About Near East Foundation (NEF)
Near East Foundation (NEF) collaborates with local partners to facilitate innovative, sustainable, and community-driven economic and social development across the Middle East, Africa, and the Caucasus, with the goal of establishing more prosperous, inclusive, and resilient communities.
NEF empowers marginalized individuals and communities to acquire new skills and access resources, networks, and opportunities, enabling them to shape a future where they can overcome vulnerability to poverty, economic and social disparities, conflict, climate change, and environmental degradation.
Mission and Impact
Since its founding in 1915, NEF has pioneered strategies in international development, emphasizing education, economic development, and community organizing. Their mission is to support marginalized populations by fostering skills, resources, and opportunities to combat poverty, inequality, and environmental challenges. In 2023,
NEF positively impacted over 511,000 people, enhancing resilience, income, and governance participation. Their work is grounded in the principles of Knowledge, Voice, and Enterprise.
NEF’s core programs include supporting small businesses, enhancing agricultural productivity, promoting women’s empowerment, and improving water management. By fostering local leadership and innovative solutions, NEF ensures that communities are not just recipients of aid but active participants in their development journeys.
Among NEF’s key accomplishments is the successful implementation of projects that enhance resilience and livelihood security in conflict and post-conflict areas. Their approach to development is holistic, integrating economic growth with social inclusion and environmental sustainability. NEF’s longstanding commitment to its mission and its adaptive strategies have made it a trusted partner for communities seeking to build a brighter, more stable future.
Role:
VP, Strategic Partnerships and Communications
Location:
Syracuse, NY; Washington, DC (hybrid office, Tu-Th in office)
Salary:
$135,000 – $175,000
The Role Job Summary
The Vice President for Strategic Partnerships & Communications is a key member of NEF’s executive and global senior leadership teams, with responsibility for strategic communications of NEF’s work and stewarding partnerships that support innovative program growth.
They work in close coordination with NEF’s program, business development, and global teams to advance program innovation, long term strategic partnerships, and effective external communications. They lead a team of development and communications professionals with a focus on team collaboration and a shared vision of maximizing the impact of NEF in all communities where we work. They will be entrepreneurial, results oriented, and committed to building impactful and successful teams.
Responsibilities
Partnerships (Foundations and Corporate Relations):
• Develop strategy and lead implementation to expand and steward partnerships with foundations and private organizations in support of innovation, program growth, and organizational strategies.
• Lead donor management and engagement for foundations and private organizations.
• Lead proposal efforts for foundations and private organizations.
• Recruit and manage staff to expand partnerships with a goal of achieving a sustainable portfolio of $10 million in five years.
Fundraising:
• Develop and execute a strategy for a sustained base of annual individual donors that increases revenues to support the organization’s strategic direction.
• Lead current staff of three development professionals and further develop and grow team in line with fundraising plans and success.
• Work closely with the NEF Board of Directors to fully understand their giving priorities and to support their outreach and fundraising efforts.
• Maintain relationships with other select donors as needed.
Communications, Marketing and Branding:
• Lead the development and implementation of strategic and proactive communications that advances the goals and objectives of NEF.
• Ensure consistent and effective messaging through all media and communication channels.
• Lead Communications team and further develop capabilities globally that effectively convey NEF’s impact around the world.
• Strong understanding of marketing best practices, effective storytelling and creating compelling key messages that connect the organization’s mission to target audiences.
• Recruit and manage communications team to leverage organizational achievements to a growing community of practice and funders.
Strategy and Leadership:
• Serve as a member of the Executive Team and the Global Senior Leadership Team contributing to strategy development and implementation and organizational leadership.
• Work closely with the program and business development teams to support communications and development initiatives.
• Serve as a spokesperson and lead on public relations.
Required Skills, Qualifications, and Knowledge
Management & Team Leadership:
• Demonstrated Experience in Leadership: Proven record of accomplishment leading and managing diverse teams to develop and implement fundraising and communications strategies. Must have a history of operational management within these initiatives.
• Supportive and Mentorship-Oriented Leadership: Commitment to a leadership style that supports, mentors, and motivates team members, fostering a collaborative and transparent work environment.
• Cross-Cultural Team Collaboration: Experienced in leading multicultural teams with an emphasis on building trust, enthusiasm, and effective partnerships within and across teams.
Fundraising Experience:
• Successful Fundraising History: At least 10 years of experience successfully raising funds from foundations, philanthropic networks, and high net worth individuals, with a minimum of $1M raised annually and a proven ability to grow revenue year over year.
• Fundraising Strategy Development: Strong understanding of fundraising principles and the ability to develop and execute comprehensive fundraising strategies.
