Executive Director
Position Circumstances
- Career Category: Exec. / Management, Advocacy, Operations Management
- Schedule:Full-time
- Salary: Negotiable
Location Phnom Penh, Cambodia (with frequent missions to the field)
Reporting to Board of Directors
The Executive Director (ED) provides overall leadership and oversight of the organization’s operations and administration. Guided by the Board of Directors (BoD) and supported by the WPM Leadership Team and staff, the ED defines WPM’s strategic vision and ensures its effective implementation, delivering measurable results aligned with the organization’s mission. Key responsibilities include driving organizational strategy, ensuring program quality and impact, mobilizing resources, and maintaining financial sustainability. This role requires a combination of strong leadership and management capabilities, as well as technical expertise in gender equality, feminist peacebuilding, and related thematic areas. The ED oversees program design and execution, human resource management, legal and regulatory compliance, organizational integrity, and resource mobilization. The
ED also serves as WPM’s principal representative, strengthening partnerships, cultivating networks, and engaging diverse stakeholders to advance sustainable peace and gender equality at local, national, and international levels. A critical aspect of the role is fostering a culture of accountability and ethical practice across the organization. The ED must demonstrate exceptional leadership in resource development, advocacy, and external relations while maintaining strong relationships with donors, partners, and collaborators essential to WPM’s mission.
Duties & Responsibilities:
- Managing finance, people, and systems
- Operational management:
- Ensure that WPM’s organizational structure, operational policies and other business processes are sound and able to effectively deliver on the strategic objectives
- Exercise authority over personnel and human resource matters and further strengthen performance management by tracking key performance indicators across the organization
- Maintain a positive work environment that facilitates collaboration and information sharing and is conducive to attracting, retaining, and motivating diverse talent
- Lead the WPM Leadership Team as the mechanism for ensuring aligned internal leadership and implementation
- Effectively manage operational or financial matters to deliver on the mandate of WPM, including by seeking additional authority from the Board as may be needed to address risks that arise proactively and effectively
- Financial Management
- Present annual financial budgets for Board approval that link to the WPM workplan, multi-year resource projections for the transparent and management of resources
- Work closely with the Finance Team to ensure the overall transparent and effective financial and administrative functionality of WPM and its assets
- Oversee the management and implementation of all organizational contracts according to WPM policies, systems and practices that deliver value for money and focus on the primary work of WPM.
- Office Representation: Represent WPM before any competent authority, and at any local, national, regional, and global arena, ensuring WPM role within the gender and peacebuilding community is well understood and supported.
- Strategic leadership and delivery
- Operationalize, lead and monitor the implementation of WPM’s Strategy, and ensure the effective resource mobilization to deliver on the strategic objectives
- In close collaboration with the Leadership Team and Finance Team, ensure that there are strong fiduciary controls in place to monitor the use of WPM resources
- Effectively manage organizational and programming risks, including, but not limited to, the development of rigorous management and communications systems to ensure the implementation of and strict adherence to WPM policies in a timely manner
- Ensure meaningful monitoring and evaluation of WPM programs and performance and the provision of accurate analysis and routine reporting on the impact and performance of the WPM’s grant portfolio.
- Partner engagement, working with the Board, and mobilizing resources
- Safeguard and continually strengthen the effectiveness, reputation, and profile of WPM by building and maintaining effective partnership/alliances and operational collaboration with diverse key stakeholders on gender and peacebuilding related matters
- Maintain effective communications with all stakeholders
- Provide strategic guidance and technical support for resource mobilization
- Oversee and advance the development of new funding streams for WPM, broadening the donor base and ensure its financial health in delivering the strategic objectives
- Ensure the highest level of confidence among public and donors in WPM’s operations and impact
- Report to the Board on the operational, administrative, and financial aspects of WPM at each Board meeting
- Ensure that the Board is made aware, in a timely way, of key strategic and other material operational challenges WPM is encountering in the course of its work
- Ensure effective and timely preparation and distribution of all materials in accordance with Board mandated policies and procedures
- Communicate Board decisions to WPM staff, and other relevant stakeholders
- Programming Leadership and Management
- Provide strategic direction and oversight for program development, proposal design, project implementation and evaluation, ensuring alignment with WPM’s mission, strategic objectives, and operational efficiency.
- To strengthen program quality and impact, offer technical leadership and training facilitation in core thematic areas, including gender equality, feminist leadership, inclusive peacebuilding, conflict transformation, gender responsive mediation, Women, Peace and Security, and research and analysis, and other technical expertises related to WPM mission
- Oversee program performance and accountability by guiding staff, addressing implementation challenges, conducting field monitoring, and ensuring robust monitoring and evaluation systems.
