Executive Director

Position Overview

The Executive Director (ED) will partner with the Board and staff to advance YWCA’s mission, set the agency vision through values-based leadership, strategic fundraising, and operational excellence. The ED is responsible for ensuring fiscal sustainability, overseeing effective program delivery, promoting employee wellness, and representing YWCA at local, regional, and national levels including YWCA USA.

YWCA is on a Mission

YWCA is on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. For more than 120 years, YWCA of Greater Portland has invested in our community, supported survivors, and advocated for the most vulnerable among us: women, children, seniors, the unhoused, and the incarcerated. As one of 200 Associations nationwide, we are proud members of YWCA USA, one of the oldest and largest women's organizations in the nation.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic leadership

• Drive YWCA’s mission through the strategic implementation of programs and projects.
• Collaborate with the Board to develop a strategic plan informed by staff, community, and partner input.
• Lead the creation of an annual work plan aligned with the strategic plan and budget, fostering a collaborative and transparent process.
• Champion values-driven social justice initiatives within the organization.

Board engagement

• Proactively engage the Board of Directors in governance, development, and policy initiatives, working collaboratively to ensure the fiscal health of the organization.
• Ensure Board meets annual attendance, contribution, and training requirements.
• Foster Board understanding of YWCA’s work and support Board development.
• Provide transparent, accurate, and timely financial reports and statements to the Board, ensuring they have a clear understanding of the organization’s financial status.
• Provide opportunities for the Board of Directors to increase understanding of YWCA’s complex work
• Facilitate Annual Reflection process with a subset of the Board of Directors to assess the Executive Director’s performance and ensure meaningful supervision and support.

Mission-driven programs and values-based operations

• Ensure that YWCA culture and values are upheld in all aspects of service delivery, projects, events, and activities.
• Collaborate with directors, managers, and other agency leadership to ensure consistent, responsive, and high-quality programming and set strategic priorities and agency-wide policies.
• Manage contracts and gifts in compliance and to budget.
• Design and implement Succession Plan for all critical Agency functions including Transparent Operations best practices (SOPs, Governance and Programmatic Calendars, etc.).
• Maintain responsible membership with YWCA USA including compliance with national membership requirements; take advantage of advocacy, funding, partnership, and training opportunities; facilitate Agency participation in regional meetings and national conferences, affinity groups, and task forces.
• Develop and implement an annual budget and monitoring process including monthly reconciliation, financial reports, audit, and YWCA USA Healthy Associations assessment.
• Develop and implement revenue plans that are ambitious yet realistic and include a blend of diverse sources of revenue including grants, individual giving, social enterprise, and others. Fundraising will be a critical focus, and success in generating new revenue streams will be tied directly to the sustainability and growth of YWCA's programs and services.
• Assess and mitigate risks, threats, and challenges to operations.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant regulations and laws, maintain accountability standards, and code of ethical principles and standards of professional conduct.

Fundraising and financial sustainability

• Major fundraising focus
  • Lead efforts to significantly grow YWCA’s revenue by expanding the donor base, securing new grants, and building diverse funding streams, including individual giving and social enterprise.
  • Establish clear, measurable fundraising metrics and achieve goals that support long-term financial stability.
  • Develop and implement sustainable revenue plans that align with YWCA’s mission and programs.
• Financial oversight
  • Lead efforts to significantly grow YWCA’s revenue by expanding the donor base, securing new grants, and building diverse funding streams, including individual giving and social enterprise.
  • Establish clear, measurable fundraising metrics and achieve goals that support long-term financial stability.
  • Develop and implement sustainable revenue plans that align with YWCA’s mission and programs.

Staff development and wellness

• Develop a high-functioning and connected team through steady and supportive leadership; implement Inclusive Talent Management best practices throughout the entire employee lifecycle.
• Nurture a positive, productive, and psychologically safe culture focused on meaningful relationships, commitment to mission and values, collaborative development and participation, continuous learning / failing forward, and calling in.
• Design and implement equitable and transparent Employee Compensation and Wellness Structure; facilitate Annual Reflection process to formally assess work accountability and wellness Agency-wide.
• Provide consistent, supportive supervision, including goal setting and professional development.
• Facilitate rich meaningful team meetings (All Staff, Executive Team, Leadership Team, Supportive Supervision Team, Audit and Compliance Team, Housing Management Coordination Team) that maximize opportunities for teamwork, transparency, recognition, and celebration.

