Position: Executive Director, Invisible Institute
Reports to: Board of Directors
Status: Full Time, Benefits
About the Invisible Institute
The Invisible Institute is an innovative, non-profit journalism production company based on the South Side of Chicago. We work to enhance the capacity of citizens to hold public institutions accountable. Among the tactics we employ are investigative reporting, multimedia storytelling, human rights documentation, the curation of public information, and the orchestration of difficult public conversations. Our work coheres around a central principle: we as citizens have co-responsibility with the government for maintaining respect for human rights and, when abuses occur, for demanding redress.
Founded by award-winning writer and journalist, Jamie Kalven, the team at the Invisible Institute has produced groundbreaking, internationally recognized work, including the investigative reporting that first brought to light the circumstances surrounding the killing of Laquan McDonald, recounted in the Emmy-winning documentary 16 Shots, as well as stories uncovering a web of corruption inside the Chicago Police Department that have thus far led to the exonerations of some 80 individuals.
The Invisible Institute created the Citizens Police Data Project, Chicago’s first open source, free and publicly accessible database of digitized police disciplinary records and is curating the Chicago Police Torture Archive. For almost ten years, we have led an ongoing, immersive program working directly with Chicago area high school youth. We also produced the groundbreaking, investigative podcast Somebody which recently won top honors from the Third Coast International Audio Festival and received the International Documentary Association 2020 award for Best Audio Documentary.
We bring an entrepreneurial and collaborative approach to our work. Our network of collaborators and partners includes First Look Media, Forensic Architecture, The Intercept, USA Today, The Marshall Project, and the Mandel Legal Clinic of the University of Chicago Law School, among many others. Located at the Experimental Station in Chicago’s Woodlawn neighborhood, the Invisible Institute is part of a dynamic ecosystem of community-based organizations operating in the space, including the South Side Weekly, the Blackstone Bicycle Works, Build Coffee, and 61st Street Farmers Market.
Job Description
The Invisible Institute seeks an Executive Director with the entrepreneurial spirit, managerial acumen, and operational expertise to lead the Institute’s next phase of growth and to uphold its mission, goals, and values. The Executive Director will work closely with the Invisible Institute staff and the Board of Directors in a collaborative, creative, team-oriented environment to oversee the core operations of the Institute, including leading a team of diverse and talented individuals across a range of projects;defining the administrative structures and processes necessary to ensure effective organizational operations; ensuring fiscal sustainability through effective budgeting and external fundraising; initiating and managing strategic partnerships; and articulating and executing strategic priorities.
As a team builder, the Executive Director will cultivate the structures, systems, and culture necessary to attract, grow, and retain top talent. Ours is a purposefully unique, collaborative and inclusive culture, one that intentionally involves the expertise and diverse perspectives of all team members in guiding our work. The ideal candidate will bring a commitment to teamwork, inclusion, communication, accountability, integrity, and excellence. They will demonstrate a collaborative approach to the role, fostering dialogue and discussion among team members, but will be comfortable making executive decisions and providing direction and clarity to the team.
The Executive Director will serve as an enthusiastic advocate for the organization, ensuring its capacity to thrive in an evolving media landscape. One of the key responsibilities will be cultivating and expanding a broader base of funding and managing its $1.5 million annual budget with fiscal discipline. Working closely with the Development Director and the Board of Directors, they will assist in articulating the fundraising strategy for the organization, including prospect development, foundation and corporate relations, and individual giving strategies.
They will have outstanding organizational skills, strong writing abilities, and demonstrated experience managing multiple, simultaneous projects effectively. They will be a strong strategic thinker, and will also possess high emotional intelligence and the ability to be flexible, adaptive and resilient as needs and circumstances change. They will be able to work autonomously in a dynamic and experimental work environment where entrepreneurial ideas are encouraged, and learnings are iterative.
Most importantly, the ideal candidate will have a demonstrated passion for the mission of the Invisible Institute, a spirit of adventure and innovation, and a keen understanding of the role journalism, law, the arts, technology, and community relationships play in strengthening civil society and in creating new pathways for understanding the most critical human rights issues of our time.
Key Responsibilities:
Provide strategic direction and administrative oversight of the Invisible Institute, including financial, operational, and programming activities.
Lead, manage, and steward a diverse team of staff, senior fellows, interns and collaborators by cultivating a vibrant culture of respect, growth, creativity, and accountability.
Ensure ongoing programmatic excellence by assessing the impact, efficacy, and sustainability of existing programs across all areas and identifying new opportunities for strategic impact.
Initiate and maintain effective partnerships with a range of stakeholder organizations and individuals to extend the reach and impact of the Invisible Institute’s work and mission.
Lead the development of effective operational plans for Invisible Institute projects, including timelines and workflows, as well as clear decision-making processes and communication channels.
Maintain oversight of the organization’s finances to ensure they are managed with fiscal and fiduciary accountability; develop and direct the short-and long- term budget process; meet revenue goals; and ensure the organization has the financial resources to realize its ambitions.
Support development efforts to build a strong cycle and pipeline management process that identifies, cultivates, and solicits potential donors, and stewards philanthropic giving. Develop a comprehensive sustainability plan; establish priorities, processes, and resources for new program development within budget, timeframes, and capacity while maintaining alignment with the organization’s mission.
Serve as a key external ambassador committed to representing the organization, advocating for its work and values, and inspiring others to broaden support and opportunities for involvement.
Work collaboratively with the Board of Directors to ensure strategic objectives are in line with its mission; establish and maintain relationships with each Board member to seek their ideas, talents, and resources while continuing to evolve the organization’s governance.
Qualifications:
A deep commitment to the mission of the Invisible Institute and a keen understanding of the journalistic, legal, technological and human rights practices at the heart of the work.
Strong strategic thinking skills and the demonstrated ability to identify opportunities, focus priorities, and implement the processes and systems necessary to execute programs effectively and sustainably.
Experience managing and planning budgets and ensuring financial processes and controls are optimized effectively and transparently.
Strong aptitude for verbal and written communication, including public speaking, presentation, and relationship-building.
High degree of emotional intelligence and the demonstrated ability to effectively lead diverse, talented teams across a wide array of program areas with a spirit of collaboration, inclusion and excellence.
Ability to align, engage, and influence diverse constituents; make decisions with empathy, respect, and diplomacy; and instill a culture of autonomy and empowerment in the office environment.
A spirit of inquisitiveness and flexibility with the capacity to learn, self-evaluate, and adapt with the emotional maturity and confidence required to be successful.
Ability to translate broad vision and plans into specific objectives oriented towards results.
An accomplished convener with strong interpersonal skills, persuasive presentation, and public speaking skills is required.
A strong attention to detail with top-notch organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple competing projects effectively.
Experience in non-profit fundraising, including donor cultivation and solicitation, foundation and corporate relations, and the processes necessary to build an effective development operation.
Experience working with and cultivating effective non-profit board relationships.
Ability to overcome obstacles, work collaboratively, and be resourceful and
resilient in an innovative, iterative start-up environment.
Proficiency with Stripe, Airtable, Google Docs, Basecamp, and Powerbase, preferred.
A background in journalism, public interest law, data science, or human rights.
The Invisible Institute is a 501(c)3 non-profit, with a core management staff of seven full-time employees; an additional twelve contractors, fellows, and part-time employees, including teams for design, engineering, and production; and an extensive network of pro-bono legal and academic collaborators.
Benefits include: the ability to work remotely with a flexible schedule; a collaborative office and building environment; reimbursements for technology; and health care.
Please send a cover letter, resume, and writing sample to search@invisibleinstitute.com by April 7, 2021.
Final 02/19/21