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Executive Director

Employer
Leadership Search Partners
Location
Berkeley, CA
Salary
A competitive compensation and benefits package will be offered to the qualified candidate.
Closing date
Mar 22, 2019

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Focus Areas
Agriculture / Food / Nutrition, Housing / Shelter, Human Services
Job Function
Executive / Senior Management
Position Type
Full Time
Degree Level
Bachelors
Experience Level
Executive

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of Berkeley Food and Housing Project (BFHP) is to ease and end the crisis of homelessness in the communities in which it works. BFHP envisions a future where the community of residents, businesses, and government offers the support needed to ease and end homelessness.

BFHP is working to become a model of service delivery for people experiencing homelessness. In that regard, BFHP sets the standard for the continuum of programs offered by BFHP and its partners, designed to achieve stable supportive housing for their clients.

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

For more than 45 years, BFHP has provided a comprehensive range of housing, food, and supportive services to help those in need move from homelessness into a safe and affordable home of their own. BFHP accomplishes its work in partnership with the City of Berkeley and other government agencies as well as a robust network of local service providers and a multitude of dedicated volunteers. Its financial resources are comprised of government contracts and grants, individual giving, foundation support and corporate contributions.

Although the agency was founded in Berkeley and focused for many years on serving the East Bay and northern Alameda County, BFHP has expanded in recent years, primarily through its collaboration with the Veterans Administration. BFHP now provides services in six northern California counties: Alameda, Amador, Contra Costa, Sacramento, Solano, and San Joaquin. The organization is a regional leader, innovating ways to help end homelessness through services and a continuum of care.

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

BFHP is at a critical juncture in its nearly 50 year history. There continue to be program expansion opportunities that will allow BFHP to increase its ability to alleviate homelessness in Northern California. In addition, a $50M capital expansion project for a multiuse, new facility in downtown Berkeley is slated for construction.

The Board of Directors of BFHP seeks a dynamic leader who brings business acumen, diversity of experience and a passion for social justice to lead this vibrant organization through its next phase of adaptation and growth. The next Executive Director will have the following responsibilities and major areas of accountability:

Leadership and Governance

With the Board of Directors, Staff, and stakeholders, develop and implement the mission, vision, culture, and values of BFHP; provide support and direction to the Board and their committees in the areas of planning, policy-making, and oversight; ensure that adequate strategic and business plans are developed, implemented, and reviewed against performance.

Community Relations / Advocacy

Represent the goals and objectives of the organization before public bodies, funding sources, and community organizations; advance BFHP as a thought leader in homeless services at the state and national levels; actively participate in city government discussions that affect the work of BFHP.

Establish and maintain strong, solution-oriented relationships with local and state government, political bodies, nonprofits, and leaders in related fields, including criminal justice, healthcare, housing and education; lead advocacy efforts at the county and state levels to support progress toward alleviating homelessness.

Serve as an advocate and effective spokesperson on issues related to homelessness and communicating the organization’s mission in a manner that inspires participation and reduces the stigma associated with this issue.

Fund Development and Promotion

Pursue opportunities for furthering the mission of BFHP, including unrestricted funds, grants, contracts, and other opportunities with city, county, and state government agencies; serve as the primary interface with funders and in contract negotiations; maintain strong relationships with funders.

With the Director of Advancement, seek to broaden fundraising activities in sophistication and scope; create regular initiatives to target diverse sources of revenue and funding; set fundraising goals for unrestricted or individual gifts to bridge gap in public funding; cultivate and steward donors as appropriate; help to drive donor cultivation, stewardship and direct solicitations.

Ensure that BFHP has effective communications and marketing systems in place.

Management and Capital Project

Oversee and develop administrative capacity of organization; manage complex budgets with an eye towards optimizing every dollar.

