Executive Director

Nov 23, 2020 | Institute for Climate and Peace
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The Institute for Climate and Peace is a 501(c)(3) organization based out of Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. ICP was created in response to the 21st century’s increasing threat to the accomplishment of humanity’s fundamental goal: peace. Global climate change, dwindling biodiversity, and fickle water resources are among the chief environmental challenges that will increasingly undermine peace building efforts—from the community level to the global arena. ICP believes that when resources are stable and relationships are sound, we are poised for peace. We are, however, entering an era in which our environment and uncertain resource supplies will require stronger bonds between communities and common understandings of climate risks. This work is especially relevant to the United States as well as the Pacific-Asia region, for which climate forecasts demonstrate novel and disproportionate impacts.

ICP is recruiting for an experienced, passionate, and visionary leader to join our team as Executive Director to oversee the administration, programming, and strategic planning of the organization, including fundraising, marketing, and community outreach.

This position will work closely with the organization’s co-founders and reports directly to the Board of Directors.

As a new nonprofit entity with two years of operational history, ICP is entering a critical growth phase that will require visionary leadership and focused effort. The right candidate for this position will bring a demonstrated history of work and leadership in nonprofit work related to climate change, peacebuilding, and social justice, and should be prepared to oversee the fundraising and operations of the organization.

As a virtual organization, our work together is founded on trust, strong communication, transparency, collective intelligence, and distributed leadership models. We seek team members who will thrive in this type of organizational structure.  The ideal person in this role is a self-starter with a deep passion for social justice, climate change work, and peacebuilding. Our ideal candidate also has previous professional experience with executing grassroots programs in at least one of those three issue areas. As a smaller organization, all team members should be flexible and available to support unanticipated needs that may arise across the organization.

The Executive Director position is based in Hawaiʻi, where ICP was founded and is headquartered. For applicants not currently in Hawaiʻi: please note that given the COVID-19 pandemic, immediate relocation is not expected.

Core Responsibilities

Organization Mission and Strategy: Works with board and staff to ensure that the mission is fulfilled through programs, strategic planning, and community outreach.

  • Responsible for the implementation of ICP’s programs that carry out the organization’s mission.
  • Responsible for strategic planning to ensure that ICP can successfully fulfill its Mission into the future.
  • Responsible for the enhancement of ICP’s image by being active and visible in the community and by working closely with other professional, civic, and private organizations.
  • Serve as ICP’s primary spokesperson to the organization’s constituents, partners, funders, the media, and the general public.

Board Governance: Works with the board in order to fulfill the organization’s mission.

  • Responsible for leading ICP in a manner that supports and guides the organization’s mission as defined by the Board of Directors.
  • Responsible for communicating effectively with the Board and providing, in a timely and accurate manner, all information necessary for the Board to function properly and to make informed decisions.
  • Build the board and seek its involvement with strategic direction for both ongoing local operations as well as for the national and regional rollout of ICP’s work.

Financial Performance and Viability: Develops resources sufficient to ensure the financial health of the organization.

  • Lead fundraising and the development of other resources necessary to support ICP’s mission.
  • Develop local revenue-generating and fundraising activities to support existing program operations and expansion.
  • Responsible for the fiscal integrity of ICP, including submission to the Board of a proposed annual budget and monthly financial statements, which accurately reflect the financial condition of the organization.
  • Provide fiscal management that generally anticipates operating within the approved budget, ensures maximum resource utilization, and provides maintenance of the organization in a positive financial position.

Organization Operations: Oversees and implements appropriate resources to ensure that the operations of the organization are appropriate.

  • Ensure ongoing programmatic excellence, rigorous program evaluation, and consistent quality of finance and administration, fundraising, communications, and systems; recommend timelines and resources needed to achieve the strategic goals.
  • Actively engage and energize ICP volunteers, board members, advisors, alumni, partnering organizations, and funders.
  • Ensure effective systems to track scaling progress, and regularly evaluate program components to measure successes for effective communication to the board, funders, and other constituents.
  • Manage the hiring and retention of competent, qualified staff.
  • Review and approve all notes, agreements, and other instruments made and entered into and on behalf of the organization.

Additional Responsibilities

  • Establish employment and administrative policies and procedures for all functions and for the day-to-day operation of the nonprofit.
  • Establish and maintain relationships with various organizations throughout Hawaiʻi and the Pacific-Asia Region, and utilize those relationships to strategically enhance ICP’s mission.
  • Manage strategic planning and implementation.
  • Oversee organization Board and advisory committee meetings.
  • Oversee marketing and other communications efforts.
  • Review and approve contracts for services.
  • Help keep lines of communication open and transparent across the organization, ensuring that program teams are working productively across silos.
  • Help oversee and develop the organization’s internal culture, accountability, and transparency.
  • Maintain a breadth of knowledge on the topics of climate change and peacebuilding, as well as the intersection of these two fields.
  • Other duties as assigned by the Board of Directors.

Requirements

  • Passionate commitment to the ICP mission and values.
  • Advanced degree with at least 5-10 years of senior management experience; track record of effectively leading and regionally scaling performance and outcomes-based organization and staff.
  • Transparent, ethical, and high-integrity leadership.
  • 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 and new board member relationships.
  • Demonstrated ability to develop and operationalize strategies that have taken an organization to the next stage of growth.
  • Unwavering commitment to quality programs and data-driven program evaluation.
  • Strong marketing, public relations, and fundraising experience with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders and cultures.
  • Exceptional communication and collaboration skills including strong public speaking skills.
  • Ability to convey a vision of ICP’s strategic future to staff, board, volunteers, and donors.
  • Ability to interface and engage diverse volunteer and donor groups.
  • Knowledge of fundraising strategies and donor relations unique to the nonprofit sector.
  • Deep familiarity with the Pacific-Asia region and multicultural competencies.
  • Willingness to travel internationally.

Compensation

Compensation will be commensurate with experience. This is a salaried position with health benefits. Professional development opportunities will also be made available to the person selected for this position.

Timeline

The deadline for applications has been extended to November 30, 2020, with an estimated start date of January 4, 2021.

How to Apply

Thank you for your interest! Please send your resume or CV including references and a statement of interest to zelda@climateandpeace.org.

The Institute for Climate and Peace is an equal opportunity organization and is committed to a diverse workplace.