Parents Challenge is currently conducting a placement search for a new Chief Executive Officer. The job description for this position is posted below. Please email your resume and salary requirements to:

CEOSearch@ParentsChallenge.org

Parents Challenge CEO Job Announcement

Position Summary:
Seek a proven professional leader to drive a ten year old nonprofit working with low income families to provide the best possible education for their children. Parents Challenge is a proactive advocate for school choice and parental empowerment, requiring our CEO to champion the cause while effectively directing day to day operations.

Organizational Summary:
Parents Challenge, a 501(C)(3) tax-exempt organization based in Colorado Springs, exists to assist low-incomes parents exercise choice in pursuit of best possible educational environment for their children.

• We advise parents about the school choice options available to them.
• If a private school is selected, we offer scholarships to assist with tuition expenses.
• For public, charter and home-schooled students, we offer a stipend to assist in the purchase of uniforms, computers, books, school supplies or transportation to another public school.
• Through our parent empowerment and training programs, we help parents become better informed education consumers and advocates for systemic changes.
• We provide support services to students, including cognitive assessment and tutoring.

How to Apply:
Please send a letter of interest, resume and your salary history with description of duties to: CEOSearch@parentschallenge.org. All inquires and submissions will be held in strict confidence. Parents Challenge is an equal opportunity employer.

• Receipt of your submission will be acknowledged via email
• After reviewing the submissions, we may request more information via email or set up a telephone meeting.
• If you have any questions, please submit them via email. No calls, please.
• Only the candidate selected for the CEO position will be publicly announced.

Duties & Responsibilities

1. Planning
• Create annual operating plans that implement strategic direction in accordance with board-approved annual operating budgets.
• Collaborate with the board to define and articulate the organization’s vision and to develop strategies and action plans for achieving that vision
• Develop and monitor strategies for ensuring the long-term financial viability of the organization
• Develop future leadership within the organization

2. Management
• Build a culture that reflects the organization’s values, encourages good performance, and rewards productivity
• Hire, manage, and replace the human resources of the organization according to personnel policies and procedures that fully conform to current laws and regulations and are in accordance with the board approved budget.
• Oversee the operations of organization and manage its compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
• Create and maintain procedures for implementing plans approved by the Board of Directors
• Ensure that staff and board have sufficient and up-to-date information
• Evaluate the organization’s and the staff’s performance on a regular basis

3. Financial management
• Oversee staff in developing annual budgets that support operating plans and submit budgets for board approval
• Prudently manage the organization's resources within budget guidelines according to current laws and regulations
• Present monthly financial reports to the board chair that describe cash flow, budget vs. actual comparison, and future projections.
• Ensure that staff practices all appropriate accounting procedures in compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
• Provide prompt and regular, thorough, and accurate information to keep the board continually informed of the organization’s financial position

4. Human Resource Management
• Recruitment and contracting of staff
• Employee development, and training
• Policy development and documentation
• Employee relations
• Performance management and improvement systems
• Employment and compliance to regulatory concerns and reporting

5. Marketing and Public Relations
• Manage brand equity and advertising opportunities
• Organize the availability of board, staff, parents and/or students for media/PR events as necessary
• Oversee content, production and distribution of all marketing and publicity materials (website, posters, program, flyers, mail outs, brochures etc)
• Manage press development

6. Fund Raising
• Serve as a primary spokesperson in donor relationships making one-on-one fund raising solicitations
• Develop fund raising strategies with the board and support the board in fund raising activities
• Oversee staff in the development and implementation of fund raising plans that support strategies adopted by the board
• Responsible for timely submission of grant applications, compliance with terms and progress reports for funders

7. Community Relationships
• Serve as spokesperson and representative for the organization
• Assure that the organization and its mission, programs, and services are consistently presented in a strong, positive image to relevant stakeholders
• Actively advocate for the organization, its beliefs, and its programmatic efforts
• Acts as a liaison between the organization and the community, building relationships with peer organizations and strategic partners
• Proactively peruse opportunities to tell the Parents Challenge story to multiple audiences, e.g. service organizations, churches, parent groups, etc.

8. Programmatic Effectiveness
• Oversee the design, delivery, quality, assessment and evaluation of programs and services
• Stay abreast of current trends related to the organization’s services and anticipates future trends likely to have an impact on them
• Collect and analyze evaluation information that measures the success of the organization’s program efforts; refines or changes programs in response to that information

Required “Proven” Skills and Abilities:
• Self-starter
• Successful leadership and management experience
• Fiscal responsibility
• Superb time management skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Highly effective marketing and public relations skills
• Well-organized and detail oriented
• Dependable and self-motivated
• Work well independently as well as in a team

Minimum Qualifications:
• Bachelors degree required, advanced degree a plus
• Private sector business experience desired, but not required
• Advanced computer skills; word processing, database/spreadsheet management, email, social media
• Ability to: