Executive Director

Position:  Executive Director

Hours per week:  Full Time

Pay Rate: Salary DOE (Dependent on Experience or DOQ – Qualifications)

Reports to:  Board of Directors

Organization:  501 (c) (3)​

Benefits: Health, Vacation, Holiday and Sick Leave, 401K with 4% company match

Organization Overview:

For over six decades, the Sonoma Community Center (SCC) has worked to inspire creative expression and enhance quality of life by bringing world class programming to the Valley of the Moon, and to preserve and restore its grand historic building.  The broad range of services and classes offered at SCC include ceramics, fiber arts, visual arts, music, movement, culinary arts, writing, digital learning, and rental space.

The mission of SCC is “Brightening lives through the arts, education, and community-centered activities”.

Most recently the offerings at SCC have expanded significantly to include seminars, tutorials, and workshops open to the public, both in person, prior to the pandemic, and now virtual.  The Center is using the latest technology which has opened these classes to a wide audience across the United States.

Additional information about the Sonoma Community Center is available on the SCC website:  https://sonomacommunitycenter.org

Position Summary: 

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director (ED) will have overall strategic and operational responsibility and provide day-to-day leadership for Sonoma Community Center’s staff, programs, expansion, and execution of its mission. The ED will develop deep knowledge of the nonprofit field, core programs, operations, and business plans.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Leadership and Management

• Ensure ongoing Center programmatic excellence and program evaluation.
• Maintain high quality financial oversight of the organization.
• Maintain and support a strong Board of Directors; serve as ex officio of each committee; seek board involvement in future directions and fundraising.
• Directly supervise Center department heads.

Fundraising and Communications:

• Oversee the marketing and fundraising efforts of Sonoma Community Center to insure fit with strategic priorities, uniformity and coordination of efforts.
• Communicate clearly with internal and external constituencies.
• Understand the unique needs of the Sonoma Valley community.

Finance and Strategic Planning

• Understand and oversee all aspects of the finance function including bookkeeping, audit and grants administration.
• Work with the Board of Directors to develop/implement Sonoma Community Center’s strategic plan and strategic objectives to move the mission and agenda of the Center forward.
• Oversee annual work and budget planning for each department of Sonoma Community Center, regularly updating plans and coordinating to insure long-term objectives are met.

Key Competencies:

• Builds interpersonal trust – candidate has a demonstrated capacity to build and sustain open and transparent relationships in a collaborative team setting, and a proven track record in managing by example and coaching rather than by command and control.
• Communicates well orally and in writing – has strong and self-evident oral and written presentation skills and shows a level of interpersonal confidence.
• Demonstrates cross-cultural sensitivity which engenders trust and respect in others. Supports the principles of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity.
• Coaches effectively – has experience in coaching and counseling other professionals in program and project management issues with an awareness of succession planning and career development.
• Thinks and plans strategically – has demonstrated experience in modeling and facilitating strategic thinking and planning activities and in carrying this through to detailed work planning, monitoring and feedback.
• Flexibility in being able to respond to ever-changing challenges and opportunities such as community needs, emergencies and pandemic limitations that require reinventing events and programming.
• Financially and technologically competent. Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Creative Suite, Neon client management database software (or can learn) and able to learn and adapt to web-based technology.
• Follows through to implementation – has a proven track record of accomplishment which illustrates the ability to consistently follow through on plans and implement in a timely way.
• Understands the concepts and strategies associated with virtual programming and event presentation.
• Appreciation for and ability to ensure upgrades, maintenance and historical preservation of Community Center building. 

Qualifications:

The candidate must have substantial experience at the senior executive level in leadership and management of non-profit organizations. Candidate should have proven leadership, coaching, and relationship management experience. Concrete demonstrable experience and other qualifications include:

• 5 or more years demonstrated high-level non-profit management experience, and direct management experience overseeing and developing staff competency. MBA or Master’s degree in Public Administration or equivalent preferred.
• Ability to take initiative and work under pressure.
• Excellent organizational management with the ability to coach staff, manage, and develop high-performance teams, set and achieve strategic objectives, and manage a budget.
• Past success working with a Board of Directors with the ability to cultivate existing board member relationships.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people.
• Strong marketing, public relations, and fundraising experience with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders and cultures.
• Knowledge of and experience with the Sonoma Valley community.
• Familiarity or background in arts administration is a plus.

Application Process:

All inquiries or referrals will be held in confidence.  The Sonoma Community Center is an equal opportunity employer.

By January 31st 2021, please email your electronic cover letter, resume (with at least three references), an explanation of how you meet the skills and experience required, and contact information to:

Recruitment Committee, jobapp@sonomacommunitycenter.org

Please note that reference checks will be completed on all final candidates.  

All education, dates of employment, compensation and other information provided will be verified prior to any offer of employment.

The deadline for interested parties to apply for the position is January 31, 2021.

The person hired for this position will be evaluated no less than once each year prior. The basis for evaluation will consist of rating each of the above criteria and other performance information as determined appropriate by the Board. A good performance evaluation does not guarantee a pay raise, because pay raise increases may not occur every year, nor is it a promise of continued employment.