Executive Director
Lead and direct IRC's San Diego office operations and strategic vision
Overview
Lead and direct IRC's San Diego office operations and strategic vision
You have:
- Undergraduate degree required; advanced degree in related field preferred.
- Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible work experience with social services or humanitarian assistance programs; strong preference for previous experience with direct services delivery to clients in cross-cultural environments.
- Demonstrated staff management, program development, monitoring, evaluation, and advocacy experience.
- Authentic leadership; demonstrated ability to promote an organizational culture that reflects IRC’s core values of service, accountability, integrity, and equality.
- Successful and significant fundraising and grant writing experience.
- Financial management experience, including effective management of budgets.
- Proven people management skills; demonstrated ability to deliver results and translate words into action.
- Keen diplomatic and interpersonal skills; ability to enhance internal and external relationships, including with partners and donors.
- Demonstrated commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
- Ability to heighten the visibility of the office and programs, both within the IRC network and in the external environment.
- Superior organizational skills: ability to set priorities and effectively manage time in a fast-paced team environment.
- Proven digital literacy to include experience using MS Office.
- Strong public speaking and media communications skills to serve as IRC San Diego’s primary spokesperson.
- Ability and willingness to travel domestically and within the County/State up to 10%.
The IRC is seeking an Executive Director (ED) to advance its work in San Diego County. The ED sets the vision and directs organizational strategy, articulates the mission, and manages the implementation of quality, evidence-based programming to maximize client outcomes. The ED also oversees the day-to-day activities, develops organizational culture and is responsible for the development of resources vital to operate national and local programs, including building positive relationships with local, regional, and national resource partners.
Established in 1975, the office currently has a projected FY22 operational budget of $11.5 million and approximately 130 full- and part-time staff, with services delivered/administered from two sites: San Diego/City Heights and El Cajon, CA. Programs primarily focus on refugee resettlement and case management, employment, behavioral health, economic empowerment, education, anti-trafficking, youth, and immigration services. With IRC’s operations located only 20 minutes from the San Diego/Tijuana border, programming is also greatly influenced by the needs of asylum seekers crossing into the U.S. for safety, protection, and case management support. The office has a comprehensive portfolio of nearly 80 public/private grants that support most of these programs, while it continues to focus on growing unrestricted private funding to support our work.
Major Responsibilities:
General Management and Leadership
- Organizational Leadership: Establish and articulate a clear vision and support efforts to advance IRC’s San Diego’s critical work. Engage with local leaders and communities to advance IRC’s mission and serve as a thought and operational leader. Cultivate and sustain collaborative working relationships with state and local agencies and service providers, donors, advocacy partners and community organizations. Ensure the development and implementation of inclusive, effective, and holistic strategies to improve outcomes for clients. - Planning: Lead local strategic planning process and coordinate with IRC headquarters, especially technical unit to ensure office's strategic plan reflects the agency’s overall mission and goals. Contribute to RAI network-wide initiatives and capacity building models to advance the IRC Strategic Plan. - Team Management: Build and cultivate an inclusive team and workplace culture. Plan, organize, distribute, and coordinate the flow of work. Hire, supervise, guide, and advise staff in accordance with IRC policies, processes and values. Promote compliance with the IRC Code of Conduct; take ownership for actions and be accountable for those of the team. Maintain office management structure that bolsters coordination across departments. Ensure effective onboarding, capacity building, professional development and performance management strategies, and compliance with applicable labor laws. - Operations: Ensure timely and consistent communication with HQ on operational issues, policies and reporting; support local implementation of IRC policies including procurement, IT, and security and safety protocols.
Financial Management
- Budget Oversight: Coordinate annual budget development; regularly review the operating budget as well as monthly budget-to-actuals; maintain effective systems for tracking spending rates; address anomalies in revenue and expenses. Build capacity of program managers to support responsible financial management of their assigned programs. - Resource Development Plan: Be responsible for development and tracking of annual resource development plan to ensure achievement of goals and adequate resourcing of restricted and unrestricted funds.
Advocacy, External Relations, Development, and Fundraising
- Advocacy: Lead local advocacy efforts and support national advocacy efforts; host Board, senior staff, and donor visits; engage in and support community and policy outreach efforts. - Resource Development: Define resource development strategy and assure the development of a comprehensive local fundraising plan based on analysis of office and program strengths, service gaps and local environment. Collaborate with colleagues to optimize use of technical support and resources; cultivate local donor relationships to maintain and expand funding base. - Media and Communications: Maintain positive public image of IRC; engage with the local media outlets and develop working relationships; collaborate closely with IRC Communications Department on media efforts in accordance with IRC policies on external messaging. Coordinate the development of a public outreach strategy and plan contextualized for the local environment; ensure materials are consistent and of high quality. - Partnership: Build positive relationships in relevant sectors and refugee communities. Collaborate with partners especially local/community-based actors to address refugee needs and support an enabling environment for refugee integration.
Requirements:
- Undergraduate degree required; advanced degree in related field preferred. - Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible work experience with social services or humanitarian assistance programs; strong preference for previous experience with direct services delivery to clients in cross-cultural environments. - Demonstrated staff management, program development, monitoring, evaluation, and advocacy experience. - Authentic leadership; demonstrated ability to promote an organizational culture that reflects IRC’s core values of service, accountability, integrity, and equality. Ability to lead in a way that recognizes that IRC’s work is best accomplished through the true collaboration of individuals from many cultures with a great variety of skills and perspectives. - Successful and significant fundraising and grant writing experience. - Financial management experience, including effective management of budgets. - Proven people management skills; demonstrated ability to deliver results and translate words into action. - Keen diplomatic and interpersonal skills; ability to enhance internal and external relationships, including with partners and donors. Ability to work successfully and with utmost integrity and respect in cross-cultural environment and with limited English-speaking client population. - Demonstrated commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion - Ability to heighten the visibility of the office and programs, both within the IRC network and in the external environment. - Superior organizational skills: ability to set priorities and effectively manage time in a fast-paced team environment. - Proven digital literacy to include experience using MS Office. - Strong public speaking and media communications skills to serve as IRC San Diego’s primary spokesperson. - Ability and willingness to travel domestically and within the County/State up to 10%.
Posted pay ranges apply to US-based candidates. Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget. Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience and skills relative to the defined job requirements.
Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity: IRC is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.
Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.
Professional Standards: The IRC and IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.
Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
US Benefits: We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days (depending on role and tenure), medical insurance starting at $145 per month, dental starting at $7 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus a 3-7% base IRC contribution (3 year vesting), disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles.
Qualifications Update
Potential interview questions
| Can you describe a time when you had to manage a team through a significant change? | This question assesses your leadership abilities and how you handle transitions. | Provide a specific example and explain your approach to guiding the team. |
| How do you prioritize tasks when managing multiple projects? | This question evaluates your organizational and time management skills. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What strategies have you employed to enhance community partnerships? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Describe your experience with fundraising and managing grants. What challenges have you faced? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| How do you ensure a culture of diversity and inclusion within your team? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |