Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Attack Poverty is a global organization that serves locally, adopting pockets of poverty and launching “Friends of” locations. Our work is a long-term commitment requiring mutual relationships and collaborative efforts with local organizations, churches, residents, and other stakeholders committed to community transformation. We love bringing together communities of resources with communities of need. 

Attack Poverty believes everyone can flourish and remain in a state of flourishing even when uncertain circumstances exist. This will only take place if the individual or family’s resiliency and capacity is expanded to overcome existing and future barriers. At each of our locations, we adopt a geographic area, and we use a tailored, holistic, community-based approach to awaken potential and provoke transformation in under-resourced communities through spiritual growth, education, revitalization, and basic needs. 

We seek a visionary, collaborative, and strategic leader to join us as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). 

The ideal candidate embodies a leadership style that is visionary yet pragmatic, capable of seeing the big picture while also paying attention to the nuanced details that drive our mission. You should be a collaborative leader who thrives on working in concert with others, from board members to staff to the communities we serve. Your approach should be grounded in empathy and integrity, ensuring that every decision aligns with our faith-based values and advances our commitment to creating lasting change. A transformative leadership style that encourages innovation fosters a culture of continuous learning, and inspires all stakeholders to strive for excellence is essential.

Position Summary:

As the CEO, you will be instrumental in driving transformative changes that directly combats poverty on multiple fronts. You will lead initiatives that:

• Enhance Educational Programs: Expand and enrich educational outreach programs that empower youth and adults, equipping them with the skills needed to break the cycle of poverty.
• Strengthen Community Engagement: Deepen engagement in under-resourced communities by initiating and fostering projects that promote self-sufficiency and community cohesion.
• Amplify Advocacy Efforts: Elevate the organization’s visibility and influence on poverty-related public policy, championing systemic change through strategic partnerships and public platforms.
• Innovate Fundraising and Development: Implement creative fundraising strategies that significantly increase the organization's capacity to serve, ensuring sustainability and expanding the reach of our mission.

Your leadership will guide the strategic direction of our initiatives and leave a lasting imprint on the lives of thousands, creating ripple effects of improvement and hope across communities.

In addition to the above initiatives, being a successful CEO at Attack Poverty involves overseeing the organization’s operational, financial, and administrative functions. The CEO will work closely with the Board of Directors to define long-term strategies and with the Executive Leadership Team to execute the strategic vision. 

Key Challenges:

In this pivotal role, you will confront and navigate several complex challenges that are critical to our mission:

• Resource Allocation in a Competitive Landscape: Strategically manage limited resources in an environment where high demands and funding can be unpredictable. Your challenge will be to optimize impact while maintaining fiscal health.
• Cultural Sensitivity and Community Trust: Deepen trust and strengthen relationships with the diverse communities we serve. You will need to demonstrate cultural sensitivity and adapt strategies that resonate with and empower these communities effectively.
• Adapting to Changing Economic Climates: Manage fluctuating economic conditions that impact our operations and the communities we support. Your foresight and adaptability will steer the organization through uncertain times.

As CEO, your ability to address these challenges head-on will be essential for driving our organization forward and making a substantial impact on eradicating poverty.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership: Provide oversight and care for the strategic plan and guide the organization's mission and objectives. Ensure that all programs and initiatives align with our core values and are executed effectively. Setting the overall direction and vision for the organization.
• Operational Oversight: Oversee the organization's operations, ensuring efficiency, quality, service, and cost-effective resource management.
• Financial Management: Develop the organization's budget, monitor financial activities, and ensure resources are allocated efficiently to support organizational priorities.
• Fundraising and Development: Lead fundraising efforts, including cultivating donor relationships and exploring new funding opportunities. Develop a development strategy. Streamline/integrated strategy.
• Board Relations: Communicate regularly with the Board of Directors, providing timely updates and insights on the organization's progress, challenges, and opportunities.
• Advocacy and Public Relations: Act as Attack Poverty’s primary spokesperson, engaging with the media, stakeholders, and the broader community to raise awareness and support our mission.
• Team Leadership and Development: Foster a positive, inclusive, and productive work environment. Recruit, mentor, and develop a high-performing team committed to the organization's mission and values.

Qualifications:

• Proven leadership experience in a nonprofit, philanthropic, or corporate environment, with a minimum of 10 years in a senior management role.
• A deep commitment to understanding faith-based principles and their application in charitable work. 
• A track record of people management.
• Strong financial and business acumen and experience in budget management and fundraising.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and inspire a wide range of stakeholders.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into action.
• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree in Nonprofit Management, Business Administration, or related field preferred.

Core Competencies:

• Managing Vision and Purpose: Champion and promote the overall vision and purpose. Communicate in a manner that motivates the communities we serve, our donors, and the Attack Poverty team.
• Business Acumen: Understanding of how businesses work. Knowledge of current and future policies, practices, trends, technology, and information affecting the organization’s business needs.  
• Organizational Agility: Knowledgeable about how organizations work effectively. Skilled at getting things done through formal and informal channels.
• Interpersonal Savvy: Relates well to all types of individuals and builds constructive and effective relationships.
• Integrity and Trust:  Widely trusted and seen as a direct and truthful individual. Presents the unvarnished truth helpfully and appropriately.  Able to admit mistakes and acknowledge misses. 

Commitment to Diversity:

Attack Poverty is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to a workplace environment that encourages growth and respect for all current and prospective employees based on job-related factors such as educational background, work experience, and ability to perform the essential functions of a particular job. The Company shall recruit, hire, train, and promote in all job titles without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, genetics, pregnancy, marital status, sex, religion, age, military service, disability or handicap, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law.