Advocacy and external affairs

• Represent agency and develop external partnerships to advance YWCA’s goals and strengthen system-wide effectiveness.
• Advocate for mission-aligned funding and policies at all levels of government.

Participatory teamwork and responsible representation

• Engage consistently in anti-racism and social justice practices and approaches with internal and external work based on a deep understanding of historic and ongoing structural racism.
• Maintain all required training and certification plus 12 hours of YWCA Social Justice Training annually.
• Responsibly represent YWCA in the community, with community partners and other collaborators.
• Uphold YWCA of Greater Portland’s mission, vision, and values by acting with integrity, accountability, and responsibility toward community-based projects, fellow employees, volunteers, donors, and everyone the organization engages.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

The Ideal Candidate

• Commits to eliminating racism and empowering women, strives for equity in all aspects of their work, and has a strong understanding of trauma-informed principles and practices.
• Communicates clearly, consistently, and kindly with agency partners, and colleagues, and responds in a timely, compassionate, and appropriate way to multiple partners.
• Manages a complicated and frequently deadline-driven work environment with consistent and effective self-care strategies and techniques.
• Advocates for social justice, including furthering the rights, protections, access to safety, and empowerment of historically oppressed, under-represented, and/or marginalized communities.
• Regulates personal emotions and practices self-care while enduring moderate amounts of stress and vicarious trauma.
• Brings an intersectional lens to the work that focuses on lived experience, resiliency, and opportunities for calling in and deeper learning.

Skills, Knowledge, & Experience

• Required: 40-hour Domestic Violence Certification (provided upon hire).
• Experience: Minimum five years progressive management experience plus five years of experience leading a similarly complex organization.
• Proven track record in fundraising, securing major gifts, and developing diversified funding strategies to ensure the financial growth and sustainability of a nonprofit organization.
• Demonstrated culturally responsive communication skills (both written and spoken)
• Computer skills including working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, and virtual meeting tools.
• Ability to work independently and be self-motivated.
• Ability to organize, prioritize and complete multiple and varied tasks.
• Desire to actively participate in self-reflection, continued education, and professional development.
• Ability to build rapport with people from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds; consistently treat others with respect and dignity.
• Ability and willingness to work as a team member and support the mission and goals of YWCA of Greater Portland.
• Bilingual and cross-cultural knowledge, experience, and skills a plus.

Job Conditions

• Primarily remote position in Portland Metro Region that requires in-person meetings with colleagues and other partners at varied community locations.
• Must be able to provide own transportation. Travel is reimbursed.
• Laptop, phone, and other materials as needed will be supplied.

Benefits

• Industry standard medical, vision, and dental insurance coverage.
• Paid time off and nationally recognized holidays.
• Social Justice Trainings (see org).
• Industry standard pension plan after 2 years of service in the YWCA Retirement Fund, one of the oldest pension plans in the country; a 403(b) Retirement Savings plan is available to all new employees.
• Membership in the YWCA USA sisterhood, a 160-year-old network of 200 associations worldwide.

Our Hiring Philosophy

We believe that a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace makes us stronger, more creative, and more resilient. As an organization that works to amplify the voices of those from different ethnic, racial, and cultural communities, religions, gender identities, sexual orientations and/or expressions, we highly encourage people from all backgrounds, ages, abilities, and experiences to apply.

YWCA of Greater Portland is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital or family status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, pregnancy or caregiver status, veteran status, justice-involved background, or any other legally protected status. We work to ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to participate in the job application and interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.

YWCA is on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. Multicultural, multilingual, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ voices matter to us. We encourage everyone who is passionate about our mission and who can bring valuable lived experience to this position to apply, even if you don't believe you meet all the described qualifications. YWCA will not hire someone currently receiving services or within the first 6 months of ending YWCA services. YWCA cannot provide services to our own employees, but can provide referrals to other agencies.

Please note that proof of COVID-19 vaccination is a requirement for all employees.

Application Instructions

Application reviews for this position will begin on 11/4/24. Interviews will be conducted between 11/11/24 – 12/15/24. To apply, please email the following materials to employment@ywcapdx.org:

• Cover letter that highlights what inspires you about our mission and how your personal and / or professional experience will strengthen YWCA and support our organization
• Resume
• 3 to 5 references

A single PDF file is preferred. Only complete applications will be considered.