Executive Director

Project Transformation Tennessee

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Job Summary

About Project Transformation: At Project Transformation Tennessee, we envision a world that is rooted in love, pursues the equity of all people, and amplifies God’s call on every life.

We believe that transformation, both individual and communal, happens through mutual relationships. At PT Tennessee, community transformation is about the restoration of relationships with God and neighbor. In an increasingly isolated and disconnected society, PT Tennessee creates connection — to neighbor, to God, and to ourselves– that transcends racial, socioeconomic, and generational boundaries. Transformation happens through relationships.

Based on a model founded in 1998 in Dallas, Texas, Project Transformation Tennessee launched its first summer program in 2012. Project Transformation ignites the potential of young people by engaging children, college-age young adults, and churches in transformational, mutual relationships.

What inspires our mission is what we call Project Transformation’s “three C’s.”

• Children: Our summer and afterschool programs serve children who live in under-resourced neighborhoods by providing literacy and holistic programming to engage the mind, body and spirit.
• College-age Young Adults: Planning and leading these programs are our college-age young adult interns, who serve as mentors and role models to our children. All the while, they are developing as principled Christian leaders and exploring various ministry-related vocations.
• Churches: We partner strategically with churches in changing neighborhoods to provide safe spaces to cement new relationships that invest both in our young people and our community.

Children – College-age young adults – Churches. This is a win-win-win formula, but relationships are at the heart of everything we do. It is through relationships that communities are transformed.

Our mission is to transform communities by engaging children, college-age young adults, and churches in purposeful relationships.

Project Transformation Tennessee is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, an affiliated chapter of Project Transformation National. The success of Project Transformation in connecting young people, churches, and communities has become the model for an existing program in Oklahoma, San Antonio, Fort Worth, Indianapolis, Washington DC, Atlanta, Indiana, and Arkansas in addition to here in Tennessee.  Since its founding in 2012, Project Transformation Tennessee (https://projecttransformation.org/tennessee/) has served approximately 4,330 children and youth through the leadership of 378 young adults

Executive Director Position Summary: Reporting to the Board of Directors, you, as the Executive Director of Project Transformation Tennessee (“PT Tennessee”), will lead and direct the day-to-day management, enhancing organizational processes and infrastructure that will allow Project Transformation to continue to grow and fulfill its mission.  You will ensure that we are operating effectively and efficiently to meet our goals. You will be the face of Project Transformation Tennessee, providing vision and championing the mission internally and externally. You will possess a Christian leadership style that empowers staff and volunteers. You are the epitome of upholding the mission and values of PT, including maintaining and nurturing the Wesleyan Practice of Faith. The Executive Director will be responsible to lead the current staff of 10 employees, approximately 70 college interns, and more than 1,500 volunteers annually and will lead efforts to secure and manage a budget of $1.3 million.

Job Responsibilities

Your ability to connect purpose and passion are demonstrated through activities that align fundraising, brand awareness, budgeting, operational excellence, and programming. Your exceptional verbal and written communication skills are showcased through the various channels such as strategizing with the Board of Directors, representing PT Tennessee to create partnerships with community organizations, including schools, businesses, and churches, writing grants, and creating presentations to various audiences. You are the primary brand ambassador of PT Tennessee; it is critical that you develop, cultivate, and maintain relationships with donors, host churches, schools, volunteers, and staff. Your critical thinking skills will be invaluable as you discern priorities for the organization and support priorities through the deployment of talent and treasure.

To execute your responsibilities, you are comfortable managing competing priorities and providing thoughtful, well-reasoned guidance to nuanced circumstances, including managing long-term, strategic initiatives alongside day-to-day operations.

Your general responsibilities will include and not be limited to the following areas:

• Operations: Ensure that the organization is managed efficiently and effectively through its people, processes, and technology. You will need to balance big picture strategic vision with short-term operational execution. Your relational leadership inspires, empowers, and equips volunteers and staff to further PT’s mission.
• Organizational Culture: Promote an organizational culture that fosters passion for the mission, a common organizational understanding of goals, professionalism, innovation, change management, teamwork, and open communication.
• Fundraising: Cultivate new relationships to strengthen and diversify funding sources; maintain existing relationships with key donors: individuals, foundations, corporations, and faith communities.
• Brand Awareness and Partnership Building: Build brand strategy and drive community awareness. Build collaborative partnerships with schools, businesses and churches to further mission.
• Financial Management: Lead all aspects of financial management including budget preparation, as well as timely and accurate reporting.
• Board of Directors: Partner with the Board of Directors to develop and implement strategic and operational plans. Serve as liaison to the Board of Directors and provide support. Ensure that Board meetings and subcommittee meetings occur with regular cadence, in accordance with organizational bylaws. Ensure that meeting materials are clear and concise.
• Program Evaluation and Impact: Ensure ongoing programmatic excellence and missional impact. Oversee the adherence to organizational policies, including Safe Practice.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree required, plus Master’s Degree or five years of relevant work experience.
• Proven fundraising abilities
• Knowledge of youth development
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, diversity, and continued learning
• Comfort with using technology to work efficiently and creatively solve problems
• Flexibility for some regional travel and occasional evening or weekend meetings and events

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in a senior leadership role in a nonprofit or ministry setting
• Passion for the mission of PT:  to transform communities by engaging children, college-age young adults, and churches in purposeful relationships
• Experience managing, mentoring, or coaching staff, young adults, and/or volunteers
• Experience in education, social work, psychology, counseling, or ministry
• Excellent relationship builder
• Excellent communication, analytical, and organizational skills
• Experience or acumen in finances and budgeting
• Commitment to providing Christian leadership and upholding our Wesleyan Practice of Faith.

About the Team:

We are a small and mighty team that works together collaboratively in support of Project Transformation’s mission to transform communities by engaging children, college-age young adults, and churches in purposeful relationships. Our team members are problem solvers and self-starters who are organized, methodical, and detail-oriented. We work independently but depend on each other to be successful.

                             PT Tennessee Staff: https://projecttransformation.org/tennessee/about-us/staff

Core Values: https://projecttransformation.org/tennessee/about-us/core-values

Additional Information

Benefits

How to Apply

Project Transformation TN has retained the services of Thinking Ahead Executive Search.  Please submit your resume and expression of interest to:  Chris Spagnola at cspagnola@thinkingahead.com and Paula Vogt at pvogt@thinkingahead.com.

Project Transformation Tennessee is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to having traditionally marginalized, underrepresented voices at the center of our work. We welcome all individuals to apply and are eager to expand our organization to reflect the diversity of our community.

Details

• Date Posted: January 12, 2023
• Type: Full-Time
• Job Function: Executive Leadership
• Service Area: Children / Youth
• Salary Range: $80,000-$91,000 depending on experience