Chief Executive Officer

Position Overview 

The Chief Executive Officer  is responsible for implementing RIE’s mission: to improve the lives of infants through respectful care. The CEO is an executive-level  position charged with running RIE’s business and furthering its vision in line with RIE’s  organizational values of respect, trust, active participation and integrity. 

The primary focus of the CEO’s role is to increase the reach and impact of RIE’s  educational programs through the engagement of its community of 65 Associates, who  teach RIE’s courses on the Educaring® Approach in the United States, Canada, Israel,  Australia, New Zealand, China, and Korea. The CEO manages both the long-term  strategic planning and future growth of the organization and also its day-to-day operations. The CEO is responsible for managing operational, financial, and  administrative duties for the organization as a whole, as well as those of the two RIE  Centers, located in Hollywood and Pasadena, CA. Further, the CEO effectively  manages RIE’s parent and professional programs, as well as marketing, financials,  Associate relations, professional development, and funding development (including  grants and fundraising). The CEO reports directly to the Board Chair and partners  closely with RIE’s volunteer President, who is the authority on all matters relating to the Educaring Approach, its standards and programming. 

The CEO strives to embody RIE’s core values and mission and maintain a culture which  preserves the integrity of RIE’s approach and reputation while increasing the breadth and depth of RIE’s positive impact. In addition, this individual will facilitate an ongoing  commitment to addressing and improving diversity and equity within the organization  and the populations it serves, as well as to broadening the reach of the organization to  include less-represented families and communities. 

Specific Duties and Responsibilities 

The CEO has the following responsibilities: 

• Manage RIE’s online and in-person programming and operations in Hollywood and Pasadena, including the scheduling, staffing and performance of  professional development and parent programs. 
• Support the growth and development of Associates in other geographical areas to, among other things, increase the awareness of RIE in their areas and support  growth in the local community. 
• Manage, monitor and oversee all financial reporting, including management of budget and revenue and oversee risk and operational management of RIE  facilities.
• Provide day-to-day management of RIE’s employees, contractors, vendors, programs and operations to fulfill the organization’s mission, strategic goals, and  annual objectives. 
• Manage administrative personnel to ensure that the organization is effectively  structured and staffed, and support staff development, including providing regular  performance reviews. 
• Increase the awareness and understanding of RIE via a new web site, content  development, and a dynamic, multi-platform social media/internet presence.  Ensure the RIE website and social media platforms are the centralized resource  for all information on the Educaring Approach. 
• Assess how to enhance the value of being an Associate. Create and foster a  sense of community among RIE Associates and support their ongoing  professional development. 
• Lead a collaborative process with RIE’s Board of Directors and its committees, executing decisions effectively and ensuring that the Board of Directors and its  committees are informed of critical developments in a timely and effective  manner. 
• Plan and manage the RIE conference, an annual live event, currently taking  place online. 
• Work with RIE’s staff and Associate to develop and introduce new programming  in person and online while upholding the mentorship model.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive annual fund development plan that identifies potential donors and enhances the short and long-term funding based  on the current “2025 Strategic Plan.”
• Develop and execute a grant funding plan with the goal of increasing access to existing RIE programs by currently underserved audiences and developing  further programming. 
• Develop and implement a plan to raise RIE’s public profile among birth-3 nonprofit advocacy organizations. 
• Oversee RIE’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative to increase representation  among the organization and its audience. 
• Represent RIE in partnership with the President, to many constituencies  including worldwide RIE Associates, RIE center families, professional caregivers, donors, colleges and universities, national early childhood organizations and  child care associations. 

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the ability to: 

