Executive Vice President / Chief Operating Officer
International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ)
Chicago, Illinois
www.ifcj.org

OVERVIEW

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) was founded to promote understanding between Jews and Christians and as such is a world leader in Jewish-Christian relations.  Besides building broad support for Israel the IFCJ also has several other parts to its mission:

• To encourage people to support and bless Israel (Gen 12:3)
• Humanitarian services…assisting needy Jews around the world (orphans, widows and poor) including Holocaust survivors
• To support a stable, democratic government in Israel
• To help protect against anti-Semitism

All of these efforts are supported by a biblical mandate.

IFCJ is a highly successful non-profit organization, revenue now over $100 million per year.  Its success and organizational growth have made it necessary to add the new role of Executive Vice President-Chief Operating Officer.  The Executive Vice President (EVP) will report to founder Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, the President/CEO.  S/he will be an ex-officio, non-voting member of the Board of Directors and responsible to oversee the organization’s effective pursuit of its mission.  This role will allow Rabbi Eckstein, who offices primarily in Israel, to be more focused on external relations and grant making in Israel, and less focused on internal operations.

BACKGROUND

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) was founded by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein to promote understanding between Jews and Christians and build broad support for Israel and other shared concerns; he continues to lead the ministry as President/CEO.  He is recognized as the world’s leading Jewish authority on relationships with evangelical Christians.  In Israel, Rabbi Eckstein has served as an adviser to the Prime Minister and is Goodwill Ambassador of the State of Israel, with special emphasis on Israel’s relationships with evangelical communities in Latin America.  He also chaired the City of Jerusalem’s Public Commission for Strengthening Worldwide Ties to Jerusalem.  Today, celebrating 27 years of lifesaving ministry, The Fellowship’s vision is that Jews and Christians will reverse their 2,000-year history of discord and replace it with a relationship marked by dialogue, respect and cooperation.

Over the years, The Fellowship has become the leader in Jewish-Christian relations, building bridges of goodwill that have led to greater understanding and cooperation between members of these two faiths.  The organization has helped hundreds of thousands of Jews escape poverty and anti-Semitism and return to their biblical homeland, funded humanitarian assistance that has touched the lives of millions of Jews in Israel and around the world, and provided life-giving aid to Israel’s victims of poverty, war and terror.

The Fellowship provides support through four key programs.  On Wings of Eagles helps to airlift families and individuals to Israel and to support their resettlement in their homeland.  Through Guardians of Israel, IFCJ helps to protect Israel’s poorest families and elderly and has taken decisive action to protect vulnerable Israelis from the incessant attacks of her terrorist enemies.  Annually, The Fellowship serves over 100,000 people throughout Israel providing relief and assistance for impoverished people of all ages and religious or ethnic affiliation.  Programs have supported soup kitchens, provided for medical care and supplies, aid for people in crisis, clothing, educational assistance, and other basic needs.  Through Isaiah 58, 250,000 elderly Jews and orphaned or abandoned children in the former Soviet Union are being served annually through humanitarian aid programs, providing food, medicine, medical equipment, emergency care, and clothing.  Stand for Israel was launched with the purpose of mobilizing churches, Christian leaders, and grassroots individuals in the US and other countries to stand with Israel through prayer and public policy advocacy.

In addition, The Fellowship is involved in educational outreach through Rabbi Eckstein’s teaching on the Jewish roots of Christianity. For example, he recently participated in chapel services at Oral Roberts University and was guest lecturer in their graduate school.

The Fellowship is a sophisticated marketing, communications and fundraising organization.  It is one of the few nonprofit organizations to experience continued growth in support, even in the first months of 2009.  Its revenues grew in 2008 to $84 million (a 10.8% increase) from nearly 1 million donors; in 2009 revenue growth continued at 19% totaling $100 million.  The majority of their outreach is focused direct mail, telemarketing, online giving and TV infomercials.  The Fellowship’s American headquarters is in Chicago, IL.  The office in Jerusalem, Israel primarily oversees grant making and liaises with organizations that The Fellowship supports.  For additional information, please visit http://www.ifcj.org.

