Q: What should be included in an Executive Director job description?

 A:  The position description for a nonprofit Executive Director should include language addressing core competencies and other operational skills.  For many organizations, these include:

Passion for Mission

• Ability to translate mission into concrete action items
• Substantive knowledge of the organization’s client base and stakeholders
• Compelling way of engaging business, government and other nonprofits in valuable partnerships
• Knows how to market and brand the organization to create interest in the mission and in sponsorship opportunities

 Strategic Planning & Decision Making

• Strong analytical skills
• Reliance on data to make key decisions
• Ability to conduct both short- and long-term prioritization for the organization
• Knowledge of how to describe key goals so right action follows the decision to make a goal a priority

 Resource Generation

• Prior fundraising success. Knowledge of and participation in: grant procurement; capital campaigns; individual donor; planned giving; corporate sponsorship and special events
• Basic understanding of how to build a strong financial platform for the organization
• Knows how to internally and externally report the financial status of the organization to avoid crisis situation and build trust

 Financial Management

• Personal integrity
• Knowledge of basic accounting protocols and ability to review finances with CFO and others to build consensus around priorities and monitor ongoing expenditures
• Willingness to be held accountable for the sustainability and overall health of the organization

 Talent Management

• Ability to attract, retain and develop talent
• Ability to recruit and engage a strong board
• General capacity-building/training skills
• Impartial, objective evaluation and assessment skills
• Understands how to get the best out of team; strong team-building skills
• Desire to create and/or maintain a culture rewarding outstanding performance
• Creates new ways for employees and volunteers to contribute to key goals

Operational Proficiency

• Mastery of technology as a means to build efficient operating systems and enhance communication
• Relies on both quantitative and qualitative metrics to assess and evaluate the organization
• Demands the best of each employee; rewards exceptional performance appropriately
• Understands how to internally and externally build trust
• Is committed to create a high-output, financially responsible, mission-driven culture

Communication

• Communicates well in person and in writing with all kinds of stakeholders and clients
• Comfortable serving as the public face of the organization
• Knows how to engage audiences of varying sizes and interests in the business of the mission
• Works easily with the press and public media representatives
• Can be relied upon to deliver messages with tact, diplomacy and appropriate messaging

 Problem-Solving

• Can-do personality
• Creative about building bridges between and among competing interests
• Quick to consult others with expertise, evaluate input and come to clear decisions

 Cultural Competence

• Has worked with a diverse client base
• Is committed to building an organization reflecting distinct points of view and interpretations of mission success
• Tactful; respectful of differences
• Encourages cultural and other forms of tolerance

Outreach/Community Interface

• Builds relevant partnerships with corporate, civic and other organizations
• Appropriately projects the mission and vision to a wide variety of audiences

 Personal Traits & Executive Demeanor

• Commitment to the mission and the organization
• Analytical thinker, quick-study, strategic
• Financially responsible and capable
• Resilient
• Enjoys meeting challenges
• Demonstrates a sense of humor
• People person, gregarious and fun-loving; easily enlists others in the mission
• Skilled organization representative and communicator
• Generates trust and loyalty in others; credible leader
• Holds self personally accountable; has integrity
• Energetic; persistent about achieving goals
• Continuing Learner; keeps up with industry trends, competitors and emerging opportunities

 

Current executive director job listings

Karen Alphonse and ExecSearches provide various resume review and career advice services for nonprofit professionals.

ExecSearches.com is a job board for nonprofit job seekers interested in fundraising, management, and executive nonprofit jobs.

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Last updated on January 20th, 2018 at 02:28 pm