Job Description

Title: Executive Director

Schedule: Full-time

Location: Remote, with in-person meetings and events nationwide.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Seeking a transformational leader with a strong fundraising track record and experience leading organizational strategy. The successful candidate will enjoy working in a dynamic and collaborative environment and will be skilled at organizational development and business model implementation. This is a highly strategic position with focused and time-bound goals, and the paramount goal of making the decisions and securing the resources needed for NSPN to become an independently viable, successful, and sustainable organization. NSPN is exploring our future directions, and the Executive Director will have the opportunity to join the team, roll up their sleeves, and lead the organization through an intensive exploration of future opportunities. They will dive into networking, landscape scoping, relationship building, and fundraising and development from day one, and lead NSPN into our next stage. They will be supported in their strategic decision making by other members of the executive leadership team (NSPN’s governing body) – which includes the Managing Director, and two early-career leadership fellows (national chairs), and by an Advisory Board, and Multiplier (NSPN’s umbrella organization). The position reports directly to Multiplier’s chief executive and their board. As an externally focused leader, the position will have no direct reports; senior leadership staff and their direct reports are under the supervision of the organization’s internally focused leader, the Managing Director.

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION:

National Science Policy Network (NSPN) is a nonprofit that is rapidly scaling to advance the participation of early career scientists and engineers in policymaking. The mission of NSPN is to catalyze the engagement of early career scientists and engineers in policy making by fostering an inclusive community, training new generations of diverse leaders, and empowering advocates for the role of science in society. National Science Policy Network is an independent operating project of the nonprofit umbrella organization, Multiplier, a nationally recognized nonprofit with a portfolio of innovative initiatives that conserve and protect a sustainable and resilient world.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Lead and own

External Relations and Fundraising   

• Develop and manage NSPN’s relationships with current and potential funders. Identify and cultivate new funding opportunities. 
• Represent NSPN externally to NSPN’s stakeholders, including members, partners, funders, and the public.  
• Maintain partnership pipeline, with full ownership of funder partnerships. Expand our network by making new connections, and revisiting our core partner list for stewardship and new ideas. 
• Make connections across networks to support goals in all of NSPN’s departments, e.g. introduce appropriate partners to Senior Leadership, including NSPN’s Director of Membership, Public Relations Manager, and Director of Programs. 

Organizational Development

• Refine NSPN’s governance model, vision, strategy, staffing model, and programmatic priorities. 
• Manage relationships with the project’s Advisory Board; planning and facilitating Advisory Board meetings with an eye toward leveraging their collective expertise and resources to advance NSPN’s mission. Identifying and recruiting members of the project’s Advisory Board. 

Co-own

• Take the lead on any funding-related submissions such as grant proposals, with support from the Managing Director, and other staff. 
• Impact evaluation and reporting, in collaboration with the Managing Director, Director of Programs, and Systems Strategy Specialist.
• Work with the Public Relations Manager and others to capture impact in communications, publications, etc.

Support

• Provide support and input to the Managing Director, who leads internal operations (team management and culture, budget and financial management, and systems oversight). 
• Bring general strategic oversight and a focus on our mission and vision so that they remain as a consistent thread across our communications (led by the Public Relations Manager), program and fellowship offerings (led by the Director of Programs and National Chairs), and membership roadmap/pipeline and annual event strategy (led by the Director of Membership).

QUALIFICATIONS

We welcome people with diverse identities, experiences and perspectives to apply. Strong candidates will possess many, but not necessarily all, of the following:

Past experience:

• Significant, established, and demonstrable experience developing funder relationships and leading organizational growth
• Demonstrated experience as a leader who inspires others through transparency, integrity, humor, creativity, enthusiasm, optimism, and humility; 
• Effective communication; strong ability to write, speak and present persuasively about NSPN’s vision, mission, and programs on national and international stages. 
• A reputation for leading and growing a successful member-driven organization 
• 10+ years of experience in a Senior Leadership role demonstrating skill in building and maintaining collaborative relationships and leading organizational growth and development

Required qualifications:

• A strong national network 
• Existing high-level connections to funders: foundations, high-net worth individuals, and/or corporations, etc.
• Comfort in a lean start‐up environment and with a geographically distributed team that leverages collaboration over web and technology to move day-to-day operations forward.
• a deep understanding of the landscape of issues, organizations, and professional interests that NSPN represents, including in science policy, and in science, engineering, medical and technology fields more broadly.
• an outspoken advocate for the role that newly emerging leaders can and will play in elevating science policy and bringing science-informed decision-making to the policy table at local, regional and national levels
• a commitment to integrating members of our impact audience (early career researchers) into strategy and organizational development, e.g. actively involving national chairs in strategic leadership and funder cultivation and stewardship. The successful candidate will understand and appreciate the mutual benefits of this approach.
• a deep commitment to cultivating diversity, fostering equity, and building an inclusive community of members, advisors, partners and team members. 
• a demonstrated ability to work effectively with, and quickly gain the respect and support of, diverse stakeholders. 
• the ability to lead and serve NSPN’s mission in a way that fosters creativity, teamwork, a commitment to excellence, and mutual respect
• a reputation for honesty, fairness, and high ethical standards.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

The position requires frequent and carefully targeted travel, with the majority focused on in-person meetings with current and prospective funders, NSPN events and strategy retreats, and networking meetings and events. Travel may be as high as 20-30% at certain times of the year, and expenses are covered by the organization.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: 

Multiplier and the National Science Policy Network celebrate diversity and are committed to building teams and partnerships that represent a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. Multiplier and NSPN are also committed to providing an environment of mutual respect that is free from discrimination and harassment. Multiplier and NSPN prohibit discrimination in our governance, programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, marital status, amnesty, status as a covered veteran, because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from public assistance, or for any other non-merit based factor.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

• Salary is $130,000 – $160,000/yr dependent on experience and qualifications
• Position is a 100% FTE employee of Multiplier. 
• We work a flexible schedule (employees choose the hours they work), and the team’s full time week is 36 hours; we each choose a consistent day of the week that we take off every other week.
• Multiplier provides a comprehensive benefits package, including excellent medical and dental benefits, matched 401k retirement savings, and generous vacation and sick leave policy.
• Professional development, continued education, mentoring and advising opportunities supported by the organization.

HOW TO APPLY:

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Upload your résumé/CV and one-page cover letter in the format: LastnameFirstname_CV, LastnameFirstname_CL

Link to apply – All applicants will need to create an account to apply in UKG.

In your cover letter, please explain why you are interested in this position, and describe your relevant experience and qualifications. 

How to Apply

Job Categories: Sustainability. Job Types: Full-Time. Job Tags: DEI, development, fundraising, nonprofit leadership, science advocacy, Science Communication, science diplomacy, science policy, and Strategy. Salaries: 100,000 and above.

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