GAHP announces the vacancy of the position of International Advisor

As Hervé Bosquet is about to retire, we are looking for his successor.

If you are interested in applying for this part-time position (1,5-2 days a week), please find the job profile and the timeline below.

Submit your resume, as well as a one-pager on your vision and thoughts for GAHP, and a financial proposal by the 18th of February, 2019.

About GAHP

The Global Association Hubs Partnership (GAHP) was created by the world’s leading cities for international associations – Brussels, Dubai, Singapore and Washington, DC – to engage with associations as a trusted partner for international growth and expansion.

DESTINATION DC, DUBAI ASSOCIATION CENTRE, SINGAPORE TOURISM BOARD and visit.brussels, the founding partners, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the following goals:

o  to grow the presence of international associations in the partner cities;

o  to establish the partner cities as the natural base for international association offices;

o  to support relevant key activities towards international associations in their respective regions of the world;

o  to promote the partner cities to the decision makers in charge of global strategies and expansion plans in international associations where relevant.

The partnership comes as an innovative response to the increasing decentralization of international associations, as they look to develop their activities globally.

Mission, Vision, Strategy

GAHP is a global platform that enables associations to:

■ Better support their membership in the different regions of the world

■ Build capacity in each region and capitalize on the potential of each region’s growth in activities and membership

■ Engage in a strategic dialogue on how to grow and better serve overseas members by using the partner hubs as entry points and gateways into major regions.

The strategic dialogue centers on associations’ international development objectives and plans in a long-term, sustainable perspective. Ultimately, we want associations to be able to roll out their international expansion strategy and take advantage of the local opportunities in the partner hubs in a manner which is simple, well-coordinated and highly convenient.

A key component of the GAHP strategy is to feed this dialogue with original research-based content and to provide peer-to-peer exchange and networking opportunities for decision makers who are looking to expand, grow, and transition into new markets.

Value Proposition

In GAHP, we connect, partner, work, learn and focus on achieving results with our association clients.

We connect them with the regional contacts in their trade or profession: government, thought leaders, higher education and research centers, corporate headquarters, institutions and administrative bodies.

Win-win partnerships are fostered in key knowledge and priority growth areas.

For further information, please refer to the GAHP website.

International Advisor – Job Profile

The International Advisor provides executive guidance and leadership to the partnership, works with the partners to co-create and drive forward the mission, vision, objectives and strategy, and ensures the proper execution of the planned activities within the agreed budget.

Key responsibilities

1. Strategy

Advise, guide and influence the partners in defining GAHP’s strategy. Provide expertise, develop, present and recommend actions. Allocate resources. Deliver strategic objectives according to plan.

2. Finances

Set and monitor annual budgets and produce year-to-date statements on a regular basis. Invoice fees and re-invoice third-party services hired on behalf of the partnership. Reconcile accounts on an annual basis.

3. Operations

Perform and oversee all functional areas of operations, including the panel sessions powered by GAHP at partner and industry educational and networking events (EAS, DAC, ASAE, etc), visual and digital communication, collaterals, information technology, R&D, GDPR, external partnerships (Iceberg, Boardroom, etc.). Act as the spokesperson and the point of contact.

4. Communication

Create brand awareness. Ensure maximum exposure for the partnership via regular website updates and newsletters. Feed on-line presence with newsworthy information. Maintain regular contact with the partners, the industry associations (UIA, ASAE, etc) and the press (annual press update). Illustrate the partners’ added value through success stories.

5. Business development

Share information and eventual business leads among members. Keep abreast of industry developments and opportunities and identify strategic industry partners (MCI, GlobalStrat, Kellen, Association Laboratory, etc.). Develop the database of contacts and the social media presence. Contribute to building a global community of international association executives.

6. Research

Maintain the relevance of the value proposition via focus groups or roundtable discussions. Identify academic and industry research studies and reports to fuel the strategic dialogue with the global community of international association executives and the press.

7. Governance

Provide leadership and support to the partners, facilitate the strategic planning process. Ensure legal compliance. Ensure that an effective, high performance governance model is in place: agendas, minutes, progress reports, etc. Assist in the succession planning process.

Qualifications Required

• Master’s degree with min. 10 years of experience in business administration (MA, MBA)
• Ability to develop and execute growth strategies and action plans
• Ability to liaise with internal and external stakeholders and work in a virtual team
• Diplomatic and systemic, ability to work in harmony with partners’ senior staff
• Multi-tasker with strong organizational skills and attention to critical deliverables
• Experience in business development in associations and/or in the meetings industry
• Knowledge of the international non-profit sector (IGO/INGO)
• Self-motivated with a strong ability to work as an independent
• Good networker with ability to turn key contacts in the industry into “Friends of GAHP”
• More motivated by driving the cause forward than by the financial reward
• Willingness to travel globally
• Ability to speak in public with authority
• Written and verbal fluency in English

 Process and Timeline

(*) The agreement will be with the MOU. The contract will be in US$, initially for one (1) year, with an opportunity for extension.

Questions and Submissions

For further clarification, feel free to contact:

• Hervé Bosquet – hb@associationhubs.org – ✆ +32 475 644 996
• Steen Jakobsen – steen.jakobsen@dubaitourism.ae – ✆ +971 4 282 1111
• Jan Lichota – associations@visit.brussels – ✆ +32 2  551 54 87, in absence of Elisabeth Van Ingelgem (on maternity leave)
• Jeannie Lim – secb@stb.gov.sg – ✆ +65 6831 3831
• Melissa Riley – melissa.riley@destinationdc.com – ✆ +1 202 789 7041

You may also forward your application to either one of us. When submitting your application, please include your resume, a short description (1 page max) of how you could see GAHP evolve beyond its current scope, and a financial proposal in US$ and broken down in fees and expenses. Please note that the GAHP budget is 100.000 US$ in total.

This Call for Applications will be closed on the 18th of February, 2019.