• Business Development Skills: Demonstrated ability to identify and secure new funding opportunities, leveraging business development acumen.
Strategic Partnership Management and Development:
• Proven Partnership Development: Substantial experience in sourcing, securing, and maintaining strategic partnerships. Ability to engage with and win over key stakeholders and donors.
• Networking and Relationship Building: Adept at building new relationships within donor networks and decision-making bodies,
with a talent for effective networking and relationship management.
Communications, Marketing and Branding:
• Expert Storytelling: Passion for and expertise in storytelling, with the ability to connect the organization’s field programs to compelling key messages.
• Communication Skills: Superior written, verbal, and presentation skills, with keen attention to detail and the ability to communicate effectively with both internal and external audiences.
• Inclusive Communication Practices: Strong sensitivity and commitment to promoting local voices and perspectives in all communications.
• Strategic Marketing: Proven ability to oversee implementation of comprehensive marketing strategies that enhance organizational visibility, while aligning with the organization’s mission and values. Experience in leveraging data-driven insights to refine marketing approaches and achieve measurable outcomes.
• Brand Management: Strong experience in managing and evolving a global organization, including voice and identity. Ability to oversee the creation of marketing materials and campaigns that effectively communicate the organization’s message to diverse audiences.
Additional Qualifications:
• Fundraising Achievements: Demonstrated history of raising $2-3M annually, with consistent year-over-year growth within a nonprofit context.
• Relevant Sector Experience: Experience within international development or related international nonprofit sectors is essential.
• Commitment to Global Impact: Deep passion for and commitment to improving lives globally, with a focus on
environmental and gender justice.
• Digital and Data Proficiency: Proficiency in using digital tools and platforms for fundraising, communication, and project management; ability to apply data-driven techniques for assessing and measuring KPIs and efficacy of strategic approaches.
• Digital Marketing and Social Media: Exposure to and experience in digital marketing and social media strategy with experience using online platforms to enhance engagement and support fundraising and advocacy efforts. Skills should include analytics, content strategy, and the use of digital tools to track engagement metrics and ROI.
• DEI Commitment: Strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in all aspects of work.
Education:
• Academic Credentials: Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree in a related field (public policy, political science, gender studies, environmental studies, climate studies, or similar) or equivalent experience. Professional certifications such as CFRE (Certified Fund-Raising Executive) or CAP (Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy) are preferred.
Additional Skills (Optional but Beneficial):
• Analytical Skills: Strong analytical capabilities to assess and report on the effectiveness of fundraising and communication strategies.
• Crisis Management: Experience in crisis communication and the ability to manage and respond to public relations challenges effectively.
• Language Skills: Fluency in additional languages, particularly Arabic or French, are a valuable asset.
How to Apply
All correspondence, at this stage, should be via Oxford HR. To apply for this post, click on the “Apply” button on the job advert page, complete our online application form, and submit your CV and cover letter as two different documents, which should be prepared before applying as they will be considered in the application process. The cover letter should be no more than two pages long and explain why you are interested in this post and how your skills and experience make you a good fit.
The document should be saved in PDF in the following format: Your First Name-Your Last Name-Document Name-Date (mmyy) e.g., Pat-Jones-CV-072024-NEF or Pat-JonesCoverLetter-072024-NEF.
Timeline
Closing Date: 18th August 2024
First Stage Interviews: TBC Final Interviews: TBC
Selection Process
All candidates will receive an update regarding their application after the closing
date. We advise candidates to add the role email to their safe senders list and regularly check their spam folder.
Equality Statement:
As an international organization, NEF values a truly diverse workforce and prioritize a culture of inclusivity and belonging. NEF strives to create a high-achieving work environment informed by different cultures, perspectives, and experiences. With a commitment to diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion in all NEF does, it aims to ensure that people feel heard, protected, and empowered to contribute to its mission from day one.
Queries
If you have any queries on any aspect of the appointment process or need additional information, please email Dr. Karna Cohen, kcohen@oxfordhr.com, with subject line: NEF Vice President role. Emails that do not clearly specify this in the subject line may not be received in a timely manner.
About Oxford HR
Exceptional leaders can inspire change and propel purpose-led organizations towards reaching their world-changing goals. Finding such leaders can be a challenge; and yet their transition into leadership is vital to an organizations mission and success.
Oxford HR is a global leadership consultancy dedicated to searching for and supporting remarkable leaders and teams in purpose-led organizations.
We understand the nuances of purpose-led leadership because we’ve worked in organizations across the breadth of the sector ourselves. We’ve also worked with such organizations since 1995; so we appreciate just what benefits impactful people can bring.
