Women & Family Life Center Executive Director

Transcription

1 Women & Family Life Center Executive Director Location: Guilford, CT The Women & Family Life Center (the Center) is a non-profit organization that helps women and families along the Connecticut Shoreline face challenges and transitions in their lives through support, education and referral services. We have a strong reputation in the Shoreline community, and recently completed a successful capital campaign to improve our facility and expand programming. The previous Executive Director (ED) of seven years has recently accepted a position at another organization. Therefore, we are looking for a new ED who is passionate about issues affecting women and families to lead the continued growth of our organization. Overview of the Organization and its Programs The Women & Family Life Center began in 1989 as a community outreach center for women and children at the Peace & Justice Center of St. George s Church in Guilford. In 1991, the Center secured non-profit status, hired its first Executive Director, and expanded programs to address the needs of Shoreline families. The Center moved to its present location at 96 Fair Street in Guilford in 1998, and programs and services have been growing ever since. Today we are an independent non-profit organization that helps women and families face challenges and transitions through support, education and referral services. Programs and services at the Center are available to women and families from any town, although we primarily serve residents of Branford, Guilford and Madison. The Center is governed by an 11-member Board of Directors representing the fields of non-profit, education, legal and financial services, real estate and local business owners. The Executive Director position is currently part-time (75%); however, depending on the candidate, the Board is open to consider increasing this to full-time status. In addition to the ED, the team includes five part-time staff positions, with the Directors of Programming and Development and the Office Coordinator as direct reports to the ED. The Center also benefits from the support of numerous volunteers and committees to carry out its work. The Center is small, but financially stable. It currently has an annual operating budget of approximately $400,000, with a healthy surplus and cash reserves. Funding mainly comes from individual donors, grants and foundations, an annual fundraising event, and program fees. 96 Fair Street Guilford, CT

2 Programs and Services The Center provides a web of support for women and their families facing major life transitions or unexpected setbacks and crises. Although no one is turned away, we focus our efforts and goals on the needs of women facing domestic violence, divorcing families, families facing economic hardship, adolescents, new mothers, and retirees. The Center provides a robust schedule of programs that fill a gap not usually met by other local agencies on the Shoreline, and a strong safety net for our most at-risk neighbors, meeting a wide spectrum of needs. Our programs, staff and volunteers offer emotional support and community building, legal and financial education, crisis referrals and many other types of resources. Our well-established community connections enable us to also provide direct links to social services, mental health providers, and many other types of resources. In addition to the Center s programs, we partner with other agencies to bring services to the Shoreline that otherwise would only be available in New Haven or beyond. We also host wellness activities to reduce the stigma of participating in the Center s support programs and to provide space for community fellowship. Our crisis and support services are offered free of charge to ensure that all women are able to receive the help they need. Scholarships are available for our fee-based programs for participants who need partial or full support. Executive Transition The Center s previous Executive Director, Peggy Britt, has led the organization for the past seven years. Her tenure included many significant accomplishments, such as ensuring the Center kept pace with changing community needs by renewing a focus on women and families in crisis and completing a successful capital campaign that resulted in a more welcoming place for women and families to receive the help they need. Ms. Britt recently left the Center to become the Director of Development for a larger non-profit organization. A skilled and experienced interim director is in place to provide leadership through the transition. 96 Fair Street Guilford, CT

