Position Profile

Position Filled

Durham’s Partnership for Children

www.dpfc.net

Executive Director

Durham, NC

The Organization

Durham’s Partnership for Children is a nonprofit organization that works to make sure children across Durham County arrive at school healthy and ready to succeed. Their mission is to mobilize and unify the Durham community to create and support innovative and successful collaborative approaches to serving the needs of children 0 to 5 years of age and their families. The ages of birth to five account for the most critical time in a child’s development. That’s why the Partnership works collaboratively throughout Durham County to identify the needs of young children and their families. The Partnership also designs and funds model programs to ensure children and their families have the resources they need. Our funded programs focus on early childhood education, child health care, early intervention, parenting education and family support.

Durham’s Partnership for Children is one of 76 local partnerships across North Carolina to administer Smart Start funds at the local level. Smart Start is North Carolina's nationally recognized and award-winning early childhood initiative designed to ensure that young children enter school healthy and ready to succeed. It is a public-private initiative that provides early education funding to all of North Carolina’s 100 counties through the network of local partnerships.

Durham’s Partnership for Children administers Durham County’s More at Four Pre-Kindergarten program, the Durham Early Head Start program, and works in collaboration with the early childhood professionals, Durham Public Schools, Operation Breakthrough Head Start, Child Care Services Association and the Department of Social Services Child Care Subsidy Program. The More at Four program operates in private classrooms, Durham Public Schools, and Head Start. There are 28 classrooms across Durham County with high quality statewide standards to meet to prepare children for kindergarten. The program is community-based, voluntary, and designed to prepare 4-year-olds for kindergarten. The program follows the Durham Public School calendar and runs 6.5 hours a day, 180 days a year. The Durham Early Head Start program provides full, comprehensive services to 120 English and Spanish-only speaking infants and toddlers (0-3) and pregnant women. The program utilizes both center-based and home-based service options, thus allowing the program the flexibility to meet the unique needs of children and families in Durham County.

The Area

Durham’s Partnership for Children is located in Durham, North Carolina. There is an estimated population of nearly 260,000 with approximately 24,000 children birth through 5 years of age. Durham’s racial makeup is 50.9% white, 39.5% black or African American. 7.63% of the population is Hispanic or Latino of any race. Durham County is, in many ways, a vivid study in contrasts. For example:

The median household income is $46,636 and yet nearly a quarter (22.9%) of children ages birth-5 are living in poverty (approximately $20,000 for a family four in 2006).
Approximately half of young children are living in low-income families (low income is defined as at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level).
34% of children are living with families where no parent had full-time, year round employment.

Flanked by Raleigh and Chapel Hill, the three cities form the internationally-known Research Triangle. Research Triangle Park is home to corporate giants and serves as the destination for many corporate relocations. The Triangle is one of the nation’s fastest growing areas, with a current total metro population of 1.3 million.

Situated in the beautiful rolling hills of North Carolina’s central piedmont, Durham lies a short drive from the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Atlantic coast beaches. The climate is mild with an average high of 88 degrees in mid-summer and 52 degrees in mid-winter. We boast an average of 220 sunny days every year!

Durham has tremendous resources where cultural and performing arts organizations such as the American Dance Festival, Durham Arts Council, Full Frame Film Festival, and the North Carolina Museum of Life and Science thrive. Featuring outstanding educational resources, the Triangle offers seventeen universities and colleges. Men’s and Women’s ACC basketball, professional Hockey and a Minor League baseball team, the Durham Bulls, all make their home in the Triangle.

For more information about Durham and the Triangle, visit http://triangle.citysearch.com/ and The Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau at www.durham-nc.com.

The Candidate

Durham’s Partnership for Children seeks an experienced nonprofit manager to serve as Executive Director. The Executive Director is responsible for the administration of the organization (DPFC), and reports to the Board of Directors. The Executive Director responds to the community needs of the Partnership and supervises a Finance Director, Program and Evaluation Director, Assistant Director, Operations Manager, More at Four Manager and other staff.

