Position Announcement: Executive Director, Girls Incorporated Of Worcester
Girls Inc of Worcester, a $1.4 million nonprofit organization based in Worcester, Massachusetts, seeks a talented Executive Director to lead the organization through a period of significant transition. With a mission of inspiring girls to be strong, smart and bold, Girls Inc of Worcester aspires to be the premier organization in greater Worcester that empowers girls to realize their full potential and recognize their rights.
For 92 years, Girls Inc has provided a safe and supportive environment to girls and young women in greater Worcester. Major programs, based on national research, address health, math and science education, pregnancy and drug abuse prevention, economic literacy, media literacy, violence prevention, and sports participation. By preparing girls for high performance expectations and economic independence, Girls Inc. is arming girls and young women with the skills and tools they need to succeed in the world and lead healthy, independent, and productive lives.
As one of 1,000 nationally-affiliated sites around the country, Girls Inc of Worcester uses programs based on research gathered at the Girls Inc National Resource Center. Every year, the programs encourage 1,800 local girls, ages 6 to 16, to take risks and master physical, intellectual, social and emotional challenges.
Of the many researched programs available through national Girls Inc, Worcester offers, among other local programs, the following girls' identity-based programs:
- Economic Literacy, where girls learn to manage money, invest and begin to develop an appreciation of economics;
- Friendly PEERsuasion, where girls develop skills to resist pressure to use harmful substances such as alcohol, tobacco, household chemicals and other drugs;
- Operation SMART, where girls develop enthusiasm for and skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and consider careers in these fields by interacting with women and men pursuing such careers;
- Preventing Adolescent Pregnancy, where girls acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to take charge of and to make informed, thoughtful decisions about their sexual health;
- Project BOLD, where girls learn to lead safer lives by developing skills and strategies for self-defense, including physical techniques and the ability to seek out and talk to caring adults about personal violence issues;
- Sporting Chance, where girls learn to appreciate an active lifestyle as they develop movement and athletic skills, cooperative and competitive spirit, health awareness, and interest in sports and adventure.
Opportunities and Challenges
As with any nonprofit organization, Girls Inc of Worcester has been moving through the stages of growth and maturation typical in the nonprofit sector. The next Executive Director should be prepared to work with Board, staff, and volunteers to lead Girls Inc through the shift that is already underway to an even more efficient and effective nonprofit. As part of the natural growth of Girls Inc to its next level of organizational development, the chief executive will have the challenge of allocating limited resources to build increased capacity at all levels. As part of this process, there is also the opportunity to develop a strategic plan, define what great results mean to this organization and prepare outcome measurements.
The organization is governed by a thirteen-person Board of Directors with active involvement from a core five-member Executive Committee. A new governance model is being put in place in 2008. As the transition is made to the new chief executive and as the Board President completes his service in fall 2008, additional attention will be paid to the development of an enlarged and reorganized Board of Directors. Effective communication and documented, transparent processes will be increasingly important. All of this is being done with the intention of preparing the organization for a new balance of responsibility and authority.
To bring Girls Inc to the forefront of nonprofit organizations serving girls in Worcester, consistently marketing who we are, what we do, how we do it, and why we do it to the public at large, our partner organizations and to Girls Inc's internal community will be a key challenge in the coming years. Strategic marketing is essential to ensure that programs reach the intended population of girls and remain affordable to a diverse economic constituency. Creatively utilizing technology to facilitate communication, increase efficiency, and enhance the future of the organization will be an essential part of meeting that challenge.
Building financial resources for Girls Inc is paramount. A new financial model was implemented in 2008 moving away from over-reliance on the endowment. The next Executive Director will continue to develop a sustainable business model and build alternative revenue streams, including playing an active role in fundraising. This includes helping the Board continue its strategic recruitment of new Board members, assuring that the Directors have a keen understanding of their fundraising responsibilities and a clear grasp of the key and essential role that fundraising plays in the success of a nonprofit.
Responsibilities
The position of Executive Director is a highly visible position, not just in the organization, but also in the community. Girls Inc Worcester is in the middle of a transformation, moving from an organization that defined itself as a local girl's development organization, to a partner and leader for girls and young women across greater Worcester's business, nonprofit and public sectors. The new Executive Director joins at a very important time for the organization.
The Executive Director serves as the chief executive officer, supervising a top management team of five, and is an ex-officio non-voting member of the Board of Directors and all committees. The Board of Directors reviews the Executive Director's performance annually.
The chief executive is an advocate for girls, and provides overall leadership for the organization's strategic direction and daily operations, providing a high-quality experience for girls and young women. The Executive Director is accountable for the organization's consistent achievement of its mission and financial health. Responsibilities include operations, financial management, marketing, fundraising, public/community relations, advocacy, program development and human resource management.
The Executive Director provides informed and dynamic leadership, convening the staff and board around a shared purpose to ensure a high-performing, outcome-oriented, proactive, financially stable and sustainable organization, which includes working with the Board of Directors to fulfill their requirement of financial oversight, the setting of strategic plans and policies, and fundraising.
To reach the vision the Executive Director leads the development and implementation of the organization's fundraising and marketing effort to ensure adequate resources and maintains a strong external presence in the community, meeting regularly with Central Massachusetts decision makers, donors and community leaders.
Qualifications
The Executive Director must be a strategic leader both externally and internally and have a passion for the mission and values of Girls Incorporated. S/he will have the ability to inspire the girls, staff, volunteers and community leaders, build strong working teams, and proactively seize opportunities external to the organization and build constructive working partnerships. The Executive Director must be able to effectively plan and organize her own activities and those of a group and develop realistic action plans and time schedules. A creative problem solver and strategic decision-maker, the Executive Director should be highly motivated, listen effectively and possess excellent presentation skills.
A role model of integrity coupled with openness and transparency, the next executive must be able to work cooperatively and effectively with others to set goals, resolve problems and make decisions that enhance the organization's effectiveness and lead it to its desired future.
The ideal candidate possesses the following professional and personal qualities:
- Minimum of five years experience in a senior management role - either nonprofit or for profit.
- Demonstrated leadership ability in a time of change and redirection; turnaround experience.
- Bachelors Degree; Masters Degree preferred. Consideration may be given for equivalent experience in lieu of a degree.
- Strong fiscal management skills, including fund accounting and budgeting.
- Demonstrated success in fundraising with the ability to cultivate positive relationships with funders, particularly individual donors.
- Ability in public speaking, clear and effective written and oral communication and effective group skills.
- Demonstrated experience in youth development work.
- Success bringing visibility to an organization; marketing and public relations experience.
- Experience working with diverse populations and a commitment to diversity, with the ability to have conversations across differences and extend the cultural competence of the organization.
- Demonstrated effectiveness in building relationships and partnerships outside of the organization.
- Experience in board development and supporting board leadership; skilled at building the board/ED team.
Compensation
The compensation package is based on meeting job qualifications and is competitive with comparable nonprofit organizations in the region.
To Apply
Interested individuals should send their resumes in confidence with a cover letter and salary requirements by July 14, 2008 to:
Suzanne Maas
Leadership Transitions
P.O. Box 54
Whitinsville, MA 01588
Girls Inc of Worcester is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to recruiting a broadly diverse pool of qualified candidates for this position.