Deputy Director

The primary goal of this position is to effectively manage the operations and staff of DDP.

About us

The mission of Detroit Disability Power (DDP) is to leverage and build the organizing power of the disability community to ensure the full inclusion of people with disabilities in Metro Detroit. We organize people with disabilities and our allies, train community members about disability inclusion and dismantling ableism, and plan fun and educational community-building events. We are a social justice organization, not a service organization, meaning we advocate and build power, not offer direct services. DDP is fiscally sponsored by Michigan Disability Rights Coalition.

Core values at DDP include

• Equity and inclusion
• Modeling best practices regarding accessibility and respectful engagement in all that we do. Our internal motto is “The way we do the work is the work.”
• Shared work, meaning all staff have some level of responsibility for strategy and implementation; no task is beneath anyone on our team.

The ideal candidate

Detroit Disability Power is seeking an organized, experienced, and resourceful Deputy Director with a commitment to values-driven leadership with a focus on accessibility and equity, as well as demonstrated experience advancing social justice issues. The ideal candidate must bring experience in operations, managing staff, visioning, strategy, and project management. The most important skills to being successful in this position is clear communication, attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple projects and people.

What you will do

The Deputy Director reports to the Executive Director.

Primary Responsibilities

Organizational Strategy and Visioning:

• Assists ED with visioning annual strategic goals and objectives
• Leads annual strategic planning process and organizes staff retreats
• Work with ED to develop organization’s 3 and 5-year strategic plan
• Assists with project management and ensures interdepartmental coordination
• Ensures program evaluation is conducted and data is used for improvement

Staff Management:

• Responsible for supervising department directors
• Works with the executive director, and department directors as needed, to hire and onboard new staff, and facilitate necessary performance improvement plans when needed
• Oversee all contractual staff/vendors
• Coordinates internship recruitment and placement in collaboration with department directors
• Creates and conducts annual staff performance evaluations
• Works with executive director to build team culture and atmosphere

Fiscal Management:

• Tracks grant deliverables and ensures they are successfully completed
• Works with our fiscal sponsor to ensure invoices are paid
• Approves staff/programmatic reimbursement requests
• Tracks financial data and internal metrics as needed

General Operations:

• Oversees management and operations of physical office location, including ordering supplies, coordinating use of our space, and creating/implementing SOPs related to our office
• Manages our tenant partner relationship, agreements, and responsibilities

Required skills

• Exceptional planning skills; strategic and methodical in project planning
• Ability to design and implement processes that move the team to meet collective goals and the ability to problem solve when barriers arise
• Strong management skills, including setting goals and priorities, checking in on performance, coaching and developing staff, and creating positive team culture
• Ability to drive one’s work, often working independently, learning quickly, setting goals, being resourceful and asking for help when needed
• Willingness and ability to engage in big-picture and detail-oriented work
• Knowledge of disability issues, rights, and culture and commitment to disability inclusion, dismantling ableism, and intersectional strategies- specifically a strong racial equity analysis
• Well organized and able to meet deadlines
• Willingness to speak up, suggest new ideas, receive feedback, adjust plans to ensure successful completion of goals, and be a part of the solution
• Ability to think and work creatively and critically
• Desire and ability to collaborate and to build relationships locally and nationally to bolster our work
• Computer literacy and experience with MS Office Suite as well as advanced skills in communication delivery methods and mediums
• A natural sense of curiosity about people and the ability to relate to them
• Willingness to try new things and maintain a learning attitude
• Ability to practice showing up for co-workers with consistent follow-through and good communication
• Demonstrated ability to identify and repair harm in relationships
• Emotional maturity, i.e. self-awareness, humility and resiliency

Required Experience

• 5+ years working for a social justice and/or nonprofit organization in an leadership capacity
• 5+ years in a management/ supervisory role
• 2+ years experience with in finance and budgeting
• Personal experience of being marginalized in some way; relevant lived experience and the ability to articulate learning from those experiences

Position Details

This position is a full-time (40 hours a week) salaried position. This is a hybrid position. DDP staff can work from home or in our Detroit office, though on Tuesdays team members are required to be on site.

Compensation

DDP offers a competitive salary and benefits package that meets industry standards and Metro Detroit’s cost of living standards. The pay range is $90-95,000 annually, with performance-based raises. Pay is based on the candidate's knowledge, skills, and experience. DDP has a non-negotiation policy when it comes to salary offers, as we know that negotiations tend to benefit certain types of people more than others. We offer a generous benefits package that includes earned paid time off (8 hours biweekly); holiday pay; medical, dental, vision; 403 (b) employer match; and parental leave.

Application process

We strive for diverse representation and inclusion at DDP. DDP values and specifically seeks applicants who are people of color, women, LGBTQIA and genderfluid people, people with disabilities, veterans, and members of other diverse identities. If this is you, know that your contributions and leadership are especially valuable at DDP.

Equal employment opportunity: All qualified individuals will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, familial status, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or disability.

Persons interested in this position can submit the following materials to info@DetroitDisabilityPower.org:

• A cover letter describing your interest in and qualifications for this position OR a video or audio recording of yourself describing your interest in and qualifications for the position
• A current resume
• 3 professional references, including at least one former supervisor

Applications must include these materials to be considered. Please include your full name in the subject line of the email.

For questions regarding this announcement, or to request reasonable accommodation to participate in the application process, please email info@detroitdisabilitypower.org DPP makes every effort to practice universal design principles for the hiring and job environment.

Ideal Start Date: July 15th, 2024

Application process

We strive for diverse representation and inclusion at DDP. DDP values and specifically seeks applicants who are people of color, women, LGBTQIA and gender fluid people, people with disabilities, veterans, and members of other diverse identities. If this is you, know that your contributions and leadership are especially valuable at DDP.

Equal employment opportunity: All qualified individuals will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, familial status, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or disability.

Persons interested in this position can submit the following materials to info@DetroitDisabilityPower.org:

• A cover letter describing your interest in and qualifications for this position OR a video or audio recording of yourself describing your interest in and qualifications for the position
• A current resume
• 3 professional references, including at least one former supervisor

Applications must include these materials to be considered. Please include your full name in the subject line of the email. For questions regarding this announcement, or to request reasonable accommodation to participate in the application process, please email info@detroitdisabilitypower.org

DPP makes every effort to practice universal design principles for the hiring and job environment.