President

Position Description

President

North Carolina Partnership for Children – Smart Start

Background

The North Carolina Partnership for Children (NCPC) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that administers Smart Start, an early childhood initiative, in collaboration with a network of 75 nonprofit local partnerships. This structure combines a system for statewide governance and innovation with local inspiration that works in communities across the state. NCPC ensures strong fiscal and programmatic oversight. The 75 local partnerships serve all 100 North Carolina counties and are an engaged and important part of local communities.

NCPC gives local partners the flexibility to use data-driven decision making to determine how to increase children’s health, well-being and development based on the needs and resources of their communities. NCPC establishes measurable statewide goals and communities determine the best approach to achieve them. http://www.smartstart.org

Current Circumstances.

With a staff of 50 and a statewide budget of over $152 million, NCPC was designed to be the leader and convener of a statewide, systems approach to early childhood education in North Carolina. Its board members are appointed by leaders from both major parties in the legislature and the executive branch, and they also represent every Smart Start region in the state.

NCPC has benefited from the effective leadership of a series of long serving Presidents over its twenty five-year history. Each has built on the work of their predecessor, introducing innovations and improvements unique to their time and to emerging best practices. The next President will find a bipartisan board of citizens, ready to support continued innovation and maximizing resources to help children thrive.

The board has prepared for this transition through a series of frank conversations at every level. We have asked – what is the state of the organization? What has been achieved under current leadership? What must be sustained, what should change? What are the big opportunities, and challenges, and how do we prepare for them?

Key takeaways from this review, which we will carry into this search and our dialogue with candidates, include:

• Continued, effective and visibleengagement with policy makers, the public, funders and strategic partners, demonstrating the lifelong benefits to children and our communities from healthy early childhood development, is central to the role of the President.
• Championing best practices and innovations in early education and strengthening local partnerships through a constant, mutual dialogue and common aspirations is paramount.
• A strong focus on continuedboard development, in concert with a coordinated and upgraded strategy for private fund raising and grant development, is key.
• Our circumstances suggest the need for the President to be an active and visible leader, advocate and innovator, locally, statewide and nationally. The President must assure there is strong management and operational leadership in place to continue the critical work in support of local partnerships, under his/her steady oversight.

Responsibilities:

The President’s responsibilities include three inter-connected areas:

The President leads the Smart Start initiative. He or she:

• Is the primary strategist for Smart Start, guiding and working with the Board and managing the relationship with the N.C. General Assembly, executive branch agencies, and a broad array of public and private partners.
• Inspires the efforts of 75 local partnerships covering all 100 North Carolina counties, and is accountable for the fiscal oversight for all Smart Start funds.
• Serves as Smart Start’s ambassador to the general public and among state and local businesses, government agencies, and philanthropic organizations.

The President is the chief executive officer of the NC Partnership for Children. He or she:

• Oversees the design, marketing, promotion and delivery of NCPC’s programs and services.
• Overseesa staff of 50+ full-time employees and maintains a highly accountable fiscal operation.
• Develops and makes recommendations for the NCPC budget.
• Supports the operations and administration of the NC Partnership for Children Board of Directors.
• Works effectively with legislators and staff in the N.C. General Assembly to achieve needed public funding and public policies that advance policies to support the early care and education system.
• Raises private funds for Smart Start from foundations and other philanthropic sources.

The President is a visible, leading advocate for young children and their families, first within North Carolina and also in other states. He or she:

• Develops and carries out an annual advocacy agenda, working with legislators, board and staff to strengthen North Carolina’s investment in young children and their families.
• Recruits, engages and collaborates with a broad coalition of state agencies and statewide organizations that work on behalf of young children and their families, to further the mission of Smart Start.

Characteristics, Skills and Abilities:

We are seeking a leader with the skills needed for NCPC’s continued growth and effective performance. While subject matter expertise in the early childhood field is a plus, we are also open to individuals with experience in other fields, who have the core skills and values outlined in this document, and who can motivate and lead a strong professional team.

• Vision and creativity. Comfortable with innovation and change.
• Demonstrated experience and commitment to advancing cultural competence and diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Capacity to work with people of diverse backgrounds and abilities.
• Demonstrated ability to work successfully with a board of directors.
• Knowledge and experience with budgeting, auditing and financial accountability systems.
• Ability to serve in dual roles of Smart Start administrator and collaborative supporter to local partnerships and their communities.
• Interest in and knowledge about current research in the field of early childhood care and education, and ability to translate knowledge into best practices.
• Ability to travel frequently.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Knowledge about and the ability to use the political process to achieve results.
• Ability to lead and inspire others on behalf of the mission to assure that all children arrive at school healthy and prepared for success.
• Accomplished in the use of modern technology and media to strengthen performance and communication.

Education and Experience

The successful candidate will have attained an advanced degree and will have completed at least ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in management of a public agency or nonprofit, or the equivalent in education and experience.

Application

The North Carolina Partnership for Children, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

Salary negotiable, depending on experience.

Resumes may be submitted, in confidence, to:

Ford Webb Associates, Inc.

Attention: Smart Start

60 Thoreau Street

Concord, MA 01742

Or

smart @ fordwebb.com

12/10/19

Job Type: Full-time