ORGANIZATION: The Children's Coalition for Northeast Louisiana (CCNELA) is seeking an experienced, dynamic, Executive Director to lead the organization starting in 2020. The Children’s Coalition is a community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Monroe, Louisiana and serves 14 parishes/counties in rural Louisiana. During its 21-year history the Coalition has sought to fulfill its mission to “create communities where children and families thrive," by addressing the developmental, social, and emotional needs of children ages 0-18 through early care and education, healthy living, parent education, and youth development programs. Over the past five years, the organization has experienced a period of tremendous growth, moving from 23 employees with an annual operating budget of $1.2 million to 85 employees with an annual operating budget of $6 million. In 2018, the Coalition co-located all of its programs into one location downtown in an effort to create a one-stop-shop for children and families. The new location is surrounded by an outdoor early childhood learning center with a 30-bed edible garden which feeds children in the Early Head Start program. The Coalition seeks a leader who will continue to grow partnerships and programs that expand essential services across the region, so children and families can have access to the resources they need to thrive.

OPPORTUNITY: The ideal Executive Director innovates to help the community and the organization move forward by working with internal staff and external partners to continually enhance existing programs while anticipating or responding to community needs by creating place-based programs that are fundable and sustainable, and when appropriate, scalable to the region.  S/he works to fulfill the mission of the organization and collaborates with the board and staff to develop and implement visions, goals and plans that align with the mission.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities
Fund Development and Community Engagement

• Raises funds and other resources necessary to support the mission
• Advocates engagement and growth of the membership and donor base
• Acts as a role model for members and volunteers and for the wider community at-large particularly in relationship, collaboration and partnership development

Financial Management

• Develops resources sufficient to ensure the financial health of the organization
• Responsible for fiscal integrity to include submission to the board of a proposed annual budget and monthly financial statements, which accurately reflect the financial condition of the organization
• Responsible for fiscal management that generally anticipates operating within the approved budget, ensures maximum resource utilization, and maintenance the organization in a positive financial position

Public Relations

• Responsible for the enhancement of the Children’s Coalition image by being active and visible in the community and by working closely with professional, civic and private organizations
• Serves as the primary spokesperson to the organization’s constituents, the media, and the general public
• Represents the programs and point of view of the organization to agencies, organizations, and the general public

Leadership Development

• Assures leadership development of staff with an emphasis on professional development, cross-sector training, and diversity-equity-inclusion in order to build a pipeline of leadership
• Empowers members and leaders participate in local, regional, state-wide and national initiatives on behalf of children and families
• Nurtures staff directors to oversee their program’s viability and impact
• Models openness and transparency to ensure silos and inefficiencies do not creep up
• Supports a diverse and effective management team, with appropriate provision for succession, is in place at all levels

Organizational Operations

• Works with the planning committees to develop and maintain a strategic planning process with long-range and short-range objectives which identifies the outcomes for children and families in the northeast region of the state. These outcomes will be addressed through partnership, collaboration, initiatives, education and advocacy
• Oversees and implements appropriate resources to ensure that the operations of the organization are appropriate
• Assures the proper use, management, security, and upkeep of the facilities and equipment.
• Responsible for the hiring and retention of competent, qualified staff
• Responsible for signing all contracts, agreements, and other instruments made and entered into on behalf of the organization
• Maintain a climate which attracts and motivates a diverse staff

Board Relationship

• Provides guidance and information leading to planning initiatives and policy adoption
• Oversees the implementation of adopted plans, policies and initiatives
• Serves as staff liaison to standing committees and task forces
• With the board president, sees that the board is effectively organized and a system of board development is established
• Works with the board and nominating committees to identify candidates for responsible leadership positions

Professional Qualifications

• Graduate Degree, Terminal License and/or Doctorate Degree preferred, in related fields of Human Services, Social Work, Education, Nonprofit/Business, etc.
• 5+ years of senior management experience
• Solid, hands-on budget management skills, including budget preparation, analysis, decision-making, and reporting
• Experience in a dynamic, energizing environment with the entrepreneurial drive to chart a course for the region’s children and families
• Proven record writing grants and direct donor appeals for fundraising
• Strong organizational abilities including planning, delegating, program development and task facilitation
• Experience facilitating and sustaining collaborative partnerships among diverse stakeholder groups
• Ability to problem solve and remain flexible in the face of any uncertainty or conflict
• Skills to collaborate with and motivate board members and community volunteers
• Excellent writing, editing, and analytical skills. Ability to collect, review, synthesize, disseminate and present information and findings to broad and diverse audiences.
• Strong public speaking ability

Professional Qualities

• Passionate about our mission
• Creative thinking skills
• Enthusiastic
• Motivating
• Big visionary
• Highly collaborative
• Builds relationships
• Speaks and directs with clarity of vision, goals, plans, and outcomes
• Believes is providing the highest quality services
• Transparent and high integrity leadership
• Omni-present in the community and in the office
• Approachable
• Advances leadership development

 
Children’s Coalition for Northeast Louisiana is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

All applicants MUST complete an employment application as well as submit a resume and writing sample. Please apply using the form below. 
Questions? Please contact HR Director, Nickie Wright at nwright@childrenscoalition.org

EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION (WORD)

EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION (PDF)