Executive Director

VietHope Vietnam Executive Director ­ Job Description

Title: Executive Director for VietHope Vietnam
Location: Saigon, Vietnam
Reports to: VietHope Executive Committee, U.S.
Schedule: Full­time

About VietHope

VietHope is a U.S. 501(c)3 non­profit organization founded in 2002 with the mission to improve education for poor but talented youth in Vietnam. Over the past 15 years, we have invested over $600,000 USD, and helped over 2,500 students in Vietnam. We began by operating scholarship programs, and since then, have expanded to include leadership skills trainings for our scholarship recipients. VietHope operates primarily in Saigon and Hue.

What differentiates VietHope from other NGOs is that we are volunteer­run and have remained so for 15 years. We believe deeply in that young people can change their own world, and empower them by giving them ownership over our programs directly. Volunteers run all of our programs, and in most cases our organization itself. Our volunteer “staff” are is approx. 20 people globally, in both U.S. and Vietnam. They are self­motivated, accomplished young professionals working at top companies (Google, Facebook, private equity, etc.) and college students attending top universities. They want to give back, to work hand­in­hand with other youth, and to deliver the VietHope mission. In Vietnam, our community is truly blossoming after 15 years. Scholarship recipients consistently return to volunteer with VietHope and lead our programs. They are giving back and building the very communities they came from, creating an incredible “accelerating loop” of social change.

You can learn more about us at www.viethope.org.

About the role/opportunity

VietHope is at an exciting stage in its growth. To take this amazing community to the next level, we are seeking a talented Executive Director in Vietnam. This role will report to the U.S. Executive Committee and own growing our Vietnam staff, programs and operations. This is the perfect role for someone who is excited to work with a unique non­profit to transform the lives of students in Vietnam.

The ED’s mission

To lead VietHope’s organization in Vietnam through its next stage of growth, by establishing a professional, sustainable volunteer­led team in Vietnam, strengthening strategic management of programs, and aligning external relations to create a favorable operating environment for VietHope.

Responsibilities

• People development
  
  • Design and implement the system for ongoing volunteer recruitment, onboarding, and development in VietHope’s Vietnam team. This includes meeting specific goals of number of recruits per quarter, onboarding success rate, and 6­month retention rates.
  • Deliver quarterly reports to U.S. EC on progress with the above
  • Act as manager and coach to 2 Assistant Directors, including weekly 1:1 meetings to provide coaching and feedback on their work
  • Deliver repeatable trainings to program leads on program planning, volunteer & project management, program evaluations, and communication

• Strategic program development
  
  • Design process and tools for program leads to monitor and evaluate effectiveness
  • Deliver quarterly reports to EC on program planning, execution, and evaluation progress
  • Deliver annual year­end program report to EC and Board detailing outputs and outcomes achieved by programs that year
  • Help EC and Board in 3­-5 year strategic planning for VietHope, making recommendations on program and people growth in Vietnam

• Financial management ­ Ensure the overall financial health of VietHope in Vietnam
  
  • Develop annual budget for Vietnam team, in collaboration with local team
  • Monitor actual against planned expenditure monthly, explain variances with narrative reports, and initiate action items as appropriate
  • Cash management ­ Manage fund transfers between U.S. and Vietnam, submitting timely expenditure plans to EC to fund transfers, obtaining Board approval or co­sign for withdrawals, and ensuring delivery of funds to student recipients
  • Ensure adequate financial supporting documentation on expenditures
  • Deliver detailed annual financial report from Vietnam team at end of each year

• Partner & legal development
  
  • Establish and maintain ongoing relationships with various education, local government, and NGO organizations to support and enhance VietHope's mission
  • Maintain all employment and administrative policies and procedures according to VietHope's mission and as applicable by the laws of the US and Vietnam

• Fundraising
  
  • Fundraise 5-­10% of VietHope’s annual total budget each year, in Vietnam
  • Represent VietHope when key U.S. funders visit and ensure they meet students

Qualifications:

• Experience ­ 2­-4 years experience in management position in an NGO or business in Vietnam; at least 2 years managing direct reports; growth start­up experience (e.g., leading an organization from 10 to 50 staff) would be beneficial
• Self­starter and “grit” for ambiguous startup environment ­ ability to set own goals, prioritize, delegate; perseverance in the face of dead ends and obstacles
• Expert communicator ­ ability to communicate at both executive and peer levels; ability to collaborate both directly with remote U.S.­based team while managing local Vietnam team
• Servant leader ­ be relatable towards volunteer staff (young professionals and college students), always be ready to pitch in when needed
• Critical thinker ­ provides evidence behind assertions, seeks evidence when there is none
• Language ­ Fluent in Vietnamese (required), proficient in English (strongly preferred)

To Apply:

If you are interested in this role, we welcome your application! A competitive salary, benefits and career development opportunity will be offered commensurate with the qualifications of the candidate.

Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest and resume/CV by email to: VietHope Board of Directors, [email protected]

Please note that due to the number of expected applications, only applicants being called for an interview will be contacted.