Director, Early Engagement in Extractives (EEE)

Sep 9, 2015 | One Earth Future Foundation
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OEF is a private, self-funded operating foundation based just outside Boulder, Colorado. OEF develops and then supports programs aimed at improving social systems in the interest of peace. We believe that sustainable social change requires a long-term vision and care most about that kind of change that our programs help create over decades, not years. This long-term approach requires our programs to iterate effectively over time, brokering solutions among local stakeholders including the private sector. OEF’s research and operations units provide centralized support services to the programs. Our research team acts as an in-house think tank focusing on the relationship between global governance and armed conflict, provides M&E services to OEF’s programs, and serves as a hub of institutional learning. OEF Operations provides communications, administrative, and event-related support to our programs, so program staff can maximize the time spent on their mission.

The Early Engagement in Extractives (EEE) Program  aims to reduce violence by enhancing the capacity of communities to participate meaningfully and at opportune (early) moments in decision making regarding industrial natural resource extraction activity. The Program will provide resources to community-driven initiatives at a range of pilot sites, in the form of access to networks, information, participatory tools, and funding. Additionally, EEE aims to support community engagement by facilitating community-to-community exchanges, and by engaging systemically powerful actors such as corporate executives, investors, and international financial institutions. The EEE is supported by the One Earth Future Foundation, which has committed long-term funding to the Program. 

The Program Director, a newly created position, will report to the Founder and Board of Directors of the One Earth Future Foundation and work collaboratively with the EEE Advisory Board in leading the establishment of the EEE Program. The Director, in collaboration with the Board of Directors and Advisory Board, will be responsible for leading the design, development, implementation, and management of the EEE Program. Specifically, s/he will lead the development of the EEE Program – often in coordination with relevant OEF and EEE experts and advisers – by identifying, and building relationships with pilot site communities and by establishing and implementing operational, marketing, human resource, and organizational strategies.

Reports to: 

Founder and Board of Directors

Job Description: 

The Program Director, a newly created position, will report to the Founder and Board of Directors of the One Earth Future Foundation and work collaboratively with the EEE Advisory Board in leading the establishment of the EEE Program. The Director, in collaboration with the Board of Directors and Advisory Board, will be responsible for leading the design, development, implementation, and management of the EEE Program. 

Location: 

One Earth Future is based in Broomfield, Colorado. The location of this position is open to discussion and negotiation.

Primary Responsibilities: 

• Strategy formulation and implementation

o In collaboration with local partners and the Advisory Board, identify and prioritize countries or regions where EEE might be particularly feasible and successful 

o Establish and/or build relationships with community and political leaders, companies, and local civil society organizations within those countries

o Develop and refine EEE’s operational, marketing, and human resource strategies

o Develop annual budgets and long range plans to ensure the effective implementation of EEE’s strategies

• Operations and administration

o Ensure that EEE is prudently managed from a financial standpoint

o Establish effective decision-making processes, including risk management, that will enable the EEE Program to achieve its long- and short-term goals and objectives

o Develop an effective system of internal communication for a multi-site organization

• Leadership and management

o Determine program staffing requirements

o Identify, lead, coach, develop, and retain a high-performing, international staff, both at project sites and at a centralized location

o Support, evaluate, and serve as a bridge between and among staff, partners, and other stakeholders

o Ensure effective systems to track progress, and regularly evaluate program components, and communicate results to the board, advisers, and other constituents

o Establish a positive, supportive, and inspiring work environment

• External stakeholder engagement

o Be an external local, national, and international presence that publishes and communicates program results with an emphasis on the successes of the local program as a model for regional and national replication

o Deepen and refine all aspects of communications—from web presence to external relations with the goal of creating a stronger brand

o Attract additional resources to allow expansion of successful initiatives

• Advisory Board and Board of Directors relations

o In partnership with the Founder, develop, maintain, and support a strong working relationship with the EEE Advisory Board, and ensure open communication about the measurement of financial, programmatic, and impact performance against milestones and goals

o Provide the financial and impact reporting required by the Advisory Board and Board of Directors, both at and between meetings

Required Education, Knowledge, Skills and Competencies: 

• Education and knowledge

o Advanced degree in political science, law, international relations, environmental studies, natural resource management, sociology, social psychology, or other relevant disciplines

o Professional fluency in at least two languages, including English

• Experience

o At least 15 years of progressively responsible, relevant professional experience, with at least 5 years of senior management success at a multi-site organization 

o At least 5 years of direct field experience in community-driven initiatives and dispute resolution in fragile or weak states in the context of industrial natural resource extraction activity

o Successful experiences managing rapid organizational growth

o Successful experiences reporting to high caliber boards

• Skills and competencies

o Skill as a social entrepreneur, demonstrated by establishing and scaling a successful start-up venture in the social sector

o A demonstrable ability to manage highly complex workplace environments and the ability to adapt rapidly to new technical areas and management challenges

o The ability to set clear priorities, delegate responsibility and authority, and guide investment in people and systems

o Keen analytic, organization and problem solving skills, and evaluation skills which support and enable sound decision making

o Excellent coalition building skills with an ability to communicate and work effectively with a variety of internal and external stakeholders

o Ability to identify and prevent political conflict at the institutional and individual level, with a range of partners and stakeholders

o Ability to communicate and work with ease across cultures and in challenging and complex environments

• Qualities and characteristics

o A strong network in fragile or weak states with existing and continuing development of industrial natural resource extraction activity

o Strong commitment to the recruitment and development of staff

o Highly professional and diplomatic

o Strategically focused on achieving short-, medium-, and long-term goals

Required Travel

Significant international travel, up to 40% on average and possibly higher during the initial phases of establishing the program

To Apply: 

Please send a resume or CV and cover letter, detailing your specific experience and salary requirements, to jobs@oneearthfuture.org. Please reference the job title in the subject line of your email. OEF will only review completed applications.