Executive Director

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17:00 CEST 20 September 2020

Executive Director
Amsterdam

The World Press Photo Foundation (WPPF) is a global, independent, nonprofit organization based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. WPPF has since 1955 been responsible for the most prestigious, global journalistic photo contest in the world. WPPF believes in the power and importance of seeing and showing high-quality visual stories and in supporting the conditions for freedom of expression, freedom of inquiry, and freedom of the press, now more than ever.

In the past six decades, the world has changed continuously, and new developments in media and technology have transformed visual journalism and storytelling. WPPF's mission has expanded with those developments. Now more than ever, supporting the conditions for freedom of expression, freedom of inquiry, and freedom of the press is a fundamental part of our work. We draw on our experience to guide visual journalists, storytellers, and audiences around the world through this challenging and exciting landscape via the contest and awards, the many exhibitions and educational programs, all in physical as well as in online presence.

Our purpose is to connect the world to the stories that matter. To help us achieve this purpose, the World Press Photo Foundation is looking for a new Executive Director (ED).

Reporting to the Supervisory Board the ED will have overall strategic, managerial and operational responsibility for WPPF's staff, programs and execution of its mission.

What you will do
The ED will be thoroughly committed to WPPF's mission. So we want the new ED to:

Leadership

  • Lead and manage the WPPF and its staff (circa 25 FTE) in an inclusive, empowering and steady manner. Know how to listen, motivate and unite, build trust and foster personal growth and professional collaboration.
  • Lead, coach and further develop a strong management team.
  • Work with the management team and the Supervisory Board to establish short-term objectives and long-range goals, including related plans and policies.
  • Realize consistent quality of finance and administration, fundraising goals, communications and systems; managing timelines and resources needed to achieve the strategic goals.
  • Ensure effective systems to evaluate program components regularly, to measure successes that can be timely communicated to the staff, board, funders, and other stakeholders.
  • Actively engage with WPPF's network, alumni, partnering organizations, and funders.

Engagement

  • Understand the complexities of visual journalism and storytelling and promote the creative and public engagement priorities, alongside business and development goals from a diverse and inclusive outlook on content, education and programming.
  • Represent and position the organization on various national and international levels.
  • Ensure excellence for both ongoing local as well as international operations based on strategic vision and goals.

Development & Business

  • Create the conditions for sustainable growth and expand revenue-generating, fundraising activities.
  • Build partnerships and create new strategic opportunities, establishing relationships with various funders, partners and community leaders.
  • And design the strategic business planning process for the program expansion into new (digital) fields.

What qualifies you

  • An advanced degree with at least five years of senior management experience and a proven innovative approach to strategy.
  • Excellent managerial, communication and financial skills to be able to manage the organization's finances, business policies and budget, leading and coaching staff and ensuring a positive, productive, and accountable work environment in all phases from stabilizing to scaling.
  • Experience in the field of (visual) journalism, cultural sector or international NGOs.
  • The capacity to work with and be receptive to different perspectives, to be well attuned to societal developments and have proven experience handling sensitive issues and bridging political, cultural and social differences.
  • An entrepreneurial, hands on and steadfast professional approach and personality.
  • Strong fundraising, (digital) marketing and public relations experience, with the ability to engage with a wide range of stakeholders.
  • Experience working with a Supervisory Board with the ability to cultivate board relationships.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive communicator with excellent interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills.
  • Excellent spoken and written fluency in English (other languages are a plus).

To summarize, the new ED should be energetic, open, empathetic, purpose-driven and committed. They should have the social skills to listen and interact with the wide variety of stakeholders of WPPF to understand what is going on in the field and navigate and steer appropriately, now and in the future.

What do we offer
We offer a challenging and rewarding position on an international level, working within a creative, purpose-driven and dynamic organization and industry. A compensation package based on the 'Regeling beloning directeuren van goededoelenorganisaties' (the Regulation remuneration directors of humanitarian organizations), including comprehensive benefits will be offered based on experience.

General information
The World Press Photo Foundation believes in the power of showing and the importance of seeing high-quality visual stories. Our purpose is to connect the world to the stories that matter. We create and support the conditions that make possible the stories that matter.
We showcase stories that make people stop, feel, think and act. We encourage diverse accounts of the world that present stories with different perspectives. We exhibit those stories to a worldwide audience, educate the profession and the public on their making, and encourage debate on their meaning. We are a global platform connecting professionals and audiences through trustworthy visual journalism and storytelling.

The World Press Photo Foundation strives to be an inclusive environment and is fully committed to this in the recruitment, selection and placement of staff. All interested parties, regardless of nationality, race, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation, or gender, are welcome to apply and will be considered equally. The WPPF believes that diversity and inclusion among the staff is critical to its success and wants to enhance the diversity of its workforce to reflect the world we live in. Women, non-binary people, and people of color are therefore especially invited to apply.