Executive Director, FirstPerson Narratives

Start Date: March 1, 2021

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Salary: This role will start as a contract position, with the potential to convert into a regular, full-time position as the Executive Director. Compensation based on experience, and a salary range of $45,000 to $55,000 per year. 

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Location: Near-north suburb of Chicago. Staff will work remotely until the Covid-19 crisis is over, with occasional, socially-distanced planning meetings in the near-north suburbs and city of Chicago.

 

Job Overview:

The Executive Director must possess the unique ability to lead a start-up, manage the day-to-day, and integrate FirstPerson’s major functions: programming, fundraising, finance, communications, etc. 

This is a hands-on, collaborative position – working with the Founder to expand the founding board and advisory council; and hire a Program Director. Together, we will build the organization and its pilot programs brick-by-brick – and grow the organization towards the strategic expansion of accessible, trauma-informed, expressive-arts-based community programs. Core functions include:

• Leading, managing, and accountability

• Financial management and fundraising

• Strategic planning and execution

• Project management

• Systems and processes

 

Responsibilities and Deliverables:

Leading, Managing & Accountability

• Work with the Founder to recruit, maintain, and support a strong Board of Directors and Advisory Council; serve as ex-officio of each committee; seek and build board involvement with strategic direction.

• Work with the President & Founder, Board of Directors, Advisory Council, and consultants to spearhead the pilot program. Core deliverables include developing a theory of change, logic model, service delivery model, curriculum materials, and program evaluation tool.

• Establish and maintain systems for finance and administration, fundraising, and communications.

• Ensure effective systems to track progress and regularly evaluate program components to refine the model and measure successes that can be effectively communicated to the board, funders, and other constituents.

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Financial Management, Fundraising & Marketing:

• Work with stakeholders to finalize mission/vision statements, goals, and objectives that reflect FirstPerson’s solution to the defined problems. 

• Work with the Founder and marketing experts to refine communications strategy and create the brand.

• Work with the Board of Directors and fundraising experts to develop a development plan and execute sustainable fundraising activities that will drive revenue and support program operations and expansion.

• Track and manage FirstPerson’s financial health and sustainability.

 

Strategic Planning & New Business:

• Work with the Board of Directors to develop the strategic plan and annual budget; recommend timelines and resources needed to achieve goals.

• Work with the Founder to build strategic partnerships, engage stakeholders, and establish relationships with funders.

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Qualifications

While no one candidate will possess every quality outlined for this position, the successful candidate will fit many of the following professional qualifications and personal attributes:

• Our ideal candidate has an advanced social work or psychology degree with nonprofit administration experience, and a passion for community-based expressive arts initiatives. 

• Advanced degree in business management, nonprofit administration, social entrepreneurship; other equivalencies considered. 

• A minimum of three (3) years of senior management and five (5) years of nonprofit administration experience.

• Commitment to quality programs and data-driven evaluation.

• Excellence in organizational management with the ability to lead, mentor and coach staff, manage and develop high-performance teams, set and achieve strategic objectives, and manage a budget.

• Past success working with a Board of Directors with the ability to cultivate existing board member relationships.

• Strong marketing, public relations, and fundraising experience with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders and cultures.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills.

• An action-oriented, entrepreneurial, adaptable, and innovative approach to business planning.

• Excellent partnership development skills.

• Ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people.

• Compassion, idealism, integrity, positive attitude, mission-driven, and self-directed.

• Previous experience in trauma-informed systems preferred.

 

How to Apply: 

If you’re interested in leading our organization and helping us build it brick-by-brick, please send your resume and a personal statement to HR@first-person.org. Be sure to explain what excites you about this position and how your experience has prepared you to make an immediate impact in this role. No phone calls, please.