Executive Director

Desired Start Date: Before October 1, 2024

Location: Montrose, Colorado

Reports to: Board of Directors

Visit peerkindness.net for complete details. To apply, please submit a cover letter (include why you are interested in working with youth, bullying awareness, and bullying prevention education), a resume, and three professional references, to edsearch@peerkindness.net. Title the subject of your email “Executive Director Application”. Your three professional references should be able to attest to your ability to perform the job you are applying for. Professional references are to include at least one current or former supervisor. Professional references may also include current or former employers, colleagues, or other professionals who have first-hand knowledge and can recommend you for employment in the capacity of this position. 

PEER Kindness (PK) seeks a dynamic, passionate, driven, and visionary leader who has the desire to learn, grow, and excel in an organization that values every member of the team and the communities served. The Executive Director (ED) is responsible for the overall strategic, operational, and financial management of the organization. The ED will work closely with the Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, and community partners to advance the mission of PEER Kindness, ensuring the organization's growth, sustainability, and impact. 

PEER Kindness is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of bullying behaviors among school-aged youth (Pre-K – 12 grades), stopping it when it is happening, and promoting PK Values (positivity, encouragement, empathy, respect, and kindness). Our vision is to create a supportive and inclusive environment in schools and communities through education, advocacy, and innovative programs. We aim to increase youth voice and agency, support them to lead with kindness, be upstanders, especially against bullying, and make positive changes in their lives and the lives of others. PEER Kindness supports youth and their trusted adults, grounded in the shared values of Positivity, Empathy, Encouragement, Respect, and Kindness by:

• Providing support to children and youth in navigating the challenges of bullying
• Educating children and youth on:
• Bullying vs. Conflict
• Conflict Resolution
• The Bullying Circle
• Becoming Upstanders
• The Science of Kindness
• Supporting youth through leadership, training, and community engagement
• The PEER Kindness house is also a safe place for youth in the community to connect with their peers and trusted adults.

PEER Kindness is run by a small, fast-paced team that has been gaining momentum, and expanding our reach in recent years, and is now ready for new leadership to level up and accelerate our organization's impact. This person will lead our organization through the next phase of growth and expansion with a particular focus on 1) program implementation and evaluation, 2) fundraising and development, and 3) communication and marketing. The role will report to the board of directors. It will include supervisory responsibilities for the existing staff and volunteers, as well as developing additional staff and volunteer capacity, and increasing revenue streams.

We seek candidates who model, live, and reinforce PEER Kindness's mission and values. Qualified candidates will have a strong background in nonprofit executive-level management with a proven track record of scaling an organization toward long-term, sustainable growth. 

Position ResponsibilitiesOrganizational Strategy and Operations (35%) 

• Provide strategic leadership and vision to advance the mission of PEER Kindness.
• Develop and implement strategic plans, goals, and objectives in collaboration with the Board of Directors.
• Foster a positive and inclusive organizational culture that reflects the values of kindness, empathy, and respect.
• Develop and manage the annual budget in collaboration with the Board of Directors and finance committee.
• Ensure sound financial practices and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Provide regular financial reports to the Board of Directors.
• Board Relations:
• Serve as the primary liaison between the Board of Directors and the organization.
• Provide regular updates on organizational activities, progress, and challenges.
• Support the Board in governance, strategic planning, and fundraising efforts.
• Guide the staff and board of directors in the ongoing development of annual strategic planning for fundraising and program implementation. 
• Oversee and implement operations processes and procedures to take the organization to the next level of functionality/maturity. 
• Produce monthly, quarterly, and annual fiscal reports (in conjunction with PK’s finance committee) to ensure fiscal responsibility, solvency, and stability. 
• Build and maintain relationships with board members, staff, business partners, partners, and volunteers to drive the mission and vision of PEER Kindness. 

Revenue Generation, Fundraising Development, and Donor Relations (35%)

• Lead fundraising efforts to secure financial support from individuals, corporations, foundations, and government agencies.
• Develop and maintain relationships with major donors, sponsors, and partners.
• Responsible for grant writing, reporting, and compliance with funding requirements.
• Develop and implement annual fundraising plans to ensure any and all revenue-generating activities are being conducted. This may include business plan development, grant writing, presenting the organization’s mission and programs to potential funders, and traveling to attend fundraising meetings.
• Ensure grant writing, reporting, and compliance requirements are met and/or exceeded with foundations, government contracts, corporate partners, and PEER Kindness’s board of directors. 
• Ongoing relationship development and stewardship with PEER Kindness’s existing funders including foundations, state and federal government agencies, individual donors, and corporate partners. 
• Ensure that services and funding relationships are robust enough to meet or exceed strategic goals and objectives. 
• Establish tracking and metrics methodologies to communicate the value of PEER Kindness’s impact to funders, stakeholders, and partners.

People and Program Management (30%) 

• Oversee the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs and initiatives.
• Ensure programs are aligned with the organization's mission and meet the needs of the community.
• Foster partnerships with schools, community organizations, and other stakeholders.
• Staff and Volunteer Management:
• Recruit, hire, train, and supervise staff and volunteers.
• Foster a collaborative and inclusive work environment.
• Conduct regular performance evaluations and provide professional development opportunities.
• Community Engagement and Advocacy:
• Represent PEER Kindness in the community and advocate for the organization's mission.
• Build and maintain relationships with community leaders, policymakers, and other stakeholders.
• Promote awareness of the organization's programs and impact through public speaking, media engagement, and other outreach efforts.
• Perform necessary HR functions such as processing payroll and onboarding new employees. 
• Supervise and manage all staff – currently 4 other staff members, and as revenue growth allows, we would like to expand the team to 5+. 
• Recruit and hire or contract additional resources to support the organization’s needs for fundraising, daily operations, and strategic planning. 
• Further Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as an organizational priority by encouraging and supporting a youth-led approach to achieve key benchmarks and growth.

Qualifications

• Passion for the mission of PEER Kindness and a commitment to promoting kindness, empathy, and respect.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in a leadership role within an organization.
• Proven track record in fundraising, including grant writing, major gifts, and corporate sponsorships.
• Strong financial management skills, including budgeting and financial reporting.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• A keen eye for strategic partnerships and the proven ability to cultivate and sustain them. 
• Demonstrated ability to be a self-starter with strong problem-solving skills as well as operating proactively and working well as a team. 
• Willingness to take on a wide variety of tasks as needed for the success of the organization. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and strong organizational and project management skills.
• Demonstrated attention to detail and an understanding of the critical importance of confidentiality. 
• Software & technical skills: Microsoft Office Suite. Google Suite, CRM software.

Preferred:

• Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, business administration, social work, education, or a related field (Master's preferred)
• Experience with community organizing, and children/youth (preK-12 grades) focused organizations.
• Success planning and implementing fundraising initiatives that enable an organization to scale and sustain an operating budget of at least $500,000 and enable the organization to scale beyond that point.  
• Experience leveraging volunteers to drive organizational goals. 

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to effectively present information, both orally and in writing, and to respond to questions from groups of children, youth and community stakeholders. 

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 the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and peripheral vision.