CEO (SVP) (Seattle)

Full consideration will be given to applications received by September 30, 2018

For Full Job Announcement PDF see

Social Venture Partners International (SVPI) is seeking a CEO with the vision and ability to inspire, connect, and activate people within our international network who are committed to making their communities stronger. The ideal candidate will be a galvanizing leader who is personally passionate about the value of community engagement, and will be excited to tell that story and communicate SVPI's value and impact to others in compelling and innovative ways. They will approach leadership with a social justice lens and a global perspective, and will be eager to become a thought leader in the critical conversation about the need for change and greater equity and inclusion in the philanthropic sector. They will be deeply committed to the mission of increasing the reach and connectivity of the SVP Network, and growing its impact and its membership in order to more fully realize its potential as a global network.

We desire candidates who are able to motivate and manage a volunteer Board of Directors to achieve results and meet their goals. The ideal candidate will also have experience managing a staff team in a collaborative environment with a “servant leadership” approach, which values active listening and the growth and contributions of staff at every level. We seek a leader who can be a confident and effective fundraiser, both by cultivating and asking individuals for major gifts, as well as developing partnerships with foundations and corporations. In addition to growing revenue through fundraising, this individual will need to be a skilled financial manager and business planner who is prepared for the challenge of creatively meeting ambitious organizational goals on a lean non-profit budget; this will include working with the Board on expanding our business and revenue model to enable organizational growth.

The international and cross-cultural nature of our work requires skill, ability and genuine interest in building relationships and collaborating with diverse partners and organizations, both virtually and in-person. The new CEO should expect to travel up to 25% of their time to meet with affiliates around the network, as well as with other organizations in the social sector to foster new collaborations and partnerships. Experience working virtually and in a network setting with multiple affiliates or locations is ideal. Because the SVP network is increasingly focused on issues of equity and inclusion and how traditional philanthropy has often overlooked and even exacerbated these problems, a willingness and ability to engage others in these candid and sometimes challenging conversations is an important requirement. The ideal candidate will have significant professional or personal experience with or understanding of what it means to be part of a marginalized group, including a nuanced consideration of their own context and positionality, whatever that may be, and will bring those perspectives to their leadership.

The CEO may be based in Seattle or in another city with an existing SVP affiliate office, and with reasonably easy access to the Seattle office by air.

About SVPI

Social Venture Partners (SVP) is the largest global network of engaged philanthropists and social innovators in the world. Founded in 1997 in Seattle, the SVPI network now includes 43 SVP affiliates (independent, city-based member organizations that share the SVP mission and brand) in 8 countries, creating a combined network of more than 3,400 engaged donor partners that collectively have invested in 900 individual nonprofits through $70 million (USD) in unrestricted grants and countless volunteer hours.

At its core, SVP fosters collaborative solutions to critical social challenges. Partners collaborate with each other and community partners – through grants, consulting, coaching, and collective action – to address root cause issues facing their communities. Each SVP affiliate invests in their local community, but is connected to the global movement led by SVPI. Together, we envision a world where the people closest to- and impacted by- problems in our communities, have the power and resources to develop and implement effective solutions to those problems.

In service to this vision, SVPI connects and amplifies the collective impact of the SVP network. It is an organized platform in which partners and affiliates share ideas, emerging practices, innovative tools, outcomes data, and extensive resources to help each other grow and have greater impact. In addition, SVPI acts as a thought leader for the global network and the philanthropic sector, promoting and fostering the movement of SVP’s and philanthropy in general toward more just and equitable ways to share their own access to power and resources with those most impacted by systems of oppression.

SVPI operates as an independent nonprofit with a staff team of 5 and an annual budget of approximately $1 million. Affiliates pay dues to SVPI which make up about 35% of its revenue, with the remainder coming from individual contributions, foundation grants, and sponsorships. Our staff work mostly virtually, with 2-3 in-person meetings per week in our shared office at the Impact Hub in downtown Seattle, a globally connected co-working space located in a historic building in the heart of Pioneer Square.

Mission

SVP cultivates effective philanthropists, strengthens nonprofits, and invests in collaborative solutions – building powerful relationships to tackle our communities’ social challenges.

Vision : We aim to build a global movement of partners working in their communities to create a world where all people have the opportunity to lead productive and meaningful lives.

Values

• Stretch: We believe there’s always potential to do better
• Connection: We make a greater impact collectively
• Equity: We break down systemic and structural biases in resource distribution
• Accountability: We hold ourselves accountable for our actions and results

The Future

SVPI is at a pivotal moment in its history. Historically SVPI has largely functioned as the “invisible backbone” for the SVP Network. Today, SVPI is on a path to expand its focus from partner engagement and education to community-driven impact as a result of partner engagement, collaboration, and collective impact.

In order to do this well, SVPI must share a clear vision for the value and power of community engagement, grounded in equity and inclusion. It must offer affiliates and partners a strong value proposition, and step up as an innovative leader ready to partner with other funders and organizations that share its core values of equity, connection, and accountability.

The next SVPI leader must embrace the challenge of expanding its business model, communications, programming and partners to reflect this larger mission and vision. At SVPI, we believe that our global network of passionate and engaged volunteers and investors offers almost unlimited potential to make positive change in communities, and leading this movement will be a tremendous opportunity for our next CEO.

Position Summary

The Chief Executive Officer has responsibility for the overarching health of the SVP Network and for accelerating and amplifying the SVP movement worldwide. Consistent with goals set by the Board of Directors and the strategic plan, the CEO directs and manages the financial, human, programmatic, service, and brand assets of SVPI in order to optimize the potential of affiliates, individually and collectively. The CEO also works to leverage the power of its worldwide network to promote SVP’s values around equity and community collaboration, and to be a thought leader in the philanthropic sector.

Key responsibilities

Board Development. Cultivate an influential and highly engaged international Board of Directors. Inspire, inform, and support the board to meet their ambitious goals and increase the organization’s impact.

Financial Management. Work with the Board of Directors to expand our business and revenue model to enable organizational growth. Final accountability for financial management, budgeting, and reporting; ensuring appropriate infrastructure of controls and procedures to provide fiscal transparency and accountability are in place.

Fundraising. Grow and sustain donated revenue. Hire new development staff and work directly with staff and Board to scale fundraising capacity. Engage directly on major donor opportunities by stewarding donors and developing relationships with foundation and corporate partners.

People Development. Develop and lead SVPI’s staff team with the passion, acumen, and emotional intelligence necessary to attract and retain top talent. Foster an open and collaborative culture that values the growth and contributions of staff at every level. Ensure staff roles and responsibilities are aligned to the organization’s strategic goals.

Affiliate Support. Develop and support meaningful connections between partners across the network to amplify shared learning, greater engagement, and a deeper commitment to the SVP mission. Provide leadership that improves impact of the SVP Network including supporting growth in capacity of SVP affiliates and adding new and sustainable affiliates. Work with SVPI staff to diagnose each affiliate’s maturity stage and provide appropriate development tools, training, and coaching. Coach and mentor founders of new affiliates.

Le