National Advisor, Common Ground USA

Responsibilities

• • • • Builds new areas of national stakeholder engagement, including but not limited to political leaders across the political spectrum, national and multi-state civil society organizations, and other leaders in the business, non-profit, education, advocacy, rural, veteran, and faith sectors.
      • Grows opportunities for dialogue and cooperation between diverse national groups and leaders, including across ideology and sectors.
      • Executes national events and other special projects.
      • Represents CG-USA at field-level convenings and other spaces.

• • • • Leads in the creation and management of diverse CG-USA Advisory Board.
      • Supports Executive Director with outreach to executive and legislative policy makers.
      • Fosters political analysis, integrating team members and partners inputs.
      • Contributes to risk assessment and mitigation strategies.

• • • As part of CG-USA senior management team, contributes to the overall CG-USA strategy and execution of that strategy.
    • Supports in team management, and leadership for staffing and employee development.
    • Provides consultation on overall CG-USA strategy, outreach, donor engagement and special projects.

Other Contributions

• • • External Engagement: Represents CG-USA at national and state events and public engagements. Contributes to communication with government, civil society, media and partner organizations, as well as key donors.
    • Implementation: Supports quality programming, including planning, reporting, monitoring and evaluation, and stakeholder engagement. In implementation, ensure compliance of staff and partners to donor rules and US/state regulations, including 501(c)3 guidelines.
    • Reporting: Ensure project reporting is completed according to established timeline and requirements by contributing to grant reports, as well as regular funder briefings.
    • Personnel management: Manages recruitment of key consultants, and as assigned, manages project staff. Ensures personnel training to adhere to CG-USA, Search and donor policies and procedures.
    • Compliance: Ensures internal policy and donor compliance, including 501(c)3 limitations; address serious compliance issues when raised; oversee risk management.
    • Financial management: Supports quality and timely financial management.
    • Values: Infuses organizational values into all work.
    • Other duties: Tasks that are broadly in line with the above key contributions as assigned.

Qualifications

• • • Typically BS/BA with minimum 15 years’ experience.
    • Strong political analysis skills.
    • Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships and coalitions.
    • Deep knowledge and existing connections with national political and civil society leaders. Experience working with conservative leaders and organizations highly desired.
    • Familiarity/expertise in democracy, coalition building, conflict resolution/political violence prevention, and/or related socio-political issues.
    • Excellent writing, editing, and communication skills.
    • Ability to work collaboratively with diverse groups and individuals.
    • Strong project management skills, with the ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously.
    • Collaborative working style and ability to engage with diverse constituencies.
    • Passion for CG-USA’s mission and values, with a commitment to fostering collaboration across differences to solve problems

Competency Behavior Indicators (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

• • • Motivates colleagues and direct reports to develop while resolving problems within the context of the organization’s proactive and broad vision.
    • Builds and maintains collaborative relationships with vendors, organizations, professional associations, partners, funders, and Search’s network of experts to facilitate work intended to provide a service to Search.
    • Manages and contributes to both routine activities and initiatives while also making progress on continuous improvement efforts.
    • Juggles multiple demands and adapts to new situations with fresh ideas or innovative approaches.
    • Contributes to the development and implementation of departmental strategy based on organizational goals and objectives.
    • Confirms and socializes standards across functions globally within or in collaboration with Shared Services teams while allowing for thoughtful collaboration in an international context.
    • Practices ethical behavior to meet Search’s expectations for conduct, minimizes ambiguity and sets an example for others.
    • Builds a framework and sets in motion a plan to overcome challenges by making sense out of complexity and an uncertain future, staying cognizant of the implications of choice for the department, and being decisive while also applying flexibility for further change as needed and with changing work plans to meet environmental factors.
    • Sets up procedures and team building to ensure high quality of work (e.g., review meetings).
    • Seeks creative solutions within a complex environment while working within an organizational framework of compliance, ethics, best practices, and standards.
    • Shares information, advice, and suggestions to help others succeed; provides effective coaching.
    • Sought out as an expert to provide advice or solutions in their technical or functional area (s).
    • Convenes groups or teams through problem-solving and creative thinking processes, leading to developing and implementing new approaches, systems, structures, and methods in a Shared Services environment.
    • Involves team members in thought leadership discussions and decision-making to lead to continued growth and development for the team, department members, and Shared Services colleagues.
    • Remain alert and responsive to any safeguarding risks, acquire relevant knowledge and skills that will enable you to promote strong safeguarding practices, understand the safeguarding policy and procedures, and conduct yourself in a manner consistent with the Safeguarding Policy.

Type and Nature of Contacts

• • • Routinely coordinates with colleagues and consultants and resolves problem situations with tact. Has multiple and regular high-level external donor and partner contacts. Is externally-branded and visible.
    • Represents, as assigned, selected programs or projects and other organizations, including donors, vendors, and partners.
    • Interacts with CG-USA and global Search staff.