Director, Civil Society (Emphasis: Climate Adaptation),

IMPORTANT:  This Advertiser has requested that applicants MUST be National Residents / Valid Work Permit-holders.  Other applicants need not apply.

 

Description

The Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) is seeking a Director for Civil Society with an emphasis on climate adaptation to provide strategic initiative and leadership in the development and management of ISC’s civil society/climate adaptation portfolio. The incumbent of this new position will provide conceptual and management leadership in the design and implementation of ISC’s civil society/climate adaptation program. The civil society/climate adaptation program draws on the core capacities of ISC in the areas of civil society and climate/environment thus requiring that the Director collaborate closely with the Vice Presidents for Civil Society and Climate/Environment. The goal of the program is to ensure that communities are better prepared to address the impacts of climate change. Through increased understanding, engagement and action communities adjust to the ongoing gradual effects of climate disruption, rebound quickly from climate related events, and become stronger and healthier through planning and recovery. The Director will also work closely with the Directors of Business Development and Institutional Advancement to succeed in leveraging support for the portfolio. This is a highly visible key role within ISC as well as externally requiring knowledge and skill in representing and communicating ISC’s approach to civil society and climate adaptation.

Organization Description

 

ISC is an independent non-profit organization that gives passionate, committed people the tools, skills, and resources they need to make their communities better places to live. Our current areas of programmatic growth include strengthening democratic institutions and citizenship in transition countries; helping communities in the US and China become more resource efficient and transition to low-carbon economy; and supporting sustainable community development – particularly in areas recovering from natural disasters or vulnerable to climate disruption. With our headquarters in Montpelier, Vermont, and offices in China, Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo, the Caribbean and Washington, DC, ISC has an international staff of approximately 90 people and an annual budget of approximately $14M. Since our founding in 1991 by former Vermont Governor Madeleine M. Kunin, ISC has led transformative community-driven projects in 23 countries across the globe.

 

Responsibilities

 

• Provide conceptual leadership in the development of ISC’s civil society/climate adaptation program while ensuring that the program builds on existing programs and contributes to ISC’s mission;
• Develop and lead the implementation of the program;
• Lead the development and implementation of business development plans, including cultivation of potential donors and partners and project proposal development, to fund the establishment and growth of the program with the support of Directors’ for Business Development and Institutional Advancement;
• Develop and oversee the implementation, evaluation, monitoring and reporting of all projects within the program portfolio;
• Ensure that all aspects of project management including financial, contractual, planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting are in compliance with ISC’s and the donors’ guidelines and standards;
• Oversee the documentation and dissemination of ISC’s knowledge management and internal learning related to climate adaptation;
• Represent ISC’s Civil Society /Climate Adaptation Program within ISC and externally in front of key collaborators, donors and the interested public.

 

Qualifications

 

• Master’s degree in related field (public administration, education, anthropology, social sciences, international development, climate, natural resource and/or environmental management, conflict mitigation, humanitarian response or disaster risk preparedness, etc.);
• 10+ years of proven, measurable success in program and project development and implementation in the area of international development with one or more of the following skill areas: community-based participatory planning and action, leadership development; advocacy, communications, conflict management, natural resource management, climate adaptation/mitigation, disaster risk preparedness, gender and/or ethnic minority responsive programming;
• Demonstrable capacity for cultivating and stewarding donors;
• Track record in designing and writing successful grant proposals;
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills; engaging and persuasive public speaking skills;
• Ability to provide effective leadership and a capacity for effective teamwork and collaboration across functional areas;
• Detailed oriented and excellent organizational skills with the ability to independently manage multiple priorities;
• Experience implementing development programs in Latin America/Caribbean, Asia-Pacific and/or Africa preferred; Fluency in major foreign language a plus;
• Ability to travel
• Demonstrated knowledge and commitment to ISC’s mission.