I had the chance to meet with Sue Gardner, Executive Director of Wikimedia Foundation and Eric Moeller, Deputy Director. They sent the following along for anyone interested in working for a great organization.
Wikipedia is about to hire a team of three fundraising people: one
focusing on major gifts, one focused on “community” (primarily online)
fundraising, and one on research and database management. The most
unusual and hard-to-cast role will likely be the online fundraiser:
we’ve decided it’s most important that this person have a web usability
and writing background. For that role, we would probably forgo
fundraising experience in favour of strong online communications skills.
The Wikimedia Foundation has three new job openings related to
fundraising, open until May 15. The job descriptions and instructions
to apply can be found on the Wikimedia Foundation website:
1) A Head of Major Gifts (AKA Major Gifts Officer), responsible for
executing our major gifts strategy;
http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Job_openings/Head_of_Major_Gifts_%28Major_Gifts_Officer%29
2) A Head of Community Giving, responsible for our fundraising efforts
targeting the general public;
http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Job_openings/Head_of_Community_Giving
3) A Development Specialist responsible for managing donor information
and supporting the above two positions.
http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Job_openings/Development_Specialist
If you are interested, please apply before May 15. Also, if you know
individuals who might be a good fit for any of these positions, please
feel free to forward this e-mail. Thank you. 
–
Erik Möller
Deputy Director, Wikimedia Foundation
Thanks Cathy,
I saw this one when it popped up. The thing which really got my attention was “For that role, we would probably forgo fundraising experience in favour of strong online communications skills”.
The challenge, from what I can see wearing your hat, is the same as any initiative which HP OER might fund = How to get these kinds of people to collaborate, and share the learning, in real time. There are plenty of good communicators spread around the HP funded traps.
We’re starting to see some movement in the telephony space now.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/82141_call_for_telecom_industry_ecomm/
A lot of what your advisory board are suggesting might become possible as Web designers and SIP engineers start to focus on global groups rather than National institutions (or even Global ones like Wikipedia).
So if HP would consider sponsoring some forums to complement this blog it might help to encourage the kind of “strong online communication” that Wikipedia’s global groups and many others want. Something like a social site for fundees, and potential ones. E.g. sitepoint.com without the ads. (It would save you having to report things second hand).
Perhaps we could add something like OER radio. (a la http://wikipediaweekly.org/)
I’d also be interested to know how one goes about putting together a joint funded initiative between HP and this foundation.
http://www.robertsonfoundation.com/?page_id=4