Director of External Relations (m/f/d)

Your mission

About The DO School Fellowships

The DO School Fellowships gGmbH is the non‑profit arm of The DO, our social business based in Berlin, Germany. Our core mission is to offer training and fellowship programs to empower young people globally to launch projects addressing global and local challenges around the environment and society. With our work, we are training the next generation of impact entrepreneurs in innovative educational and fellowship programs.

The project you would be working on The DO School Fellowships is beVisioneers a global environmental Fellowship which is a multi‑year hybrid‑learning program that equips innovators aged 16 to 28 with the training, expert support and resources to bring their planet‑positive projects to life. We operate at scale, with up to 1,000 young people from up to 60 countries joining our fellowship each year, and our goal is for over half to generate income within 24 months.

About the Role

As the Director of External Relations , you will collaborate on and execute a strategy based on the media and partnership goals set by the founders and Executive Director. This includes building impactful media relationships to champion young entrepreneurs around the globe and further build the reputation of the organisation as well as building mutually beneficial partnerships with other leading organisations in the learning, venture building and sustainability space. This role is also responsible for overseeing the delivery of 5‑7 high‑impact convenings globally, and success metrics include driving relationships that enable beVisioneers and its Fellows to be recognised, connected, and empowered to drive environmental innovation globally.

Your profile

About your responsibilities

Media & Communications Partnerships (≈30%)

• Design and implement a strategic stakeholder engagement framework that leverages and expands The DO’s global network.
• Assess and enhance the current partnership landscape through a clear growth roadmap.
• Position The DO gGmbH and beVisioneers as thought leaders in impact entrepreneurship and environmental innovation.
• Map and cultivate relationships across the environmental innovation ecosystem, including peer programmes, foundations, governments, academia, NGOs, and corporate sustainability leaders.
• Ensure cohesive storytelling, aligned branding, and effective communication across all channels and events.
• Monitor sector trends and provide strategic insights to leadership.
• Manage key organisational memberships to maximise visibility and collaboration.
• Develop metrics to track stakeholder engagement, reach, and reputation growth aligned with beVisioneers’ Theory of Change.

Ecosystem Building & Impact Acceleration Convenings (≈30%)

• Lead stakeholder engagement strategies that highlight Fellows, organisational impact, and ecosystem visibility.
• Oversee flagship and regional event strategy, including the Annual Summit, NY Climate Week, and Davos, positioning Fellows as leaders in environmental innovation.
• Identify and advise on additional speaking and showcase opportunities for Fellows and leadership.
• Collaborate across teams to ensure unified external messaging and compelling storytelling.

Team Leadership (≈40%)

• Lead, mentor, and grow the department, fostering professional development and a collaborative, results‑driven culture.
• Set cross‑department goals and accountability measures for engagement, visibility, and positioning.
• Build frameworks and tools that empower teams for external relations and event success.
• Provide regular feedback, clear performance expectations, and development opportunities.
• Strengthen team capabilities in stakeholder mapping, relationship management, thought leadership, and event production.

In your position you will report to our Founder and closely collaborate with the beVisioneers Communications, Sustainable Ventures, Learning & Community and Operations teams.

About you

To thrive and grow in this role, you will likely be:

• 8‑10 years experience in partnership management, media relations, and strategic stakeholder engagement
• Skilled at managing entrepreneurial team members
• Experienced in ecosystem building and positioning organisations within broader sector landscapes
• Passion for social impact organisations and knowledge on how to position them in a broader market (e.g. nonprofits, foundations, or mission‑driven businesses)
• Proficient in data analysis and optimised workflows (using tools like Excel, HubSpot, etc)
• Able to measure impact and iterate based on learnings
• Fluent in written and verbal English and German

... and will likely have:

• 5+ years experience in thought leadership, communications, or public relations
• Set up and run efficient, scalable event production and stakeholder engagement processes
• A self‑directed approach to working in an evolving and fast‑paced environment
• A passion for youth leadership and/or environmental action
• Collaborative, empathetic, and efficient habits

Ideally, you might also have:

• Working or lived experience in countries outside of Germany
• Language skills in addition to English
• Experience working with corporate stakeholders, foundations, or government agencies
• Background in environmental entrepreneurship or fellowship programmes

Benefits include:

• 30 days of paid leave annually (based on a five‑day working week)
• Personal development budget + 2 extra days of paid leave for personal development per year
• Team development budget
• Company pension scheme ("Betriebliche Altersvorsorge")
• Possibility for mobile work (up to 50% of the working time)
• Possibility for remote work, also outside of Germany, for up to six weeks in total annually
• Regular team off‑sites, team events and parties

This profile draws on our experience of people who have been successful in this role in the past. We warmly encourage you to apply if you feel your experience and skills equip you for this job but are not listed here!

The DO School Fellowships is an inclusive organisation and explicitly welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds, whether that’s ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, disability or alternative professional paths.

Why us?

Why join The DO School Fellowships?

• We are a purposeful organisation with a global reach working to make an impact, where purpose, passion, and your ideas matter.
• You will work with an entrepreneurial, creative, and international team as well as a global community of purposeful DOers from over 100 countries.
• We offer a competitive salary, benefits, team‑building activities, professional development opportunities, and flexible and remote work modalities.

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