Executive Director, Volunteer

~ Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW) is a nonprofit dedicated to empowering engineers to tackle sustainability challenges. We believe that engineers, and anyone who loves to solve problems, are key to solving today's biggest sustainability challenges. ~

Founded in 2002, ESW is an international network of over 1,750 members and more than 45 collegiate chapters working to build a more sustainable world through technical hands-on projects. Since its founding, ESW has supported over 300 chapter-led projects in 12 countries and 23 states and Canadian provinces.

Position Overview

ESW is striving to have a measurable impact on 100 communities a year (and 500 a year by 2030) and your role is crucial in creating industry awareness, building relationships, and advancing our fundraising programs in support of our growth sustainability goals.

The Executive Director (ED) serves as Engineers for a Sustainable World’s (ESW) most significant fundraiser and prominent external spokesperson. The ideal candidate will be passionate about sustainability and dedicated to embedding it within engineering. Candidates should be able to articulate a vision for ESW’s role in a rapidly changing world to stakeholders including members, potential and current donors, corporations, and foundations.

As an equal member of the Executive Committee, the Executive Director is responsible for helping to grow the organization’s resources to more effectively tackle large problems, supporting a large decentralized team of staff and mostly volunteers in the implementation of our strategic plan, and developing a stronger network of business, nonprofit, and academic partners. This position offers the opportunity to help put sustainability into the education and practice of the next generation of technical students and professionals.

• Reports to:  Board of Directors
• Time: Up to 10 hours per week. This position is flexible, and can accommodate work and school schedules. 
• Salary: $0, but opportunities for a paid position are possible depending on fundraising 
• Location: Flexible within the United States or Canada 
• Travel: Occasional (5% of the time); paid by organization (travel currently suspended due to Coronavirus)

Responsibilities

The Executive Director will be responsible for:

Lead fundraising strategy and obtain dedicated and secure resources for successful operation and program management (60% of the time):

• Work with the Development Team to collectively design and execute fundraising activities
• Identify and help secure funding from corporations and philanthropists for programs and operating expenses
• Guide the planning and implementation of individual fundraising campaigns
• Assist with proposal writing to governmental agencies or foundations to fund programs
• Develop partnerships for shared resources in the form of in-kind donations and professional expertise 

Build the ESW brand in the form of public and organizational recognition and key partnerships (30%)

• Provide representation for ESW at public events and in the media
• Identify potential for collaboration and develop connections between ESW and: faculty and staff at institutions of higher education in order to build ESW’s presence on college campuses; engineering and or sustainability-related companies; and existing non-profit networks
• Coordinate creation of an Annual Report for public distribution

Support the Organizational Effectiveness and the Achievement of our Strategic Plans (10%)

• Act as a strategic partner to the Chief Operating Officer on all internal initiatives and operational improvements
• Provide vision and perspective to the team, bringing new ideas for expansion and growth opportunities
• Work with the Board of Directors and Leadership Team on strategic planning for both short and long term horizons

Desired Skills and Qualifications

• Experience with nonprofit administration
• Knowledge or experience in engineering or sustainability is a plus.
• Superb verbal and excellent written communication skills and confidence communicating to a wide variety of audiences 
• Demonstrated experience meeting funding goals from government and foundation sources and individual fundraising
• Experience dealing with a range of organizational stakeholders, including university faculty, non-profit leaders, and businesses
• Demonstrated ability to help create, share, and act on a large-scale vision
• Management experience a plus
• Experience creating and/or managing multi-stakeholder projects and programs
• Project management

To Apply

• Please click "Apply" below to email your resumé/CV. 
• Feel free to add a short "Why me" (up to 150 words), as we would love to know you better!
• Please contact us with any questions you may have as well.

ESW does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, age, religion, or economic background. Further, we strongly encourage individuals from traditionally underrepresented identities to apply, including identities not explicitly named above. If there are any considerations or qualifications not acknowledged in our job description that you feel are important and relevant to this position, we encourage you to bring them to light in your application.