Executive Director

About Us

Ark Crisis Children’s Center is dedicated to providing safe, nurturing, and free childcare services to families facing economic hardship. We believe that every child deserves quality care, and every family deserves support in their journey toward stability and success.

Position Overview

We are seeking a dynamic and passionate Executive Director to lead our organization through its next phase of growth and impact. This role requires a strategic leader who can balance exceptional fundraising and development skills with an unwavering commitment to child safety and family support. The ideal candidate will have proven experience in nonprofit management, fundraising and donor cultivation, staff management, and child welfare best practices. The Executive Director reports directly to the Board of Directors.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Development & Fundraising

• Individual Donor Development: Build and maintain relationships with major donors, planned giving prospects, and recurring supporters through strategic cultivation and stewardship
• Fundraising Strategy: Develop and implement comprehensive fundraising plans including annual campaigns, use of social media and regular media, special events, and capital campaigns
• Corporate Partnerships: Establish and nurture relationships with local businesses and corporate sponsors
• Grant Management: Coordinate grant application, compliance, and reporting process.
• Board Development: Work closely with Board of Directors to enhance their fundraising capacity and engagement

Program Leadership & Child Safety

• Safety Protocols: Ensure all childcare programs meet or exceed state licensing requirements and industry best practices for child protection
• Staff Management: Recruit, hire, train, supervise, and retain a qualified staff of 12 professionals; maintain appropriate staff-to-child ratios and background check protocols
• Quality Assurance: Implement programming that supports child development while maintaining the highest safety standards
• Compliance: Oversee adherence to all regulatory requirements including licensing, health department standards, and mandatory reporting protocols
• Family Support: Develop and oversee wraparound services that help families achieve stability and self-sufficiency

Organizational Management

• Financial Management: Prepare proposed annual budget to submit to the Board; ongoing budgeting and financial reporting; managing audits; and ensuring fiscal responsibility in partnership with finance committee
• Operations: Ensure efficient daily operations in coordination with the Program Director
• Community Relations: Serve as primary spokesperson and build partnerships with community organizations, government agencies, and other stakeholders
• Board Relations: Provide regular reports to Board of Directors and support board governance activities

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree in Nonprofit Management, Social Work, Early Childhood Education, or related field preferred
• Minimum two years of leadership and management experience; nonprofit experience preferred
• Experience working with vulnerable populations preferred, particularly children and families in crisis
• Understanding of child protection protocols, mandatory reporting requirements, and state licensing requirements preferred

Core Competencies:

• Strategic Relationship Development & Fundraising Insight: Builds and nurtures relationships with key stakeholders, partners, and donors. Applies sales principles to identify opportunities, communicate value, and drive engagement.
• Self-Motivation & Independent Problem Solving: Demonstrates a high level of initiative and personal accountability. Capable of learning quickly and driving tasks to completion without constant oversight.
• Leadership: Strong supervisory and team-building skills with experience managing diverse staff
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills for donor relations, public speaking, and media interactions
• Grant Writing: Ability to write compelling narratives and manage complex reporting requirements

Essential Skills:

• Transparent and high integrity leadership
• Financial management and budgeting experience
• Knowledge of nonprofit governance and board relations, preferred
• Understanding of early childhood development and family support services, preferred
• Cultural competency and commitment to serving diverse populations
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Strong public speaking ability
• Solid organizational abilities, including planning, delegating, program development and task facilitation
• Strong management skills and collaborative efforts with staff

Physical Requirements & Work Environment

• Occasional evening and weekend work for fundraising events and community activities
• Must pass comprehensive background check and maintain current CPR/First Aid certification
• Comfortable working in diverse, multicultural environments
• Must be able to lift up to 40 lbs, move quickly in response to children's needs, and remain active throughout the day. Requires the ability to bend, kneel, stand for extended periods, and engage in indoor/outdoor play. Visual and auditory acuity necessary for supervision and safety.

Call-To-Action

If you are passionate about making a difference in the lives of children and families, we invite you to join us at Ark Crisis Child Care Center. Apply today to lead our mission!

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $80,000.00 - $90,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Paid time off
• Retirement plan

Work Location: In person

Salary : $80,000 - $90,000