their implementation.
• Serve as the primary external spokesperson for the Fund, promoting its vision to policymakers, NGOs, the media and other audiences.
• Further expand the Fund's profile and contacts in policymaking circles.
• Oversee Fund finances, including budgeting and fundraising.
• Sustain the relationship with the foundations in the funders' collaborative and seek, as appropriate, new foundation participants.
• Lead grantmaking programs and provide expert direction to determination of funding strategy and decisions on individual grants.

Qualifications:

• Broad expertise and knowledge of the U.S. foreign policy field and policymaking.
• A minimum of 15-20 years work experience, with significant foreign policy experience in Executive and/or Legislative Branch settings.
• Capacity to reach key decision-makers within and outside government.
• Some experience with nonprofit advocacy and grantmaking preferred.
• Demonstrated commitment to the values of responsible U.S. global engagement and the objectives of the Connect U.S. Fund (as described, for example, in our 2008-2009 Request for Letters of Inquiry, at http://www.connectusfund.org/files/Connect_US_Fund_RFLOI_2008-09.pdf )
• Strong belief in the value of NGO advocacy and the importance of collaborative approaches.
• Willingness to experiment while maintaining strategic focus.
• Collaborative leadership skills.

The Connect U.S. Fund is an Equal Opportunity Employer and strongly encourages applications from minority and women candidates.