Executive Director

Job Description: Executive Director

The Challenge Program, Inc

The Challenge Program, Inc. (TCP) has engaged the services of Diversified Services LLC, (Bob Madonna) on a search for an Executive Director (“ED”) to lead a thriving, community-centric, and collaborative nonprofit headquartered in Johnstown, PA. 

The Challenge Program, Inc.'s mission is to motivate high school students to develop the habits required to succeed in school and in their careers by building business/education partnerships.  This is accomplished with three key elements:

1. Students: Students are challenged in five categories linked to success in the workplace while being rewarded, motivated, and incentivized.
2. Businesses: Businesses have the opportunity to connect with their future workforce, creating a pipeline of workers who possess the qualities to succeed in the workplace.
3. Educators: Educators can utilize The Challenge Program, Inc. to motivate students with cash incentives, generate excitement for attendance and successfully achieving the PA Career Standard Requirements.

Leadership Opportunity

The ED will bring a record of bold and proven leadership to effectively deliver an inspiring mission: to motivate high school students to develop the habits necessary to succeed in school and in their careers by building business/education partnerships. The ED is responsible for articulating TCP’s mission internally and externally; managing staff and sustaining an effective leadership team; collaborating with TCP’s Board of Directors; identifying, prioritizing, and executing on goals outlined in its strategic plan; maintaining and building an expansive network of partners and collaborators; stewarding federal, state, and local funding streams; raising private funds from the community; and setting local and regional agendas for thought leadership, public policy, and advocacy.

The ED will join an organization with a rich legacy, vision and mission, solid financial position, and a purposeful course of action. As they guide the delivery of this community-driven plan, the ED will pursue and innovate our current internal practices that advance an equity team culture. Through community-based hiring, personal and professional development, and rewarding compensation packages, the ED will build on the agency’s track record of success with sustaining talent. The ED represents TCP as a leader as part of numerous local, state, and regional collaboratives and groups. 

The ED reports to the President and works in partnership with a Board of Directors, comprised of influential community and civic leaders. The board fulfills its fiduciary responsibilities through regular board meetings, committee participation, and resource development efforts. The ED leads a staff of 15+ employees andworks closely with the President.

The ED’s key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Community-Centered Leadership

• Champion, steward, and deliver a strategic direction based on a collective and community-driven vision for TCP.
• In partnership with the staff and board, set annual targets, business plans, and measurable key performance indicators, (KPIs) that aid a strategy for economic mobility and community self-determination.
• Working with the President to facilitate the governance work of the Board of Directors by assisting the executive committee with the development of annual board workplans, reporting on programmatic and operational effectiveness, and leveraging board efforts to raise resources and visibility that extend TCP’s presence in local and regional circles.

Champion a Diverse and Values-Driven Team Culture

• Inspire a team culture that values respect, compassion, teamwork, and accountability.
• Supervise, encourage, and develop the performance of the senior leadership team. Mentor employees to encourage professional growth, creative approaches, and effective teamwork.
• Define effective decision-making practices and clear communications that align staff across different departments, increase belonging, and facilitate transparent working relationships.
• Set a bold agenda for internal racial equity and justice practices that maintain a diverse and inclusive workforce across race, gender, socioeconomics, ability, and sexual orientation.

Raise Organizational Profile and Resources

• Represent and promote TCP’s mission, programs, and outcomes to media outlets, partners, policymakers, and sponsors.
• Identify opportunities, strategies, and partnerships that expand and enhance TCP’s programs, priorities, and community supports.
• Lead the effort to establish development practices, to maintain and grow supporters by liaising with funders and donors, envisioning new revenue-based partnerships, and ensuring grant proposals and reports reflect the organization's vision, values, and outcomes.

Implement Long-Term Infrastructure Strategies

• Ensure operations prioritize efficiency, safety, and compliance. Follow legal and regulatory guidance for government contracts, advance progressive human resource functions, safeguard facilities management practices, and invest in information technology systems and training that help TCP and its staff operate at high levels.
• Envision and plan investments in systems, processes, tools, and technologies necessary for an organization of TCP’s size and complexity.
• Conduct regular review of key performance indicators that track costs, progress, and intended outcomes towards long-term goals, while directing course corrections as needed.
• Guide finance team to prepare budgets integrating departmental priorities, monitor income and expenses, support long-range planning, and provide the Board with regular reports.
• Provide continuous improvement to TCP’s systems and practices through ongoing assessment and optimization of TCP’s IT, equipment, systems, and practice standards. 

