Country: United States of America
Closing date: 01 Jul 2016
Join Heartland Alliance International to support our innovative programs serving marginalized and vulnerable communities.
Organizational Background:
Heartland Alliance International (HAI) is the youngest and fastest growing part of Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights, which is a family of organizations that has been leading anti-poverty and social justice work in Chicago for more than 125 years. HAI is comprised of nearly a dozen country offices operating programs on a broad range of human rights issues globally as well as the Chicago-based Marjorie Kovler Center for the Treatment of Survivors of Torture, which serves individuals from more than 50 countries. HAI is making significant investments in its programming and leadership in the fields of trauma-informed mental health care and access to justice for marginalized people. It is also an industry leader in access to high-quality and stigma-free health care. Across all of its programs, HAI promotes progressive, innovative approaches to human rights protection and gender equality.
HAI is currently in its first year of implementation of an ambitious five-year strategic plan. In recent years, the Chicago-based organization has experienced dynamic, rapid growth. HAI seeks to build upon this expansion by cultivating new and existing strategic partnerships with stakeholders located in and around Washington, DC, including a strong focus on USAID. As such, HAI has identified the need to develop a robust DC outreach strategy to support its continued growth and visibility in line with its organizational strategy and priorities. At this time, HAI is seeking a qualified individual interested in creating and strengthening key relationships in Washington, DC and prepared to aggressively pursue program development opportunities for the organization.
Overview
Heartland Alliance International (HAI) seeks an Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships who will represent the Chicago-based HAI in Washington, DC. The position allows HAI to play an active role in a variety of important Washington, DC-based arenas, building and managing stronger relations and partnerships with key parts of the US Government with a primary focus on the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of State (DOS) within the broader international development and human rights communities.
HAI is seeking an independent and energetic self-starter capable of opening this new entry in DC on behalf of HAI. The incumbent will have excellent representation and presentation skills; a strong and varied program background; experience working in Washington, DC; and an ability to quickly grasp and communicate HAI’s program work. This position builds lasting networks and strategic alliances both internally within HAI and externally with the Washington, DC development and human rights communities. The incumbent needs to be a “self-starter” who works well independently, thinks strategically, acts diplomatically, can achieve valuable results with a high degree of autonomy, and has the capacity to provide leadership and vision. The incumbent must have strong communications skills, including the ability to deliver public presentations and respond to funding opportunities in writing.
The Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships will report to the Director of Program Development and will collaborate closely with technical teams and the Learning Unit, regional and country office leadership, and the office of the Executive Director in identifying, developing, coordinating, and maintaining HAI’s relationships and partnerships with the US Government and other partners and peer organizations. In partnership with technical teams and regional directors, the Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships will take the primary lead in managing and strengthening strategic relationships with key offices and bureaus across the US Government as well as DC-based partners that are aligned with HAI’s program focus and strategy. The Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships will support and strengthen HAI’s strategy to grow its USAID resource base by remaining current on funding opportunities and engaging regularly with potential partners and relevant donor contacts to share HAI’s unique programming.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Strategic relationship management
- Develop and implement a relationship strategy in which a continuous level of engagement is maintained between HAI and USAID, DOS, DOL, ORR, other federal agencies, and relevant INGOs;
Business intelligence gathering
- Identify top priority US Government contacts and appropriate HAI counterparts, with a defined sequence of approaches to cultivate those key relationships;
- Remain current on donor and industry trends and defined goals and priorities for USAID engagement, based on US Government priorities and strategies relevant to HAI;
Networking, communications, and outreach
- Coordinating and ensuring appropriate staff are regularly engaging their US Government counterparts and senior staff and providing the necessary feedback;
Capacity building
- Represent and raise the profile of HAI at relevant US Government-related events, and participating in sectoral working groups in Washington, DC;
Proposal strategy, drafting, and oversight
- Track and communicate information and trends in relation to relevant US Government-hosted events with relevant HAI counterparts; and
- Assist in the identification of and response to strategic US Government funding opportunities. The successful applicant will also assist periodically in the development of major funding proposals.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy, Social Sciences, International Development, Business Administration or equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience. Master’s Degree in similar fields preferred
- Experience working with and through US Government context and entities – with a strong and demonstrable working knowledge, connections and networks with USAID and other parts of US Government
- No less than 5 years of experience, three of which are in Washington, DC in either/or both the non-profit and for-profit context
- Demonstrated experience in USAID proposal development; knowledge of USAID rules and regulations
- Experience in international development and/or human rights
- Proven experience in results orientated relationship management, networking, marketing and intelligence gathering
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Experience with the wider development and human rights communities and InterAction
Other Competencies:
- Time Management – Ability to prioritize tasks, manage time and complete projects in a fast-paced, changing environment with minimal supervision.
- Quality Management - Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness
- Analytical - Synthesizes complex or diverse information; Collects and researches data
- Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Varies writing style to meet needs; Presents numerical data effectively;
- Adaptability - Adapts to changes in the work environment; Manages competing demands; Changes approach or method to best fit the situation; Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events
- Cultural Sensitivity – Respects cultural environment in which person is working and does not act in a manner that is outwardly offensive to the local community.
Language Skills:
- Excellent oral and written English language communication skills
- Knowledge of French or Spanish preferred
- Demonstrated competency in public speaking
Computer Skills:
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, Outlook/Exchange, Windows operating systems
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; use hands to handle or feel and reach with hands and arms.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
- The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- This is a telecommuting position; incumbent is expected to establish a home office, with a designated work area, including a workstation setup accounting for safety measures, such as ergonomics.
- The employee must be able to regularly travel to, and pass building security to meet USG officials.
Heartland Alliance makes all hiring and employment decisions without regard to race, creed, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital or parental status, religion, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, sexual identity, immigrant status, political affiliation or belief, ex-offender status (depending on the offense and position to be filled), unfavorable military discharge, membership in an organization whose primary purpose is the protection of civil rights or improvement of living conditions and human relations, height, weight, or HIV infection, in accord with the Organization's AIDS Policy Statement of September, 1987. Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodation should contact the Employee Services Office at +1 (312) 660-1431.
How to apply:
TO APPLY
To learn more about this position and to apply, please visit:
http://chk.tbe.taleo.net/chk01/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=HEARTLANDALLIANCE&cws=1&rid=3402
OR
http://www.heartlandalliance.org/whoweare/careers/
*Please note that we do not consider resumes sent by email, fax or postal mail.