New Deadline: July 14, 2025, 23:59 UT
ISDAO, Initiative Sankofa d’Afrique de l’Ouest, is an activist-led fund dedicated to building a West African movement for sexual diversity and sexual rights through a flexible approach to grant-making and the strengthening of a philanthropy culture committed to promoting human rights and social justice. Our Working Principles – the principles and values that guide ISDAO work are Activist-led, Feminism, Transparency, Accountability, Empowerment, Inclusion, Diversity and Intersectionality, Self-Determination, Flexibility, Equity, and Sustainability.
Context of the Mission
After an extensive and participatory search, ISDAO is thrilled to have welcomed four dynamic leaders from the West African movement to ISDAO’s Governing Body, filling the roles of Secretary, two Co-Chairs, and Executive Director. As we continue to strengthen our feminist governance structure, we are now recruiting for the remaining positions: Treasurer and Financial Sustainability Lead, Movement Strengthening and Impact Lead, and Legal and Compliance Lead.
We invite passionate and qualified individuals committed to feminist movement-building to apply and join us in shaping ISDAO’s future. If you meet the minimum requirements, we encourage you to step forward and be part of this transformative leadership.
Governance Board Member Mandate
The purpose of ISDAO’s Governing Body is primarily to focus on ensuring alignment and harmony between ISDAO’s operations and the overarching vision and purpose. At the core of ISDAO’s Governance Board mandate is:
To take accountability for ISDAO’s governance while supporting Management to implement the strategic vision of ISDAO to ensure the most impactful and efficient use of resources, benevolent relationships with stakeholders, solvency, and the safeguarding of the assets of the ISDAO. The board’s mandate is serviced by fulfilling the following shared responsibilities:
- Serve as ideological champions
– Safeguard the good name and values of the institution.
– Contribute to ensuring ISDAO’s alignment and consistency in centering around its politics and ethics. - Movement Representation and Connector
– Represents the interests and perspectives of the broader LGBTQI movement in West Africa
– Contribute to knowledge collection and production, the understanding of community needs, contextual needs, and realities. - Strategic contribution and enablement
– Provide strategic oversight and guidance.
– Support the executive body but do not make operational decisions or operate executively.
– Attend periodic meetings and engagements to support ISDAO’s leadership team.
– Approve the overall strategy and performance framework and, on an annual basis, review the substantive results as well as the financial performance of ISDAO. - Resource Mobilization and Advocacy
– Advocate for, promote awareness of, and raise funds for ISDAO and its mission.
– Represent ISDAO in key and strategic public platforms.
– Assist with resourcing and capacitating the organization and leverage their network to attract new funders, relationships, and opportunities.
– Advises the ED on Financial sustainability issues, strategies, and income options. - Governance Stewardship
– Evaluate and address any challenges or inconsistencies within policies and procedures that restrict the ability of ISDAO from fulfilling its mandate.
– Ensuring the establishment and monitoring of effective systems of good governance and accountability, including risk management and financial and operations controls.
– To review recommendations and advise the Executive Body on the selection, appointment, and terms of engagement of external audit services; provision of any non-audit services by the external auditors; and any questions of resignation or dismissal of the external auditors.
– To discuss, if necessary, with the external auditors, before the audit begins, the nature and scope of the audit.
– To monitor the implementation of agreed audit-based recommendations.
– In partnership with the Executive Body, review, respond to, and investigate, where required, concerns, complaints, and/or alerts raised related to safeguarding, whistleblowing, etc.
– Ensure aligned, ethical, and representative stewardship of ISDAO resources.
– Transparent selection, appointment, evaluation, and removal, if necessary, of the Executive Director.
– When requested, Board members are expected to engage with stakeholders, including partners, donors, and implementers, to ensure the Board addresses questions and concerns of its wide and diverse range of stakeholders. - Partnership Engagement
– Develop and influence partnership strategy and models, advance advocacy and ISDAO’s reach.
– Expand ISDAO’s networks and connections by establishing and maintaining high-level relationships, in coordination and collaboration with the leadership team. - Support and Evaluation of Organizational Performance
– Define the organizational standards, expectations, and performance outcomes according to the aspiration of the organization.
– Create a space that allows the executive body to carry out its mission (support when requested and reduce performance inhibitors and bottlenecks).
– Serve as a thinking partner to the Executive Director and provide advice on key strategic issues.
– Mentor and support ISDAO staff on request.
– Participate in the annual performance assessment of the Executive Director.
– Rigorously evaluate the accomplishment and impact of the organization holistically (culture, behavior reputation, programmatic focus, etc.). - Conflict resolution
– Conflict and dispute resolution: Acts as a neutral resource to help solve internal challenges upon request or if they involve an escalated complaint against the ED.
DOWNLOAD THE FULL TERMS OF REFERENCE
To be considered,
- Candidates must complete the form in English or French;
- and upload a single PDF of their curriculum vitae (CV) (2-3 pages) on the last page of the application form.
If you are unable to upload your CV, you can send it by e-mail to board@isdao.org with the subject “Application to the ISDAO Governance Board” after completing the application form.
CVs sent by e-mail without a completed form will not be considered.
