Chief of Staff

About KIND 
Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) is a global leader in the protection of unaccompanied and separated children who are forcibly displaced from their countries of origin. Launched in 2008, KIND champions a world in which every child’s rights and well-being are protected throughout their journey to safety.  Building on its extensive programming and successful model in the United States, KIND is expanding in the Americas and Europe to bring its experience to bear in working with unaccompanied and separated children. Our work focuses on addressing the legal and mental health needs of this population; building strong partnerships and engaging in training and capacity strengthening with governments, NGOs, and the private sector; and advocating for systemic and pragmatic reforms to advance the rights of unaccompanied and separated children.
Position Summary
Reporting to the President, the Chief of Staff works closely with the senior leadership team (SLT). They drive strategy at the organizational level, ensuring that KIND’s strategic plan delivers on our mission, addresses our most pressing priorities, and maximizes our organizational impact. This Chief of Staff is a champion for innovation and operational excellence. They fully leverage their relationships, acting as trusted advisor to the President and leaders, and a pragmatic connector between leadership and staff. They role model collaboration, have a natural ability to engage with people at all levels, and actively bring together all stakeholders.

Essential Functions

• Driver of Organizational Strategy
• Maintains a strategic overview of the organization’s landscape, priorities, and challenges.
• Identifies and drives the response to new programmatic and operational priorities, in collaboration with the President and SLT.
• Helps to identify the right organizational structure and practices that best enable KIND’s overarching mission.


• Collaborator and Connector
• Brings together key stakeholders, fostering cross-departmental collaboration and promoting a unified team approach.
• Facilitates thoughtful consideration of different perspectives to arrive at practical, well-informed solutions.
• Serves as a liaison between the organization, SLT and the President, ensuring timely information and feedback flow in all directions.
• Collaborates closely with the Communications Office to ensure clear, effective messaging for both internal and external audiences.
• Ensures organization-wide understanding, alignment, and follow-through with regards to organizational initiatives.


• Trusted Advisor
• Serves as a trusted advisor and sounding board to the President and SLT, providing objective guidance and helping them navigate complex issues.
• Approaches discussions with impartiality and candor, prioritizing the organization's needs over personal agendas.
• Uses a combination of their gravitas and approachability to help people work through matters, thinking about a situation from all angles, to find the best path forward.


• Innovator and Thought Leader
• Proactively challenges conventional perspectives by posing critical, thought-provoking questions that drive valuable insights.
• Encourages strategic thinking and innovation within the SLT, fostering a culture of forward-thinking and creative problem-solving.
• Improves current processes and coordinates organizational procedures for optimized efficiency and productivity in collaboration with senior leadership. 


• Project Manager
• Oversees assigned strategic projects, from development through to successful execution, in collaboration with other SLT members.
• Takes a strategic approach to project execution, overseeing resource allocation and coordinating team efforts to ensure the successful achievement of project objectives.


• Coordinator
• Optimizes the use of SLT and Executive Leadership Team (ELT) meeting time and follows up on action items.
• Maintains regular communication and consultation with the Board of Directors and Advisory Committees, as required, to keep them informed and engaged.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in business management.
• A track record across a number of leadership roles across different parts of an organization.
• Advanced degree in Law, Business Administration or another relevant field preferred.
• Strong experience of either setting and leading strategy through in-house leadership roles or in a consulting capacity.
• Nimble business mind with a focus on continuous improvement, and on developing innovative solutions.
• Demonstrable experience of engaging and influencing stakeholders at all levels t