New York, NY

The Organization

Background

Women’s City Club of New York, established in 1915, is a nonprofit, non-partisan, multi-issue membership organization dedicated to improving the lives of all New Yorkers. Early members included Frances Perkins, a New York City labor leader and later the first female cabinet member as FDR’s Secretary of Labor; Ida Tarbell, legendary muckraking journalist; Alice Duer Miller, a novelist and screenwriter and WCC’s first president; Eleanor Roosevelt, then first lady of New York State; and Virginia Gildersleeve, World War II WAVES commander and dean of Barnard College. Today, WCC has about 400 members, spanning age, ethnicity and the five boroughs and beyond.

The founders had a great purpose in mind: “to consider various political problems…and to offer practical methods by which women may initiate, support, or oppose municipal movements.” They wasted no time in tackling complex problems, such as abuse of women in sweatshops, intolerable tenement living conditions and the failures of our free society to provide equal opportunities for all.

Every day, WCC continues to promote civic engagement, activism and leadership to remove the public policy barriers that limit opportunities for New Yorkers. WCC continues to advocate for economic, gender, and racial justice so that all New Yorkers can achieve economic stability, enjoy equal opportunity, and live in safe and secure communities. Through member-led and staff-supported Task Forces, WCC members conduct research, publish reports, foster dialogue with public officials, launch public education and advocacy campaigns, and promote civic engagement. WCC’s seven areas of focus are criminal justice, the environment, good government, health, housing and homelessness, income inequality and public education.

For more information about the Women’s City Club of New York, please visit their website at www.wccny.org.

Position Overview

The Executive Director provides leadership to position the WCC at the forefront of policy analysis and advocacy in New York City. Working with WCC’s Board, the Executive Director will develop and implement a vision and execute board-approved ideas. The Executive Director will have responsibility for WCC’s staff, programs, expansion and execution of its mission and will provide leadership, direction and guidance for WCC’s activities. She/he will represent WCC to legislative and regulatory bodies, community and civic organizations, donors, funders, members and the general public. The Executive Director reports to the Board President.

At this exciting juncture in WCC’s history, The Executive Director, with the Board, will have the opportunity to fulfill the goals of a recent bequest to develop innovative programs for women and girls. Working with the Board, she/he will also lead a strategic planning effort resulting in clarifying WCC’s mission, continuing the transition from a volunteer-driven organization to one that is professionally led. The strategic plan will address the need to increase the membership by attracting multi- generational members whose involvement and leadership will be vital to the future of the organization.

To accomplish the above we seek an entrepreneurial, forward thinking, innovative and growth-oriented executive who will serve as the face of WCC and bring her/his leadership and management skills to the organization ensuring WCC’s place as a go-to agency for issues important to New Yorkers.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Management/Administration

· Provide leadership and direction to staff, and ensure the continued development and management of a professional and efficient organization to include effective decision-making processes that will enable WCC to achieve its long and short-term goals and objectives

· Set clear priorities, delegate and guide investment in people and systems

· Effectively recruit, train, motivate and manage the human resources of the organization through effective goal setting, delegation and communication

· Implement and maintain a performance management and improvement system, regularly reviewing personnel performance and providing feedback to the Human Resources Committee

· Ensure the provision of high quality services in compliance with funding source requirements

· Delegate and provide oversight of web site maintenance, related web-based initiatives, WCC archives and historic information as well as ensure that information technology is up to date and meets organization’s needs

Revenue Development/Membership

· With the Development Committee of the Board, develop and implement a long-term plan to significantly increase gift and fund-raising revenues from individuals and foundations

· Play a key role in donor relationships and in one-on-one donor solicitation; support, prepare and strategically deploy key board members with potential donors, both existing and new prospects

· Instill in all staff the importance of fund raising in their dealings with outside constituents and oversee them in timely submission of grant applications and reports to funders

· Design, organize, and implement programs for increasing, recruiting, and retaining membership as well as developing, supporting, and managing membership initiatives

