OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FACING THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
DCJ’s next Executive Director will be passionate about the organization’s work and ready to help advance DCJ into its next stage of leadership and service to Delaware’s communities. The new Executive Director will face the following opportunities and challenges:
Work collaboratively across staff, board, and key stakeholder groups to craft, articulate, and carry forward a vision for DCJ’s next phase. Building on DCJ’s creative and critical programming, the incoming ED will set – in consultation with staff and board – a thoughtful plan for deepening and expanding DCJ’s program and policy work across the state. Further, the new ED will work to position DCJ as a national focal point in the statewide criminal justice reform landscape and will understand how to present Delaware to funders and other stakeholders as an ideal state for investing in innovative direct service programs and policy reform.
Raise the visibility of an organization that has been serving Delaware’s communities for nearly 100 years. The new ED will bring a strategic approach to amplifying DCJ’s programs and policy work. He/she/they will develop plans to target key state and national stakeholders, including funders, to ensure they are aware of and engaged in DCJ’s work and connected to the organization through regular and strategic communications, including appropriate use of social media and other effective vehicles.
Build and support an engaged and active board of directors. DCJ’s board of directors is ready to help move the organization toward becoming an even more critical leader in Delaware’s criminal justice reform community. The board is well-connected across the state and can work with the ED to navigate key relationships and politics. The next ED will leverage the talents, contributions, relationships, and passion of current board members, while thinking strategically about the needs of this body for the future.
Manage, nurture, and lead a skilled, effective, and dedicated staff. Driving DCJ’s successes is a team of talented, diverse, and independently operating staff. They have developed, sustained and deepened DCJ’s services to adults and youth involved in the criminal justice system in thoughtful and creative ways with a consistent focus on the needs and experiences of their clients. There is an opportunity for a supportive, committed senior executive to help lift up their work and to sustain and expand DCJ’s programming.
Review and refine existing operations and infrastructure. The new ED will continue the effort to build a solid operations foundation so that day-to-day functions, including human resources, budget management, physical space use, and technology integration are professionally and efficiently administered. The ED will ensure that these functions support DCJ’s near- and long-term goals and facilitate DCJ’s work with clients, communities, and partners throughout the state. Further, with the departure of the Director of Operations, the incoming ED will have the opportunity to recruit additional senior leadership to complement his/her/their skills.
Build a collaborative organizational culture that focuses on continuous learning. The new ED will join a staff team that values mutual respect, flexibility, and self-care. He/she/they will share these values and will help build a culture of increased transparency and trust where it is clearly understood how decisions are made; work to align programmatic decisions around a thoughtful strategic plan; and create an environment where continuous learning and data collection are used to support program refinement and expansion.
DCJ’s next ED will be a collaborative, skilled manager and practical visionary who can bring energy and passion for criminal justice reform to enhance DCJ’s effective direct service and policy work. While no one candidate will embody all the qualifications enumerated below, the ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional and personal abilities, attributes, and experiences:
- At least eight to ten years of relevant leadership experience, with demonstrated success inspiring, managing and mentoring highly talented and diverse teams;
- Experience navigating strategic communications and developing relationships required for effective fundraising;
- A track record of success raising funding from diverse streams;
- Demonstrated deep knowledge of and commitment to the social justice issues that are at the core of DCJ’s work and DCJ’s multi-pronged approach to its work;
- Well-established success engaging in diverse communities; lived experience that informs an authentic understanding of the challenges faced by justice-involved individuals, victims of crime, and their communities;
- Demonstrated success managing budgets and finances;
- The ability to inspire collaboration while functioning decisively;
- An undergraduate degree is required; a degree in social work, law or another relevant field is preferred, but not required.
Compensation is commensurate with experience and can be discussed with interested individuals. DCJ offers a medical, dental and life insurance; short- and long-term disability coverage; and a retirement plan with a match of up to 3% after one year of employment.
More information about the Delaware Center for Justice may be found at: http://dcjustice.org.
This search is being conducted with assistance from Katherine Jacobs and Meredith Horton of Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group. Due to the pace of this search, candidates are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Applications including a cover letter describing your interest and qualifications, your resume (in Word format), and where you learned of the position should be sent to: [email protected]. In order to expedite the internal sorting and reviewing process, please type your name (Last, First) as the only contents in the subject line of your e-mail.