The Executive Director must be a strategic thinker and self-starter who weighs initiative with necessary collaboration. (S)He must be comfortable working with the community and speaking on behalf of the early childhood community. The successful candidate will be organized and professional, able to balance competing priorities, promote high quality expectations, and handle multiple tasks simultaneously. The individual must have strong management skills, with experience establishing goals and obtaining desired outcomes. Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills are required to interact with diverse audiences, including excellent writing and public speaking ability.

The Position

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Executive Director provides professional leadership for the Durham’s Partnership for Children’s activities including program coordination, personnel management, project evaluation and compliance with all state and federal rules and regulations regarding the Partnership’s financial and programmatic activities. The Executive Director is accountable to the Durham’s Partnership for Children Board of Directors for the proper management of the Partnership and will work closely with all Board-level committees to ensure the success of the Partnership’s programs including Smart Start, More at Four and Early Head Start.

Community Leadership:

Serve as a catalyst for and develop collaborative programs and services for Durham County’s young children and their families.
Build consensus and strengthen relationships with community organizations serving children age 0-5 and their families.
Create a place for Smart Start, More at Four and Early Head Start in new or existing collaborative efforts in Durham County.
Serve as the contact for all media and public inquiries regarding the Durham’s Partnership for Children. Actively seek out media opportunities to tell the Smart Start and More at Four “stories” in Durham County.
Keep the community informed of Partnership activities and achievements through adequate outreach and media coverage of Partnership events and achievements.
Make presentations with staff to local groups to communicate the Partnership’s goals and activities and to build public support for early childhood initiatives and intervention within the community.
Represent the Partnership in diverse settings such as industry and/or community associations and events.
Develop working relationships with private companies in Durham County to build private sector support for Durham’s Partnership for Children goals and activities.
Establish and maintain relationships with Durham County legislators to ensure accurate knowledge regarding Durham’s County Partnership for Children’s activities and achievements.
Follow the General Assembly’s activities regarding young children and work with other agencies within the county and state to represent the interest of young children.
Attend NCPC Executive Director meetings and participate in statewide planning and collaboration efforts.

General Management:

Effectively lead and manage all programmatic, financial, and personnel functions, including allocation of funding, contract management and monitoring, ensuring the local partnership’s accurate interpretation of and full compliance with NCPC, More at Four, Early Head Start and local policies, contract requirements, and governmental regulations for financial and programmatic data.
Plan, facilitate and direct the Partnership’s financial development efforts; develop and maintain relationships with potential and existing funders; identify potential funding opportunities and oversee preparation of materials.
Ensure compliance with laws and regulations and terms and conditions of contracts and grants affecting the Partnership; oversee vendor contracts; oversee operating budgets for adoption by the Board of Directors and prepare required reports to government agencies and funding sources.
Plan, develop, and maintain the Partnership budget within established guidelines, ensuring efficient utility of all staff, services, supplies and equipment.
Direct the efficient allocation and utilization of funding to ensure maximum outcomes for children.
Ensure proper expenditure of funds and maintain appropriate documentation of all expenditures to ensure adequate accountability.
Oversee reports for Board of Directors and its committees on actual vs. budgeted expenditures.
Manage preparation for audits and ensure that recommendations are fully implemented.
Manage multiple grants and ensure compliance with each funder’s requirements.
Monitor and evaluate service and financial status of all activities to ensure they meet required outcomes.

Personnel Management:

Work with the Board of Directors and/or its committees to establish proper personnel policies and procedures.
Hire and manage all Partnership staff.
Ensure proper compliance with all personnel policies and procedures.
Hold regular staff meetings to ensure proper movement toward and attainment of all Partnership goals and objectives and establish work priorities.
Perform formal performance appraisals and conduct informal feedback sessions on a regular basis.
Ensure all necessary federal and state documents are completed and filed appropriately.

