Executive Director, Elevate Children Funders Group

Overview of the Organization/Project

Elevate Children Funders Group (ECFG) is a network of philanthropic organizations focused on advancing the well-being of children and youth facing adversity, with a commitment to promoting equity and social justice. ECFG is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity in its leadership and membership. We strongly encourage applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds, especially those from underrepresented communities in philanthropy.

Position Information

• Job Title: Executive Director
• Job Location: Remote, global, with requirement to accommodate shared working hours (often between 9am and 12pm EST)
• Contract Term: Full time, exempt
• Time Allocation: 40 hours/week
• Contract Duration: 12-18 months based on current operational plan and funding. Renewal will be based on operational strategy and fundraising.
• Supervisor Name & Title: Co-Chairs of ECFG Steering Committee

Position Summary

The Executive Director at ECFG, in close collaboration with the Director of Network Engagement (DNE), will provide strategic direction and operational oversight to the organization. This role is essential for helping ECFG and its members understand, adapt to, and influence the broader philanthropic and child rights landscape, particularly in support of children and youth facing adversity worldwide. By fostering cross-regional learning, capturing and codifying knowledge, and advancing advocacy efforts, the Executive Director will ensure ECFG’s work remains strategic, relevant, and impactful. The role also involves supporting and coordinating with the governance role of the ECFG Steering Committee, and strengthening ECFG’s financial and operational sustainability, through external fundraising and engagement efforts.

The Executive Director is responsible for:

• Vision and strategic leadership
• Coordinating and facilitating the role of the Steering Committee in governance, strategic direction, and oversight
• Knowledge management and dissemination
• External engagement and partnerships, for example with fellow networks, civil society, development agencies, relevant research actors, non-member funders, etc.
• Thoughtful and strategic planning and engagement with advocacy, communications, relationship building, and meetings/events in the ecosystem (within and outside ECFG)
• Work with the Director of Network Engagement to integrate the above with member programming
• Fundraising and resource development
• Operational oversight, including staff and resource management

It is expected that the Executive Director will work in close consultation and collaboration with the DNE, in the spirit of shared leadership and decision-making. This model of leadership will require strong communication, mutual trust, and a joint commitment to advancing ECFG’s goals.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Vision and Strategic Leadership

The Executive Director will shape and implement ECFG’s organizational strategy, ensuring alignment with ECFG’s mission, guiding principles, and global perspective. In the spirit of consultative leadership and decision-making, it is expected that this will be done in close collaboration with the DNE and other parties, including ECFG members and Steering Committee.

Key Duties:

• In close consultation with the DNE, provide unified strategic direction, ensuring that ECFG’s programs, initiatives, and member engagement efforts advance the organization’s vision and mission with a coherent global, member-centered approach.
• Co-lead a participatory strategic planning process every 3-4 years, setting a forward-looking agenda for ECFG’s growth and impact, with annual adjustments as needed to suit the changing context of the organization and the field.
• Work with the DNE to ensure ECFG remains adaptive and responsive to the evolving needs of its global membership. Together, the co-leaders will stay attuned to shifts in the philanthropic landscape, especially as they relate to child and youth rights in diverse regions, and adjust ECFG’s strategic priorities as needed.
• Provide overall oversight to the network’s finances including developing the annual budget, raising all revenue, authorizing expenditures, and maintaining and reporting to the Steering Committee accurate financial records of revenues and expenses.
• In partnership with the DNE, maintain regular communication and meetings with the Steering Committee, and capitalize on opportunities to further develop Steering Committee capacity and leadership.
• Support youth participation in philanthropy within ECFG (e.g., by supporting the Youth in Philanthropy fellowship program) as a means of inclusion, feedback and accountability for ECFG, as well as advocate for it more broadly in the sector
• Co-host and plan the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and other key events and workstreams in collaboration with members and relevant stakeholders, incorporating their input to ensure agendas, logistics, and experiences are inclusive, engaging, and impactful.

