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ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND
For 25 years, the National Council for Research
on Women has helped shape the future for women and girls. The Council is a
network of 109 member research and policy centers and more than 2,000 top-level
researchers. We provide the information and research needed to foster more
equitable futures for women and girls. While women have made progress on many
fronts, much remains to be done. Our network’s evidence-based research provides
hard data to inform new policy and legislation that can make long-lasting
differences in women’s and girls lives. We put women’s needs, perspectives, and
solutions on the radar screen and make them part of the public debate.
We believe that women and girls should have full
and equal participation in society. We are not there yet. Without women’s full
participation, children, families, and communities suffer, and half the world’s
talents are squandered. We know that behind every great force for change is the
information and research that drives it forward. When we understand an unmet
need or an injustice, we can address it and resolve it. Women and societies
need accurate data and analysis in order to chart their futures.
The key to the Council’s
past and future success is highly-focused, accessible, timely research. Through
Research-Action groups organized around urgent issue areas, rapid-response
communications campaigns, and a website that features the research, expertise,
and information produced by our network, the Council delivers the facts,
promotes informed activism, and ensures positive change.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Program Director will
report to the President and serve as an active member of the Council’s senior
management team. Working closely with the President, the Program Director will
take primary responsibility for developing, managing, and implementing the
organization’s varied programs -- research projects, publications, and
convenings, and overseeing its substantive working groups, advisory committees
and the content for its Corporate and Presidents Circles.
The Program Director will
share responsibility for providing vision and strategic direction for the
Council’s programs, as well as for ensuring the organization’s fiscal health
through program-related fundraising, proposal writing, internal and external
communications, and the use of technology to meet the needs of its various
members, and others. The Program Director must also motivate, manage, and
supervise staff and interns.
This is a unique opportunity
to play a central role in shaping the work of a highly respected organization
that is making substantial and significant contributions to the women’s research
movement. The new Director will be
expected to strengthen the programmatic focus and direction of this growing
organization and improve the ability of the Council to implement quality
programs. The ideal candidate will be highly intelligent, detail-oriented,
self-motivated, driven for success and a team player capable of and committed to
contributing to the senior management team’s strategic thinking about the future
direction of the Council.
KEY
RESPONSIBILITIES
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Develop, implement and manage the Council’s current and new research
projects such as our economic security project and Taxes Are a Woman’s
Issue; mange the development of future and dissemination of existing
publications such as Gains & Gaps: A Look at the World’s Women;
manage convenings such as our annual member center conference;
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Work to ensure that the Council’s programming is substantively strong,
cutting-edge, and relevant to the public discourse; is well disseminated
through the Council’s networks, website, convenings, etc.; and that it
reaches targeted audiences, including Council members, the media, policy
makers, nonprofit organizations, corporations, donors, Congress and the
general public;
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Develop and implement strong and innovative programs for the Council’s
constituent groups, including the 109 member research and policy member
centers, over 20 progressive Corporate Circle members dedicated to diversity
in the work place and over 40 university and college Presidents Circle
members dedicated to diversity on their campuses;
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Meet regularly with the President and serve
as an active part of the Council’s senior management team;
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Work closely with the senior management team
to ensure the effective flow of communication within the Council’s broad
network, careful monitoring of the annual budget, and programs shaped to
meet the needs of the organization;
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Develop and motivate staff, consultants, volunteers and interns, delegating
appropriately and ensuring strong internal communication and coordination;
evaluate performance; enhance opportunities for personal and professional
development;
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Ensure professional and efficient day-to-day program operations, including
budgeting and proper expenditure of funds;
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Brief the staff, Board of Directors, and membership on program status;
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Help to build the organization’s financial stability through program-related
fundraising and proposal writing.
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Serve as an articulate communicator and spokesperson for the Council’s
mission; initiate and strengthen relationships with leaders and
organizations that share the Council’s mission and purpose.
IDEAL EXPERIENCE AND
QUALIFICATIONS
We seek a
seasoned professional with a minimum of
five years experience
with staff management, budget management and knowledge and sensitivity to
women’s and gender issues, who takes a strategic planning
approach to reaching program goals and
objectives and possesses superior management, interpersonal and cross-cultural
communication skills. The ideal candidate will be expected to have in-depth
knowledge in at least one of the Council’s core research areas, as well as
general familiarity with the broader areas of women’s research. In addition, the
candidate will have the following qualifications:
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Successful experience translating vision and ideas into working programs,
creating networks and collaborations, and building partnerships with people
of diverse backgrounds, personalities, and talents;
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Proven track record in creating and implementing programs dealing with
issues related to the Council’s mission and that demonstrate a commitment to
social change;
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Track record and experience with international issues is highly desirable;
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Successful experience managing or coordinating a research agenda/program;
overseeing and coordinating the activities of advisors, consultants, and
other participants;
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Successful experience in developing publications, positions papers, and
reports; organizing meetings, conferences, and other events; (overseeing
logistics and participants’ activities);
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Effective verbal and written communication, including strong public speaking
skills, to represent the Council to a broad public;
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Demonstrated ability to prioritize multiple
activities and responsibilities;
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Credibility and experience to connect the Council to resources and
opportunities outside the organization;
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Successful experience managing, motivating, supervising, evaluating, and
hiring staff, volunteers, consultants and interns.
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A
Ph.D. is desirable, but not required;
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Some experience in the nonprofit sector and with women’s organizations is
also desired.
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
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Sound judgment, excellent interpersonal and communications skills, a strong
work ethic, attention to detail, and the ability to think strategically;
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A
strong commitment to the Council’s values, mission, goals, and program; an
appreciation of the value of research, and particularly feminist research,
to influence public agendas and policy;
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Intelligence and inspiration to anticipate, conceive, express and create
opportunities;
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Independence and self-confidence to act decisively and, at the same time, an
ability to receive and integrate others’ ideas and suggestions;
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Flexibility and ability to work collaboratively and productively in a
dynamic, change-driven office environment;
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Comfort with managing multiple tasks simultaneously and hands-on work;
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Equal parts humor, compassion, and sensibility necessary to address the
practicalities and desires of an entrepreneurial non-profit.
To apply,
please send a letter of inquiry, resume, short writing sample, and names and
contact information of three references to
jobs@ncrw.org. Please put “Program Director” in the subject line.
The National Council for Research on Women is committed to women's full
and equal participation in a just and inclusive world. The Council works to
advance women's leadership across professional sectors and encourage the
development of young women leaders, both in the US and globally. The Council
reaches out assertively to diverse constituencies to promote human rights and
international cooperation and understanding among women across differences of
generation, race, ethnicity, nation, sexual orientation and perspective. The
Council embraces the principle of women's rights as human rights and works with
diverse organizations to project that understanding on the national and global
landscape. The Council works affirmatively to maintain a diverse staff and
Board.
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