POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT
Position: Director
Organization Name: Elevate Children Funders Group
Website: https://elevatechildren.org/
Salary: This is an exempt, full-time position. The salary range is competitive and commensurate with
experience and includes participation in the organization’s benefits plan.
Location: Remote
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Elevate Children Funders Group (ECFG) is a global consortium of foundations whose mission is to advance
philanthropy that supports children facing adversity in order to elevate the global holistic children’s
agenda. ECFG is seeking a new Director who will be responsible for providing strategic vision and
leadership as the organization aims to maximize the expertise, partnership, and collective voice of its
membership in a new period of growth. The Director reports to a Steering Committee composed of
representatives from ECFG member organizations, and manages a remote Secretariat team under the
fiscal sponsorship of NEO Philanthropy.
The new Director will lead ECFG into an exciting period of transformation with tremendous potential to
impact a broad field of global actors. Therefore, it is envisioned that the Director will provide high-
quality:
- Vision and leadership;
- Membership engagement and network program design;
- External engagement and information exchange; and
- Management, governance, and operations oversight.
This opportunity calls for an inspirational, executive, and patient leader with a unique combination of
qualities, skills, and experience, including: a sophisticated understanding of global philanthropy,
expertise in network facilitation and collaboration, proven relationship-building skills, and a
demonstrated track record of skillful, strategic, and diplomatic engagement in catalyzing collaborative
action.
For more information regarding submitting an application, please reference the final section of this
document.
ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW
Elevate Children Funders Group (ECFG) is a global consortium of foundations dedicated to building
strong families and a life free from violence for all children and young people around the world. As a global
community of funders, we strongly believe and support the idea that children and youth are best able to
thrive and reach their full potential when we invest in them and their communities, particularly those that
are most marginalized. ECFG works on the premise that philanthropy is “better together” and that the
sum of the parts can drive greater sustainable change than the work of individual foundations in any given
field.
Established in 2011, ECFG’s 20+ members include many of the leading global funders and philanthropic
advisors funding issues related to children and youth affected by adversity. Recognizing the important
diversity among member foundations’ expertise, interests and strengths, ECFG offers a range of services,
which are designed to share information and knowledge as well as support diverse collaborative activities.
ECFG operates under a fiscal sponsorship agreement with NEO Philanthropy, which provides support for
financial accounting, human resources, and operational tasks. A remote Secretariat staff (Director and
Program Officer) works closely with the Steering Committee—volunteer representatives from ECFG’s
member organizations who assist with oversight, guidance, and direction—to lead and execute ECFGs
programs, services, and activities, and ensure the smooth functioning of the organization.
PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES
It is envisioned that the Director will provide high-quality:
Vision and leadership: Working collaboratively with the Secretariat staff and Steering Committee, the
Director will manage the development of a new multi-year organizational strategy to carry ECFG into a
period of greater collective action, and lead the introduction and implementation of the strategy across
the organization.
Examples of major duties include:
- Gather feedback from Steering Committee and select ECFG members to review successes,
challenges, and gaps from previous ECFG efforts to incorporate into new strategy development
process.
- In collaboration with the Steering Committee, recruit, contract, and manage external consultant
(individual or firm) for development of new multi-year organizational strategy.
Innovative membership engagement and network program design: Acting as a thought leader, the
Director will build upon the current momentum within ECFG to leverage the assets among its
membership to drive greater collaboration, engagement, and inclusion among various actors within and
across sectors working to support children and youth facing adversity. The Director will utilize existing
and new relationships with other funders groups to expand ECFG’s knowledge of methods and models
of collaboration, strengthen ECFG’s current service areas, create additional unique network programs
and approaches to meet members’ needs, and engage with non-members in efforts to increase ECFG
membership.
Examples of major duties include:
- Organize teleconferences, webinars, roundtable discussions, working group meetings, and
convenings as desired by the membership or in response to strategic opportunities and/or
needs within the fields of children and youth facing adversity or philanthropy.
- Through regular and pro-active interaction with and outreach among ECFG members, develop
new and innovative points of connection and areas of synergy between members to allow for
constructive dialogue on key issue areas, guide grantmaking practices, and support partnerships
and collaboration.
External engagement and information exchange: The Director will serve as an organizational voice in
representing philanthropic efforts to advance issues for children and youth facing adversity on behalf of
ECFG. She/he will aim to foster current relationships with other key stakeholders across sectors within
the field of children and youth facing adversity, and will identify and cultivate new opportunities to build
additional partnerships that advance ECFG’s new strategy. Furthermore, in collaboration with the
Secretariat staff, the Director will continue to develop innovative means of information exchange both
within and beyond the ECFG membership.
Examples of major duties include:
- Participate in and represent ECFG at relevant meetings and conferences, both of funder and
non-funder ECFG stakeholders (e.g., policymakers, NGOs)
- Identify and reach out to potential funders through events, other funder networks, one-on-one
meetings, publications, and speaking engagements to raise the profile of ECFG’s efforts and
create opportunities for greater external engagement.
Management, governance, and operations oversight: As a supportive and adaptable leader, the
Director will oversee the Secretariat staff and work under the guidance of the Steering Committee to
direct, manage, and carry out the day-to-day functions of the organization.
Examples of major duties include:
- Provide overall oversight to the network’s finances including developing the annual budget,
raising all revenue, authorizing all expenditures, maintaining and reporting to the Steering
Committee accurate financial records of revenues and expenses.
- Manage Secretariat staff including a Program Officer and any/all consultants.
- Maintain regular communication with the Steering Committee by conference calls and
occasional face-to-face meetings, and capitalize on opportunities to further develop Steering
Committee capacity and leadership.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS OF THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
We are seeking an entrepreneurial candidate who is passionate about our core mission and eager to
lead the group to its next level of development and collective action. Strong candidates will possess a
unique mix of the following skills and/or competencies:
- An executive and patient leader with experience in the philanthropic sector (including the global
south) and extensive functional expertise and achievement in network collaboration.
- Personal passion towards the various themes within the global sector of children and youth
facing adversity.
- Exceptional strategic vision, with demonstrated ability to see beyond current issues to trends in
philanthropy, the children and youth sector, and wider society, and then skillfully, strategically,
and diplomatically engage in catalyzing collaborative action.
- Strong relationship-building skills, and a commitment to listening to and learning from others.
- Dynamic energy, professional gravitas, and high cultural competency.
- Excellent project management skills and the ability to manage and coordinate a heavy workload
and delegate where necessary.
- Strong and effective analytical, networking, and communication skills (fluency in English is
required, an additional language is preferred).
- Ability to self-manage and work independently, as well as effectively lead a remote team of
Secretariat staff.
- Seven to ten years of relevant work experience in philanthropy, network facilitation, global child
protection, or other related field(s).
TO APPLY
Applications will be accepted until January 24, 2020. To apply, please submit a one-page cover letter
describing your interest in the position and qualifications, your CV or professional resume, and three
references to ariel.carroll@elevatechildren.org. Elevate Children Funders Group is committed to equal
opportunity for all persons without regard to sex, age, race, color, religion, creed, national origin, marital
status, disability, or sexual orientation, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination.
Qualified candidates of all backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.
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