Executive Director - Food For The Poor Jamaica

Executive Director - Food For The Poor Jamaica

Executive Director - Food For The Poor Jamaica

Our client, Food For The Poor Jamaica, is seeking a dynamic, visionary, and mission-driven Executive Director to lead its strategic growth, direct donor partnerships, and drive impactful, sustainable projects that transform lives across Jamaica. This is a rare opportunity for a seasoned leader to make a meaningful difference while guiding one of the region’s most respected charitable organizations.

About Food For The Poor

Food For The Poor Jamaica is Jamaica’s largest charity organization. For over 30 years, Food For The Poor has partnered with stakeholders including churches, non-governmental and private sector organizations, children's homes, and service organizations throughout the island that deal directly with the poor to fill their most urgent needs and to encourage self-sufficiency. With a mandate to serve the poorest of the poor, Food For The Poor’s goal is to improve the health, economic, social, and spiritual conditions of the men, women and children they serve through emergency relief aid and programs in the areas of housing, food, medical, water, sanitation, education, agriculture, outreach and micro-enterprise development assistance.

About the Role

The Executive Director (ED) serves as the senior-most leader of Food For The Poor Jamaica, reporting directly to the Board of Directors. The ED provides strategic direction, operational oversight, and dynamic leadership to advance the organization’s mission. As the public face of the organization, the ED cultivates and maintains key stakeholder relationships while fostering a culture of excellence, growth and accountability within the organization. The role requires a strong understanding of economic development, operational excellence, ability to liaise with a wide range of stakeholders, and a deep commitment to the mission of serving vulnerable populations in Jamaica. Functions that report to this role include Operations & Implementation (Shipping Logistics, Warehousing & Distribution, Construction Services, Agriculture & Fisheries) and Partnership & Development (Client Relations, Project Development, Programme Impact & Reporting, Special Recipients, Education, Health & Rehabilitation).

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute the national strategic plan in alignment with FFTP’s global mission, strategic plan, and country-specific priorities.

• Provide visionary leadership to ensure organizational growth, program effectiveness, and operational sustainability.

• Act as a liaison between FFTP Jamaica, FFTP, Inc., government agencies, donors, and local partners.

• Lead organizational design to ensure the structure, staffing, and decision-making processes support strategic priorities and operational effectiveness. 

Financial Stewardship

• Provide oversight of budgeting, financial management, and reporting to ensure compliance with internal controls, donor requirements, and local regulations.

• Ensure accurate and timely financial reporting, audit readiness, and risk management to the board and senior stakeholders.

• Guide resource allocation to optimize program impact and sustainability.

Donor & Stakeholder Engagement

• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with major donors, partners, and government agencies.

• Represent FFTP Jamaica in media, at donor meetings, public events, and community forums.

• Provide leadership in fundraising strategies, including local campaigns and partnership development.

Operations & Governance

• Ensure compliance with Jamaican law, regulations, and FFTP policies.

• Lead the recruitment, development, and management of a high-performing team.

• Implement operational systems that support efficiency, accountability, and organizational excellence.

• The ED serves as the legal representative of FFTP Jamaica, with authority to sign agreements, represent the organization before government, regulatory bodies, and in legal matters.

• Work closely with the Board of Directors to provide timely updates on strategy, performance, and risks.

Community & Public Relations

• Serve as the public face of FFTP Jamaica, building credibility and trust with local communities, media, and stakeholders.

• Promote awareness of FFTP programs, outcomes, and impact in Jamaica.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, nonprofit management, international development, or related field (Master’s strongly preferred).

• 10+ years of senior leadership experience, ideally in international development, humanitarian organizations, or NGOs.

• Proven track record in strategic planning, program management, operational oversight, and leading diverse teams.

• Strong financial acumen and experience managing multi-million-dollar budgets.

• Experience managing grant writing processes.

• Knowledge of Jamaican laws, regulations, and nonprofit compliance requirements preferred.

Key Competencies

• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain partnerships with donors, government, and community stakeholders.

• KPI driven with a penchant for implementing standardized approaches.

• Strong compliance mindset to ensure adherence to SOPs at all times.

• Transformational leadership skills, communication, and interpersonal skills.

• Commitment to the Christian mission, values, and ethical standards of Food For The Poor.

Travel Requirements

• National travel within Jamaica as needed for program oversight, donor engagement, and community events.

• Occasional international travel to FFTP, Inc.’s headquarters in Florida or donor events may be required.

How to Apply

If this is the role for you, please apply to join this dynamic team by October 22, 2025.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, regret to advise that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.