Lhagsam is looking for a Center Director

All of you who are helping the center and working at the center, you are helping every sentient being, every animal, every ant in the differing universes, every mosquito, all the different kinds of fish, every slug, every mouse, every maggot, and every tiny flea.

Thank you very much. Please enjoy life with the good heart. That is the best way to enjoy the life. With a good heart, this causes inner happiness that goes up to enlightenment.

– Lama Zopa Rinpoche

After 6 years as an FPMT study group, Lhagsam will soon become an FPMT center! We are incredibly happy about this milestone and grateful to all our volunteers, members, students, friends and supporters, who kept us going over the years. Together, we were able to help numberless sentient beings, learn and practice with each other and have lots of fun each step of the way 🙂

This opens up an opportunity for the Lhagsam Board to search for a volunteer interested in practicing compassion in action, by becoming our very first Center Director. The position is available from April 1, 2022 with a full onboarding program and plenty of transition and training time. The Board will evaluate the candidates and and make the selection in a fair and transparent manner.

We are currently not able to pay a full salary, but we are prepared to offer financial compensation, if your situation requires it.

What are the Director’s responsibilities?

The Director is responsible to guide and coordinate the worldly affairs of the center, while maintaining the greatest possible harmony, under the guidance of the center’s Board of Directors and General Assembly.

The main responsibilities include:

  • Carrying out Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vision by implementing FPMT’s Five Pillars of Service.
  • Supporting the Spiritual Program Coordinator in creating a robust calendar of teachings, meditation, practices and retreats in line with FPMT standard education programs.
  • Organization, coordination and motivation of the Lhagsam’s volunteer team to work for the fulfillment of the Lhagsam vision and goals with trust, respect and a true team-spirit.
  • Ensuring frequent communication with Lhagsam’s internal and external stakeholders, including the FPMT Regional Coordinator and International Office, other FPMT centers, projects and services, Lhagsam members and students, as well as the local organizations, authorities and the broader community.
  • Oversight of the financial health of the center, and ensuring that accurate accounts are kept. Making sure that all donations are used in the way that brings maximum benefit to others.
  • Responsible for Lhagsam’s adherence to the FPMT’s legal and ethical guidelines, Lhagsam Statutes and policies, and the local laws and regulations.
  • Ensuring that Lhagsam’s physical location is maintained, safe and suitable to fulfill the center’s activities.
  • Oversight to make sure that Lhagsam has all necessary technical infrastructure to be of most benefit to others with efficiency and ease.

What is your profile?

We will offer plenty of training to get you up and running. Here are some qualities we are looking for in the candidates, but don’t be shy to contact us, if you don’t meet them all. Probably most of us don’t 🙂 The ideal candidate brings the following to the table:

  • Devotion to Lama Zopa Rinpoche and alignment with the FPMT Mission Statement
  • Established dharma practice and good knowledge of FPMT
  • Minimum 2-year commitment to serve in the Director’s role at Lhagsam, approx. 4 hours per week on average
  • Ideally located in Zurich or its proximity and/or able to participate in Lhagsam’s onsite activities on a regular basis
  • Competent and enthusiastic about coordination and communication
  • Good organizational and computer skills (experience in people or project management a plus)
  • Patient, open-minded, service- and team-oriented
  • Ideally already knows Lhagsam study group and participates in our activities
  • Good knowledge of English and German

At Lhagsam we embrace diversity and equal opportunity with respect to race, religion, ethnicity, culture, gender, age, sexual orientation, and physical abilities.

The successful applicant will be required to sign and abide by the FPMT Ethical Policy and Protecting from Abuse policy and training.

Sounds great. How do I apply?

Interested? Fantastic! Please write Nina at director@lhagsam.ch, including a short profile, motivation and your CV.