Executive Director

The Valley Children’s Advocacy Center (Valley CAC) is partnering with Dragonfly Central to find an Executive Director who is mission driven, collaborative and emotionally intelligent. This is an exciting opportunity for an accomplished leader to partner with our multidisciplinary team and external stakeholders. We seek a strategic individual who possesses critical thinking and relationship building skills, has exceptional communication skills, and balances big-picture vision with attention to detail.

About The Valley Children’s Advocacy Center

The Valley Children's Advocacy Center works to strengthen our community's response to child abuse and neglect and make our community a safe place for children to grow and thrive and is currently seeking an Executive Director. This is a highly visible role requiring a high level of energy and dedication to serving victimized children. The Director will be responsible for managing the ongoing strategic and tactical operations of the center, ensuring continued delivery of child advocacy services, maintaining and expanding the center's funding base, building and strengthening relationships, managing the center's responsibilities, and representing the center in the community.

Valley CAC works to build resilience, inspire healing, and lower the impact of trauma for survivors of child abuse and their families through collaboration with a multidisciplinary team, utilization of evidence-based practices, and education to create an empowered community. We achieve our mission through integrated, research-based programming, a dedicated professional staff, and community partnerships. Our programs span a continuum of care, including prevention, early childhood intervention, crisis response, forensic interviews, mental health treatment, and family support services. Our goal is to ensure that every child within our catchment area who has been traumatized by sexual abuse or by witnessing homicide or domestic violence receives immediate, compassionate, and effective investigation, assessment, and if needed, mental health treatment.

Valley CAC serves a broad area including Augusta, Bath, Alleghany and Rockbridge counties. For more information about VCAC, see valleychildrenscenter.org.

The Position

The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors and is responsible for ensuring the organization consistently achieves its mission and financial objectives to assist children who have experienced trauma. The Director will be skilled in collaboration and relationship building, will value the input and involvement of staff, be a clear communicator who can foster trust throughout the organization, possess strategic vision, and follow through on operationalizing that vision. The Director must also be skilled in organizational management and bring intentional, rational decision-making.

Responsibilities

Program Development

• Oversee the current and future development and implementation of program, organizational, and financial plans.
• Oversee and maintain current core programs, while also exploring new programming options and mission-related activities and services for new audiences.
• Ensure that programs are implemented with a high level of excellence.

Administrative

• Develop and implement a long-range strategy consistent with Valley CAC’s mission.
• Keep the Board of Directors fully informed on the organization's condition and all important factors influencing it.
• Ensure Valley CAC complies with National Children’s Alliance accreditation standards.
• Maintain strong inter-agency relationships with entities such as the Augusta County Sheriff’s Department; Staunton and Waynesboro Police Departments; Shenandoah Valley Department of Social Services; Augusta County, Staunton and Waynesboro City’s Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office and Victim/Witness Program; Augusta Health, and community partners who comprise various multidisciplinary teams.
• Oversee Valley CAC’s day-to-day operations and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, including proper maintenance of official records and documents.

Financial & Grant Management

• Oversee the development and maintenance of sound financial practices.
• Collaborate with the contracted CPA firm, the Finance Committee, and the board in preparing a budget and ensuring the organization operates within budgetary guidelines.
• Lead fundraising efforts, including directly managing major donor relationships, grant writing and management, and reporting.

Development, Communication, and Public Relations

• Provide leadership and actively engage in development efforts.
• Foster new donor relationships while maintaining existing ones with foundations, corporations, and other donors.
• Maintain strong relationships with the Children’s Advocacy Center of Virginia and the National Children’s Alliance.
• Represent Valley CAC’s mission, goals, and programs through public presentations, educational programs, community networking, and media communications.

Personnel

• Develop and maintain a climate that attracts, retains, and motivates a diverse staff of top-quality people.
• Oversee the recruitment, employment, and release of all personnel.
• Ensure that job descriptions are developed, regular performance reviews are held and that sound human resource practices are in place.
• Ensure that an effective management team, with appropriate provision for succession, is in place.
• Develop and promote initiatives that address self-care, vicarious trauma, and secondary traumatic stress among staff, fostering a healthy work environment through regular check-ins, access to wellness resources, and opportunities for debriefing and peer support.
• Cultivate an environment of psychological safety, open communication, and teamwork by encouraging constructive feedback, mutual support, and a strong sense of camaraderie to help staff navigate the emotional challenges of working in child abuse response.
• Encourage staff development and continuing education.

Experience and Attributes

• Minimum of four (4) years of executive management experience with a proven track record of fundraising, financial management, and personnel management.
• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Demonstrated understanding of trauma work and experience working with individuals who have experienced trauma.
• Proven ability to create a supportive work environment, including organizing off-site events for staff and being understanding of staff’s psychological needs.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, strategic leadership, stakeholder engagement, personnel management, cultural competency, and effective communication, ensuring operational efficiency and cohesive teamwork.
• Ability to effectively build and scale fundraising systems, including direct management of large donor relationships.
• A passionate interest in our core mission of helping abused and neglected children and their families.

Preferred Qualifications:

• An advanced degree in a relevant field such as business, human services, public health, or other related field.
• Professional experience working in a therapy-related field or trauma-informed setting.
• Experience collaborating with multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience in managing and achieving capital campaign fundraising goals.

Salary and Benefits

In addition to a base salary of $70,000 to $90,000, VCAC also provides a comprehensive benefits package which includes medical, dental, and vision insurance as well as a matching retirement plan option. This role primarily operates within the office environment, encouraging collaboration and effective communication. However, occasional remote work is permitted in alignment with the company's flexible work policy and individual needs.

Application Process

Valley CAC is partnering with Dragonfly Central to find the best candidate for the Executive Director position. To apply, email a cover letter that details your fit with the position’s requirements and a chronological resume to VCAC-I@dragonflycentral.org .

For all other inquiries, contact Ginna Goodenow at ginna@dragonflycentral.org .

Valley CAC is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in employment or service delivery on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability.

VCAC provides a comprehensive benefits package which includes medical, dental, and vision insurance as well as a matching retirement plan option.

Must speak fluent English.