Knowledge Management and Dissemination

The Executive Director will ensure that insights, lessons, and knowledge generated by ECFG and its members are captured, codified, and shared effectively, in partnership with the DNE and member programming

Key Duties:

• Stay abreast of trends in philanthropy and the child right sector, identifying gaps and opportunities for impact and collaboration.
• Develop systems to document and share insights, best practices, and lessons learned from ECFG’s convenings, inquiries/learning processes, working groups, and collaborations.
• Regularly curate and disseminate relevant research, reports, and resources for members, helping them stay informed of trends, data, and evidence that can inform their grantmaking.
• Commission and manage small learning and inquiry processes that respond to members’ priorities and needs.
• Lead the creation of white papers, reports, and case studies that highlight ECFG’s knowledge, impact, and the innovative practices of its members, contributing to sector-wide knowledge sharing.

External Engagement, Thought Leadership, and Advocacy

The Executive Director will represent ECFG externally, building partnerships, advocating for child rights, and positioning ECFG as a thought leader in global philanthropy for children’s well-being.

Key Duties:

• Develop and implement external communications and advocacy work.
• Represent ECFG at conferences, forums, and meetings with funder and non-funder stakeholders (e.g., policymakers, NGOs) to advance global children’s rights and wellbeing and increase ECFG’s visibility and influence.
• Develop and implement an advocacy strategy to identify opportunities for ECFG and its members to influence policy, funding priorities, and best practices in support of children facing adversity.
• Engage with other philanthropic networks and organizations to identify synergies, share insights, and co-create solutions to common challenges in the field.

Fundraising and Resource Development

The Executive Director will work with the DNE and Steering Committee to ensure ECFG’s financial sustainability through a fundraising and resource development strategy.

Key Duties:

• Develop a revenue strategy that includes member contributions, grants, and partnerships aligned with ECFG’s mission, with a specific focus on new gifts tied to external engagement efforts.
• Build and maintain relationships with current and prospective funders.
• Collaborate with the DNE for grant applications and reporting.
• Support the DNE in engaging ECFG members to contribute financially and in other ways to the network.

Operational Oversight and Resource Management

In partnership with the DNE, the Executive Director will ensure effective management of ECFG’s resources, staff, and governance processes.

Key Duties:

• Work closely with the Steering Committee on governance and strategic decision-making.
• Provide supervision and support to the Secretariat team, as well as relevant contractors and consultants.
• Support and oversee the Youth in Philanthropy fellowship program.
• Manage ECFG’s budget, ensuring alignment between financial planning and organizational goals.
• Submit contract requests, payment requests, and manage ongoing Panorama (organizational fiscal sponsorship) financial and operational processes.
• Support the DNE in the member dues process, including communications, tracking contributions, and ensuring timely and accurate record-keeping.
• Manage own administrative tasks and participate actively in maintaining and improving the organization’s operational systems.

Desired Qualifications

Qualifications

• Relevant Experience: 7-10 years of experience in philanthropy and/or global development. Highly preferred qualifications include: experience in network management; professional experience with global child rights and wellbeing advocacy and/or programming; and lived or professional experience in the Global South.
• Commitment to DEIA and Social Justice: Demonstrated dedication to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility, with experience applying these principles globally.
• Strategic Vision and Adaptability: Strong ability to shape and execute strategy with sensitivity to regional contexts.
• Exceptional Communication and Relationship-Building: Skilled in building partnerships and representing an organization externally.
• Knowledge Management & Learning: Experience in capturing, codifying, and disseminating knowledge to enhance organizational impact.
• Financial Acumen and Fundraising Experience: Skilled in budgeting, resource management, and developing revenue through grants and partnerships.
• Cultural Competency and Inclusive Leadership: Ability to share leadership effectively, and co-lead across diverse teams and global contexts with high cultural sensitivity.