Oversee Berkeley Way construction project; work with affordable housing partner and, eventually, a property management company on funding, construction design, and development of long-term operational agreements for this $50M development project that will involve long- term compliance with funding-source conditions and collaboration with funding organizations such as the California Department of Housing and Community Development, City of Berkeley, and Alameda County.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS      

Ideal candidates will have significant senior-level leadership experience and possess a suite of management and leadership skills, including:

Leadership

  • Significant leadership experience in a social services nonprofit of comparable size
  • Track record of working successfully with local, state, and federal governments
  • Knowledge of nonprofit governance practices through nonprofit Board service and/or reporting to a Board
  • A track-record of building positive relationships and partnerships with external stakeholder groups, including government funders and agencies serving similar populations
  • A demonstrated ability to build relationships and work effectively with funders, stakeholders, advocates and professionals
  • Experience collaborating with community-based agencies, networks and government is highly desirable

Program experience

  • Experience in a social services organization that works in homeless services, transitional housing, affordable housing, workforce development, and/or behavioral health services
  • Experience applying for, negotiating, and securing grants from city/county/federal programs
  • Understanding of homelessness issues, root causes, and the current thinking around solutions
  • Demonstrated commitment to social justice
  • Knowledge and experience of current homelessness trends and needs

Experience cultivating external relationships and resources

  • Experience working with local/state/federal government stakeholders
  • Big picture thinker who understands how to increase, diversify and optimize multiple funding sources
  • Track record of fund development and donor relations; experience asking foundations and private donors to generously support an organization like BFHP
  • Able to be an articulate spokesperson and passionate advocate for the organization and its mission
  • Exposure to branding and marketing skillsets would be a plus

Financial, operations, and human resources management

  • Proven track record of fiscal accountability and management of budgets that include a variety of revenue streams
  • Strong organizational skills and capacity to leverage and optimize financial and human resources
  • Organizational development—ability to maintain a healthy and supportive work environment that empowers Staff to be self-directed in a geographically-dispersed organization
  • Track record of supervisory experience, including leading a senior management team of at least five direct reports across a range of programmatic and administrative roles;
  • Ability to recognize and mentor the talent of employees, and foster a culture of recognition and professional development
  • Excellence in organizational management with the ability to coach Staff, manage and develop teams; set and achieve strategic objectives; manage budgets; and prioritize, balance, and meet multiple deadlines and projects
  • Results- and quality-oriented, adept at planning, prioritizing, organizing, improving and following through
  • Team player who values and models working collaboratively without micromanaging

Personal Characteristics

  • Outstanding oral and written communication skills, including public speaking for formal and spontaneous presentations
  • The belief in the mission of BFHP to build strong, safe and self-sufficient individuals, families and communities
  • A straightforward nature, able to share information easily and listen, as well as give advice, impart trust and integrity, and guide others in a similar fashion
  • An ability to handle difficult client situations with appropriate skill and sensitivity
  • A strong work ethic; a willingness to work hands-on in developing and executing a variety of activities ranging from internal day-to-day operations to those that are external, highly impactful and visible
  • A dedicated, mature individual who has the ability to maintain balance and perspective
  • Accountable to Board, Staff, and all additional stakeholders

Education

  • Required: Bachelor’s degree
  • Highly preferred: Master’s degree in relevant field

COMPENSATION

A competitive compensation and benefits package will be offered to the qualified candidate.

TO APPLY

Leadership Search Partners is conducting this exclusive search on behalf of BFHP. Interested persons should apply via email by sending a letter outlining qualifications, brief bio and resume as PDF or Word documents to Chelsea Burr (Chelsea@leadershipsearch.com), with BFHP-ED in the subject line.

Inquiries may be made, in confidence, to Senior Search Consultant Heather Merriam at heather@leadershipsearch.com.

BFHP is an Equal Opportunity Employer

LEADERSHIP SEARCH PARTNERS, a search firm owned by Brakeley Briscoe Inc., is focused exclusively on the nonprofit sector. Based in in the San Francisco Bay Area, the firm works with local, national, and international nonprofits to help them hire exceptional senior-level leaders. www.leadershipsearch.com.

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