Executive Director

Our Client, the Humane Society for Boone County, is seeking its next Executive Director.

Position Summary: The Executive Director for the Humane Society for Boone County (HSforBC) is a successful self-starter who assesses organizational needs, develops and implements strategic plans across the agency, and manages programs and financials while overseeing fundraising efforts by the Development Director.

This role supervises employees and volunteers, represents our organization in public, and continues to build a world-class animal welfare agency. Above all, they share the organization's commitment to save all animals served and practices compassionate euthanasia if, and only if, all other options have been exhausted.

The Executive Director supports the organization's mission, vision, and values and implements strategic plans to realize organizational objectives.

This full-time salaried position offers flexible daytime hours, Monday through Friday. Occasional weekend or evening hours are required, including emergency animal welfare situations and attending our monthly board meetings.

Key Responsibilities

Established in 2007, the Humane Society for Boone County opened a facility in 2018 and, as of 2020, manages a $250,000 annual budget through the hard work of 100+ dedicated volunteers.

This position is responsible for managing the organization's policy, communication, supervision, and procedural issues.

Many duties are common to most nonprofits: uphold our mission, promote our goals and advise and report to our Board of Directors; plan, organize, manage, and supervise all aspects of operations at the HSforBC as established by our Board of Directors and its policies; and serve as a dynamic liaison between our Board, shelter employees/volunteers, the community-at-large, our customers and the animals we help.

Specific to our agency, the Executive Director will directly collaborate with the volunteer manager to supervise volunteers who have primary responsibility for daily operations. They will be responsible for daily supervision of all employees and their responsibilities. The ED will ensure tasks are accomplished even when volunteers or employees fail to do so. They will continue to build a state-of-the-art, best-practice humane society culture that upholds organizational values and promotes transparency and collaboration throughout the organization.

Specifically, the Executive Director will:

Finances and Fundraising

• Oversee the organization's financial management in partnership with the board treasurer, ensuring that the organization is financially sound and operating with financial prudence for long-term sustainability.
• Create and manage an annual budget, both capital and programmatic
• Manage daily finances and monthly reporting, coordinating this work with our board treasurer and/or contracted bookkeeping.
• Ensure that financial reports are accurate and provided to the Board of Directors monthly, working with the board treasurer to provide detailed financial analysis and reporting variances as needed.
• Provide oversight to the Development Director in their comprehensive fundraising efforts, including development strategy, priorities, and donor cultivation and maintenance.
• The Development Director ensures that the organization raises enough funds to meet its annual goals and expand its mission reach and impact, monitoring progress toward fundraising goals and adjusting as needed.
• Collaborate with the Board of Directors and other stakeholders to identify opportunities for revenue growth and cost savings while also ensuring that the organization remains financially stable and sustainable for the long term.
• Provide leadership and direction to staff and volunteers involved in fundraising and development activities, ensuring that all efforts are aligned with the organization's goals and priorities.

Employees and Volunteers

• With our Board's risk management committee, refine and consistently execute employee and volunteer policies.
• Hire, train, supervise, set goals with, and annually evaluate all employees.
• Provide regular, timely feedback to employees through ongoing coaching and formal performance evaluations to ensure that they meet performance expectations and grow in their roles. Ensure that employees are fulfilling their roles effectively and work with them to identify opportunities for improvement and growth.
• Develop and implement staff development plans to support each team member's ongoing growth and professional development.
• Directly supervise employees, including Volunteer Program Manager, Facility Manager, and Development Director.
• Partner with volunteer manager to supervise volunteer team leads.
• Serving as a servant leader to the organization's employees, providing guidance, motivation, and support to help them succeed.
• Foster a positive work environment and promote teamwork and collaboration, encouraging employees and volunteers to contribute their unique perspectives and talents.
• Model and promote the organization's values and culture, setting a high standard for ethical and effective behavior in all interactions.

Public Engagement

• Actively build, coordinate, and evaluate strategic partnerships, including Animal Control, city/county councils, elected officials, local veterinarians, pet supply stores, and any entity co-existing on shelter property.
• Represent the organization at social and public community events in ways that strengthen the brand and provide consistent, timely, and informative communications that align with the organization's mission and vision.
• In cooperation with volunteers and employees, create a plan for and coordinate a cost-effective, county-wide humane education strategy.
• Provide Development Director oversight in developing and coordinating an effective marketing and communication strategy that, at minimum, includes relationships with media outlets and reporters, social media posts, newsletters, and press releases.
• Coordinate volunteers to manage and schedule receipt of physical donations at the facility. Ensure the agency receives useful donations OR declines offers of donated goods OR diverts donations to others.

