When Sherry and I do career presentations for Working World, I invariably notice that, at the end of the presentation, only when we’ve finished waxing on about theoretical approaches to building an international career and finally give some specific career websites and other resources for people to check out…only then does the note-taking commence with serious fury. I manage to convince myself this phenomenon isn’t because people weren’t interested or weren’t listening—instead, I think it indicates that when it comes to the job search and career planning, people appreciate the tangible and the concrete. “Where can I look for jobs? What websites? Tell me!” I get this.
In the same vein, it’s also interesting to note that on the heels of this blog’s torrid Doostang discussion (here, here and here), in which most people, me included, ripped the career networking site a proverbial new one, one commenter came in late and fought back:
Fine, but Doostang actually has job postings (some of which I haven’t seen on other sites) Does LinkedIn post jobs? That’s the key.
Point taken. While my main beef with Doostang is its promotion of an exclusive rather than inclusive style of online networking, I’ve admitted that I don’t appreciate that the jobs it recommends for me are typically financial in nature and of no interest to me. But I guess that is Doostang’s main focus, and it can’t be faulted for serving up what its users want.
The larger point of this post, though, is that while Sherry and I both believe it’s very important to not just focus on getting a job, but rather to engage your career from a broader perspective and to stay informed of the larger issues that concern your chosen field (here, international stuff), we also both understand that having someone tell you the best places to look online for jobs, and to even let you know when specific jobs open up, is incredibly useful.
It was in this spirit that Sherry suggested we try to post more job openings that we come across through our respective networks. So, starting today, we’re going to try to do more of that. I don’t know how thorough or systematic we’ll be able to be, but when we come across an open position in international ed, exchange, and/or development, we’ll post it.
Today’s job posting is a big one: Executive Director at Americans for Informed Democracy (Seth Green, the founder of AID, is profiled in Working World—an amazing guy and a great organization). Application deadline is April 17, and the full job description and application details are after the jump.
JOB OPENING:
Executive Director
Organization:
Americans for Informed Democracy
Location:
United States (Washington, DC)
Website:
http://www.aidemocracy.org
Email:
aidedsearch@gmail.com
Description:
JOB OPPORTUNITY: Executive Director, Americans for Informed Democracy Americans for Informed Democracy (AID) is a non-profit organization that empowers and equips young people in the United States to address global issues such as poverty, health, climate change and peace and security. Through awareness-raising and action, we promote just and sustainable solutions on campuses, in communities, and nationally. AID is searching for an Executive Director with the vision, talent and dedication to lead the organization. The ideal candidate is someone who is entrepreneurial, thrives in a dynamic and fast-paced work environment and has a strong passion for youth activism and international affairs. Responsibilities
-Lead the organization in fulfilling its mission through strategic planning, program design and resource management -Oversee day-to-day operations, including budget, marketing, event planning and communications -Manage a talented and motivated staff, support them in growing and learning as advocates and professionals -Create a system to monitor overall program events and activities and a feedback loop to provide timely guidance and direction -Manage the organization’s relationship with donors -Maintain AID’s current foundation support and expand AIDs financial base to include revenues from special events, major donors and earned revenues -Identify new funding opportunities, secure grants and ensure adherence to reporting requirements -Lead a strategic planning process in collaboration with the Board of Directors that will set priorities for the next five years -Prepare and implement annual development plan and make sound financial recommendations for the organization -Coordinate the annual budget and planning process with the part-time finance manager -Work closely with the finance manager and board to administer the annual budget, ensure sound accounting practices and assist with audit -Make sound financial recommendations for the organization -Provide monthly reports to AID’s Board of Directors on the organization’s progress and financial health -Leverage the Board of Directors’ skills to drive success for the organization -Act as the primary spokesperson of the organization
Application process
The position offers a competitive compensation package and strong opportunities for growth. AID’s office is currently headquartered in Baltimore, MD, but the organization is in the process of moving to Washington, D.C. The organization has 4 full-time program staff, 10 part-time regional directors, 1 part-time finance manager and more than 23,000 student members across the world. The application deadline is April 17, 2009, but the process is rolling and will continue until we find the right highly qualified candidate. Applicants will be contacted within two weeks if they have been selected for an interview. Applications, as well as questions regarding the position, should be directed to the AID’s ED Search Committee at aidedsearch@gmail.com or (202) 270-6268.
Qualification:
Professional qualifications
-Bachelors Degree required; Graduate Degree preferred -At least five years of work experience in a managerial role -Demonstrated experience in fundraising -Background in both people and financial management -Experience with student activism and non-profit organizations -Record of working successfully in team environments -Strong public speaking, written communication, and presentation skills -Familiarity with international relations and U.S. foreign policy
Personal qualifications
-Inspired, optimistic vision for the U.S. role in the world -Willingness to be guided by a young, energetic staff -Knows how to get the job done, and instills confidence -Strong collaborative leadership skills, including clear communication and delegation of tasks as necessary -Strong interest in mentorship and professional development of young staff as well as institutional development -Superb relationship-building skills -Ability to multi-task and work well under pressure -Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to interact with diverse audiences -Sound analytical and problem solving skills -Friendly personality and good sense of humor -Entrepreneurial leadership style -Passion for cultural understanding and exchange -Interest in growing with the organization -Willingness to travel on a flexible schedule throughout the country -Politically savvy with advocacy and experience with public mobilization/campaign planning and execution -Willingness to roll up sleeves and work in grassroots environment with students and staff to design and implement programs