The Fellowship has established a successful affiliate in Canada and is actively pursuing expansion opportunities as diverse as South Korea, Argentina and Australia.

THE POSITION

In response to its continued success in fundraising and grant making and the opportunity to play an even greater role as a supporter of Israel and Jews in need, IFCJ has added the position of Executive Vice President.  Under the direction of and reporting to the President and Chief Executive Officer, the EVP is responsible for providing leadership to and supervision for all departments.

The EVP will serve as the senior staff executive responsible for leading the development and implementation of plans for strategic growth ensuring that new initiatives succeed with the appropriate resources and infrastructure to support their success.

The EVP will lead a strategic discussion and planning process to develop a strategic and tactical plan for the future of The Fellowship.  S/he will work closely with the founding President of The Fellowship, who is dynamic, creative, and entrepreneurial.  The Fellowship hopes to fine tune processes and enhance their core successful practices while being flexible enough to test and integrate new initiatives.  S/he will also work closely with The Fellowship’s talented professionals, consultants, and vendors to consider new opportunities, technologies, and techniques. This is an organization where decisions happen quickly and thoughtfully.

With the continued fast growth, the EVP will be responsible to ensure that the organization is appropriately staffed at all senior levels to address that growth.  S/he must be an effective leader able to assemble, build, supervise, and motivate staff and move the organization forward.  The emphasis is on fundraising.

The EVP will implement and ensure best practices in areas of national fundraising, direct response, marketing and public relations, program management and quality assurance, staff management, and organization operations. 

Central to the success of the EVP will be the ability to be a creative thinker, able to see opportunities, but also and in equal measure, the ability to work with the President/CEO to implement Rabbi Eckstein’s vision to develop these new opportunities and then execute plans through staff, vendors or other stakeholders.

The Fellowship seeks a seasoned nonprofit executive with demonstrated experience in helping organizations grow effectively where there has also been an emphasis on fundraising.  Knowledge and expertise in organizational planning, communications, operations, management and as well as a strong entrepreneurial vision are important to the success of this position. 

The EVP will be expected to lead and serve as a resource to the President and staff in addressing The Fellowship’s opportunities and challenges.  The EVP must be a strong communicator in groups and with individuals, able to interpret issues clearly, and effectively persuade others in a manner that leads to agreement and action.  Needless to say, the EVP must be fully committed to and believe in the mission of the IFCJ.

With the President/CEO’s extensive travel schedule both domestic and abroad, the EVP will maintain organizational oversight, effectiveness, and growth, especially during the President/CEO’s absence, which is over half the time.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work with President/CEO, board and members of the management team to create strategic priorities that outline directions for the organization’s growth.
• Lead the organization and its constituents through a planning and change process that is transparent, sets appropriate priorities, and effectively uses human and financial resources to address key strategic issues.
• Establish and maintain appropriate internal control systems, policies and procedures to ensure that resources are strategically leveraged to support IFCJ’s mission.
• Work with the President/CEO to set quarterly, annual and long-term goals and strategies.
• Conduct regular assessments of marketing and fund development programs and develop recommendations and systems that lead to program’s growth.
• Evaluate and explore opportunities for The Fellowship to create partnerships with other organizations that will lead to increased fundraising, marketing capacity and more effective program implementation.
• Ensure that The Fellowship’s resources and infrastructure can support planned growth and new initiatives.
• Monitor advances in technology and coordinate systems that will provide improved channels for The Fellowship to communicate with existing supporters as well as to reach new supporters.
• Lead efforts to create, diversify, and implement new giving vehicles that expand on The Fellowship’s successful direct response marketing.
• Ensure clear and consistent communications about IFCJ and its mission, and cultivate relationships with key audiences.
• Oversee the effective operation of the Chicago headquarters; a physical move to larger quarters within the same building is planned for Q1 2012.
• Establish and maintain sound human resources policies and practices consistent with short- and long-term needs and values.
• Implement systems that facilitate timely decision making and define what issues the President/CEO needs to address.
• Design, implement, and monitor programs to assure qualitative and quantitative achievements of objectives and to insure maximum utilization of resources on behalf of The Fellowship.
• Review program and staff performance evaluations to insure that standards for performance are being met, and make appropriate senior level personnel recommendations to the President/CEO and Board of Directors.

