Project Graduation

Executive Director

Since 1988 Project Graduation has been providing a safe, fun and welcoming all-night graduation party for Durham’s high school seniors and their guests. It relies on volunteer support and donations to ensure that Durham’s graduating seniors can experience this important life passage without the dangers of alcohol, drugs or violence so often found at private graduation parties.

The Executive Director, Project Graduation’s only paid staff, is responsible for planning, coordinating and overseeing all aspects of this important community-wide event. The position reports to the Board of Directors and supervises a cadre of volunteer staff. The position is part-time(hours per week to be determined) and is home-based. Although it is a year-round position, the greatest workload is in January to May leading up to the event.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

Passion for Mission

  • Ability to translate mission into concrete action items
  • Substantive knowledge of the organization’s client base and stakeholders
  • Compelling way of engaging business, government and other nonprofits in valuable partnerships
  • Knows how to market and brand the organization to create interest in the mission and in sponsorship opportunities

Strategic Planning & Decision Making

  • Strong analytical skills
  • Reliance on data to make key decisions
  • Ability to conduct both short- and long-term prioritization for the organization
  • Knowledge of how to describe key goals so the correct action follows the decision to make a goal a priority

Resource Generation

  • Prior fundraising success. Knowledge of and participation in: grant procurement; capital campaigns; individual donor; planned giving; corporate sponsorship and special events
  • Basic understanding of how to build a strong financial platform for the organization
  • Knows how to internally and externally report the financial status of the organization to avoid crisis situations and build trust

Financial Management

  • Personal integrity
  • Knowledge of basic accounting protocols and ability to review finances to build consensus around priorities and monitor ongoing expenditures
  • Willingness to work with the board to ensure the sustainability and overall health of the organization

Talent Management

  • Ability to attract, retain and develop volunteers
  • Ability to recruit and engage a strong board
  • General capacity-building/training skills
  • Impartial, objective evaluation and assessment skills
  • Understands how to get the best out of team; strong team-building skills

Communication

  • Communicates well in person and in writing with all kinds of stakeholders and clients
  • Comfortable serving as the public face of the organization
  • Knows how to engage audiences of varying sizes and interests in the business of the mission
  • Works easily with the press and public media representatives
  • Can be relied upon to deliver messages with tact, diplomacy and appropriate messaging
  • Has strong skills in social media and IT

Problem-Solving

  • Can-do personality
  • Creative about building bridges between and among competing interests
  • Quick to consult others with expertise, evaluate input and come to clear decisions

Cultural Competence

  • Has worked with a diverse client base
  • Is committed to building an organization reflecting distinct points of view and interpretations of mission success
  • Tactful; respectful of differences
  • Encourages cultural and other forms of tolerance

Outreach/Community Interface

  • Builds relevant partnerships with corporate, civic and other organizations
  • Appropriately projects the mission and vision to a wide variety of audiences

Personal Traits & Executive Demeanor

  • Commitment to the mission and the organization
  • Analytical thinker, quick-study, strategic
  • Financially responsible and capable
  • Resilient
  • Enjoys meeting challenges
  • Demonstrates a sense of humor
  • People person, gregarious and fun-loving; easily enlists others in the mission
  • Skilled organization representative and communicator
  • Generates trust and loyalty in others; credible leader
  • Holds self personally accountable; has integrity
  • Energetic; persistent about achieving goals
  • Continuing Learner; keeps up with industry trends, competitors and emerging opportunities

Experience

  • Prior project management experience, preferably in the nonprofit sector
  • Prior successful fundraising experience