Celebrating its centennial anniversary in 2022, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs is where your world and the world meet. The Council is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that empowers more people to help shape our global future. Through content and engagement experiences that offer diverse, fact-based perspectives and in-depth analysis, we foster dialogue on the world’s most critical issues. We are committed to building an inclusive community of globally conscious people who want to actively participate in global affairs and gain the knowledge that can help them make a tangible impact – big or small – in the world.

As the Council enters its second century, we are embarking on an ambitious digital transformation and are growing to reach and engage more people in Chicago and beyond.

The Role

The Director oversees the strategy and execution of the Emerging Leaders (EL) Program, the Council’s leadership development and global affairs training program for high-potential, fast-rising, midcareer professionals from the corporate, academic, non-profit, and government sectors to foster the next generation of civic and professional leaders who will shape Chicago’s role as a global city. The Director is an enthusiastic leader who relates well to Chicago’s emerging leaders and young professionals. The Director effectively collaborates in a team environment across the organization to build and implement new initiatives, support and drive funding proposals, and manage relationships across the EL alumni community and with program stakeholders and partners.

The Director is a hybrid role and requires some in-person attendance at our Downtown Chicago location based on work activities and peak seasons. There is also a travel opportunity to Washington, DC, co-leading the Class.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Lead the strategy and execution of the Emerging Leader Program
• Design the EL curriculum to achieve the program goals, ensuring content-rich activities for program sessions on global policy issues and leadership development (currently two meetings per month, kickoff retreat, Washington, DC study trip, closing retreat, and other activities)
• Arrange and co-lead policymaking study trip to Washington, DC, coordinating with Council President and appropriate staff.
• Oversee the work of consultant(s) on project timelines, including coordination on curriculum and project development feedback, session moderation, EL project workflow, and retreat planning
• Provide guidance, connect to in-house mentors, and oversee EL project work  
• Build on the current program evaluation metrics and maintain the tracking systems on a monthly and yearly basis
• Maintain strong communications with the current class of ELs and alumni via monthly email, social media, in-person meetings, and other interactions
• Manage the annual recruitment process for the program, including developing a comprehensive recruitment strategy, executing information sessions, developing marketing materials
• Manage the EL Selection Committee’s work plans and supports their needs to achieve committee objectives
• Reassess recruitment and application processes, prioritizing program and Council Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion objectives, and financial support of program
• Expand the EL alumni activities to foster a greater sense of community among alumni from across all class years, such as exposure to board members, invitational dinners, receptions, and other gatherings, and explore the creation of a structured alumni organization
• Assess additional program opportunities and partnerships to benefit the ELs, including travel and study opportunities, fellowships, and programs for specific communities
• Build and maintain strong relationships with content partners, donors, outreach partners, like-minded organizations, and selection and EL alumni recruitment committee members
• In collaboration with the Development team, support fundraising activities to support the EL Program and fundraising efforts with program alumni
• Foster cross-team collaborations in support of the Council’s objectives and the goals of the EL Program
• Participate collaboratively with the Council’s diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required or equivalent experience; advanced degree in relevant field preferred
• Preferably 5-7 years of relevant professional experience, with experience in curriculum development, constituency-building, and fundraising desired, preferably related to emerging professional groups
• Must be an enthusiastic leader who can develop engagement opportunities relevant to all segments of the diverse next-generation market
• Demonstrated interest and experience in international relations, current events, and public policy (is helpful, but not required)
• Professional demeanor and a sophisticated understanding of the political, economic, educational, and civic communities in the Chicago area
• Excellent organizational, time management, and leadership skills; with demonstrated ability to successfully manage multiple concurrent projects
• Superior verbal and written communication skills; experience in new media and social networking, and ability to utilize social media to build networks and communities
• Ability to maintain CRM database systems, ideally Salesforce, and create and analyze program management reports
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively and professionally in a creative, fast-paced, team environment
• Ability and willingness to work weekday evenings, occasional weekends, and early mornings to support Council events

Council Benefit Highlights 

There are many benefits to working at the Council, including a flexible remote/in-office work environment, half-day summer Fridays, paid parental leave, employer-subsidized medical/dental/vision insurance, generous paid time off, retirement match, mobile phone stipend, commuter accessible, fitness center membership, and more.