Interim Director of Administration & Operations, Lakou NFP

About Us

Lakou NFP (www.lakou.org) was founded in 2017 in the southwest community of Les Cayes, Haiti. The organization is grounded in the ideology that, if equipped with quality education and opportunities, Haitians will change Haiti. In tandem with our partner organization, International Guild S.A. (www.internationalguildsa.com), our program participants receive unparalleled on-the-job-site & in-classroom skill development coupled with a solid income base that allows them to take care of their families. At its core, Lakou is an in-depth construction apprentice program that benefits the individual participants, their families, and their communities.

Our Mission

To create opportunities for the Haitian people through vocational training and job creation. Overview

Lakou is seeking a high impact Interim Director of Administration & Operations to assume day-to-day operational responsibilities while the Board continues to outline a long-term vision for the organization and defines the qualifications necessary for a permanent Executive Director to lead the organization in the future. Our ideal candidate will have experience in the nonprofit space, with a background that includes oversight or direct experience in finance, communications, and personnel management.

Interim Priorities

 Maintain and manage existing streams of funding/support

 Facilitate communication and sharing of information across the organization, including Board, Staff and Leadership, and Outside Contractors

 Maintain and manage ongoing Communications and Marketing efforts

 Steward operating budget, ensuring timely payments, monitoring, and compliance

RESPONSIBILITIES

Executive Leadership & Operations

 Board Collaboration: Report directly to the Board of Directors. Collaborate with the Board to ensure mission alignment, financial transparency, and operational growth

o Coordinate bi-monthly meetings of the Board of Directors in conjunction with the Board Chair

o Sit in on all Board Subcommittee Meetings

 External Relationships: Serve as the primary point of contact for Lakou. Where appropriate:

o Represent Lakou in meetings with other organizations, including collaboration with other non-profits

o Act as spokesperson and voice of the organization with media

o Communicate with legal counsel both domestically and internationally as needed

 HR Management: Coordinate and support needs of both the Haiti and U.S. staff

o Assist in the procurement of supplies for the Lakou LIT school as well as for its participants (e.g., shirts, boots, hats, safety items)

o Manage weekly in-country staff meetings (remote attendance)

Fundraising & Development

 Fundraising Maintenance: Maintain existing streams of funding/support and manage processing and acknowledgment of gifts

o Manage donations through Lakou’s donor management system (Eleo), including coordination of donor acknowledgment

o Oversee the creation and execution of milestone development events, including annual golf outing, recurring fundraisers (e.g., Haitian Flag Day), and Summer and End of Year Appeals

o Draft and submit letters of inquiry and grant applications

o Run weekly Fundraising & Development meetings

Finance

 Financial Oversight: Work with the Board to produce data-driven annual budgets that build credibility with institutional funders and grantors. Steward the annual operating budget of approximately $700,000

o Manage monthly bill payments and account monitoring

o Coordinate with third-party consultant to ensure accounting and bookkeeping compliance

o Coordinate submission and filing of Lakou NFP’s tax returns and share with the Board of Directors

COMMUNICATIONS

 Communication and Storytelling: Oversee the creation of high-impact fundraising communications

o Draft and publish Lakou NFP’s monthly newsletter

o Oversee the draft and execution of direct response appeals (End of Year, Summer, and other Campaigns), coordinating with Board, Communications, and Development team members to ensure timely delivery of relevant materials

o Run weekly Communications meeting

Strategic Planning Support

 Board Facilitation: Support Board’s work to develop a long term vision for the organization

o Collect and provide Board with relevant data as requested (eg student outcomes, employment, construction projects/capacity)

o Coordinate meetings between Board and relevant individuals and entities as requested

Qualifications

Education

 Bachelor's degree required

 Master's degree or nonprofit management training preferred

Language

 English Fluency (both written & spoken) required

 Proficiency in French and/or Haitian Creole highly desired.

Travel

Willingness and ability (valid and up-to date credentials) to travel quarterly to program sites in Haiti (conditions permitting)

Experience

Nonprofit Management

Experience in nonprofit management/leadership, including: success in fundraising, budget management, and administrative oversight

Human Resources/Staffing Management

 Experience coordinating teams in multiple settings (i.e. hybrid and virtual) required.

 Experience building relationships with team members and partners over virtual platforms and in-person engagement required

 Experience managing and supervising teams of diverse cultures, languages, personal and professional experiences preferred

Fundraising & Development

 Experience with Financial Management and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms/software required

 Experience as a development professional with a proven record of securing gifts or grants on a national/international scale highly beneficial

International Experience & Connection

 Haitian Connection: Deep understanding of Haitian culture and the diaspora community highly desired. Personal ties to Haiti highly desired

 In absence of connection to or direct experience with the Haitian community, experience working with and/or living in non-U.S. communities – particularly those considered developing nations – highly beneficial

 English Fluency (both written & spoken) required

 Proficiency in French and/or Haitian Creole highly desired.