Meliore Foundation | Executive Director of Flamma

Application Deadline: 7 January 2026

Department: Flamma

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Remote / Flexible Location

Description

• Design, launch, and lead an ambitious strategic communications programme committed to driving meaningful change towards gender equality.   
• Build partnerships across movements, thematic areas, and geographies, connecting local and regional initiatives with global narratives, strategies and resources.
• Mobilise funders and strategic allies around a shared vision for narrative change that centers gender equality, accountability, and resilience.
• Lead a team that reflects the diversity and creativity of the movements it serves, fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and learning-oriented environment.

How you'll contribute

• Leadership & Strategic Direction
  • Accountable for providing overall leadership to Flamma, its overarching success and positioning. 
  • Accountable for framing and facilitating alignment on Flamma’s overall strategic context, priorities, purpose and goals.
  • Lead the development and execution of Flamma’s strategic vision and workstreams.
  • Guide the programme’s expansion into new countries and regions, ensuring scalable and politically strategic operations.
  • Act as key relationship holder with Meliore Foundation Executive Management, working closely with its CEO and leadership to advance the programme’s vision and align objectives with broader organisational goals.
  • Lead horizon scanning, identifying growth opportunities and future-proofing the  programme against potential risks.

• Partnership Development & Stakeholder Engagement
  • Serve as the primary representative of Flamma, liaising with key stakeholders in the gender equality space and fostering collaboration to enhance political access and advocacy impact.
  • Cultivate and sustain strong relationships with movement partners, advocates, media, and advocacy networks.
  • Serve as a thought partner and strategic ally to key stakeholders in the gender equality space, providing insights on emerging trends and opportunities in strategic communications.
  • Act as key interface with Meliore and its programmes to build strong relationships and ensure effective positioning for Flamma.
  • Serve as the key interface with the programme’s Advisory Council, nurturing that collaboration and integrating their recommendations into strategies and initiatives.

• Organisational Development & Team Leadership
  • Lead the recruitment and development of a high-performing team.
  • Oversee the programme’s day-to-day operations, ensuring the team meets milestones, strategic goals, and deliverables on time and within budget.
  • Champion the culture of collective responsibility for overall network strategy.
  • Establish governance structures and organisational processes are effective in scaling the programme.
  • Accountable for the programme’s staff wellbeing.

• Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting
  • Oversee the development of a robust MEL framework to guide the programme’s progress and assess its impact. 
  • Ensure rigorous monitoring and evaluation practices are in place to assess the programme’s impact, as well as to adjust strategies as necessary.
  • Ensure the programme’s projects and activities are compliant with regulatory and legal requirements.

• Fundraising & Financial Management
  • Represent Flamma externally as the chief fundraiser, building and maintaining strong relationships with funders.
  • Lead strategic partnerships and fundraising initiatives that advance Meliore’s institutional goals in gender equality and systems change, cultivating multi-year funding relationships at foundation-wide level.
  • Oversee the financial management of the programme, ensuring responsible use of resources and accountability to funders and partners.
  • Collaborate with development teams and philanthropic partners to secure resources, co-design initiatives, and communicate impact
  • Ensure the programme’s financial sustainability, setting it up for scale and impact.

Our ideal candidate has

• Empathic leadership skills with an entrepreneurial mindset and collegiate approach to work, comfortable building new initiatives and navigating uncertainty with creativity and purpose. 
• Strong strategic and systems thinking, with experience analysing complex social issues and the underlying factors affecting them.
• Minimum 10+ years of experience, including leadership roles, in strategic communications, campaigns, or movement-building, ideally advancing a social justice issue.
• Demonstrated success leading teams and managing complex, cross-sector initiatives. 
• Exceptional storytelling, strategy, and facilitation skills, with the ability to turn insight into compelling narratives and actionable strategy.
• Inspiring communication skills, able to connect long-term vision to practical action, synthesise complex information, and craft messages that resonate across audiences and contexts. 
• A proven ability to navigate political landscapes and advance social or gender justice goals, including experience:
  • Building coalitions or alliances to influence public debate, institutional priorities, or policy outcomes.
  • Successfully shifting narratives or public attitudes through strategic communications, advocacy, or campaign design.
  • Engaging decision-makers, power holders, or community leaders with tact, credibility, and strategic judgement.
  • Working effectively within complex political and cultural contexts, anticipating sensitivities, managing risks, and identifying leverage points for impact.
• Understanding of frameworks and major issues in the gender equality space.
• Existing networks in the gender equality community, including movement leaders, advocates, media, and funders.
• Proven track record in partnership development, stakeholder engagement, and funder relations, with strong networking and relationship-building skills.
• A commitment to inclusive leadership and to building a trust-based and empowering programme.
• Proven management experience, including strategy development, operational planning and budget management.
• Demonstrable experience with coordinating multiple stakeholders spread across countries and with diverse expertise in the development and implementation of collaborative strategies.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to make informed decisions, managing multiple simultaneous priorities.
• Outstanding English language skills, with a track record of producing engaging and impactful communications materials; additional languages are an asset.
• Versatility and adaptability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment across multiple time zones, utilizing tools such as Slack and Google Workspace.
• A commitment to an inclusive and empowering approach towards advancing gender equality.

Why join us?

• The unique opportunity to be a core member of a new, very dynamic and ambitious team, helping build it from the get-go.
• Be part of a remote-first, international network of professionals working on gender equality. Coworking access is available in some locations.
• A dynamic team of highly skilled professionals who combine their passion to make a difference with ambition and a rigorous and results-oriented approach to work.
• A flexible work environment and the space to shape and continuously develop your role.
• A full-time position with a consultant or employment contract, subject to location, for 12 months, with possible renewal after one year.