Moving Minds Alliance Director

Job Description

**The deadline to submit applications for this role is June 9, 2023.

Other limited locations may also be considered.**

Summary

The Director of Moving Minds Alliance is a visionary leader who will inspire a movement to address inequality in the provision of care to young children aged 0-5 years living in crisis, emergencies or displacement situations. This role requires critical thinking and innovation to identify and address shortcomings in the current system and build an effective power base that can leverage opportunities for change. The Director will be responsible for leading the Moving Minds Alliance, progressing its strategic direction together with the Steering Committee and representing the organisation and the issue on the global stage. The Director will also build partnerships, and create a strong network of stakeholders to create lasting impact.

The Moving Minds Alliance is a dynamic and innovative multi-stakeholder partnership comprised of over 33 organizations that are committed to radically improving the quality of financing, policies, practices and leadership and to catalyzing change to enable much greater access to effective, holistic care for the youngest children and their families affected by crisis and displacement. We do this through collaborative advocacy and support to catalytic, change focused Initiatives.

With a focus on promoting equitable and dignified access to care, the Moving Minds Alliance aspires to be a powerful force for change in the humanitarian sector. Currently, the Alliance is hosted by the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a global leader in providing humanitarian aid and support to those affected by crisis and conflict.

To lead the Moving Minds Alliance, we are looking for an enthusiastic changemaker who embodies our principles of being ethical, brave, inclusive, change focused, and committed to learning and collaboration.

The successful candidate will ideally have worked across one or more of the sectors represented in the Moving Minds Alliance (e.g. philanthropy, UN/non-profit, private sector), have experience in multi-stakeholder engagement and partnership-building for social change, a proven track record in strategic leadership and team building.

The Director of Moving Minds Alliance will have the opportunity to lead a movement that will make a lasting impact on the lives of young children and their families. If you are a visionary leader with a passion for creating change, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity. Join us in shaping a future where all children have access to the care and support they need to thrive.

The Position and key working relationships

In 2023 the MMA is currently completing a theory of change and learning framework as well as updating its strategy through a process of systems mapping and analysis. Using this systems lens will enable the MMA to maximise its leverage and to design new approaches to effectively catalyse change. The new Director will continue with this approach, being committed to continually measuring the MMA’s Impact and using It to evolve our strategy.

The current MMA core team, who are managed by the Director, includes the Senior Manager - Engagement, and the Operations Officer.

The Director will work closely with and under the oversight of the MMA Steering Committee (on which the Director will have an ex-officio, non-voting seat). For administrative purposes the Director will formally report to a senior member of IRC staff.

Responsibilities of the Director will include:

Representation

● Be a public face of the Moving Minds Alliance, representing the Alliance across the sector, including at the highest levels providing the Alliance with a credible and compelling spokesperson

● Represent the issue of young children in crisis ensuring that it becomes an increasingly visible issue across the sector

● Mentor other team members to effectively represent the organization and issue where appropriate

● Establish relations with influential leaders (inside and outside the membership) who can champion and support MMA’s objectives

● Build and maintain relationships with diverse networks and organisations for purposes of coordination and collaboration

● Represent the Moving Minds Alliance in relevant meetings and conferences

Vision & Strategy

• Oversee the implementation and continued evolution of the MMA strategy, in coordination with the Steering Committee and in collaboration with MMA members

• Ensure that the MMA's strategy is ethical, driving an anti-colonial and anti-racist approach in all we do

• Oversee the implementation of a portfolio of MMA initiatives in accordance with the strategy. Support the MMA core team and members to update and design new initiatives in accordance with our evolving learning

• Oversee the use and development of the MMA learning framework to track our progress and to ensure our strategy and initiatives retain and increase in effectiveness

• Oversee development of an organization-wide budget for the effective use of resources that is aligned with the overall strategy

Alliance Development

• Maintain good relations with all MMA members, and ensure they are adequately supported to deliver on the Alliance's ambitious objectives

• Oversee the evolution of the Alliance's ways of working that are ethical, transparent, equitable and increasingly effective

• Serve as point of contact for foundation members (the philanthropic foundations who fund MMA’s activities) and the funding and philanthropic community more broadly

Operations & Governance Oversight

• Support the Steering Committee to provide overarching strategic leadership and good governance for the Alliance, including analyzing relevant risks, trends and opportunities for Steering Committee decisions and actions

• Support recruitment when required, oversee the work and support the development of two other Secretariat staff (Senior Engagement Manager, and an Operations Officer), and build a strong team that embodies MMA’s values

• Support the Steering Committee Chair to plan and facilitate effective Steering Committee meetings

• Provide overall oversight of the Alliance’s finances including monitoring compliance with the annual budget, and authorizing expenditures under the overall authority of the Steering Committee and the IRC

• Support resource mobilization for the Moving Minds Alliance in active collaboration with Steering Committee and MMA members

• Oversee development of materials (incl. Annual Reports) on all ongoing activities and report to Steering Committee on progress, management, and operations

• Manage relationships with the host agency to ensure relationships remain effective for the delivery of MMAs work. Periodically review the relationship and work with the host to affect any necessary changes

• Support the core team members to work with the host agency on day-to-day financial transactions, grant management, HR, and legal issues

• Shape and oversee the MMA brand and identity (incl. the MMA website) to build a trusted and leading brand of the issue of young children in crisis.

• Recruit, brief, and manage consultants hired to support MMA’s work

Candidate profile

The ideal candidate for this position will have a combination of many of the following skills and experience:

Highly Desirable:

● Significant technical knowledge in public policy, humanitarian assistance, international development, child development or another relevant field

● Excellent listening and communications skills and strong representation capability with a variety of audiences

● Demonstrated experience in mentoring staff, and supporting and building effective teams

● An excellent understanding of the current movements for change and reform within the humanitarian sector

● Demonstrated commitment to transparent, ethical and equitable ways of working including a strong commitment to anti-colonial and anti-racist approaches

● Professional experience in a strategic leadership role, ideally in the social sector such as in international development, humanitarian aid, social business, and/or philanthropy,

● Experience of working with or within a multi stakeholder network

● Passionate about social change, and driven to make a difference in the lives of young children in situations of crisis and displacement

● Strong communication ability in English.

Preferred:

● Understanding of using systems thinking to leverage change in a complex system such as the global humanitarian system

● Capability in additional language(s)

● Experience in a leadership role within multi stakeholder networks

Personal experience of living and working as part of a crisis affected community or lived experience of being displaced, a refugee, or affected by crisis is highly desirable, in addition to 8+ years of experience in a strategic leadership role. Staff of the MMA will be on IRC staff contracts. The IRC and IRC workers agree to adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Equality, Service, 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.

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Qualifications