Planning/Advocacy

· Collaborate with the Board on a plan to define, clarify and articulate WCC’s vision and mission; develop strategies for achieving that goal

· As part of a strategic plan, and with the Board’s participation, consider ideas for creating and implementing programs for the bequest dedicated to innovative programs for women and girls

· Create annual operating plans that support the strategic direction set by the Board and that correlate with annual operating budgets

· Direct and provide staff support for programs and projects, including written reports, materials, testimony as well as public policy positions for Board approval

· In collaboration with Board Task Forces, conceive and implement joint projects with other NYC organizations

Board Relations

· Cultivate a strong and transparent relationship with the Board and ensure open communication regarding the measurement of financial, programmatic and policy goals, against agreed-upon milestones

· In partnership with the Board President and Nominating Committee, help build a diverse and inclusive Board that is highly engaged and willing to leverage and secure resources

· Assist in developing future leadership within the organization

Financial

· Work with Treasurer/Finance Committee and financial manager to develop annual budgets that support operating plans and prudently manage WCC’s resources within budgetary guidelines.

· Work with the Treasurer and financial manager to, ensure the accuracy, integrity, and timeliness of all financial accounting and reporting in compliance with auditor-mandated policies and practices

· Provide prompt, thorough and accurate information to keep the Board appropriately informed of the organization’s financial position

Communications and Public Relations

· Serve as primary spokesperson for WCC assuring that its mission and programs are consistently presented in a strong and positive way to wide-ranging constituencies, including government, peer organizations, funders, the media, members, and the public

· In collaboration with the Board, develop and implement a communications plan to support achievement of organizational objectives (website strategy, membership, engagement, brand building, etc.)

· Maintain and increase WCC’s presence on social media platforms including Facebook, Linked-In, Twitter, Instagram and other relevant platforms

Program Development and Effectiveness

· Oversee design, delivery and quality of programs ensuring that all projects are fundable and marketable with measurable results

· Keep abreast of current trends regarding WCC’s programs and anticipate future trends that are likely to have an impact on its work

· Collect and analyze information that measures success of program efforts; refines or changes programs in response to that information

· Provide oversight to program committees and task forces in developing concepts for innovative programs for women and children as well as other programs that might appeal to the changing demographic of members

QUALIFICATIONS

Professional

· Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree highly desirable

· A minimum of 7 years of leadership experience including at senior level with a non-profit organization, public agency, membership association or as a successful leader with business experience and a highly transferable skill set

· Proven evidence of strong managerial and administrative skills resulting in the efficient management of an agency or multiple programs

· Track record of motivating, leading, managing and delegating responsibilities to a skilled staff and evidence of success in recruiting and retaining mid and senior level employees

· Proven track record in fundraising, with experience in identifying, cultivating, and securing support from foundations, major donors, and other individuals

· Financial acumen, budget oversight and problem solving skills which support and enable sound decision making

· Facility in public speaking and public relations with proven excellence in effective oral and written communication

· Good listening and communication skills with an ability to distill information and communicate it to various audiences working collaboratively with the Board, task forces, and members to harness their skills and energy

· Success working with an active membership, with the leadership skills to engage and inspire and the self-confidence to allow others to take initiative where appropriate

· Knowledge and experience in one or more of WCC’s program areas with background in advocacy and connection with New York City leaders being a plus

· Comfort level with social media and how to use it to brand WCC to further its visibility within New York City

Personal

· Commitment to ensuring that WCC is the go-to organization for New Yorkers looking for stimulating content in its various program areas

· Strong emotional intelligence with ability to delegate and to give credit to others for successful achievements

· Visionary leader, strategic thinker and problem solver who is skilled in multi-tasking and prioritizing output and who has unquestioned integrity and values

· Intentional listening and communication skills with ability to interact interpersonally at all levels

· Competent, creative, collaborative, client-centered, charismatic and confident

· Empathetic, entrepreneurial, energetic , flexible, diplomatic, innovative and patient