Current Job Openings:

Executive Director

Job Description

The Harkin Institute seeks an outstanding Executive Director to lead its next phase of growth. Acting with integrity and a deep commitment to the Institute’s mission, the Executive Director provides leadership to the Institute’s staff and its National Advisory Council to further the organization’s impact. The Executive Director position reports directly to the University President.

The Executive Director will drive the organization’s ongoing growth and transformation in a rapidly changing political and policy landscape. The Executive Director will lead an institute that is already considered a leader and aspires to do even more to advance opportunities for all in the areas of disability, retirement security, and wellness & nutrition.

Based in Des Moines, Iowa, the Executive Director will provide day-to-day leadership of the Institute in service to its mission and will be responsible for the overall strategic, programmatic, and financial success of the organization. The Executive Director will have an opportunity to grow the reach, impact, and relevance of the Institute.

The Executive Director will have a passion for The Harkin Institute’s commitment to serve as a trusted nonpartisan voice on public policy issues. The Executive Director will demonstrate an enthusiasm for fostering cooperation, facilitating dialogue, and inspiring others to become more engaged in civic life. The Executive Director will have both a deep appreciation for the history of the Institute as well as a desire to shape its future in ways that ensure relevance and success in a changing world. The ideal leader will work actively to create a culture that is inspiring, inviting, and accessible – and will model a way of engaging politics and policy that others seek to emulate.

Key Responsibilities and Core Job Duties

Strategic Leadership

The Executive Director of The Harkin Institute will be an accomplished strategic thinker and will work collaboratively with the staff, National Advisory Council, and University leadership to refine and implement an effective strategic plan. The Executive Director will have the ability to unify constituents around a compelling vision, as well as the ability to operationalize that vision to drive success. The Executive Director will help provide strategic focus so that all members of the Institute community are clear about key goals and objectives and will ensure that resources are aligned to deliver impact. The Executive Director will embrace the creative process and allow others to try new approaches while also establishing clear benchmarks for success and the ability to pivot when circumstances dictate. While the Executive Director need not be a policy expert, the Executive Director must demonstrate an understanding of the highly dynamic and intersectional nature of public policy, and have the ability to lead successfully, inclusively, and nimbly in rapidly changing times.

Key areas of responsibility in Strategic Leadership

• Advance The Harkin Institute’s strategic vision, understanding the complex and evolving fields of public policy, identifying future trends, and key opportunities that will ensure the Institute’s ongoing health and relevance
• In collaboration with staff and the National Advisory Council, provide and maintain strategic focus for the organization, identifying and implementing strategic initiatives that further the Institute’s goals and mission
• Advance the Institute’s prominence and impact as a deeply valued resource in the fields of disabilities, retirement security, and wellness & nutrition through highly relevant research and programming that engages a diverse array of constituents
• Identify and execute strategic partnerships that enhance the Institute’s reach, impact, and capacity
• Be an effective leader, ambassador and relationship builder with a diverse array of constituencies, from students to policymakers to donors, as well as among peers and partner institutions

Fundraising & Revenue Generation

The Executive Director will have significant experience overseeing the fiscal health of an organization, including securing philanthropic funding and managing an operating budget. The Executive Director will have the ability to set fundraising goals for operations and the Institute’s endowment based on the organization’s strategic plan, and the Executive Director will collaborate effectively with the National Advisory Council to achieve those goals. The Executive Director will be able to drive and optimize investment across revenue streams, including gifts from individual donors and foundations. The Executive Director will have the ability to engage new and existing donors with passion and integrity, thus inspiring transformational investments that sustain the Institute’s mission and programming. The Executive Director will work collaboratively with Drake University development colleagues to ensure existing donors are thoughtfully stewarded and the Executive Director will be a compelling communicator of the Institute’s mission, vision, and work across a broad range of constituencies.

Key areas of responsibility in fundraising & revenue generation

• Generate new sources of revenue by creatively and strategically expanding and deepening the existing donor base
• Drive other revenue opportunities through grants, support from foundations, partnerships, and fee-for-service work
• Steward relationships and strategic partnerships on the local and national level to increase the Institute’s capacity and sustainability
• Ensure that resources are ethically, efficiently, and responsibly deployed to meet the Institute’s mission over the long term

Operational Leadership

The Executive Director will be a dynamic, mission-focused executive with strong business acuity and a track record of successfully managing teams and organizations. The Executive Director will be a skilled administrator who can effectively balance “big picture” strategic guidance with the ability to execute and operationalize plans. The Executive Director will intuitively understand how to participate as a peer with thought leaders and as a collaborative member of a small team who isn’t afraid to roll up their sleeves to pitch in and get things done. The Executive Director will be skilled in resource development and budgeting, including expertise in building sustainable revenue models. The Executive Director will ensure the necessary operational structures and roles are in place so that the organization functions effectively.

Key areas of responsibility in operational leadership

• Provide day-to-day leadership for all operational and administrative aspects of the Institute, including budgeting, fundraising, and personnel management
• Provide leadership, guidance and mentoring to a diverse team, fostering a culture of empathy, inclusivity, accessibility, and collaboration
• Develop and implement an operational budget to achieve the Institute’s revenue needs including meeting annual financial targets, and ensuring long-term financial sustainability
• Recruit, develop and retain a highly talented and diverse team at all levels of the Institute staff and be a driving force in fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace
• Establish a shared culture across the organization, ensuring the staff are collaborating with a unified sense of purpose, accountability, transparency, and excellence

Relationship Building

The Executive Director must be a relationship builder, a dynamic and inspiring leader, and an excellent public representative for The Harkin Institute. The ideal leader will be comfortable in individual and group settings, demonstrating a knack for building authentic relationships with a diverse array of constituents. Humble and self-effacing, the Executive Director will demonstrate thoughtfulness, inclusivity, and emotional intelligence in all interactions. Yet, the Executive Director will have the confidence and energy necessary to identify and connect with new constituents, partners, and donors, exciting them about the work of the Institute and its importance. The Executive Director will be a highly respected representative of the Institute and the communities it serves.

Key areas of responsibility in relationship building

• Be an effective spokesperson for the Institute and its mission across diverse constituencies – including donors, foundations, policy makers, media, civic, and business leaders along with university students, faculty, staff, and alumni
• Initiate and steward partnerships that advance the reach and impact of the Institute’s work and programming
• Collaborate closely and effectively with other experts and organizations in the Institute’s core policy areas, including within the University, to share ideas, identify emerging policy priorities, and increase the impact of the Institute’s efforts
• Support and collaborate with the Institute’s highly effective National Advisory Council, eliciting their input on key strategic initiatives and leveraging their insights and relationships to maximize the Institute’s effectiveness

Minimum/Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• Demonstrated experience in public policy and/or related fields
• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning and organizational management
• Proven track record in fundraising, development, or securing external funding
• Demonstrated success in cultivating relationships with donors, foundations, and community partners
• Strong financial acumen, including budget development and oversight
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders
• Extensive experience managing and developing teams, including supervision of staff
• Ability to foster a collaborative and inclusive work environment
• Experience navigating complex organizational environments with multiple stakeholders

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a field aligned with the Institute’s focus (e.g., public administration, education, nonprofit management, business, or a discipline related to the Institute’s mission)
• Knowledge of applicable laws, regulations, and ethical standards in nonprofit and university settings
• Familiarity with governance structures, advisory boards, and institutional advancement
• Track record of thought leadership, public speaking, or publication in relevant areas
• Experience working in or with higher education institutions