Board Support and Coordination:

Attend Board-level committee meetings to ensure proper coordination of activities, communications flow and non-duplication of efforts between and among all committees.
Staff the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee and other committees deemed appropriate by the Board. Schedule meetings and prepare reports, agendas, minutes, and other materials.
Establish communication systems between and among committees at all levels to ensure adequate flow of information and ideas.
Work with and through all Partnership staff to ensure adequate collaboration and communication of all Partnership activities.
Manage the Partnership’s Strategic Planning process, balancing the need for local data collection and planning with NCPC requirements.
Manage the Public Education/Awareness Campaign through supervision to ensure inclusion of all Partnership activities.
Develop and manage a process for unsolicited ideas and proposals from the community.

Systems Change:

Build and maintain strong working relationships with partner organizations and agencies, and manage the local collaborative change process to ensure that all the Partnership programs work together with other community resources to effectively accomplish the Partnership’s vision, mission and goals.
Increase the local community’s capacity to deliver services to children and families, which have been locally designed and planned.
Actively advocate at the local, state and national levels for systemic improvements, which will support and enhance the development of children and families.

Demonstrated Personal Characteristics:

Perceived as a visionary leader who “sees the big picture” and inspires others toward the mission.
Results-oriented with a multi-task aptitude suited for working under deadline pressure.
Relates well with others and promotes a positive demeanor.
Exhibits sensitivity to cultural diversity.
Discreet and tactful.
Demonstrates sound judgment.
Problem-solver; creative and forward thinking.
Self-motivated with demonstrated high maturity level.
Reliability, regular attendance at work.
Grooming and dress appropriate for professional office environment

The Executive Director is responsible for other duties as assigned.

It is the responsibility of all staff to contribute to the positive work environment at DPFC and work to maintain a team effort.

Essential Functions:

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely, verbally and in writing, and to plan and execute work effectively within a specified time frame.
Technical ability to carry out duties with regard to laws, rules, regulations, etc. Experience and/or background in resource development and non-profit management.
Superior organizational skills and initiative; capacity to accept and follow through on responsibilities.
Proven skills as a supervisor of subordinate staff.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Board and/or committee members, supervisors, peers, private providers, community agencies, and other resources.
Ability to carry out functions with minimal supervision.
Ability to foster an environment that minimizes consequential errors.
Clear and concise communication, both orally and in writing.
Ability to maintain confidentiality of information in the performance of duties.
Thorough knowledge of the organization’s goals and missions as well as DPFC and/or DSP services.
Strong interpersonal skills that allows for appropriate interaction with personnel in the state, in the community, and within the agency.
Competence with the computer and related software, calculator, telephone, fax machine, copy machine, and other equipment, as required.
Thorough knowledge of the organization’s position regarding the achievement of its goals and missions, and its compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Specific Requirements:

Education and/or Experience: Requires a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Public Administration, Human Services field or related field; Master’s degree preferred.
Minimum of eight years of progressively responsible managerial experience in a non-profit human services agency, or the equivalent.
Background or experience in early childhood.
Additional experience with program management, grant writing, budgeting, staff development and supervision may be substituted for some of the formal education requirement provided the requisite skills have been obtained.
Ability to work with a diverse group of people and programs.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Detail-oriented, organized, can set goals and meet deadlines.
Excellent computer skills, including database management and spreadsheets. Knowledge of grants management tools and resource development tracking efforts.
Previous experience in a diverse community a plus.
Valid driver’s license.

Safety, Security and Confidentiality:

This position requires keeping complete confidentiality of all human resource/financial information and protecting the confidentiality all DPFC files and records.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The physical requirements of this position are those typical of office staff.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

An individual in this position will be exposed to conditions typical of office staff.

Employer’s Rights:

This job description is general in nature and illustrative of the kind of duties and responsibilities required of this position. It is not exhaustive and does not contain a detailed description of all of the duties that may be required of the incumbent occupying this position.

To Apply:

Position has been filled. Thank you for your interest.