Executive Director

Cotton Council International (CCI) is the export promotion arm of the National Cotton Council of America. As a non-profit trade association, CCI promotes U.S. cotton fiber and manufactured cotton products around the globe. Our mission is to make U.S. cotton the preferred fiber for mills/manufacturers, brands/retailers and consumers, commanding a value-added premium that delivers profitability across the U.S. cotton industry and drives export growth of U.S. cotton fiber and manufactured cotton products.

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CCI has over 70 consultants in 20 countries with the objective of promoting U.S.-grown cotton and value-added U.S. cotton products (yarn, fabric and finished goods) to the global textile supply chain with a focus on spinning mills, who buy the cotton, and brands/retailers who specify the product content. CCI does not make, buy or sell any products - our job is to be the U.S. cotton marketing agency outside of the United States. Because the U.S. cotton industry exports 80%+ of our cotton as raw fiber and 98% as raw fiber, yarn or fabric, CCI plays an essential role in driving U.S. cotton exports. CCI is not affiliated with Cotton Incorporated (CI) located in North Carolina although they do work together closely. CI's mission is to increase global cotton demand through research and promotion and conductsthe majority of their activities in the United States (i.e. Fabric of our Lives campaign) although they do have offices and representatives in other countries. In contrast, the vast majority of CCI's work is outside of the United States.

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The Executive Director of CCI is the "face and voice" of the U.S. cotton industry around the globe. The position reports to Dr. Gary Adams, the President/CEO of the National Cotton Council. In addition, strategic decisions and budgets must be approved by the CCI Executive Committee and Board of Directors.

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Position Requirements

• The Executive Director (ED) is expected to be a dynamic and energetic presence and an excellent public speaker. The ED will make presentations at events with audiences ranging from 50-500 people. In a typical year, the ED will attend and speak at 6-10 events outside the U.S. and will also speak at U.S. cotton industry events to tell the CCI story at 4-6 events in the U.S. every year. In addition to speaking, the ED is expected to network with U.S. cotton leaders in all the organizations and the organizations in all the top cotton-importing countries.

• The funding for CCI comes from two sources. The first is the U.S. cotton industry which provides $4-5 million per year, which is necessary to fund all CCI U.S.-based employees, travel and administration within the U.S. The primary funding, however, comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and is administered by the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of USDA. Receiving funds from USDA requires an annual grant application each year with occasionally a second grant application for extra funding. CCI has generally received approximately $20 million per year in funding but recently received an additional $36.5 million to be used over the next five years. The ED oversees the budget allocations for this funding and is also responsible for meeting all USDA compliance regulations. In addition, the ED is responsible for soliciting the necessary industry funding as well from the relevant U.S. cotton organizations. Thus, the ED must be very experienced with being the leading "fund manager" for contributions from Industryas well as adept at managing budgets and financial statements.

• The ED manages 10-14 direct reports and is responsible for approximately 20 employees and the contracts for approximately 50 consultants worldwide. The organizational structure is attached. The ED needs to be expert at managing people and teams to maximize impact. Experience with managing employees that are global is very important as CCI has people of all races and religions and cultures. All employees and consultants receive an annual evaluation and compensation is commensurate with performance against objectives.

• Strategic Development Expertise - as the head of the organization, the ED is responsible for the development of the 3-year strategy and annual objectives. These documents are subject to approval by the CCI Executive Committee and the President/CEO of the National Cotton Council.

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Responsibilities Include:

• Leadership & Management

• Lead and manage all CCI personnel and programs across over 40 countries.

• Oversee a team of 70+ employees and representatives in 20+ countries, including 14 direct reports.

• Develop and execute CCI's strategic plan annually, securing approval from the CCI Board.

• Serve as Assistant Secretary for the CCI Executive Committee.

• Coordinate CCI program direction in collaboration with key stakeholders, including the National Cotton Council of America, Cotton Incorporated, ACSA, AMCOT, Supima, and the New York Cotton Exchange.

• Supervise two communication agencies managing over $2 million in billings and $500k in media outlays.

• Oversee the global development and content strategy for the COTTON USA website, attracting over 1 million views annually.

• Financial Oversight & Grant Management

• Manage a budget of $45 million, including approximately $40 million in government grants.

• Review and approve over 50 contracts annually, valued at more than $25 million.

• Ensure financial accuracy and compliance with USDA regulations.

• Lead the grant development process, securing 2-3 new grants per year to sustain and grow CCI funding.

• Drive industry fundraising efforts to maintain/increase the $4 million in U.S. cotton industry contributions.

• Event Planning & Stakeholder Engagement

• Plan and execute over 35 global events annually to promote U.S. cotton.

• Travel to 6-10 countries per year to represent and advocate for U.S. cotton.

• Serve as the principal liaison between CCI and USDA officials.

• Represent CCI at national and international agricultural interest organizations.

• Act as a spokesperson for the U.S. cotton sector in national and international forums, media, and member engagements.

• Travel and speak at 4-6 U.S. cotton events annually.

• Market & Membership Development

• Lead supply chain membership growth and revenue generation for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, increasing membership to over 3,500 mills/manufacturers and generating $1 million in new revenue in 2022.

• Oversee the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, expanding it from zero to over 17,000 contacts, making it the most comprehensive database of spinning mills in the industry.

• Drive innovation in U.S. cotton marketing, including the development of new strategies for technology and AI leadership in the industry.

• Technical & Industry Expertise

• Lead a technical team of eight consultants providing support to 100+ spinning mills annually.

• Design and fund technical studies demonstrating the value of U.S. cotton.

• Develop and execute FAS-approved activities, ensuring high satisfaction rates in stakeholder surveys.

• Serve as an advisor to the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol Board.

• Other Responsibilities

• Execute additional tasks as assigned to support CCI's mission and objectives.

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The ideal candidate will be a highly organized, flexible and a committed team player. You'll have a strong understanding of the textile industry and technologies, an engaging, collaborative personality and you'll be able to work well with a large range of stakeholders - including all other cotton groups both inside and outside of the U.S.

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In addition, you will have:

• At least 15 years of experience in either a for-profit or a non-profit organization.

• Significant experience leading small to mid-sized organizations with budget responsibility of at least $25 million and people responsibility of 100+.

• Significant experience leading global teams and will have travelled extensively throughout the world.

• Excellent written and oral communication with strong English language skills.

• An innovative and entrepreneurial mindset.

• Great speaking and presentation skills.

• Demonstrated leadership skills.

• Ability to think creatively and solve complex problems.

• Experience in managing and prioritizing multiple projects.

• Cultural sensitivity given the number of global people in CCI.

Education

• BA/BS from a fully accredited university required.

• MBA or other advanced degree preferred.

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Location and Compensation

• The National Cotton Council and Cotton Council International have offices in Memphis, TN and Washington, DC. Remote work will be considered under appropriate conditions.

• This is a fully salaried position with health benefits, dental, vision and a 401-k.

• The salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications but is expected to be $300,000-$370,000 annually. There is no bonus or additional compensation.

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Travel

• This position requires significant travel both within the U.S. and internationally. Approximately 50% is required which means 125-150 days per year of travel. This will include travel to countries designated as U.S. State Department Level 3 such as Pakistan, Honduras, and Bangladesh as well as countries like China, India, Indonesia, Turkey, Egypt and others.

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If you are interested to apply or learn more, please apply directly through this posting or email Richard Kent at richard.kent@acre.com.