TCP efforts towards our mission are guided by these core values:

• Effective Communications
• Commitment
• Quality of Services
• Trust
•  Respect
• Professionalism, (Knowledge)
• Empowerment

Experiences, Skills, and Qualities

The board is seeking a skilled executive who brings a record of successful senior leadership experiences to this role. We recognize that the most competitive applicants will have many, but likely not all, of the following personal and professional experiences, skills, and qualities:

• 5+ years in senior leadership roles in one or more nonprofit, government agency, or similarly complex entities
• Master’s degree preferred; bachelor’s degree required.
• Passion for TCP mission, with advanced understanding of issues, trends, and policies affecting workforce development and high school education.
• A significant supervisory record; experience mentoring and developing other senior leaders.
• A strong record managing finance and operations.
• A command of core functions of budgeting, financial management, human resources, contract negotiations, and external communications.
• A credible reputation and strong public presence; an effective and influential communicator in public settings and personal conversations.
• Committed to collective leadership and community co-ownership of organizational strategy.
• Proven ability to build effective and respectful relationships with people of various backgrounds, opinions, and perceptions demonstrating deep respect and understanding of TCP’s role as a true and trusted collaborator and neighbor.
• Ability to deal tactfully and courteously with education and business leaders and establish and maintain a positive working relationship with other employees of TCP.
• Talent for building consensus through strong emotional intelligence, superb listening skills, and deep compassion. Leads teams with empathy, equity, dignity, and respect.
• A successful record implementing strategy and setting goal frameworks, action-oriented budgets, and outcome measurements.
• Accomplished with senior level fundraising efforts, including strategizing, and securing support through partnerships, institutions, corporations, and/or individuals.
• Prior experience managing or serving on a nonprofit board. 
• Understanding of nonprofit governance, fiduciary responsibilities, and effective communication between board and leadership.
• Demonstrated experience promoting effective nonprofit governance.
• A local and regional network of influence is preferred, including current or past record of personal and/or professional connections in related fields.
• Ability to cultivate a positive work culture where all staff feel supported and valued.
• Ability to cultivate and maintain synergistic, congenial, and collaborative energies with  members of the  Board of Directors, outside vendors, partners, and the community at large.
• Capacities for resilience and emotional adaptation.
• Competence for relational understanding, emotion management for self and others, and respect for diverse perspectives.
• Complex decision making and change management skills.
• Executive level motivational and social interaction agilities in building and maintaining a culture of employee engagement, psychological safety, mutual respect, and accountability. 
• Demonstrated proficiencies and appropriate sensitivities in delivering regular staff performance evaluations and collaboratively building individual development plans.
• Comfortable in driving ambitious standards for staff, internal and external, professional presence, and performance.
• Experienced in conducting community and partner needs assessment surveys to evaluate funder compliances and operational best practice efficacies in alignment with and in support of the organizational strategic plan, mission, and vision.  
• Motivated  to participate in personal and professional development based on self-reflection and the integration of performance assessment and constructive feedback with a commitment to industry standard leadership growth and development.
• Knowledge and skill in the operation and use of personal computers and software such as Microsoft 365, (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, TEAMS, and Outlook) and donor/fundraising management databases.

Location

The Challenge Program, Inc. is located in Johnstown; PA. administrative offices are at 416 Main Street. Suite 102 Johnstown, PA 15901. 

Compensation and Benefits

Annual Salary: $100,000.

Job Type: Full-time

• Competitive company sponsored medical, dental and vision coverage, including dependent coverage.
• Life Insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability (100% company paid)
• Simple IRA plan with 3% company match
• Competitive vacation and sick time policies, including four weeks paid vacation after four months in the position.
• 15 paid company holidays and 3 additional floating personal days.
• Monthly cell phone allowance
• Program related travel reimbursement @ $.67/mile.

 Application Process

TCP is conducting this search in partnership with Diversified Services LLC., Bob Madonna is leading the efforts.   Confidential recommendations, nominations, or personal inquiries may be sent to him. (bobmadonna@verizon.net)

Employment Opportunities and Conditions

TCP is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion or belief, age, sex, national, social or ethnic origin, disability status, HIV status, family medical history or genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, family or parental status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Employee Background Checks:

To ensure that individuals who join TCP are well qualified and to ensure that The Challenge Program maintains a safe and productive work environment, it is our policy to conduct pre-employment background checks on all applicants who accept an offer of employment. Background checks may include verification of any information on the applicant’s resume or application form.

All offers of employment are conditioned on receipt of a background check report that is acceptable to TCP. All background checks are conducted in conformity with the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and state and federal privacy, anti-discrimination, and background check laws. Reports are kept confidential and are only viewed by individuals involved in the hiring process. 

Background checks will include a criminal record check and may include a driving record or credit report if appropriate, job-related, and permitted under applicable state law.  

• Competitive company sponsored medical, dental and vision coverage, including dependent coverage.
• Life Insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability (100% company paid)
• Simple IRA plan with 3% company match
• Competitive vacation and sick time policies, including four weeks paid vacation after four months in the position.
• 15 paid company holidays and 3 additional floating personal days.
• Monthly cell phone allowance
• Program related travel reimbursement @ $.67/mile.