(Arlington, Virginia)

(Posted: January, 2012)

Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production in Arlington, Virginia, has retained Slesinger Management Services to recruit a dynamic and visionary leader with strong management skills to serve as President and CEO. This is an exceptional opportunity for a person committed to improving working conditions for the millions of people who work in apparel, footwear, and other factories around the world.

Applications will be accepted until this position is filled.

The Organization

Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to insure that factories around the world – particularly in developing countries in Asia, Latin America, and Africa – provide lawful, humane, and ethical working conditions to their millions of employees, most of whom are low-income, poorly-educated young women.

To carry out this mission, WRAP sets standards related to local laws and workplace regulations, and generally accepted international workplace standards, and then certifies factories that are in full compliance with these standards. The standards, for example, prohibit forced labor and child labor, require compliance with local laws that establish minimum wages and mandatory benefits, and ensure a safe and healthy work environment.

To give local, independent factories the incentive to become certified, WRAP encourages major apparel and footwear brands and retailers to contract only with factories that have been certified.

As of January, 2012, about 1,400 factories around the world, employing 1.3 million people, are WRAP-certified.

WRAP was founded in 2000 in the wake of well-publicized news reports documenting deplorable working conditions in factories in developing countries that were producing clothes that Americans wear every day. Initially known as the Worldwide Responsible Apparel Production, WRAP focused on certifying apparel factories primarily in China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Mexico. WRAP changed its name to the Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production to reflect a broader mission as it expanded its certification program into related parallel sectors.

WRAP works in partnership with major apparel, footwear, and other manufacturers, retailers, and trade associations, but is independent of these companies and organizations. Structured as a nonprofit organization, WRAP is financed exclusively from income-generating activities, primarily revenue it receives from factories going through the certification process, from independent audit firms that carry out the inspections on behalf of WRAP, and from training fees. Unlike most nonprofits, WRAP does not seek or accept donations from industry, governments, foundations, or the public.

In 2011, WRAP had an operating budget of $2 million and a staff of 14. About half of the staff, including the President and CEO, is based in the headquarters in Arlington, Virginia; other staff are based in New Jersey, London, Hong Kong, and Bangladesh.

WRAP is governed by a board of directors of eight people with diverse experience in law, social compliance, apparel manufacturing, and international development. To maintain WRAP’s independence from industry, a majority of board members must come from outside the apparel, footwear, and other manufacturing sectors that come under WRAP’s domain. The board chairman is Charles Masten, former inspector general of the U.S. Department of Labor.

To learn more about WRAP, please see www.wrapcompliance.org.

Principal Responsibilities of the President and CEO

The next president and CEO’s most important responsibilities include:
1.    Providing leadership, vision, and focus to ensure that WRAP remains a respected and
effective leader in the expanding field of social compliance.
2.    In partnership with the board and staff, developing a strategic plan that will guide the
organization over the next 3-5 years.
3.    Growing the organization so that more factories are certified, and more workers are
benefitting from WRAP’s standards. The 1,400 currently certified factories is a small
percentage of the total number of factories worldwide.
4.    Leading the far-flung staff toward the achievement of the organization’s goals.
5.    Supporting an engaged board of directors as it carries out its governance responsibilities.

Desired Skills, Experience, and Personal Characteristics

To be successful, the president and CEO should be:
1.    Committed to mission of WRAP, demonstrated through previous professional work or
volunteer activity.
2.    Knowledgeable about social compliance, especially in international settings.
3.    Knowledgeable about the apparel or footwear industries, especially the reality of factory life in developing countries.
4.    A creative thinker, able to develop and implement strategic plans while harnessing the skills and creativity of a diverse and far-flung board and staff.
5.    Entrepreneurial, with a track record of building successful income-generating activities (in either a nonprofit or for-profit arena) since all of WRAP’s revenue comes from value-added transactions.
6.    A media spokesperson and champion for WRAP’s work.
7.    A strong manager who would enjoy a hands-on job in an organization with a staff of 14
people.
8.    Able to develop a strong working relationship with the board of directors.
9.    Knowledgeable about nonprofit management, including best practices in financial
management, program management, staff development, and board relations.
10.    Able to travel, often internationally, at least 30 percent of the time to visit factories and
attend key conferences and meetings that advance WRAP’s mission.

Compensation
Salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. Compensation also includes a generous benefits package.

To Apply
Please e-mail:
1. Cover letter that explains interest and qualifications,
2. Resume that conveys leadership and management accomplishments, and
3. Three-year salary history (which will be held in strict confidence)
to search consultant Larry Slesinger, Founder and CEO of Slesinger Management Services, at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Please include “WRAP” in subject line; attached files
in Microsoft Word or PDF only. All applications will be acknowledged promptly.

WRAP is an Equal Opportunity Employer.