Executive Director

Water Walkers

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Job Summary

Organization Background

Are you passionate about serving underprivileged people?  Do you want your daily job to make a significant, tangible impact on the lives of an entire community, and eventually a city or multiple cities?  Do you want to play a pivotal role in the sustainable growth of a young, unique nonprofit that is like no other program in the region?

Water Walkers, a 501(c)(3) non-profit based in Nashville, Tennessee, is seeking an Executive Director to help expand its mission of providing a watersports-based youth education and mentoring program in the underserved and vulnerable Edgehill neighborhood.

Job Summary/Scope of Work

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will provide strategic leadership, vision, and direction to advance Water Walkers’ mission and impact in Nashville. In alignment with the organization’s mission and goals, the ideal candidate must have proven success in fundraising and/or sales and relationship management. The Executive Director is responsible for representing the organization to the public, leading organizational development and strategic planning, optimizing financial performance, overseeing program delivery and impact evaluation, overseeing staff, and building donor, funder, and other stakeholder relationships. 

Job Responsibilities

Organization Mission & Operations 

• Effective administration of Water Walkers’ operations and programs in carrying out our mission
• Utilizing strategic planning to ensure that Water Walkers can continue to fulfill its mission into the future
• Hiring, leading, coaching, developing, and retaining competent, qualified, passionate staff
• Developing and ensuring compliance with organization guidelines, policies, and procedures for all functions and day-to-day operations of Water Walkers
• Establishing and maintaining relationships with various organizations and stakeholders and utilizing those relationships to strategically enhance Water Walkers’ mission
• The enhancement of Water Walkers’ image by being active and visible in the community and using that external presence to bring in new opportunities
• Ensuring Water Walkers can effectively monitor, evaluate, and communicate impact
• Ensuring that the organization can learn from the data it collects, improve program delivery, and be more effective in its mission
• Actively engaging and energizing Water Walkers’ volunteers, board members, participants, and partners
• Reviewing and approving all contracts for services

Financial Performance & Viability 

• Fundraising and developing other revenue streams necessary to support Water Walkers’ mission and long-term sustainability including grant writing

• Maintaining the fiscal integrity of Water Walkers, including submitting a proposed annual budget and monthly financial statements that accurately reflect the financial condition of the organization  to the Board

• Operating within the approved budget, ensuring maximum resource utilization, and maintaining the organization’s positive financial position

Brand Ambassador 

• Oversee the execution of Water Walkers communications vision and strategy in order to increase visibility and support
• Serve as Water Walkers’ primary spokesperson to the organization’s constituents, the media, and the general public

Board Governance 

• Report to and work closely with the Board of Directors to seek their involvement in policy decisions, fundraising, and to increase the overall visibility of the organization

• Communicate effectively with the Board and provide, in a timely and accurate manner, all information necessary for the Board to function properly and to make informed decisions

Qualifications

Primary Qualifications

• Passion and commitment to the mission, vision, and values of Water Walkers
• Preferred background in nonprofit major gift fundraising, annual giving and events, knowledge of the funding community, experience generating new revenue streams, grant writing, and demonstrated financial results preferred
• Experience or a passion to work and relate with children and their families 
• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent with three to five years of demonstrated experience or equivalent in related field preferred 
• Exceptional communication skills including organizational, written, and verbal 
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills, ability to work effectively and build relationships with a wide range of people including our kids, families, major donors, board members, corporate, foundation and other nonprofit representatives
• Strong financial management skills, including budget preparation, analysis, decision making, and reporting
• Ability to envision and convey the organization’s strategic future
• Transparent and high integrity leadership
• Ability  to multitask, meet deadlines, and achieve results in a self-starter environment 
• Excellent management abilities, including the ability to confidently supervise and effectively delegate
• Ability to work from home while staying connected to and leading a distributed team
• A resident of Nashville with extensive community knowledge and relationships prefered
• All candidates must successfully pass a state/federal background check before hire

Additional Information

Benefits

How to Apply

Submit letter of interest and desired salary with resume to jobs@waterwalkerstn.org.

Details

• Date Posted: June 16, 2021
• Type: Part-Time
• Job Function: Executive Leadership
• Service Area: Children / Youth
• Working Hours: 20 hrs/wk