As the ISBCC has now transitioned under the ISB Board of Trustees, two key priorities are our focus in this transformation phase. The first priority is establishing proper governance including activating and expanding an empowered Board of Directors (BOD) that would have the mandate to oversee the operations at all our current projects (ISBCC, ISB Cambridge and the waqf properties). In a separate communication, you have already seen how this priority will be acted upon (through setting up a Board Recruitment Committee with community input/process).
The second priority is to align the resources during this transformation phase of all the three projects to set the full collective up for success and start to streamline the operations. The board has been engaging experts and key stakeholders on this subject. A key theme that has emerged is developing ISB-wide positions that span its projects with the goal of driving broader impact, benefiting from scale, and achieving efficiencies. A key position that has already been recommended is an ISB-wide role focused on strategic relations and public affairs for both the ISBCC and ISB Cambridge. This critical role would enable a unified approach to development and public policy advocacy as well as stronger clout when engaging with partner entities (e.g. governmental, business, and civic organizations). Br. Yusufi Vali has requested that he take on this new exciting opportunity given its alignment with his skills sets and passions. The board has agreed to this change, as it fits with the broader theme of aligning expertise to key institutional priorities and allowing flexibility and growth to the staff. We are excited for Br. Yusufi in his new role of Director of Strategic Relations and Public Affairs and look forward to further success inshAllah. You will hear more about this change directly from Br. Yusufi in a separate communication soon inshAllah.
The above move now means the ISB/ISBCC will need to hire for the important position of the Executive Director. The board has already started designing a job description for this position with our three projects in mind. The plan is to launch a nationwide search to find the right Executive Director who can continue building on the excellent work of Br. Yusufi over the last 6+ years inshAllah.
Along with the above change, the board also would like to announce that Sr. Khaoula Benghamen will be moving from her role of ISBCC Operations Director to serving as Consultant on Strategic Projects related to the integration. This move will free up Sr. Khaoula from her day to day ISBCC responsibilities to focus her efforts on integration priorities. Stepping into the vacant role of ISBCC’s Operations Director in an interim capacity will be Br. Ibrahim Omar, currently at the ISB. The ISB Cambridge location, meanwhile, will continue to be led by Br. Amr El-Fass.
The board’s foremost focus and responsibility is to our houses of Allah, so we will continue to make any necessary changes to better align the operations to serve you and to try move all our organizations to a Prophetic direction inshAllah. Please make duas for taufiq (good fortune) in these changes and wisdom for our current board to make the right decisions.
If you have any suggestions or feedback, please email the board at feedback@isbcc.org