Co-Executive Director

We seek Co-Director candidates that have a vision for gender justice philanthropy and a deep connection to grassroots organizing with young Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) most directly impacted by and best positioned to end gender oppression. Co-Directors should apply together, as we will not be matching solo candidates. Third Wave Fund is a collaborative organization, so we’re seeking Co-Directors who can balance giving direction to advance our organization’s strategy while also honoring and drawing upon the lived experiences and professional expertise of our staff, Advisory Council, grantees, and other stakeholders. As a by-and-for organization, we encourage applications from members of our communities, particularly those who have held some management responsibilities but are seeking to grow into organizational leadership positions. Third Wave is committed to providing coaching and other professional development support to help the right candidates succeed in their new roles.

Third Wave Fund resources and supports youth-led, intersectional gender justice activism. We build on the brilliance of our communities using responsive and participatory grantmaking so we can sustain our movements and thrive—now and long term. Our grantmaking and donor mobilizing advances the community power, well-being, and self-determination of young Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) most directly impacted by and best positioned to end gender oppression. We specifically resource grassroots movements that are multi-issue, community-led and unapologetically queer, trans, intersex, and sex worker-led. We value the work of social justice-minded individuals who may not see themselves reflected in philanthropy. Third Wave Fund is fiscally sponsored by the Proteus Fund who partners with foundations, advocates, and individual donors to advance democracy, human rights, and peace.

• In collaboration with staff and our Advisory Council, co-create and advance the strategic vision of Third Wave Fund in ways that are accountable to gender justice movements
• Ensure the financial health of the organization, including through the use of participatory budgeting
• Manage the operations and growth of the organization, including the implementation of a transition to stand-alone 501(c)(3) status
• Represent Third Wave Fund externally and build and nourish relationships with external stakeholders and partners, in collaboration with Director-level staff
• Set philanthropic advocacy and donor organizing strategy, and lead their implementation in collaboration with Director-level staff
• Set the strategic direction of grantmaking and programmatic strategies and ensure the implementation of all grantmaking activities in collaboration with the Director of Programs
• Set the strategic direction of our fundraising work through leading and/or ensuring the implementation of all development events and activities
• Nurture the leadership of Third Wave staff based on individual and collective staff needs, including staff new to philanthropy, to the organization, and/or to their roles
• Support organizational cohesion and relationship-building across programs and departments

• Experience with or strong connections to movements led by-and-for young Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) most directly impacted by and best positioned to end gender oppression
• Experience as a senior leader in an organization of similar size and complexity to Third Wave Fund
• Experience in grantmaking, ideally in social justice philanthropy (at least one team member)
• Strong development experience, ideally within both institutional and individual frameworks (at least one team member)
• Demonstrated commitment to gender, racial, economic, disability and healing justice and dismantling all systems of oppression, particularly operationalizing social justice values into organizational processes
• Demonstrated understanding of and experience with implementing disability justice values in the workplace; many of Third Wave’s staff, Advisory Council, and grantees are disabled, chronically ill, and/or neurodivergent
• Understanding of and experience with implementing language justice values in the workplace is strongly preferred
• Enthusiasm for building relationships (i.e. engaging in many meetings, coffees, breakfasts, Zoom meetings, etc.) across grassroots movements and within philanthropy to advance Third Wave’s purpose and vision
• Experience managing collaborative teams with shared leadership to achieve visionary outcomes that respect staff wisdom and expertise
• Leadership style that is emotionally intelligent, transparent, self-reflective, and comfortable working through moments of conflict and ambiguity
• Ability to bring humor and honesty to the team through the daily ups and downs of the work

Third Wave’s leader(s) will be individually compensated $158,000, in accordance with our equitable hiring practices that strive for internal parity. This salary is non-negotiable*. Third Wave offers a 32-hour work week in a disability justice-centered workplace, along with excellent health benefits, robust retirement contributions, and a generous paid time off package.

‍*In order to counter pay inequality and uphold internal parity, salaries are non-negotiable beyond the listed amount. Similarly, there are no title negotiations. Staff are eligible for salary increases annually and promotions during annual performance evaluation processes.

We are a fully remote workplace. This role is based in the US, and applicants may be based in any of the fifty United States. Travel is not currently required for this position, though if compatible with access needs and vaccination status, travel to meetings, convenings, and conferences is currently optional. When it is fully safe for all people to travel again, regular travel will be required of around 3-5 trips per year (or about 5% of the role) for conferences or other meetings/events.

Third Wave Fund is a fiscally sponsored project of the Proteus Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization, and an equal opportunity employer. We believe that communities most impacted by gender oppression must be centered in the work we do. Therefore, we strongly encourage applications from Black and Indigenous women of color, Trans and gender non-conforming people, LGB people, Sick, Mad, D/deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Disabled people of color, working class people for all of our positions. Equal employment opportunity and having a diverse staff are fundamental principles at Proteus Fund, where employment and promotional opportunities are based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation/affectional preference, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as established under law.

Strategies for Social Change® (SSC) is conducting the leadership transition and search. SSC is a woman of color owned and led capacity building and leadership development practice dedicated to working with social justice organizations nationally. Please forward any inquiries, nominations, or requests for a confidential networking call to coedsearch@thirdwavefund.org.

Applications are due by 5 pm PT (6 pm MT, 7 pm CT, 8 pm ET) on July 31, 2023. TWF is only accepting applications from Co-Directors teams who apply together. We will not match Co-Directors, and we will not consider solo applicants.

Applications should include the components listed below as a single, combined PDF and should be emailed to coedsearch@thirdwavefund.org. We will work to meet the access needs of all applicants. Please contact coedsearch@thirdwavefund.org and cc: agustina@thirdwavefund.org if you require a different format to submit an application.​

A thoughtful and compelling joint cover letter of no more than three pages that addresses:

• Why are you interested in working with TWF and the communities that we support? What inspires you about resourcing gender justice, and why?
• What brings you to this work? How are your past accomplishments and experiences relevant to this role?
• As co-applicants, how have you collaborated in the past? What is your approach to shared leadership?
• One resume per candidate (a total of two resumes)
• Three reference lists per candidate (two reference lists total). For each reference, please include name, pronouns, affiliation, relationship to you, email address and phone number.
• References will not be contacted until the final stage of the search and candidates will be given an opportunity to notify their references in advance.
• Please include at least one reference per candidate of a current or recent supervisee.
• A brief proposal (2-5 pages, depending on the length that best suits your communication style) summarizing the co-applicants’ vision for their collaboration and describing how the leadership roles and responsibilities will be divided and shared between the co-applicants.