QUALIFICATIONS

• First and foremost, the right person will feel called to the mission of the IFCJ.
• Excellent planning and organizational skills with keen attention to detail.
• Experience as a senior nonprofit executive, responsible for developing and implementing programs that include marketing, advertising, direct response, and fund development through targeted individual giving.
• Demonstrated success in thinking creatively to capture ideas that can be developed in successful marketing, branding, fund development, or program development initiatives.
• Proven success anticipating and effectively responding to needs of a growing international organization.
• Experience in organizational development and strategic planning as well as a demonstrated track record in guiding complex international planning efforts.
• Proven management expertise in new program creation, development, management and evaluation in partnership with executive, staff, and other stakeholders.
• The creativity and vision to build new partnering and business relationships.
• Experience identifying new growth or improvement opportunities.
• A proven ability to effectively manage successful teams and a rapidly growing organization.
• Understanding of the communications function in working with revenue development programs that will drive fundraising.
• Outstanding to very good written, editorial, and verbal communication skills.
• Superior “EQ” (Emotional Quotient) interpersonal skills with the ability to project professional competence, leadership capability, and personal maturity.
• An independent, strategic thinker with good judgment, sensitivity, and common sense.
• Enthusiasm, energy, and an entrepreneurial spirit.
• Demonstrated success as a strong manager/leader who is able to motivate staff and build an infrastructure in a multi-country organization.
• Team-oriented, task-oriented and performance-driven with high energy level.
• Ability to take initiative, and work independently as well as to work as part of a team.
• Undergraduate degree from an accredited four-year college or university; an advanced degree desirable.

THE SEARCH AND SELECTION PROCESS

The Dingman Company, a retained search firm with a sterling track record for senior level management searches in non-profits, has been selected to assist the IFCJ.  Bruce Dingman, the President, and Warren Schuh, Vice President, will be working on this search and interested persons are encouraged to contact either of them.

Hundreds of people will be contacted as names of candidates are sought out.  Prospective candidates will be asked to add additional details to their resumes so there can be a thorough understanding of their career progression plus they will be asked to respond to a questionnaire.  After passing a telephone interview, candidates showing high promise will have a personal interview with Bruce Dingman/Warren Schuh.

The most appropriate candidates will be interviewed by Rabbi Eckstein and some board members.  The preferred candidate will then have an opportunity to meet the members of her/his leadership team before the hiring is consummated.

An attractive compensation package, commensurate with level of experience, is available.

SUMMARY

This is an unusual opportunity for joining a ministry that’s been growing strongly despite the economic recession.  There is room for significant “fine tuning” to make the organization run even more effectively and to move more strongly into areas of fundraising beyond North America and direct response.  The founder would like to be less involved and having confidence in this new leader will allow that to take place. 

Our client is committed to a process that represents equal opportunity employment and does not discriminate in any way based on gender, creed, race, age, color, national origin, veteran status, medical condition, or physical or mental disability.

We fully respect the need for confidentiality of information supplied by interested parties and assure them that their backgrounds and interests will not be discussed with anyone, including our client, without their prior consent, nor will reference contacts generally be made until mutual interest has been established.

Reference checking will require that a candidate give the recruiter access to third parties. The Search Consultant will be cautious and sensitive in trying to preserve any candidate’s anonymity.

For further information on this position, please contact: