RICH: Position Description, Executive Director

Position Description - Executive Director

Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless (RICH)

Application Deadline: November 20, 2017

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION:

The Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless (RICH) is a statewide organization dedicated to ending homelessness in Rhode Island. Formed in 1988, RICH's mission is to seek comprehensive and cooperative solutions to homelessness in Rhode Island. This is accomplished through data collection and analysis, advocacy, training and education, collaboration, technical assistance, constituent services, and strategic communications. RICH works to build the public and political will to support the right for safe, affordable housing for every Rhode Islander. The organization works to ensure and support local, state and federal commitments to establish a continuum of affordable housing and homeless prevention programs. This work involves maintaining a broad base of key stakeholders to support and advocate for the organization's vision, including homeless people, service providers, politicians, affordable housing allies, advocates, public and philanthropic funders, businesses, city and state officials, developers, faith communities and concerned citizens.

As the lead agency responsible for Rhode Island's Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), RICH is in the unique position to use data and information to catalyze and inform change within the homelessness services system. RICH collects, analyzes, and disseminates data and information that is fundamental to the health and efficient operations of the State of Rhode Island's Continuum of Care (CoC), which is comprised of state agencies, community partners, and individuals that guide the state's homelessness policies and administer federal and state homeless funds as they work to build a statewide system to prevent and end homelessness. Building off the organization's role as HMIS Administrator for the CoC, RICH's next Executive Director will work with staff, consultants, partner organizations, funders, and researchers to advance data and evidence informed practices and strategies, including and especially coordinated assessment and housing placement, to rapidly and permanently end homelessness among individuals and families.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Executive Director is accountable for the overall leadership, direction and management of the organization's resources to accomplish the goals and mission of the organization. The Executive Director should have experience in financial management, community relations, program delivery, organizational development, strategic planning, and experience using data and information to strengthen both practice and systems. The Executive Director must have empowering leadership skills to work with staff, Coalition partners, Board and community stakeholders. The Executive Director exemplifies RICH's values and nurtures its organizational culture by supporting a learning community of staff, Board, homeless constituents, community stakeholders, government and political leaders. The ED reports to the Board of Directors and will work with the Board, RICH's membership, funders and other constituents to develop a new Strategic Plan for the organization during his/her first year in the position.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Program Development and Management

1. Building off RICH's administration of HMIS, champion the collection/analysis and use of data and performance measurement, both within the organization and among RICH's partners, to tailor programming to specific populations and communities and promote continuous improvement.
2. Establish and implement programs that advance RICH's mission.
3. Establish systems for program evaluation.
4. Support the growth of the organizational culture - the power of collaboration and continuous learning.

Financial Management

1. Establish and maintain sound financial and organizational management policies and
2. Oversee annual budget development process in conjunction with the Finance Committee
3. Apply for grants and fulfill reporting requirements.
4. Direct and oversee all purchases and disbursements as specified in the annual budget.
5. Assist the auditor in preparing the annual audit.

Board Development

1. Develop collaborative relationships with the Board of Directors, provide proactive communications, support committees and meetings and manage on-going strategic planning.
2. Work with the Board President and Executive Committee to set up and staff committees as needed and to assure proper fiscal, staff and program oversight.
3. Monitor the external environment for significant changes that will impact the Coalition and its work.
4. Prepare monthly reports for the Board and work with President and Executive Committee to assure regular Board meetings and communication.
5. Inform and alert the President and the Board of the current condition of the Coalition and
6. alert them to any problems or potential weaknesses.

Resource Development and Fundraising

1. Strengthen resource development plan and fundraising efforts.
2. Lead efforts to build enhanced corporate and individual donor giving.
3. Supervise other staff and Board members charged with development tasks (i.e. Annual Luncheon, annual appeal).
4. Identify and expand new grant and foundation opportunities.

Personnel and Operations Management

1. Create a work environment that motivates staff and builds upon their strengths.
2. Determine staffing requirements.
3. Hire, supervise, evaluate, terminate, and set compensation for staff.
4. Promote clear and transparent personnel practices.
5. Identify training and development opportunities.
6. Enable staff members to develop managerial skills for their areas of responsibility while promoting a culture of collaboration.

Community Collaboration and Movement Building

1. Develop and maintain relationships with Coalition members, homeless and formerly homeless constituents, government officials and agencies, the media, and community leaders.
2. Ensure that RICH consistently promotes its values and mission.
3. Build relationships with new partners and forge new strategic collaborations.

Strategic Communications and Public Relations

1. Serve as the public face of the organization, interacting with the media, government, and others for the Coalition and its member agencies.
2. Ensure a strong presence for RICH in state, local and national politics, and with the guidance of the Government Relations Committee, direct the lobbying efforts of the Coalition.
3. Ensure that RICH has adequate technical and staff resources to accomplish its
4. communications plan.

KEY QUALITIES:

The preferred candidate has knowledge and experience in homelessness prevention and system-change work, is an energetic leader with demonstrated financial and organizational management skills, who can engage others in RICH's mission, embraces and encourages coalition and movement building and is comfortable working with low income and marginalized populations.

The ideal candidate possesses the following attributes:

• Commitment to RICH's mission, vision and values.
• Experience in program delivery, financial management, community relations,
• empowering leadership skills, organizational development and strategic planning.
• Familiarity with HMIS and a commitment to using data, information, and performance
• measurement to improve programmatic outcomes and drive systems change.
• The ability to develop a positive, effective professional team with staff and Board is
• essential.
• Works to set challenging goals and innovates.
• True collaborator and skilled communicator, proactively developing effective internal and
• external relationships, engaging Board members, staff, donors, funders, partners and
• community stakeholders.
• Key influencer, role model and spokesperson representing the organization, its mission
• and core values.
• Energetic, creative problem-solver with an open mind and willing to make strategic
• recommendations, take positive actions and calculated risks to improve the
• organization's programming and partnerships.
• Able to efficiently build annual and short-term work plans and make sound decisions that
• respect the input of internal and external partners.
• Cultivates and creates new long term alliances and improves and diversifies funding
• sources.
• Has high standards of fairness and honesty, is candid and respectful of others.
• Skilled at respectfully and empathetically engaging staff and community partners and is
• comfortable having difficult conversations about diversity and inclusion.
• Maintains and models professionalism and emotional maturity by promoting the
• program's goals and objectives and fostering respectful relationships; demonstrates the
• ability to personally learn, grow and share learnings.
• Proactively builds external partnerships and actively develops and maintains positive
• community relations.

CONTACT:

This is an exciting opportunity for a dynamic leader who is truly committed to making a positive contribution to the community. Compensation between $70,000-$80,000. Relocation assistance is not provided for this position.

Application deadline: 5pm EDT Monday, November 20, 2017

Candidates should submit a resume and cover letter describing their interest in this position via:

• Email - bert@rihomeless.org, please include, “ED Search” in the subject line.

or

• Regular mail - Search Committee

RI Coalition for the Homeless

1070 Main St

Pawtucket, RI 02860

For more information about RI Coalition for the Homeless visit http://rihomeless.org