Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9804151845.E9353-0100000@lan.vita.org> Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1998 18:16:19 -0400 From: Dania Granados <mailto:granados@LAN.VITA.ORG> Subject: FW: Candidate Profice for Partners of the Americas (fwd) To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
PRESIDENT, PARTNERS OF THE AMERICAS
Partners of The Americas is a thirty-four-year-old,
Inter American Private Voluntary Organization, the largest in the Western
Hemisphere engaged in people- to-people cooperation in
community and international development. POA currently has
sixty "partnerships,"i.e., chapters in Latin America & the Caribbean
collaborating with 60 chapters in the U.S. Those who make up
Partner chapters are local citizens from all walks of life.
Volunteers on both sides work together providing opportunities for
cross-cultural encounters, improved food supplies, community health
services, training for disabled citizens, and income
generation training for young people. Opportunities for citizen
participation for improving communities, NGO capacity-building, and
the training of community leaders are central to POA's mission.
U.S . Government ( AID & USIA), foundations, corporations, individual
major gift-givers, all support POA.
An international search for a forward-looking
new president is underway. The Search Committee seeks a collaborative and
innovative leader able to add value and bring POA into the
next century, cultivate nontraditional sources of funds,
and facilitate a chapter-driven philosophy of funding and management.
The president is based in Washington, D.C. with at least 30% travel
throughout the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
Experience working within the region with a network of hemispheric contacts is desirable.
The Committee welcomes candidates from international business, government, foundations, and
private voluntary organizations including top managers looking to move up to a CEO position.
Candidates shall demonstrate institution building success(e.g., "grew organization from $1 million
to $3 million in five years"); budget-management discipline ("cash-in must exceed cash-out");
management of at least twenty or more professionals; proven respect for volunteer service or work
as a volunteer (in almost any capacity, church, Peace Corps, civic association); Spanish or
Portuguese highly desirable.
An ideal candidate should:
. . . evidence field experience overseas;
. . . have proven appreciation for or experience managing a
chapter-based, membership, or voluntary
organization in which local constituencies take leadership roles;
. . . be a proven and imaginative fund-raiser;
. . . have experience as an institutional "entrepreneur" i.e., an
innovator who can develop new programs and funding sources.
. . . know how to involve all stakeholders(a dedicated and diverse
staff which wants to be challenged, an international Board, committed
volunteers, NGO Partners, and chapter leaders) in mapping POA's future;
. . . be willing to commit to Partners for five to seven years.
Other desirable personal factors: a passionate commitment to
international cooperation (ability to keep the North/South relationship
in equilibrium), cross-cultural effectiveness, and a
special 'feel' for the Independent Sector throughout the Americas.
(Risk-averse candidates, micro-managers or those seeking to cap a career
with a sinecure need not apply). Good humor (and
a sense of humor), the patience to cope with ambiguity,
an inquiring imagination("Have you thought about this?"), participatory
leadership skills, affective listening, persuasion and negotiation
skills and the capacity to empower staff and volunteers
are desirable: In brief, that elusive quality
of making the sum of an organization greater than its parts.
Competitive salary with excellent benefits. Finalists will
be subject to a thorough background check. The Committee hopes to
conclude recruitment in mid- July 98 and make an offer
by August 1998 with a start date in the Autumn. Qualified candidates
should send a hard-copy cover letter and resume (plus three-to-five
professional references) to POA's executive search firm:
Dick Irish
LEADERSHIP SEARCH
2674 Five Points Road
Marshall, Virginia 20115
Tel. #540 364-4320
(Phone calls welcomed; no faxes, please)
profpoa