President and Chief Executive Officer
CMMB’s Board of Directors has retained Russell Reynolds Associates to help with the search of the next President and Chief Executive Officer
Location: New York, NY
Click here to download the position profile
The Role
Reporting to the Board of Directors of CMMB, the President and Chief Executive Officer will be an experienced and inspiring leader of stature able to build upon the strong legacy of the organization’s current CEO, Bruce Wilkinson, who will retire from CMMB in June 2020.
The CEO will be responsible for the strategic, programmatic, financial, and operational leadership of the organization and will ensure CMMB’s reputation as a trusted partner working across governments, multilaterals, the private sector, local communities, and philanthropic partners to mobilize resources and achieve measurable outcomes for vulnerable women, children and their families and communities. S/he will work in collaboration with the Board on all matters of governance, mission, and strategic objectives and will ensure that the Board is kept fully informed on the operating and financial condition of the organization and of important internal and external influencing factors.
A strategic leader with a deep understanding of, and compassion for, the cause and effects of poverty and poor health on women and children in the developing world, the CEO will be able to look beyond the fray to identify trends and opportunities for CMMB to fulfill its mission. As CMMB’s key strategic and operational leader, the CEO will be a focused and disciplined manager capable of working effectively with an engaged Board; establishing clear priorities; and steering the organization toward maintaining its strategic focus, mobilizing new resources, and expending them efficiently. The ability to bring nimbleness and agility to CMMB’s strategic and operating model in order to maintain its effectiveness in a rapidly evolving landscape for global health programming and funding, is an essential part of this role.
At every step, s/he will reinforce program strategy and delivery, ensure consistency, promote a results orientation, and strengthen human capital across the organization. The CEO will be an inclusive, generous, and present manager able to foster a culture to which high-caliber staff is attracted and where it is valued, motivated, and retained.
The CEO will play the primary role representing CMMB to a variety of external constituents vital to the organization’s mission and livelihood. S/he will be a credible advocate for the organization’s mission and programs consistently raising CMMB’s visibility and influence in the global health community and beyond. S/he will embrace his/her role as the organization’s senior fundraiser and encourage a culture of development within the organization. This role requires an articulate and persuasive speaker, a deeply skilled listener, a partnership builder with a strategic approach to revenue generation, and the passion and conviction to engage new and existing donors.
Candidate Profile
CMMB’s next Chief Executive Officer will be a skilled, inspiring, and compassionate leader of vision and stature with a deep humanitarian ethic and a commitment to achieving meaningful and sustainable improvement to the lives of women and children in the developing world. S/he will be globally literate and culturally astute and will ideally have previous leadership experience in a multinational and multicultural organization active in the Global South.
In terms of the performance and personal competencies required for the position, we would highlight the following:
- Knowledge and Expertise
▪ A strong grounding in global health/development and/or humanitarian assistance gained in an international setting, either in the nonprofit, private, or government sectors.
▪ An understanding of the intricacies of leading a field-based organization, as well as significant experience working with the developing world and leading a multinational and multicultural staff.
▪ A demonstrated commitment to the plight of women and children in the developing world. - Strategy Leadership and Management
▪ Demonstrated successful management of a complex international organization or significant program with clear strategic results.
▪ A growth and results-oriented leader able to inspire staff and Board to achieve ambitious goals while ensuring the evolution of systems and processes to sustain viability in the long-term.
▪ Encourages transparency, openness, and mutual respect while also being able to set priorities decisively, delegate responsibilities, assure and value accountability, and allocate resources efficiently to ensure results.
▪ Able to recruit, engage, and empower top talent; motivate the team; delegate effectively, celebrate diversity within the team; and manage performance. Widely viewed as a strong developer of others.
▪ Navigates confidently in ambiguous situations. Makes decisions in the face of uncertainty or change that are aligned with the core values of the organization.
▪ Viewed by others as having a high degree of integrity and forethought in his/her approach to making decisions; has the ability to act in a transparent and consistent manner while always taking into account what is best for the organization.
▪ Self-reflective and aware of his/her own limitations; leads by example; hires to complement his/her own skills and competencies, and drives the organization’s performance with an attitude of continuous improvement by being open to feedback and self-improvement. - Communication, Relationship Building and Influence
▪ Exceptional communication skills; highly articulate and persuasive and with a compelling manner.
▪ At ease in a front-facing role representing the organization with peers, partners, funders, and the media.
▪ Able to motivate others to pursue the achievement of common objectives. The ability to develop positive and productive working relationships and alliances at all levels within CMMB, as well as externally is key to the success of this role.
▪ Highly skilled in developing, managing, and driving engagement from Board members through frequent communication and transparency and setting and maintaining clear priorities.
▪ Decisive and with a strong and healthy ego complemented by self-awareness and humility. - Fundraising
▪ Extensive experience successfully raising funds from individuals, foundations, and international agencies.
▪ If not from the nonprofit world, will have a previous track-record of building productive and enduring relationships with partners that lead to recurring donations or revenues for an organization or company.
▪ Embraces the role of chief fundraiser and encourages a culture of development throughout the organization and the Board. - Mission and Identity
▪ Personally and professionally aligned to the universal principles of Catholic social teaching.
▪ An inspirational individual with a heart for the world’s poor and the passion to make a transformational difference in their lives.
▪ Has the experience, intellect, and maturity to make decisions in the best interest of the organization and ensure that they are aligned with its social and moral values.
▪ Shows passion for and commitment to the vision of CMMB and brings the highest level of energy and endurance to achieving the goals of the organization.
▪ Highly ethical and with excellent judgment; has the “moral compass” to do the right thing for the organization and live the values and mission of CMMB.