Village Health Works (VHW) is a 501(c)(3) global health organization operating in Burundi, East Africa, with offices in New York City. Founded in 2006, VHW’s mission is to build a healthier and more just, peaceful, and prosperous society by providing quality health care (a prerequisite to productive life) in a dignified environment. We seek to be a center of excellence and a premier teaching institution in global health for East Africa. We believe quality health care must address the root causes and social determinants of disease. Accordingly, we offer additional programs in education, agriculture, and economic and community development, in response to community needs.
Village Health Works’ annual budget is roughly $2 million and is growing rapidly. In addition, VHW is conducting a capital campaign with a view to expanding its infrastructure in Burundi, including a hospital and associated hydroelectric plant, a school and staff housing.
For more information, please visit www.villagehealthworks.org
Position Overview
The Executive Director (ED) will report to VHW’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). In collaboration with the CEO, the ED will provide leadership and strategic direction for VHW, and will have primary day-to-day responsibility for VHW’s New-York-based staff and activities. In particular, the ED will be the chief fundraiser for the organization and will develop a strategy and systems for both statutory and private fundraising, with a view to doubling VHW’s annual operating budget over the next three years and increasing its capital funds. The ED will work closely with VHW’s active and supportive board of directors.
Responsibilities
Leadership and Management
- In collaboration with VHW’s CEO, provide leadership and strategic direction for the organization.
- Ensure coordination and collaboration between VHW’s Burundi and New York offices, in particular with regard to financial and grant reporting, donor relationships, planning for infrastructure and program development in Burundi, as well as research and program evaluation.
- Assist VHW’s CEO in developing, maintaining, and supporting a strong board of directors; serve as ex-officio member and staff liaison for several board committees.
- Lead, supervise, coach, develop, and retain VHW’s small but talented staff team (currently, five staff members in New York).
- Develop effective systems to track VHW’s progress in all its activities, so as to constantly improve VHW’s performance and identify successes that can be effectively communicated to the board, funders, staff, and other constituents.
Fundraising and Communications
- Create fundraising strategies, with specific targets, that increase the organization’s support from individuals, corporations, foundations, and statutory sources.
- Strengthen fundraising and financial systems: to support the fundraising strategies, to track progress in reaching fundraising goals and evaluate the strength of the strategies and their implementation, to strengthen donor cultivation, and to facilitate regular reporting and analysis.
- Play a key role in identifying, cultivating, and soliciting major donors for capital and annual gifts.
- Work in close collaboration with staff and board members to achieve the fundraising goals of the organization.
- Strengthen all aspects of communications—including web presence, written materials, and events—with the goal of creating a stronger brand.
Qualifications
The ED will be thoroughly committed to VHW’s mission. The ED will have a passion for enabling a start-up organization to develop the strategy, systems and staff capabilities needed for the organization to achieve its full potential. He/she will derive satisfaction from enabling VHW’s Founder and CEO to play a more outward-facing role as VHW’s visionary leader and chief external relationship builder. All candidates should have proven leadership, supervisory and relationship management experience. Concrete demonstrable experience and other qualifications include:
- Advanced degree, with at least 5 years senior management experience; track record of effectively leading an outcome-based organization/department and staff; ability to point to specific examples of having developed and operationalized strategies that have taken an organization/department to the next stage of growth.
- Unwavering commitment to quality programs and data-driven program evaluation.
- Strong past experience in fundraising and development. (We would welcome applications from senior directors or deputy directors of development seeking to transition to leadership of an organization.)
- Excellence in organizational management, with the ability to coach staff, manage and develop high-performance teams, set and achieve strategic objectives, and manage a budget.
- Past success working with a board of directors, with the ability to cultivate existing board member relationships.
- Strong marketing and public relations experience with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders and cultures.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills.
- Action-oriented, entrepreneurial, adaptable, and innovative approach to business planning.
- Ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people, and with people at a distance.
- Willingness to travel both domestically and internationally.
- Previous experience working in Africa or with organizations in Africa.
- Passion, idealism, integrity, positive attitude, mission-driven, self-directed, and deriving satisfaction from helping others to succeed.
Compensation: Commensurate with experience; competitive full benefit package provided.
How to apply:
Applicants should submit a resume and a two-page cover letter to jobs@villagehealthworks.org
Applicants must have the right to work in the US.
Applications will be considered until the post is filled.
Only selected applicants will be contacted for interviews. Those applicants will be informed whether or not their application will move forward after the interview. We will be unable to respond to candidates who are not called for interview. The job posting will be removed from the VHW website when the post has been filled.
VHW considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability. VHW is an equal opportunity employer.
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