Position Description: Founding Executive Director, Friends of Fundesur

Fostering hope and the possibility for Hondurans to stay, work, and thrive in their home country

For over a decade, the Foundation for the Development of Southern Honduras (FUNDESUR) has worked to improve the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of residents of the southern region of Honduras. Established to coordinate the efforts and resources of several aid organizations for greater impact, FUNDESUR took a community-informed approach to launching the initiative, sourcing residents for what have become the organization’s four pillars: health, education, environment, and self-management. Working tirelessly to meet the locals’ stated needs, FUNDESUR has become one of the country’s main forces for social upliftment, building stronger, more sustainable Honduran communities.

Operationally, its audited financials and global reputation for prudence and integrity have positioned FUNDESUR as a trusted partner of the World Bank, World Vision, MAP International and other prominent anti-poverty organizations. In the midst of an often unstable social and economic climate, FUNDESUR is reliably there, laser focused on delivering direct services to Hondurans who need them most. Learn more about Fundesur here.

FRIENDS OF FUNDESUR

Future looking and committed to building on FUNDESUR’s strong foundation, Friends of Fundesur, a newly formed 501(c)(3), was created to support FUNDESUR’s life-transforming work in southern Honduras. As a “Friends of” organization, Friends of Fundesur will serve as a strategic partner, raising funds, cultivating international relationships, building awareness, and strengthening institutional capacity to support long-term change and improved living conditions in Honduras.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Stakeholders in FUNDESUR and Friends of Fundesur have deliberated on supporting the success of a “Friends of” organization in this context. Their dedication and commitment, Fundesur’s solid financial position, the landscape assessment they conducted and fundraising playbook they developed all indicate preparedness to hire an Executive Director (ED) for Friends of Fundesur, and distinguish the exciting leadership opportunity that exists here to shape a new organization, bridge international partnerships, and amplify grassroots impact.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising & Donor Engagement

Further develop and implement a robust fundraising strategy, emphasizing individual donors, grants, and institutional partnerships.
Cultivate and steward donor relationships; lead donor communications and impact reporting.
Oversee fundraising events, campaigns, and donor database management.

Communications & Advocacy

Raise awareness of FUNDESUR’s work through compelling storytelling and targeted outreach.
Serve as the public face and voice of Friends of Fundesur in donor, partner, and media settings.
Develop bilingual (English/Spanish) communication materials as needed.

Board Relations & Governance

Support board development and recruitment in alignment with organizational growth.
Work closely with the Board of Directors to ensure sound governance and active board engagement.
Provide regular updates, reports, and strategic counsel to the board.

Financial Management

Develop and manage annual budget; ensure transparent financial reporting and compliance.
Establish fiscal policies and procedures appropriate for a growing nonprofit.

Organizational Leadership & Strategic Development

Lead the development and execution of a strategic plan in partnership with the board and FUNDESUR.
Build organizational infrastructure, including systems for governance, finance, compliance, and communications.
Serve as a thought partner to FUNDESUR’s leadership and align support with their priorities.

Cross-Border Relationship Management

Build strong, respectful, and culturally responsive relationships with FUNDESUR and other Honduran partners.
Facilitate bi-directional communication and alignment between U.S.-based donors and Honduras-based implementers.
Travel to Honduras at least two times annually to maintain relationships and document impact.

THE PROFILE

Above all, the founding leader must believe in Friends of Fundesur’s capacity for life-changing impact, appreciate the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that launching and leading the organization represents, and be excited to tell the story of FUNDESUR to a range of stakeholders in a variety of contexts. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the ED will provide vision, leadership, and operational oversight during this critical early stage of growth. Additionally, the ED will drive resource development, partnership building, organizational systems, and alignment with FUNDESUR’s needs and aspirations. More specifically, the ED will bring a significant subset of the following:

Skills

An entrepreneurial orientation: the ability to be decisive and mobilize despite considerable ambiguity and change, and sometimes through influence without actual authority
An aptitude for building productive, trusting relationships in service of aligning and garnering the confidence of stakeholders
An aptitude for storytelling and fundraising; an understanding of the cyclical nature of fundraising, and an orientation to interact with funders as valued co-partners
Fully bilingual English/Spanish strongly preferred

Experience

Leadership experience, particularly as a builder of an organization or entity from the ground up: familiarity and success within organizational start-up contexts; understanding of the associated ambiguity of those environments
Demonstrable achievement in activating a network on behalf of a cause or idea
A track record of achieving ambitious fundraising goals
A track record of leveraging a Board and external partners to craft strategy and ensure diverse perspectives

Personal Characteristics

A love of building, as evidenced by an inclination to roll up sleeves and move a body of work while organizational infrastructure and team are established; tolerance for “the messy phase”
Deep commitment to international development, social justice, or Latin America-focused missions
A passion for equity and systems-level change
Humility and the ability to lead effectively in the fore – or background, inclination to share credit, and a network-building orientation anchored in abundance versus scarcity
REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

The Executive Director will report to the Board Chair.

COMPENSATION

The starting salary will be $130,000 – $150,000, based on anecdotal compensation information collected about other early-stage non-profits of this size, expectations, and assumptions about what is realistic and reasonable as a funding runway is developed. This number could increase ultimately, but not in year one.

LOCATION

This role is geo-flexible, though the leader should expect to travel domestically and internationally up to 30% of the time.

TO APPLY

Recruitment and evaluation of candidates will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. To apply, please submit a resume and, instead of a traditional cover letter, answer these questions:

Why is this opportunity compelling to you? What connects you to this work?
What’s the most relevant professional anecdote you can share to help the selection team understand who you are and what you are capable of as a leader in this context.

For best consideration, send your application to FriendsFundesur@lns-partners.com

on or before September 1, 2025.

Friends of Fundesur is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and creating a workplace where all individuals feel valued, respected, and supported. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, marital or family status, immigration status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We especially welcome applications from people with lived experience in Latin America or the communities we serve, and from individuals who bring underrepresented perspectives to leadership in the nonprofit and international development sectors.