U’wa Defense Project
San Francisco Bay Area or New York City
APPLICATION DEADLINE:
April 30, 2001
ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW:
The Colombian indigenous U’wa community is engaged in a multi-faceted campaign against oil exploitation on their ancestral land. In full consultation with the U’wa Traditional Authorities, U’wa Defense Project (UDP) provides legal, community development, advocacy, and research support to the U’wa people as they strive for self-determination over their lives and culture through defense of their ancestral territory and environment, bringing their knowledge about ecological and people-centered development into the global debate.
Based in Bogotá, New York, and San Francisco, the UDP team consists of staff and volunteer lawyers, anthropologists, economists, journalists, and community development workers from the US and Colombia. UDP works in partnership with the U’wa Traditional Authorities and is fiscally sponsored by the Rainforest Foundation.
We are a small, geographically dispersed team that relies on strong interpersonal relationships to manage community-led and team-wide decision-making across cultural and geographic distance. The organization is built on the spirit of service and rigorous research, characterized by horizontal participation, diversity, gender equity, and the nurturing of staff aspirations for learning and growth.
POSITION OVERVIEW:
UDP operates five programs: Developmental Legal Assistance, Advocacy and Linkage Building, Community Development Assistance, Research and Publications, and Institutional Capability Building. The Director is responsible for managing all activities related to the planning (long and short term), execution, evaluation, and funding of our five programs as well as guiding internal organizational processes through staff training and team building. The Director is the primary liaison to the UDP Advisory Committee, fiscal sponsor, and funding partners, and secondary liaison to the U’wa Traditional Authorities, our community partner. The Director must understand and support UDP’s vision, mission, and goals, serving to strengthen UDP strategies for working for environmental and social justice and acting as a primary UDP representative to the public. Essential responsibilities include:
- providing leadership, strategic direction, and focus to UDP staff and volunteer teams (including working with staff to develop program action plans and budgets)
- leading fundraising efforts and managing financial health of the organization (including proposal writing, reporting to funding partners, and building funding partners base)
- designing and implementing participatory planning, monitoring, and evaluation system, including coordinating full-staff quarterly meetings and semi-annual evaluation meetings with the U’wa Traditional Authorities
- maintaining relations with UDP Advisory Committee, including coordinating the annual Advisory Committee meeting
- representing UDP to the U’wa Traditional Authorities, the public, governmental officials, and the media
- identifying and pursuing avenues for staff training and professional development.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE INCLUDE:
Experience leading start-up initiatives; strategic planning; fundraising; non-profit financial management; experience with community-based and international solidarity organizations; strong administrative, computer, writing, and verbal communication skills; strong interpersonal skills; Spanish-English fluency; experience in Latin America; working knowledge of indigenous environmental and social justice struggles.
The full time position is compensated with a competitive salary and an excellent benefits package.
TO APPLY: Send cover letter, resume, writing sample, and three references to:
U’wa Defense Project Search Committee
c/o Rainforest Foundation
270 Lafayette Street, Suite 1107
New York, NY 10012
Or fax: 212 431 9197
Or email: udp@mindspring.com
People of color are strongly encouraged to apply.
Please refer to this ad in your response.