• Lead a team drawing on a proven track record of team management and  empowerment. 
• Hire, develop, appreciate and retain talent.  
• Manage a fluid and open network of teams, enabling them to collaborate and effectively bridge communication with all members of the organization, even  when differing viewpoints arise. 
• Handle and prioritize multiple and competing tasks and responsibilities.
• Take on day-to-day responsibilities of the organization and independently participate in the daily operations.  
• Proficiently use Google Workplace, QuickBooks, CRM software, social media, online learning, event and conference platforms. 
• Commit to the mission and work of the organization with the credibility, sensitivity and persuasiveness to secure support from others. 
• Create a vision and have experience in leading change efforts related to early childhood and advancing equitable outcomes.  
• Develop and execute online marketing campaigns to reach consumers and professionals. 
• Lead by example and exemplify the values and ethics of the organization,  including respect, integrity, openness and responsiveness. 
• Function effectively without being autocratic or political; be a relationship-driven team player who is inclusive, flexible, creative, energetic and fair-minded, and  able to mobilize volunteers from among RIE’s Board, Associates and training  students. 
• Be decisive and resourceful; accept responsibility and take charge of results, as well as work successfully with limited resources. 
• Be an energetic self-starter who is confident to express opinions, to forge ahead  when appropriate and to hold back when necessary, with a sensitivity to the  feelings and opinions of others. 
• Act with emotional intelligence, maturity, collegiality, and dependability; further  show concern for others, be empathetic, and have a passion for infants and  toddlers and their ability to be confident and competent. 

Qualifications 

Education: 

Required: Bachelor's degree 

Preferred: MA, MBA, Ph.D., JD, ED, in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Human Development and Family Relations, Social Work, or a relevant discipline. We will consider exceptional candidates who demonstrate a strong combination of the specific qualifications and skills.

Experience: 

5+ years in a management position in a non-profit organization or socially conscious business and has familiarity with the early childhood sector. 

Organization Background 

Founded by Magda Gerber in 1978, Resources for Infant Educarers® (RIE®) is a nonprofit (educational) organization dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of the  work of its founding Director. The organization grew out of an emerging public interest in  the Educaring Approach® Magda created that was the first of its kind in the United States to focus on infancy. Her approach is based on respect for infants as complete  human beings from birth. She encouraged parents to trust their child to develop at their own pace and in their own time. She shared a strong belief in free and natural  movement for the child, allowing them to find balance both physically and emotionally  within the context of secure, caring, and respectful relationships. She discouraged the  use of equipment like bouncers, swings and infant seats that restrain the child's  movements for long periods of time. Magda's use of open-ended, simple play materials allows the child to explore a myriad of possibilities versus typical or educational toys  that often limit the child's curiosity and creativity becoming passive instead of active.

As a popular lecturer and teacher, Magda Gerber's work greatly influenced the field of  early childhood education in the early years of infant group care. An in-depth  explanation of the philosophy is contained in books written by Magda, including: Your  Self-Confident Baby and Dear Parent: Caring for Infants With Respect. Another popular  book edited by Magda is The RIE Manual with an Expanded Edition edited by Deborah Greenwald and Joan Weaver.

Magda Gerber's philosophy, originally disseminated at the grassroots level in the 1970s  and 1980s, was far ahead of its time. In recent years, the value of her revolutionary recommendations for child-rearing has been more widely recognized, attracting a  significant following among both neuroscientific and research-based academics, birth three advocates, parents and professional caregivers around the world. Today, RIE is an international non-profit agency that teaches, supports, and  mentors parents and professionals, offering a variety of classes, training programs,  workshops, conferences, and mentoring opportunities both in person and on-line that  support adults and babies in their lives together.

The RIE organization today is made up of two staff members, including Program  Manager and Office Assistant in addition to the CEO. Board members, Associates and  passionate volunteers populate a variety of key functional committees, including  professional development, program, marketing, and finance. There are 65 Associates in  locations throughout the United States and Canada, Australia/New Zealand and East  Asia. RIE has two physical locations in Hollywood and Pasadena where classes take  place. In addition, it has a growing number of local “chapters” of Associates in key areas  outside Los Angeles, including Minnesota, Seattle, San Francisco and New Zealand.  Those not familiar with RIE will be asked to take RIE courses in order to gain familiarity  with the approach.

Compensation 

This position offers the ability to have significant impact leading and growing an  important non-profit organization that pioneered the field of infant-toddler care. This opportunity offers a competitive starting base salary, commensurate with skills and/or experience, a benefits package, and a team-oriented atmosphere that is both positive and rewarding. $90,000 - $110,000. 

How to Apply

For immediate consideration, please send your resume along with a cover letter  expressing why you are interested in this position in a Word document to Christina.Suter@RIE.org with the subject: RIE CEO Search. Review of applications will begin immediately. This position is located in Los Angeles. There is an internal candidate applying.