President And Chief Executive Officer

Come make a difference in our Tompkins County community

Our Mission: To foster a healthy economy, a vibrant destination, and improve quality of life in Tompkins County.

The President & CEO will support the mission, strategy, and work plan goals of the Tompkins Chamber, Visit Ithaca (Ithaca/Tompkins Convention & Visitors Bureau, a division of the Chamber) and Chamber Foundation by developing the team capacity to provide direct member services, support tourism partners, administer effective programming, being accountable to stakeholders and funders, and managing the organization’s relationship with the community. We are a flexible, hybrid workplace, with main offices located on Ithaca’s West End. Benefits include health, dental, vision, and life insurance, 401K match, PTO, paid vacation time, paid holidays, and a wellness program, among others.

Our workplace is highly collaborative, mission-driven, and committed to supporting a healthy work-life integration.

Please see below for additional details on job duties, essential functions, and the candidate profile. Interested parties should answer all five assessment questions listed at the bottom of this posting, and submit a resume to the attention of Kelli Cartmill, Chairperson of the Board, at searchcommittee@tompkinschamber.org. Partial submissions will not be considered.

Provide Leadership, Strategic Planning and Staff Oversight (30%)

• Act as chief administrative and executive officer of the Corporation.
• Act as the duly authorized representative of the Board and the Corporation.
• Report to the Chair between Board meetings and to the Board and the Executive Committee of the Board at meetings.
• Serve as advisor to the Chair of the Board and specific committees.
• Provide policy development and guidance to the Board of Directors.
• Assemble information, data, and special reports as directed by the Board of Directors.
• Serve as Secretary to the Board and be responsible for (or direct staff to):

• Preparation of notices, agendas, and minutes of the meetings of the Board.
• Signing instruments and affixing any seal to all instruments requiring the same, which the Board has authority to execute, except in cases where the execution shall have been expressly reserved by the Board or delegated by Board resolution, the Bylaws, or by statute, to some other officer or agent of the Corporation.
• Support strategic planning processes every three to five years, and annual work planning processes every year.
• Directly supervise Chamber, CVB, shared staff, and contractors as required by current operations and work program. Approximately 4-6 direct reports are typical at any given time.
• Provide mentorship, coaching, feedback, and professional development opportunities to direct and indirect reports.
• Develop and administer, along with the Board and Leadership Team, an inclusive, forward-thinking benefits package to support employee growth as individuals and professionals.

Oversee Operations & Financial Management, Fundraising & Development, and Administrative Requirements (30%)

• Oversee grants, prepare grant applications, supervise staff and reporting; perform community outreach.
• Provide vision and strategy for revenue and program development.
• Ensure strong positive external relationships with members and funders that stimulate financial support.
• Develop and manage an approved budget to carry out the Chamber’s program of work.
• Maintain strong relationships with fiscal sponsors.

Special Projects & Foundation Management (20%)
Serve as President of the Chamber Foundation. Oversee and advise fiscally sponsored projects and organizations.

• Seek funding opportunities from outside sources to support projects and initiatives of the Foundation.

Government & Community Relations, Advocacy & Other Duties as Assigned (20%)

• Serve as liaison between Chamber and various economic development and workforce boards, Strategic Tourism Planning Board, county, town and city governments, and representatives of federal and state government. Maintain relationships between the Chamber and these organizations.
• Have a seat on the board of the Local Development Corporation (LDC).
• Work with higher education organizations on various programs, communications and initiatives affecting the community.

Essential Functions

This role is a combination of desk work (hybrid in-office/remote) and onsite, hands-on work that requires time moving about an office and/or meetings and events in both indoor and outdoor settings. Off-site meetings around the county are frequently necessary. Work is completed in digital formats individually and in collaborative groups. Social capacity includes small meetings, networking at small and large events, speaking in public settings, making presentations, and one-on-one in-person and/or digital communications with members, media, and community stakeholders. Occasional morning, evening, and weekend hours are required, based on special circumstances required by the position, and typically at the discretion of the President.
Technological systems and platforms used include Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams); Zoom/virtual environments; PowerPoint; Adobe Suite; Canva; Chambermaster/CRM database; Constant Contact/email platform; WordPress and Drupal website platforms; social media apps/management software.

All staff members are expected to participate in regular staff training sessions and team development opportunities, pursue professional development opportunities deemed mutually beneficial to the individual and organization and as budget allows, and to participate earnestly in diversity, equity, and inclusion educational offerings and discussions. As part of our values, we seek to provide an inclusive, accessible workplace and encourage communication of necessary accommodations to remove barriers and make our employment relationship a successful one.

Candidate Profile

Experience & Education: The ideal candidate will have five to seven years’ related experience in nonprofit management, business operations, tourism promotion/destination management, municipal and/or community development, economic development or workforce development. Bachelor’s degree in relevant field required. Industry certifications in non-profit management, community development, fundraising, tourism, or economic development, desired. Experience supervising employees, managing the work of a Board of Directors, a solid understanding of budgets and financial reports, and engaging with community stakeholders is necessary for success in this role.
Desired Characteristics: This role is ideal for someone who is adept at identifying, developing, and executing branded content. Strong oral, visual, and written communications skills; inquisitive and entrepreneurial nature; taking initiative and exercising creativity are integral. A commitment to understanding the benefits of a workplace culture encouraging and elevating diversity, equity, and inclusion is essential. A measurable amount of successful experience working with municipalities and local governments.

PERFORMANCE FACTORS:
A separate work plan document will be generated identifying the specific Goals/ Objectives for the employee work program area annually, to be utilized to gauge objectives and performance during the review period. Overall goals for the role will include:

• Sustainability and growth of the Chamber membership.
• Effective delivery of events, programs, networking opportunities, and valuable services to members.
• Meeting contractual obligations to Tompkins County related to the Ithaca/Tompkins County Convention & Visitors Bureau division of the Chamber.
• Administration of Chamber Foundation programming, special projects, grants (received and awarded), and fiscally sponsored projects.

The Chamber is an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion; candidates who share these values and who can support us in achieving our goals in this area are encouraged to apply.

Please answer all five questions below to qualify as a candidate. Incomplete submission will not be considered.

• How would you leverage your strengths to be an effective community leader in a unique place like Tompkins County?
• The Chamber is amid a comprehensive review of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practices as part of its commitment to its mission and values. How would your values and experience match with such a process?
• Strong relationships with a multitude of our community stakeholders can often result in competing priorities. Please explain your approach to decision-making in circumstances such as these.
• Leadership of this Chamber requires navigating a complex organizational structure involving management of a multi-divisional 501c6 and a 501c3, with separate budgets, funding sources, and workplans—all accomplished by an interdependent, highly collaborative team. Please describe past experience that would qualify you for leadership of this type of Chamber of Commerce.
• Non-profit organizations require very specific compliance measures, in an ever-changing regulatory landscape. What do you believe are the most important oversight measures for ensuring our Chamber is run in an ethical, effective, and sound manner?