Executive Director

African Services Committee

African Services Committee is a New York City-based service organization whose mission is to improve the health and self-sufficiency of the African community through provision of direct health, housing, social and legal services, and immigration advocacy and policy work benefiting refugees and immigrants from the larger African Diaspora in New York City.

Position Summary

African Services Committee is seeking an Executive Director to lead the organization into its next phase, setting strategic priorities and initiatives that reflect current and developing needs of the African Diaspora in New York in the current environment. We are looking for an individual to add their innovative and unique imprint to the organization while bringing a solid foundation in both program management and fundraising.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is an accomplished organizational manager who can combine day-to-day operations with overarching strategic goals. They have a demonstrable passion for the organization’s mission, with education and meaningful work experience in the areas of human and civil rights, public health, medical health, immigration, public policy or a related field. They will have a strong appetite for setting and reaching fundraising goals both on an institutional and private philanthropy level, and an ease with financial statements and budgets. They must be an advocate – for the organization, the clients it serves and the community it fosters.

The successful candidate will be able to relate, speak and lead across cultures, hierarchies and individual needs. They will feel as comfortable in all of these situations: speaking on stage at a conference, developing partnerships with high net worth individuals, and assisting a client who arrives on our doorstep with nowhere else to turn. They will have a special combination of confidence and compassion that inspires what we do on both an advocacy/policy level and directly for people in need.

This individual will be a high-integrity leader whose values align with those of African Services Committee. This executive will be able to communicate a strong vision and strategy, manage deadlines and execute a realistic action plan. The next Executive Director will be a purpose driven hard-working leader who is excited to innovate the next generation of an established and critical organization in New York’s landscape.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Vision and Execution

• In partnership with the Board and staff, lead the development of a strategic vision aligned with ASC’s mission

Grants Management

• Track and generate performance and budgets for ongoing grant activities
• Meeting and developing relationships with funders and contracting agencies
• Managing deliverables responsive to grant requirements and deadlines
• Hosting funder site visits

Fundraising

• Set approach and goals to cultivate donors and grant opportunities
• Maintain and further develop existing relationships with funders, government agencies and donors
• Identify and work with staff to apply for grant opportunities

Program and Operations Oversight

• Oversee services programs, advocacy campaigns, fiscal affairs, human resources, grants management
• Lead regular staff and management meetings
• With program directors, set and track program goals and track deliverables

Fiscal Management

• Oversee the financial health of the organization, ensuring that budgeting, forecasting and cash flow analyses inform financial decision-making and enable ASC to achieve ongoing financial viability and operational efficiency.

Real Estate and Facilities Management

• Provide direction for development and sustainability of the physical space, property, and other capital assets
• Oversee any future construction/renovation, work with lenders, funders, architects, and contractors
• Along with outside counsel, negotiate lease renewals or alternatively, conduct real estate search for office space

Board Relations and Development

• Work with Board to monitor direction of programming, agency policies, develop annual budgets, and manage fundraising campaigns for the agency
• Activate the Board on key initiatives by keeping them apprised of organizational needs and strategic direction
• Serve as primary liaison between Board and staff
• Report quarterly to Board of Directors meetings

Partnerships and Linkages

• Develop linkages and collaboration with other service providers in order to best serve clients
• Create and support partnerships not only on the provision of services for clients, but for the provision of in kind and financial resources

Thought & Community Leadership

• Represent organization at public hearings, forums, meetings with elected officials, funders, and other policymakers
• Oversee direction of all publicity and media development

People Leadership

• Set hiring priorities and oversee staff management to promote equitable and effective working environment
• Ensure the culture is inclusive and a diverse staff is motivated and capable of carrying out the mission of the organization effectively
• Cultivate and maintain an environment of trust and openness
• Oversee annual staff performance evaluations
• Help coach the team to success and manage performance as required

Direct Reports

• • Director of Program Operations
  • Chief Administrative Officer
  • Finance Director
  • Communications Director
  • Director of Advocacy
  • Grant-Writing Consultant
  • Other consultants as may be contracted for agency projects

Desired Qualifications & Core Competencies

Education

• Master’s degree or a strong record of leading an organization or department with similar budget and staff numbers.

Prior Work Experience

• Possess at least 8 years of professional work experience in progressively responsible leadership roles including but not limited to leadership roles in the following areas: legal, non-profit, public health, real estate, direct client services.

Fundraising/Grant Writing

• Possess demonstrated success in fundraising strategies across major donors, grant applications, special events, etc.

Training

• Board development, personnel policies and procedures, meeting facilitation skills, improving supervisory and management skills

Cultural Competency

• Be able to relate and/or serve the client base and other local, national and international stakeholders.

Language Proficiency

• Strong preference for someone bilingual in English and at least one other major language

Some national travel and occasional international travel is required

Salary: $160,000

African Services Committee is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, or current employment status. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply.