Executive Director / Co-Executive Directors (Remote)

Bystanders No More (BNM) is testing a simple question:

Can professional and institutional power be mobilised for Palestinian rights at scale, with credibility, discipline, and real consequences?

We have evidence our approach works at the individual level. The next six months will determine whether it can scale or whether the model needs fundamental redesign.

We are seeking an Executive Director or Co Executive Directors to lead that decision.

This is a volunteer or pro bono position. (Skip to Role Details Here)

About Bystanders No More

BNM works to convert passive allies into first-time actors for Palestinian rights, with a particular focus on professionals and institutional channels. Much Palestine solidarity work focuses on mass mobilisation. Far less attention has been given to how professionals inside institutions decide when and how to act, or how risk, credibility, and internal pressure actually function. BNM’s work sits in that gap.

We remain intentionally unfunded to stay nimble, independent, and focused on creating real professional and institutional impact rather than growing budgets or bureaucracy. Our unfunded, volunteer-led model also gives us the freedom to make strategic and sensitive decisions without seeking donor or member approval – an additionality that is rare in this sector and crucial to our impact.

Our approach has been externally validated. Our messaging resonates with professionals who care deeply but have not previously engaged. We have developed strategic frameworks, sector-specific briefings, and communications tools that translate complex legal and policy developments into credible institutional action.

We are now at a pivotal moment. The next six months will determine whether this model can scale sustainably – and if so, how.

The Opportunity

Professional and institutional channels remain largely under used in Palestine advocacy, even as legal, financial, and reputational risks for institutions continue to grow.

BNM’s 2026 strategy prioritises structured professional outreach as our main path to impact. Early evidence suggests this direction is promising, but it requires disciplined leadership to turn strategy into measurable results.

This role exists to provide that leadership.

You will be empowered to assess what is working, what is not, and what should change. The aim is clarity, not preservation. We would rather learn quickly and truthfully than continue by inertia.

The Role

As Executive Director or Co Executive Directors, you will have clear authority during this test phase to lead strategy, recommend direction, and shape organisational priorities.

You will not be expected to manage daily operations or volunteers. Your focus is strategic judgment.

Key responsibilities include:

What This Role Is Not

• Day-to-day operations
• Volunteer coordination
• Project management
• Hiring and management of paid staff 
• Command and control leadership
• Large-scale fundraising (Annual unavoidable organisational expenses are under £1,500. The emphasis is impact, not growth for its own sake.)

Structure and Support

• Fully remote
• Initial commitment of six months, with continuation by mutual agreement
• Reports to an Interim Board transitioning to a permanent Board

The Founding Executive Director will serve as a non voting, ex officio Board member for the first three months only, focused on continuity and handover. Strategic authority during this period sits with the incoming Executive Director or Co Directors. After three months, the Founder steps back to an advisory role as requested.

Who We’re Looking For

Essential:

• A strong and credible background in Palestine solidarity
• Strategic judgment and the ability to turn uncertainty into decisions
• Comfort testing ideas rigorously rather than defending them emotionally
• Institutional fluency and understanding of professional risk dynamics
• Collaborative leadership style with clear accountability
• Reliable weekly availability: For a single Executive Director, approximately 10–15 hours per week over the initial six months. For Co-Executive Directors, time can be split, with each committing roughly 5–10 hours per week, coordinated to cover the role’s responsibilities effectively.

Valuable:

• Experience with professional advocacy or institutional change
• Experience in volunteer led or non hierarchical organisations
• Exposure to corporate accountability or responsible investment work
• Familiarity with BDS in professional or institutional settings

Not required:

• Fundraising expertise
• Formal titles or academic credentials
• Public profile or name recognition

Applying as Co Directors

We welcome applications from pairs with complementary strengths, such as strategy and execution, or institutional insight and movement experience.

Co Directors share accountability, divide responsibilities clearly, and coordinate closely.

What You’ll Gain

• The chance to lead serious, strategic work on one of the defining justice issues of our time
• A rare opportunity to test whether professional and institutional outreach can meaningfully complement traditional activism
• Freedom to document honest lessons, including limits and failures
• Access to a growing network of institutional, legal, and accountability focused actors
• Meaningful leadership experience grounded in integrity rather than optics

We take the work very seriously, but we value clarity over heroics and learning over posturing.

Who This Role May Suit

This role may be a strong fit for someone who is:

• Recently retired or semi retired with time, experience, and perspective
• Mid career with employer support for sustained external commitments
• Early career with strong grounding, emotional maturity, and readiness for real responsibility

For candidates earlier in their leadership journey, the role can be structured as a supported transition with mentorship from the Founder during the handover period.

How to Apply

Email: info@bystandersnomore.org

Subject line:
“Executive Director Application” or “Co Executive Directors Application”

Please include:

• 250 to 350 words covering:
  • Your Palestine solidarity background
  • Your approach to institutional change and professional risk
  • How do you balance evidence-based strategy and values-driven advocacy
  • What you see as BNM’s core challenge and opportunity
  • Your realistic weekly capacity
• Two references:
  • One familiar with your leadership approach
  • One familiar with your Palestine solidarity work
• Any conflicts of interest or constraints

For co-director applications, please also explain how responsibilities would be divided and coordinated.

---

We review applications on a rolling basis and typically respond within 2 weeks.

Questions first? Email us at info@bystandersnomore.org