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Unique Personnel is looking for an Executive Director in North West, with applications closing on 28 November 2026. This permanent role leads a nonprofit organisation, reporting to and working closely in partnership with its Board of Directors, and is suited to a seasoned leader who is passionate about women’s rights and issues around gender-based violence.
About the company and the work
Unique Personnel is a recruitment agency placing candidates with employers across South Africa, and this role sits with a nonprofit client. The organisation’s mission centres on supporting women and people affected by gender-based violence and other forms of vulnerability, and the Executive Director will be its public face, inspiring others to engage with that mission while making sure it serves its clients effectively.
Role details and duties
The Executive Director will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the organisation’s operations, including fundraising, programme development, financial management, compliance and staff supervision. Under strategic leadership, you will work with the Board and staff to develop and implement the organisation’s strategic plan, articulate its vision, mission, theory of change, statement of need and unique value, model and promote its values and culture, and foster a positive work environment that promotes teamwork, collaboration and open communication. You will supervise and develop the organisation’s Deputy Director and Finance Manager, and identify and foster relationships with potential strategic partners. Under fundraising and development, you will develop and implement a comprehensive financing strategy, identify and cultivate relationships with foundations, development partners, corporates and high-level donors, build trust and rapport with potential and existing donors to persuade them to invest in the organisation, ensure enough funds are raised to meet annual goals while monitoring progress, develop and implement donor stewardship plans, and lead staff, volunteers and board members in planning and executing an annual fundraising event. You will support the Board by seeking its input on critical decisions, planning and preparing meeting agendas in consultation with the Board Chairperson, supporting recruitment, onboarding and induction of new board members, and supporting board functions including facilitating meetings and ensuring policy compliance. Under financial management, you will oversee the organisation’s finances in partnership with the Finance Manager, develop and oversee the annual budget, monitor financial performance on an ongoing basis, ensure accurate financial reports reach the Board in a timely manner, and support the Finance Manager through the annual audit. Under human resources, you will support recruitment, onboarding and induction of new staff, develop and implement policies and procedures that support the mission, cultivate a culture of regular feedback, nurture a positive and empowering workplace culture, support line managers with disciplinary processes in compliance with company procedures, and ensure an enabling environment that fosters productivity, innovation and performance. You will also ensure proper hardware and software are in place for fundraising, collaboration and document creation, create and maintain technology policies, and establish robust cybersecurity measures. Under programme development and oversight, you will ensure programmatic work is of the highest quality, support the Deputy Director in managing day-to-day programme operations and evaluating programmes, and expand programmes and services as appropriate. Under marketing, communication and public relations, you will develop and implement a comprehensive marketing and communications strategy, create and maintain the brand and messaging, act as spokesperson and represent the organisation at public events, develop relationships with media outlets and reporters, and supervise the Communications Officer. You will also ensure the organisation complies with all relevant legal and regulatory obligations. Some advert lines were truncated in the browser view, so the duties above are paraphrased at a general level; please confirm the full wording in the original advert.
Requirements
The advert asks for a post-graduate degree in law, social sciences or a relevant field, a minimum of 5+ years of direct work experience in nonprofit senior management, demonstrated experience in fundraising and development, experience in community-based programmes and with a broad range of stakeholders, experience working with victims of gender-based violence or other vulnerable populations, and proven success working with a board of directors. The skills and abilities listed include a deep passion for and commitment to women’s rights and issues around gender-based violence, an understanding of how trauma impacts traditionally marginalised individuals and communities, the capacity to withstand difficult circumstances and a commitment to personal wellness, strong project management, monitoring and evaluation, financial management and budgeting skills, competence in reading and understanding financial documents including budgets, cash flow and income statements, excellent supervision and people-management skills with a proven ability to mentor, motivate and develop staff, superb interpersonal skills including the ability to generate respect and trust, strong networking and relationship management skills, demonstrated resourcefulness in resource-constrained settings, the ability to provide long-term, inspirational vision while creating pragmatic solutions, the ability to work on multiple projects while keeping focused on top organisational priorities, strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills, and proficiency in the Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook). Only what the source states is listed here, so please confirm the full wording in the original advert before applying.
Where to find and apply safely
This vacancy is advertised on Careers24 by Unique Personnel, and the Apply button on this page takes you directly to the original advert. Note that the original advert is marked as an external application, so it may take you to the recruiter’s own application route. Apply only through that original listing, and be wary of anyone asking you to pay a fee to secure a job, as legitimate employers do not charge jobseekers for applications.
Practical tips
Show your nonprofit senior leadership track record clearly, with concrete fundraising results, board experience, and work with vulnerable communities. Highlight your financial oversight, programme quality and team-building experience, and let your commitment to women’s rights and gender-based violence issues come through in your motivation.
How the process works
Click the Apply button on this page to reach the original Careers24 advert, where you can submit your application through the employer’s route. Make sure your CV is up to date, with your senior nonprofit management and fundraising experience clearly shown, and keep a copy of your application for your own records.
Important information
This post is for information only and is not the employer. All details above come from the original advert, and the employer may change the closing date or requirements, so please confirm everything in the original advert before you apply. The advert states a negotiable salary; no fixed amount is published, so please confirm pay details in the original advert.
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