Executive Director At Jusoor

About the Role

The mission of the Executive Director of Jusoor is to lead the strategy and execution of innovative, effective and high quality education, entrepreneurship and employment interventions to maximize the potential of Syrian youth in the Middle East and globally. We seek either a seasoned humanitarian with strong private sector acumen, or an experienced leader in the private sector with passion and experience in social impact to lead the organization to our ambitious goal of 1 million Syrian impacted by 2030.

The Executive Director is expected to be bold, visionary, strategic and impact-driven. They should be a highly effective and wise decision-maker, a careful listener who is able to nurture a growing global team, and a diligent manager of the organization’s financial health and legal compliance. They should be knowledgeable about the evolving challenges facing displaced children across the developmental lifespan. As a thought leader entrusted with charitable funds, the ED should ensure Jusoor continues to rigorously model ethical and transparent management of funds, field operations, and Monitoring & Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL). They are expected to actively foster an evidence-based learning culture among civil society peers, private sector partners, academic research institutions, international development agencies and donors alike.

Externally, the Executive Director is the face of Jusoor with all partners and stakeholders, and should mobilize and inspire philanthropic support while elevating the voice of Syrians globally through fundraising, conferences, and public speaking across the globe. The Executive Director (ED) reports to the Board of Directors and is advised by the Board of Trustees. The ED is responsible for managing and overseeing the daily operations of a 50+ strong global team, including Programs, MEAL, Finance, Fundraising, Communications, Administration and HR.

Required Skills and Experience

Leadership: 5-10 years’ professional experience as Executive Director or Regional Director leading an international non-profit organization or private sector firm in strategic vision, execution and team management.

1. Bold, strategic, analytical, decisive, transparent, compassionate, and positive in outlook.
2. Strategic decision-making and wise judgment; comfortable making tough decisions in ambiguous and evolving conditions.
3. Results- and impact-driven; actively engaged in self-evaluation and self-improvement for the organization against clear KPIs.
4. Strong track record of delivering industry-leading results and growing organizations and scaling up programs.
5. Excellent organizational skills.
6. Strong ethics and excellent model of good behavior and maturity, honesty and humility.
7. Advanced communication skills; able to connect with individuals from all walks of life, and communicate clearly and concisely with stakeholders.

Team Management & Building:

1. Multiple years of experience of managing at least 5-10 direct reports.
2. Strong track record in attracting, hiring, and training world class talent.
3. Expertise in overseeing the daily operations of a wider team of 30+ staff within a horizontal management structure.
4. Excellent ability to delineate clear staff roles, delegate and supervise tasks, and ensure they are executed efficiently and effectively.
5. Strong prioritization and de-prioritization skills; ability to balance own workload and help team grow in their time management and execution.
6. Ability to balance detail-oriented quality control and oversight of team deliverables with high-level management style.
7. Demonstrated ability to build and maintain team morale, especially in difficult circumstances and times of crisis for the region.
8. Confidence in conflict management and mediation.
9. Experience creating relevant growth opportunities for all team members.

Technical Expertise:

1. A seasoned humanitarian with private sector acumen, or private sector leader with humanitarian experience, with a passion for education, entrepreneurship and/or youth development.
2. Technical knowledge in at least one of the following fields:
   1. education (teaching, curriculum development, student experience, scholarships, academic mentorship, primary education);
   2. entrepreneurship (incubators, accelerators, startups, SMEs);
   3. empowerment (career development, mentorship, upskilling)
3. Knowledge of Middle Eastern history and the current context, including the complex socioeconomic and political dynamics of regional host countries (Jordan, Lebanon, Turkiye, Egypt, Iraq); refugee and host community dynamics; migration, mobility and employment restrictions; donor dynamics; among others.
4. Experience working with and empowering vulnerable youth from war- and displacement-affected contexts, such as Syria and the Middle East and/or lived experience is strongly desirable.

Fundraising & Communications:

1. Excellent sales, business development and/or fundraising experience with culturally and geographically diverse and high net worth individuals
2. Strong donor connections and networks in the Middle East (with a focus on the GCC) and either North America, UK/Europe or East Asia.
3. Experience and success with institutional grants and philanthropy grants for humanitarian aid and specifically refugee education and entrepreneurship is highly desirable.
4. Experience and success with corporate giving and CSR is highly desirable.
5. Demonstrated ability to foster strong strategic partnerships and alliances, including law and policymakers, foundations, media & journalists, academics, think tanks and other thought leaders.
6. Familiarity with relevant fundraising and communications platforms including Mailchimp, Salesforce, DonorBox, Stripe, etc.

Public Speaking:

1. Confidently able to serve as the public face of Jusoor; brings poise and gravitas as the most visible embodiment of organizational values
2. Excellent communication & presentation skills; ability to deliver inspiring and powerful speeches at public events, including to articulate the vision, mission, and unique value proposition of the organization, as well as of needs on the ground.

Innovation for Impact:

1. Experience leading successful program development and/or product development and implementation.
2. Solutions oriented and able to question existing procedures and systems where inefficiencies are identified, and innovate for greater impact – including team structure, program design, and field operations, etc.
3. Demonstrated ability to advance thought leadership within the social sector, particularly in innovating beyond traditional and outdated assumptions or operations.

Operational Experience:

1. Strong background in operations is highly desirable, especially in rapidly growing firms or charities.
2. Finance:
   1. Strong financial acumen and professional ease in understanding key financial documents including budgets, cash flow and income statements across multiple countries and banking systems.
   2. Demonstrated ability to grow and pare back the organization in a measured manner according to organizational income and priorities.
   3. Experience with financial audits is strongly desirable.
3. Compliance:
   1. Demonstrated ability to ensure that all employees and organizational activities comply with local laws within various countries of operations.
4. Admin: Dedication to fostering a culture of documentation, accountability and transparency, and ensuring institutional memory. Use of modern technologies for business and organizational management desired.
5. Legal: Experience reviewing contracts, MOUs, and other basic understanding of legal documentation and policies is highly desirable.
6. Monitoring & Evaluation, Accountability & Learning (MEAL)& Research: Familiarity with global MEAL standards, tools and processes strongly desired. Experience in research is a plus.

Board Reporting & Relationship:

1. Proven ability to work with levels of senior management, including seasoned Board of Directors/Governors/Trustees and/or Advisors and Committees.
2. Ability to balance and communicate senior management priorities with team capacity and community realities.

Education: Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree or higher is preferred

Language:

1. Fluency in English with excellent oral and written skills.
2. Fluency in Spoken Arabic

Eligibility

• Technology: Consistent access to high-speed internet. Strong computer skills and fluency navigating various cloud-based collaboration platforms, including Google Drive, Slack, Zoom.
• Values: Respect for diverse identities, including strong multicultural and multifaith awareness, gender-sensitive behavior and inclusivity leading a global team.
• Location & Networks: based in the UK, Europe or the Middle East (including GCC), with a strong MENA regional network.
• Travel: 15-20% travel for field visits to Jusoor’s refugee education program in Lebanon or fundraising / networking and partnership building in Europe, North America, the Middle East and East Asia.

Culture, Values & Expectations

At Jusoor, we place integrity, accountability, and respect at the core of our values. Jusoor is an equal-opportunity employer committed to creating a welcoming work environment. Jusoor does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, gender, religion, marital status, disability, or sexual orientation. People with disabilities and people of all gender identities are encouraged to apply.

Why work with us

• Energetic, diverse and all-star team to work with and learn from
• Generous paid time off and parental policies
• Yearly professional development stipend for courses, conferences, learning materials, and a variety of training opportunities across the organization.
• Opportunities for creativity and directing your career path within the organization