Position Profile
Executive Director
Durham’s Partnership for Children
www.dpfc.net
Durham, NC
THE ORGANIZATION
Durham’s Partnership for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is part of the Smart Start initiative across North Carolina. The Partnership leads community strategies for children birth-5 and their families to ensure that every child in Durham enters school healthy and ready to succeed. We administer the Smart Start initiative, NC Pre-K and Early Head Start, as well as community-based programs that promote healthy development and learning and enhance access to high quality care. The Partnership identifies emerging needs and mobilizes partners to support comprehensive approaches to serving all 23,000 young children in Durham.
THE CANDIDATE
The Executive Director must be a consensus-builder, focusing on relationships. A seasoned professional with strong Board experience, the Executive Director will represent the organization’s collective voice, through taking initiative, identifying opportunities, and leading fundraising and advocacy efforts among stakeholders.
THE POSITION
Duties and Responsibilities:
The Executive Director provides professional leadership for the Durham’s Partnership for Children’s activities including program coordination, personnel management, project evaluation and compliance with all state and federal rules and regulations regarding the Partnership’s financial and programmatic activities. The Executive Director is accountable to the Durham’s Partnership for Children Board of Directors for the proper management of the Partnership and will work closely with all Board-level committees to ensure the success of the Partnership’s programs.
Community Leadership
- Serve as a catalyst for and develop collaborative programs and services for Durham County’s young children and their families.
- Build consensus and strengthen relationships with community organizations serving children age 0-5 and their families.
- Create a place for the early childhood system’s influence and leadership in new or existing collaborative efforts in Durham County.
- Serve as the contact for all media and public inquiries regarding the Durham’s Partnership for Children.
- Keep the community informed of Partnership activities and achievements through adequate outreach and media coverage of Partnership events and achievements.
- Make presentations with staff to local groups to communicate the Partnership’s goals and activities and to build public support for early childhood initiatives and intervention within the community.
- Represent the Partnership in diverse settings such as industry and/or community associations and events.
- Develop working relationships with private companies in Durham County to build private sector support for Durham’s Partnership for Children goals and activities.
- Establish and maintain relationships with Durham County legislators to ensure accurate knowledge regarding Durham’s Partnership for Children’s activities and achievements.
- Follow the General Assembly’s activities regarding young children and work with other agencies within the county and state to represent the interest of young children.
- Attend NCPC Executive Director meetings and participate in statewide planning and collaboration efforts.
General Management
- Effectively lead and manage all programmatic, financial, and personnel functions, including allocation of funding, contract management and monitoring, ensuring the Partnership’s accurate interpretation of and full compliance with funders’ and local policies, contract requirements, and governmental regulations for financial and programmatic data.
- Plan, facilitate and direct the Partnership’s financial development efforts; develop and maintain relationships with potential and existing funders; identify potential funding opportunities and oversee preparation of materials.
- Ensure compliance with laws and regulations and terms and conditions of contracts and grants affecting the Partnership; oversee vendor contracts; oversee operating budgets for adoption by the Board of Directors and prepare required reports to government agencies and funding sources.
- Plan, develop, and maintain the Partnership budget within established guidelines, ensuring efficient utility of all staff, services, supplies and equipment.
- Direct the efficient allocation and utilization of funding to ensure maximum outcomes for children.
- Ensure proper expenditure of funds and maintain appropriate documentation of all expenditures to ensure adequate accountability.
- Oversee reports for the Board of Directors and its committees on actual vs. budgeted expenditures.
- Manage preparation for audits and ensure that recommendations are fully implemented.
- Manage multiple grants and ensure compliance with each funder’s requirements.
- Monitor and evaluate service and financial status of all activities to ensure they meet required outcomes.
Personnel Management
- Work with the Board of Directors and/or its committees to establish proper personnel policies and procedures.
- Hire and manage all Partnership staff.
- Ensure proper compliance with all personnel policies and procedures.
- Hold regular staff meetings to ensure proper movement toward and attainment of all Partnership goals and objectives and establish work priorities.
- Perform formal performance appraisals and conduct informal feedback sessions on a regular basis.
- Ensure all necessary federal and state documents are completed and filed appropriately.
Board Support and Coordination
- Attend Board-level committee meetings to ensure proper coordination of activities, communications flow and non-duplication of efforts between and among all committees.
- Staff the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee and other committees deemed appropriate by the Board. Schedule meetings and prepare reports, agendas, minutes, and other materials.
- Establish communication systems between and among committees at all levels to ensure adequate flow of information and ideas.
- Work with and through all Partnership staff to ensure adequate collaboration and communication of all Partnership activities.
- Manage the Partnership’s Strategic Planning process, balancing the need for local data collection and planning with NCPC requirements.
Systems Change
- Build and maintain strong working relationships with partner organizations and agencies, and manage the local collaborative change process to ensure that all the Partnership programs work together with other community resources to effectively accomplish the Partnership’s vision, mission and goals.
- Increase the local community’s capacity to deliver services to children and families, which have been locally designed and planned.
- Actively advocate at the local, state and national levels for systemic improvements, which will support and enhance the development of children and families.
Demonstrated Personal Characteristics:
- Perceived as a visionary leader who “sees the big picture” and inspires others toward the mission.
- Results-oriented with a multi-task aptitude suited for working under deadline pressure.
- Relates well with others and promotes a positive demeanor.
- Exhibits cultural competence working with diverse teams.
- Discreet and tactful.
- Demonstrates sound judgment.
- Problem-solver; creative and forward thinking.
- Self-motivated with demonstrated high maturity level.
- Reliability, regular attendance at work.
- Grooming and dress appropriate for professional office environment.
The Executive Director is responsible for other duties as assigned.
It is the responsibility of all staff to contribute to the positive work environment at Durham’s Partnership for Children and work to maintain a team effort.
Essential Functions:
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely, verbally and in writing, and to plan and execute work effectively within a specified time frame.
- Technical ability to carry out duties with regard to laws, rules, regulations, etc.
- Education and/or experience in early childhood education, non-profit management, or a related field.
- Superior organizational skills and initiative; capacity to accept and follow through on responsibilities.
- Proven skills as a supervisor of staff.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Board and/or committee members, supervisors, peers, private providers, community agencies, and other resources.
- Ability to carry out functions with minimal supervision.
- Ability to foster an environment that minimizes consequential errors.
- Clear and concise communication, both orally and in writing.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality of information in the performance of duties.
- Thorough knowledge of the organization’s goals and missions as well as DPFC and/or funded partners services.
- Strong interpersonal skills that allows for appropriate interaction with personnel in the state, in the community, and within the agency.
- Competence with the computer and related software and other equipment and office technology, as required.
- Thorough knowledge of the organization’s position regarding the achievement of its goals and missions, and its compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
Education and Experience: Attainment of an advanced degree in early childhood, non-profit management, or a related field.
Safety, Security and Confidentiality: This position requires keeping complete confidentiality of all human resource/financial information and protecting the confidentiality all DPFC files and records.
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The physical requirements of this position are those typical of office staff.
Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. An individual in this position will be exposed to conditions typical of office staff.
EMPLOYER’S RIGHTS: This job description is general in nature and illustrative of the kind of duties and responsibilities required of this position. It is not exhaustive and does not contain a detailed description of all of the duties that may be required of the incumbent occupying this position.
TO APPLY
Please send cover letter, resume, target salary requirements, and contact information for three references to: DPfCED@CapabilityCompany.com. Only applications received through this address will be considered.