- Review and approve program reports to ensure quality, accuracy, and compliance with donor requirements and organizational standards.
- Approve and manage program budgets, ensuring cost-effectiveness, compliance, and timely resource allocation, while making strategic decisions on budget adjustments as needed.
- Strengthen partnerships and stakeholder engagement through active representation, coordination of partner visits, and participation in strategic dialogues to advance WPM’s mission.
- Oversee WPM’s monitoring and evaluation systems in coordination with the Program Managers to ensure effective performance tracking and accountability.
- Drive organizational learning and knowledge management by promoting evidence-based decision-making, facilitating staff capacity-building, mentoring key personnel, and staying informed on sectoral trends to ensure program relevance and resilience.
- Strategic Communications, Advocacy, and Partnerships
- Strengthen WPM’s visibility and influence through strategic communications, media engagement, public campaigns, and active participation in local, national, regional, and international forums.
- Represent WPM as a thought leader in the field of gender and peace, such as in policy dialogues and technical working groups, to advance gender equality and feminist peacebuilding approaches.
- Build and maintain strategic relationships with grassroots constituencies, CSOs, local authorities, government bodies, development partners, and other stakeholders, partners, and networks at the local, subnational, national and regional levels to enhance collaboration and policy impacts.
- Perform other duties as directed by the Board and as needed in order to ensure WPM’s mission and strategic objectives are achieved, especially, to ensure that all actions and decisions reflect the best interests of WPM and uphold the highest standards of integrity and accountability as a feminist and peacebuilding organization.
Benefits:
- Competitive based on qualifications and experience
Expected Profile of Candidates
Languages:
- Khmer - Fluent
- English - Fluent
Qualifications:
- Master's Degree
- Phd in gender studies, peace and conflict studies, international development, public policy, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
Skills & Knowledge:
General & Technical Skills
- Minimum 10–15 years of progressive leadership experience in non-profit, international development, or peacebuilding sectors, with at least 5 years in a senior executive role; expertise in gender equality and/or feminist peacebuilding is highly desirable.
- Substantive knowledge and expertise in gender equality, GEDSI, intersectional feminist peacebuilding, research, analysis, and other thematic areas relevant to WPM’s mission.
- Proven track record in building and sustaining a strong, values-driven organizational culture.
- Demonstrated success in resource mobilization and donor engagement, including securing multi-year funding and diversifying funding streams.
- Experience in strategic communications and advocacy, including media engagement and policy influence.
- Proven experience in organizational governance, working with Boards, and ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory frameworks.
- Deep understanding of gender equality, feminist leadership, GEDSI, Women, Peace and Security (WPS), conflict transformation, mediation, and inclusive peacebuilding, with strong contextual knowledge in the field of gender and peace in Cambodia and the region.
- Familiarity with international human rights frameworks, donor compliance, governance standards, and gender equality mechanisms at local, regional, and global levels.
- Strong organizational leadership and program management skills, including project management cycle, proposal development, MEL systems, and evidence-based programming.
- Equipped with excellent training, coaching, and facilitation skills related to women’s rights, GEDSI, law, feminism, leadership, mediation, research, and/or relevant topics to WPM’s programming focus
- Well-developed written and spoken communication skills in both English and Khmer
- Exceptional ability to manage people, finances, and systems, with a proven capacity to lead diverse teams toward organizational goals.
- Skilled in team building, talent/leadership development, and fostering an inclusive, collaborative organizational culture.
- Ability to make sound decisions under pressure and manage organizational, financial, and reputational risks, balanced by experience in constructive engagement with staff on change management processes and their value to the organization as a whole
- Strong understanding of financial management, budgeting, and resource mobilization.
- Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to set vision, develop strategies, and translate them into actionable plans
- Demonstrated adaptive leadership with creative problem-solving skills and the ability to guide the organization through uncertainty, complexity, and transformation with resilience and confidence.
- Ability to prioritize effectively amid competing demands and maintain focus on long- term impact.
- Capacity to work collaboratively with the Board and leadership team to shape and deliver WPM’s strategic vision.
- A clear focus on organizational goals amid multiple competing risks and demands, and a capacity to prioritize effectively to deliver results
- Excellent public speaking, negotiation, networking and influencing skills
- Ability to represent WPM with presence, credibility, and humility in diverse arena and with varied key stakeholders
- Understanding of and ability to strategically lead on resource mobilization activities and cultivating donor relationships
Soft Skills
- High integrity and unwavering commitment to feminist values, human rights, and social justice
- Strong interpersonal and intercultural communication skills; ability to work effectively across cultures and with diverse groups.
- Role model of ethical standards, accountability, and transparency
- Sound judgment, humility, and commitment to personal development and continued learning
- No previous history of child abuse, criminal activity, or sexual harassment
