Executive Director

March 9th, 2023
Executive Director

Executive Director

  • Full Time
  • Senior Level
  • Applications have closed
Job Category: Executive
Location: Manhattan
Job Sectors: Education, Health, Human Services, Other
Salary Range: $180,000 – $240,000

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION:

StreetSquash’s mission, as a leader in urban youth development, is to provide consistent, long-term, and reliable support to the children, families, and schools in Harlem. Utilizing a 19,000 square foot facility that they own, complete with classrooms, a library, and 8 squash courts, StreetSquash helps its students realize their academic, athletic, and personal potential. StreetSquash combines academic tutoring, squash instruction, community service, college preparation, leadership development, mental health counseling, access to social workers, and mentoring for young people ages 11-24. What began in 1999 as an after-school program with 24 middle school students and 2 staff members has expanded to serve 400 participants from 6th grade through college graduation and entry into the workforce.

Following 25 years of service, founder George Polsky will be stepping down as Executive Director in 2023. George, the staff, and the Board are eager to welcome, onboard, and support the success of the organization’s next leader. To learn more about StreetSquash’s impactful history click HERE. 

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY:

StreetSquash is looking for a visionary, inclusive, and experienced leader and manager with a growth mindset who believes strongly in the power of urban youth development. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director (ED) is responsible for driving the overall vision, leadership, and management of an organization with a $3.5M operating budget and a staff of approximately 25 members. Partnering with the Board of Directors, leadership teams, and the StreetSquash community, key responsibilities for the role are as follows:

    • Visionary Leadership
    • Youth Development and Program Excellence
    • Inclusive Organizational Culture and Mission
    • Fundraising and Financial Management
    • External Engagement

 

Key Responsibility Details Include:

Visionary Leadership

    • Develop and implement a strategic plan along with the Board of Directors and senior leadership.
    • Focus on the long-term growth of StreetSquash and its integral role in the community.
    • Serve as a collaborative team player-coach, able to activate and nurture the unique skillsets of direct reports and colleagues across all levels to achieve shared goals.
    • Lead change management initiatives for organizational transformation.

 

Youth Development and Program Excellence

    • Provide coaching and guidance to team members and participants to help them become more effective leaders and ensure the most effective program design and implementation.
    • Bolster recruitment to meet and exceed programmatic enrollment goals.
    • Develop and actualize systems/structures using standard operating procedures.
    • Ensure budget, staffing, and organizational priorities are aligned with StreetSquash’s core mission.

Inclusive Organizational Culture and Mission

    • Prioritize StreetSquash’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and work. 
    • Work to advance the organization’s value of the uniqueness and dignity of each person, the power of relationships, and the richness of diversity across participants, staff, and the Board.
    • Build an increased level of partnership and integration between the programs and administrative teams that fosters collaboration, innovation, and respect across racial and cultural lines.
    • Ensure engagement with the broad range of StreetSquash stakeholders such as staff, Board, participants, caregivers, donors, and alumni.

Fundraising and Financial Management

    • Maintain the financial health of the organization by ensuring annual revenues keeps pace with or exceeds annual expenses. 
    • Build and nurture authentic relationships with major donors that fully engage them with StreetSquash, leading to sustained and significant funding.
    • Develop, maintain, and support a strong and diverse Board of Directors, seek and build Board engagement to ensure outstanding financial performance, successful programming, and a clear, mission-aligned strategic direction.
    • Provide fiscally sound management and fiduciary oversight including prudently managing resources and budgets.

External Engagement 

    • Serve as a visible advocate and thought leader for the Harlem community and beyond.
    • Encourage and actively participate in ongoing community engagement and community planning.
    • Lead externally facing opportunities in PR, media, and other forms of outreach to the community at large.

 

ABOUT THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE:

The ideal ED will be a proven leader with the ability to inspire, innovate, and adapt; driven by a demonstrated passion for the work StreetSquash does. As an empathetic, effective community advocate, the ED will connect with and support a wide range of stakeholders including staff, Board members and the people and community Street Squash serves. The successful candidate will also be adept at managing people, programs, services, and budgets and building community partnerships.

This is an exciting opportunity to amplify the voices, strength, resilience, and influence of the people in Harlem, collaborate with an exceptional team, students, alumni, volunteers, and build upon success and StreetSquash’s commitment to helping those who are most in need. 

Key Professional Experience and Personal Attributes Include: 

    • Strategic Leader: Significant senior leadership and management experience in nonprofit and/or education institution preferred.
    • Inspiring Manager: Demonstrated commitment to developing and growing direct reports and other colleagues through excellent people management.
    • Program Optimizer: A solutions-oriented program manager with a record of accomplishment and successfully translating entrepreneurial instincts into program innovation and growth.
    • Youth Development Understanding: Passion for and committed to meaningful youth engagement, the mental health and social-emotional well-being of youth, and development as well as experience working with this population.
    • Inclusive Culture Builder: Committed to providing an inclusive organization culture in which diversity is celebrated and respected.
    • Confident Fundraiser: Enthusiasm for leading significant fundraising, including actively engaged in cultivation activities.
    • Fiscal Know-How: Fiscally sound strategic business leader familiar with budget management and forecasts.
    • Operations Oversight: Operational and financial knowledge with the skills and experience needed to run state-of-the-art facilities strategically and seamlessly.
    • Relationship Builder: Excellent relationship building and communication skills with self-awareness and the ability to lead with humility.
    • Board Collaborator: Experience and skill in working, engaging, communicating with boards of directors who have a passion for the mission.
    • Community Connector: Experience serving a diverse population in an urban setting and engaging the broader community in an organization.
    • Mission Driven: Fiercely committed to serving those most in need and the community in which they live; enthusiasm for the game of squash and/or the squash-playing community is a plus.

COMPENSATION: Salary range will be $180,000 – $240,000. Salary and benefits are competitive and commensurate with experience.

LOCATION: 41 West 115th Street, New York, NY 10026 

Please email cover letter and resume or nominations in confidence to: [email protected] or apply using this link

StreetSquash is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

StreetSquash

  • 41 West 115th Street
  • New York, New York 10026
  • United States
  • Phone: 2122894838