Jobs

Organization

World Monuments Fund (WMF) is the preeminent nonprofit organization dedicated to saving the world’s most treasured places of cultural heritage. Since its inception in 1965, WMF’s experts have been racing against time, applying proven techniques to preserve important architectural and cultural heritage sites on more than 600 projects in 90 countries. Today, with affiliate organizations in Britain, India, Peru, Portugal, and Spain, WMF sponsors the conservation of cultural heritage worldwide. The World Monuments Watch, a global program launched in 1995 on the occasion of WMF’s 30th anniversary, aims to identify imperiled cultural heritage sites and direct financial and technical support for their preservation. Widely recognized as the “gold standard” in global cultural preservation with a pioneering track record of accomplishments throughout the world, WMF works through partnerships with local communities, funders, and governments to identify preservation issues and empower local teams to develop conservation strategies, management plans, and training programs to ensure that sites remain protected well after WMF’s involvement is done so communities and sites improve together.

With only four CEOs over 54 years, WMF seeks an exceptional leader who can build upon and leverage its distinguished record to: save and preserve from damage and destruction architectural masterpieces and sites of significant cultural heritage around the world; catalyze communities in capacity building to protect and preserve their heritage; respond quickly and decisively to increasingly frequent natural and man-made disasters; train people in restoration craft skills; and continue its role as a leading advocate of the essential importance of heritage preservation. Based in New York City, WMF exercises a global reach with an operating budget of $11,385,500 and a full-time staff of 22, as well as in partnership with an international Board of 29 members. To learn more, please visit www.wmf.org.

Position

The CEO of WMF needs to possess exceptional executive leadership abilities with a track record of fundraising, hands-on strategic management, and effective advocacy experience, preferably in one of the following fields: heritage preservation, architecture, art history, archaeology, or related activity. This experience may have been gained in diverse contexts including nonprofit, corporate, and government entities. Foremost among the CEO’s personal characteristics will be the ability to communicate, motivate, and inspire the confidence of a wide variety of constituencies. She or he need not come from the preservation movement but must evince a serious interest in and concern for conservation of the world’s cultural heritage and a willingness to master the fundamentals of the field.

Experience

The WMF President & CEO will be a respected and socially astute leader with the proven ability to develop and execute a compelling vision that embraces and expands on what it means to champion and preserve cultural heritage across the globe today. In addition to the professional responsibilities incumbent upon any chief executive, WMF has the following key priorities for its CEO: 

• Possess and promote a demonstrable passion for cultural heritage and preservation, with an eye toward its future while respecting its past; act as a visible and credible advocate for WMF worldwide with government leaders, donors, partners, staff, and the public;
• Evaluate and build upon WMF’s ongoing effort to align priorities with resources, effort, and results; continue to increase efficiencies, improve communication and collaboration, identify and leverage opportunities, and publicize results; ensure approved sites befit the mission and capacity of the institution;
• Involve the Board and staff in a comprehensive strategic planning process to identify opportunities, priorities, and proposed actions with metrics; oversee its successful adoption and execution;
• Energize and lead WMF’s fundraising programs, increasing its public, individual, corporate, and foundation fundraising efforts and developing new opportunities for support and engagement; inform, engage, and inspire the Board to work together around shared interests and to be generous with its ideas, energy, and resources;
• Advance WMF’s commitment to excellence and engagement; encourage professional collaborations that reinforce its unique role in the heritage arena and leverage its impact;
• Delegate, empower, and hold people accountable to clear goals; design and execute an organizational structure that enacts institutional best practices; manage, motivate, and mentor dedicated professional staff;
• Ensure WMF is truly international – serving, recruiting, programming, and engaging an audience and supporters as broad and diverse as the projects and countries it serves; pursue a digital strategy that facilitates effective international collaboration and is able to evolve as the field advances.

Please send applications or nominations to Sarah James and Becky Klein at WMF@PhillipsOppenheim.com.

Position Summary

World Monuments Fund (WMF) is seeking a qualified professional for the role of Board Relations Manager to contribute to our global, creative, and inclusive organization and office environment.

This individual serves as the primary staff member for the Boards of Trustees of World Monuments Fund as well as designated committees of the Boards, including the Executive and Nominating and Governance Committee, Audit and Finance and Investment Committee; assists with coordination and support of all Board activities. Reporting to the Vice President of External Affairs and coordinating closely with the CEO, and CFAO, provides thoughtful, professional support to facilitate the organization’s governance processes and advance the mission of the preservation of global cultural heritage.

The successful candidate will be an entrepreneurial, energetic, goal‐oriented professional with demonstrated experience in supporting the efforts of the Board of Trustees at a not‐for‐profit organization. The successful candidate will be an excellent communicator in verbal, written, and presentation forms. This staff member will have good interpersonal skills to work collaboratively with communications, program, and development colleagues to support a busy year‐round schedule.

Major areas of responsibility and related tasks include:

• Partner with Board leaders and management staff on agenda development to align Board decision‐making around institutional priorities and Board duties; draft and maintain agendas; track meeting follow‐up items; monitor necessary Board approvals; and support and guide other WMF staff who support Board and committee meetings. Maintain annual plan for topics requiring review by Board and Board committees.
• Work with members of management to identify issues that require Board review, reporting or action, assuring that there is a smooth process for Board consideration of relevant issues and that Board involvement is timely and well‐supported.
• Design annual giving plans for the Board and ensure timely annual donations and acknowledgements.
• Oversee drafts of resolutions, executive summaries, annotated agendas and other materials for each Board meeting and designated committee meetings, in consultation with the Senior staff.
• Prepares promptly after each meeting well‐written drafts of minutes for all Board meetings and designated committee meetings; promptly reviews and provides useful feedback on minutes drafted by others.
• Organizes and oversees Board orientations, and plans and executes Board education. Maintains strong working knowledge of governance best practices, issues affecting nonprofit organizations, to inform priorities for Board education and training.
• Advances annual Board handbook and materials.
• Serves as primary staff person for Board Governance Committee, including maintaining Board prospect pipelines, tracking term limits for Board members, and supporting Board recruiting activities, Board assessments, and leadership and succession planning.
• Plan and execute three annual Board meetings as well as the appropriate committee meetings and other meetings or calls with current, Emeritus and prospective Board members. Balances need to plan far in advance for established meetings with need to respond to last‐minute changes, urgent meetings and calls, and shifting priorities.
• Drafts quarterly CEO updates for the Board, summarizing activities and collating background reading. Works directly with CEO on content, tone and topics to be covered.
• Manages the storage of and access to minutes, resolutions and other governance documents, assuring they are accessible as needed for legal, regulatory and other purposes.

Reports to

• VP of External Affairs

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree (prefer major in Art History, English, or International Affairs)
• 4+ years experience in not‐for‐profit setting with emphasis on fundraising, board relations, administration, and prospect research

Skills

• Excellent communication and solicitation skills, both oral and written.
• Excellent interpersonal skills (including the ability to work well with staff at all organizational levels)
• Highly organized and detail oriented with a demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and projects, and meet deadlines in a fast‐paced environment
• Results oriented
• Excellent computer skills including proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite. Database experience a plus
• Organizational and political agility; highly collaborative with effective influencing and negotiation skills;
• Highly attentive to detail but also able to see the big picture and think strategically;
• Unquestionable personal code of ethics, integrity and trust.

Salary

• Commensurate with experience

Organization

Please submit a cover letter and resume to careers@wmf.org Only those whose applications are being considered will be contacted. No phone calls please. World Monuments Fund is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status. WMF is an at‐will employer.