Operational and Program Quality

• Working with volunteers ensures all animals' mental and physical health, well-being, and successful placement in our care.
• Create and oversee the execution of organizational policies; recommend policies to the Board that reduce potential organizational risk and identify opportunities to ensure our mission's long-term viability and success.
• Create and oversee operational procedures that encompass best practices.
• Develop and implement a strategic program planning process to identify and execute programs that align with the organization's mission and goals, working closely with employees, volunteers, and other stakeholders to ensure that programs are effective, efficient, and meet the needs of the organization's constituents.
• Manage the day-to-day operation of programs, working with employees and volunteers to ensure that programs are executed with excellence and have the greatest impact on the organization's mission.
• Evaluate program outcomes on an ongoing basis, using data and feedback from stakeholders to adjust and make improvements as needed.
• Expand programs and services as appropriate to fulfill the organization's mission, working with the Board of Directors and other stakeholders to identify opportunities for growth and innovation.
• Ensure that programs are implemented in accordance with all relevant regulations and guidelines, maintaining compliance with legal and ethical standards.
• Promote the organization's programs and services to key stakeholders to increase awareness and support for the organization's mission.
• Based on strategic and annual goals, establish quarterly benchmarks for quality and quantity based on industry standards and discuss findings with the Board; annually evaluate all programs and services.
• Using existing agency platforms, establish a consistent data collection system for all areas of operations.
• Ensure all software and platform subscriptions are optimally used by employees and volunteers (e.g., timely inputs of donations, adoptions, and animal-related information); per Board policies, ensure all paperwork and records are maintained, forwarded, and updated.
• Maintain regular open hours to the public; post on the website and communicate widely; ensure our customer experience is positive, consistent, and professional.
• Oversee facility and property maintenance, repairs, and long-term capital needs (e.g., expanded facilities, capital campaigns to replace and repair large expenses.)

Board and Organizational Goals

• Collaborate with the Board of Directors to ensure the organization fulfills its mission.
• Establish a positive working relationship with the Board as a body; create clearly defined boundaries re: the Executive Director's responsibility over daily operations, supervision, and annual goals and the Board's broader strategic responsibility to ensure adequate resources, policies, connections, and support.
• Work with the Board of Directors and employees to develop and implement the organization's strategic plan.
• Conduct regular assessments of the organization's performance and adjust the strategic plan as needed.
• Identify opportunities for growth and expansion and develop plans to pursue them.
• Ensure that the organization's programs and activities align with its strategic plan, mission, and values. Provide regular reports as required by the Board Chair (e.g., shelter statistics, progress on goals, announcements).
• Attend Board and Executive Committee meetings; bring major issues or questions to the board or committee for its consideration or guidance; recommend policies; answer questions re. submitted reports (Executive Director & financial).
• Forward names of quality candidates to the Board's recruitment committee and any committee chairs.

Skills, Education, and Job Requirements

Skills

• Excitement about our mission and a service orientation.
• Demonstrated ability to manage programs, including planning, prioritizing, managing time, meeting deadlines, and managing multiple projects at one time.
• Excellent and compelling written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated problem-solving and resourcefulness skills that are proactive, creative, and quick.
• Attention to detail and a penchant for quality.
• Patience, resilience, and a sense of humor in times of re-alignment and change.
• Demonstrated ability to influence others to complete duties and approach work in a positive manner.
• Excellent listening skills and ability to receive constructive criticism.
• A natural inclination to create community and interact well with diverse volunteers and the public.
• Professional, calm communication skills, demonstrating emotional intelligence, positive customer service, and an upbeat team-oriented attitude, especially in high-stress moments.
• Ability to lead professional, compassionate, honest conversations.
• Comfortable asking why questions and holding everyone accountable for policies, procedures, and benchmarks.

Education and Experience

• Minimum associate degree in animal welfare, nonprofit, education, business, or finance (required).
• Proven experience as a self-starter, motivated, and self-directed (required).
• 3-5 years of leadership over successful fundraising activities, including but beyond events (required).
• 1+ years of staff supervision experience (required).
• 2-4 years of program management (required).
• Senior or executive level experience (preferred).
• 1+ years working in or volunteering at an animal welfare organization (preferred).
• 2-4 years managing volunteers (preferred).
• Certificate in Fundraising Management, Certificate in Fundraising Leadership, or related coursework (preferred).
• 1+ years serving on a well-functioning Board or working with a well-functioning Board (preferred).

Work Environment

• Primary duties completed at our shelter (or property).
• HSforBC uses Microsoft products and online platforms (for the clinic, volunteer management, and fundraising).
• Must have a mobile phone with unlimited text service.
• Must be physically able to lift a minimum of 15 pounds.
• Must have a reliable mode of transportation.

Compensation

• $60,000 Base Salary - paid in bi-weekly installments.
• Bonus Plan - based on meeting or exceeding donor/sponsorship goals.

Benefits

• Health Allowance; PTO; Simple IRA, and more included