3 Strategic Opportunities and Challenges The Center enjoys a strong reputation in the community, dedicated staff and volunteers, and a stable surplus position. We have recently (December 2017) discussed updating our strategic plan, but its completion is on hold pending the ED transition. There are both opportunities and challenges for the next ED to address, including: Reviewing the input to the strategic plan and engaging in a process to refine and articulate the organization s strategy and priorities. After a successful capital campaign in 2016/2017, raising approximately 20% more than our target, we were able to fund much-needed renovations to our facility. The new ED has the opportunity to build on this momentum to bring the Center to the next level. The capital campaign allowed us the opportunity to engage with new donors. Increased focus on visibility, major donor cultivation and engagement will be essential to growing the Center s revenue base. Demand for our services continues to increase. In 2017, we increased points of service 44% over the prior year. Such increased demand is straining our current resources, all of which are part-time employees or volunteers. A challenge is to make sure we prioritize our service offerings, as well as assess and make changes as needed to the staffing model. Following the capital campaign, we have recently increased our capacity for guided referrals and our Guided Assistance Program by hiring a social worker to refer individuals and families to the appropriate resources. While the Center does provide unique services for its clients, there are opportunities for expanding partnerships with other social services agencies that need to be explored and developed. All staff are currently part-time, and do not receive benefits. A challenge is to try to balance the needs of the staff with the current resources of the organization, with a goal to increase the staff s working hours and develop appropriate benefit and compensation options, all within the organization s financial capacity. While managing a small staff, examining the operations for workflow efficiencies to allow more time for client and donor interactions. 96 Fair Street Guilford, CT

4 Candidate Profile The Executive Director will be thoroughly committed to the mission of the Women and Family Life Center. All candidates should have proven leadership, coaching, and donor cultivation skills that focus on maintaining positive community partnerships and a supportive working environment for the staff. Donor Cultivation and Fundraising - The ideal candidate will have demonstrated success in setting a development strategy, cultivating and stewarding donors, and securing major gifts. Proven track record in raising significant funds Connect with community partners and donors to keep them informed of the current work of the organization Research fundraising opportunities, oversee the development of fundraising plans and write funding proposals Engage the board in fundraising efforts Strategic Partnerships - The ideal candidate will have demonstrated success in building strategic partnerships with other agencies and service organizations. Represent the organization at community activities to enhance the organization's profile Track record in building partnerships with other Human Services agencies towards meeting client needs Further the mission of the Center by working collaboratively with partners on joint projects or grant proposals Network with other community resources to better serve participants Governance and Board Relations - The ideal candidate understands non-profit governance principles and has the ability to effectively collaborate with board and committee members. Collaborate with the Board of Directors to establish a strategic plan that will guide the organization over the next 3-5 years Identify, assess, and inform the Board of Directors of internal and external issues that affect the organization Establish a positive and strategic partnership with the Board of Directors Provide operational documents for the monthly Board of Directors meetings 96 Fair Street Guilford, CT

5 Operational Management - The ideal candidate will have significant experience in supervision and management of staff, and in creating a positive work environment. Develop a plan of operations that incorporates current goals and objectives that work towards the strategic plan of the organization Oversee the day-to-day operations to ensure that the organization meets the expectations of its clients, staff, Board of Directors and community partners on an ongoing basis Maintain a positive work environment and encourage effective teamwork among staff Financial Management - The ideal candidate will have significant experience in strategic financial management and budgeting, and in efficiently aligning and maximizing resources. Work with staff and the Finance Committee to prepare a comprehensive budget by department Ensure the accuracy of bookkeeping and accounting transactions Administer the funds of the organization according to the approved budget Provide the Board of Directors with routine reports of the revenues and expenditures Leadership Characteristics - The ideal candidate will exhibit strong leadership skills, will be passionate and mission-driven, and will have integrity and a positive attitude. Thinks strategically Sets a clear and inspiring vision Is able to work in collaboration with diverse groups of people Has confidence in remaining calm when working with women and families in crisis Is flexible and versatile with changes and suggestions from within the organization Demonstrates excellent written and verbal communication skills Education and Work Experience Minimum of 5 years in non-profit experience at a management level Bachelor s Degree, preferably with a background in Human Services or Social Work 96 Fair Street Guilford, CT

6 Candidate Guidelines and Additional Information This search is being conducted by the Search Committee of the Board of Directors. Candidates will be considered only by electronic submissions to the following address. All submissions will be acknowledged and are confidential. Please include a resume and cover letter with salary and working time requirements, how you learned of the position, and a description of how your qualifications and experience match our needs. Submissions of a candidacy will be accepted until the position is filled, with priority given to submissions received by May 25, Salary is commensurate with experience, within the framework of the Center s annual operating budget. The Women & Family Life Center is seeking to build a diverse and experienced team and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, handicap, age, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin. We are an equal opportunity employer. 96 Fair Street Guilford, CT