WSWA Seeks Executive Director

WSWA – Executive Director Position

World Space Week Association (WSWA) is looking for a qualified candidate to serve as the Executive Director. The selected candidate will initially take on the role for a minimum trial period of 3 months, during which the main goal is to help the candidate transition into the position of Executive Director. If the trial period is successful, the candidate will officially be nominated for the position of Executive Director.

This is a contracted position that can be performed anywhere in the world.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Executive Director of WSWA serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the Association and is managed by the WSWA President and the WSWA Executive VP. The responsibilities of the WSWA Executive Director are the following:

• Represent WSWA in UN COPUOS, international conferences and events, as well as in official communication with sponsors, partners and other stakeholders

• Prepare the strategy and operating plan of the Association for approval of the Board, including the annual budget

• Oversee the implementation of strategic targets as set in the Operation and Strategy plan of WSWA

• Lead the Association in its day-to-day operations

• Manage the team of VPs, Officers, Staff, Interns and Volunteers

• Lead fundraising efforts and ensure that sponsors receive the promised benefits

• Prepare all materials for the Board of Directors and Board of Advisors

• Expand the role of the Association and the visibility of WSWA in the global space sector

• Oversee preparation of the annual poster, annual report, fact sheet, sponsor brochure,  newsletters, and other communications.

• Create and pursue ideas for special projects using the WSW platform.

• Be the catalyst for growth of size and global impact of the annual celebration of World Space Week

• Manage and improve services provided to the global network of WSW coordinators and event holders

 

Benefits

• Compensation to be paid monthly depending on experience at the Executive Director Level and the location of the selected candidate.

• Attendance of UN Events such as UN COPUOS meetings.

• Opportunities to network closely with current, high-level international space sector leaders

• Working and meeting with the space leaders from around the world

• The opportunity to lead and learn in an international NGO and contribute to the WSWA brand

Necessary Qualifications

• A minimum of 3 – 5 years of relevant professional experience. Experience with working with the space sector is not required, but it is a plus.

• A University degree, preferably in international relations and/or diplomacy, space policy and law, business development, communications, marketing or similar.

• Interest and knowledge about the space sector and space industry is a plus.

• Experience with managing small teams is a must, experience with managing volunteers is an asset.

Skills and Qualities

• Strong working knowledge of G-Suite and WordPress are required.

• Fluency of professional English, both written and spoken. Additional languages are a plus.

• Experience with working in a multinational and/or multicultural environment.

• Strong people’s skills, and the ability to work with individuals at all levels of organizations; these include the UN representatives, high – level representatives of the industry, space agencies, academia, NGOs and other organizations.

• The ability to communicate messages clearly and effectively to multiple different publics.

• Experience with public speaking.

• Sensitivity towards cultural differences and the ability to establish relationships with diverse stakeholders.

• Timely responsiveness to different communication methods and the ability to work across multiple time-zones.

• The ability to work independently.

 

Time Commitment

This is a full-time contractor position. Occasional travel is required to, e.g. the International Astronautical Congress, IAF Spring Meetings, UN COPUOS meetings, and other events.

Some flexibility with the time commitment is required, as WSWA works across multiple time-zones.

Selection Process

The selection process will be conducted in the following way:

• Initial screening done by the Executive Council

• Initial Interviews by the Executive Council Candidates might be called for a follow-up interview

• Successful candidate will be notified about the selection in August, 2023

 

How to Apply

To apply for this position, please send the following documents to recruitment@worldspaceweek.org

• Your CV (maximum 1 page)

• A Letter of Intent (maximum 1 page)

• List of three to five past experiences and how they have prepared you for this role (maximum 1 page)

• Contact information of 3 references

• List of short – term (2023 – 2025)  priorities for WSWA

Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible. Only complete applications submitted in a timely manner will be considered. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Contact

In order to ensure a fully transparent selection process, questions related to this position and application process received on any of the social media channels will not be answered.

In case you have any questions pertaining to the position or application process, do not hesitate to reach out to recruitment@worldspaceweek.org