EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

  • Senior Level
  • Applications have closed
Job Category: Executive
Location: Brooklyn
Job Sectors: Human Services
Salary Range:

Ready for a job that makes a profound difference in the lives of children?

Join You Gotta Believe (YGB) and help us find permanent, loving families for kids in foster care!

You Gotta Believe is a leading child-welfare, non-profit organization with expertise in adoption and permanency planning for at risk foster youth. YGB is the only organization in the NYC area with the exclusive mission of finding adoptive parents for foster youth before they age out and run the extremely high risk of homelessness, incarceration and life-long poverty due to a lack of stable, long- lasting connections.

YGB strives to ensure that every child leaving foster care is connected to an unconditionally committed family because no child should ever age out of the system and face adulthood alone. YGB has successfully established 450+ permanent family connections and continues their mission by collaborating with foster care organizations/agencies to recruit, match and provide comprehensive support to adoptive foster parents throughout the entire process and as long as needed to ensure permanency is achieved. 

Description of Position

YGB is looking for an Executive Director to lead YGB to the next level of impact. The role is responsible for overseeing and successfully executing all aspects of our organization including management (and ongoing development) of YGB’s strategic plan. The ED will represent the organization publicly, will work closely with the Board of directors and manage relationships with government officials, strategic partners, foundations and major funders. Primary focus is on Organizational Management, Strategic Relationships, Development, Advocacy and Communications. Must possess capacity to quickly deepen knowledge of the field, core programs and operations. 

Responsibilities

          • Fundraising/ Donor Engagement: establish donor development/engagement strategies and major gifts program; solidify and expand donor pool; diversify funding streams; deepen corporate and foundation support; grant writing; board giving. 
          • Communications: represent organization in occasional speaking engagements and press; oversee organization’s branding, including website redesign, marketing and social media strategy and implementation to ensure online presence support the goal of increasing reach and encouraging call-to action including reposting, donating and/or attending classes to become a parent.
          • Advocacy: deepen relationships with elected officials and government agencies, particularly Administration of Children’s Services, to ensure funding and secure contracts; work with partner High Schools to enlist students in advocacy efforts and to expand network; cultivate relationships with non-profits serving similar populations including Homelessness and LGBTQ organizations.
          • Strategy: partner with ED, board and program staff to develop and adjust business plan on an ongoing basis; responsible for implementation, developing measurements of success, tracking and reporting results, program outcomes and efficacy as well as fiscal accountabilities.
          • Board Management and Leadership: contribute to development, maintenance and support for deeply engaged Board of Directors; serve as ex-officio of select committees with responsibility for documenting meetings and moving projects forward; seek and build board involvement with strategic direction and fundraising; create a collaborative and fulfilling board experience.
          • Strategic Partner Relationships: work in tandem with program team to cultivate a consultative relationship with partner agencies; develop contracts with clear deliverables and effectively communicate status and progress to board, funders and other constituents.
          • Administrative and Finance: work in partnership with Finance Director to ensure financial health of organization; manage licenses and adherence to governmental and agency contracts; recommend timelines and resources needed to achieve strategic goals.

Qualifications

Ideal candidate possesses strong business leadership experience including client development, cultivation and management. Requires strong communications and public speaking skills. An openness and eagerness to learn and develop both personal and professional skills in a very team oriented and collaborative environment is essential. Ability to lead a close-knit culture in which a priority is placed on maintaining a positive, supportive and inclusive culture. Leading with collaboration and clear communication are essential.

Requirements: 

          • 10+ years of professional experience and 5+ years of strategic leadership experience
          • Successful track record of developing operational strategies aimed towards organizational growth
          • Must have history of successful donor prospecting, cultivation and stewardship and/or similar client management experience
          • Excellent and open communication & interpersonal skills; public speaking ability
          • Passion, idealism, integrity, positive attitude, mission-driven, adaptable and self-directed
          • Must be capable of appreciating the issues faced by youth in foster care and the impact of trauma; openness to learning from those who have experienced trauma
          • Successful track record in government relations and contract management a plus.
          • Personal experience with the child welfare system (foster care alumni, foster/adoptive parents) or experience working with youth who have faced trauma is a plus

Must embrace organization’s unwavering commitment to finding a family for every youth in foster care. A combination of professional experience, skills and capacity to understand childhood trauma will be considered. 

Please submit resume and cover letter including salary requirements to: [email protected].

 

YOU GOTTA BELIEVE! The Older Child Adoption & Permanency Movement, Inc.

It's Never Too Late For Family

  • 3114 Mermaid Avenue
  • Brooklyn, NY 11224
  • United States
  • Phone: 718.372.3003