Executive Director

POSITION DESCRIPTION

This position offers a once in a lifetime opportunity to make a major impact in the field of education. Learning Forward is a mission-driven organization with a diversified business plan. It is a membership association, a consulting service, and an advocacy organization. In addition to successfully leading recent advocacy work around Title II funding, its annual conference, book publishing, and consulting services have established Learning Forward as one of the major influencers improving outcomes in K-16 education. The Executive Director has the responsibility to lead this organization and further advance the impact and reach to achieve its mission.

The primary responsibility of the Executive Director is to the members and stakeholders in service of their aspirations and needs for professional learning  across the United States and worldwide. Meeting these needs requires the ability to educate, build strong relationships and influence the education community and political leaders across the country. The role requires the passion, confidence, and presence to speak as the face of the industry as well as the ability to secure philanthropic support to underwrite key initiatives that traditional memberships do not support. With Learning Forward as the only professional education association dedicated solely to professional learning, many look to the leader filling this role for perspective, advice, and support when addressing international, national, and local professional learning concerns.

Today, the professional learning arena of the education field faces unique challenges and opportunities. Funding and access continue to be a concern, but collaborative practices and innovation surface new investment and partnership opportunities.  Even though membership in education associations across the nation has been on the decline, educators’ need for help and support has never been higher.

This requires the heart and mind of an innovative, collaborative, servant leader who has already found success in past roles creating followership across functions, disciplines, and disparate audiences. The role is part advocate, part ambassador, part coach and part thought leader, with an innovative spirit, an open mind, and a passion and understanding for the vision, mission, and purpose of the work.

The role of the Executive Director is an exciting opportunity for the successful candidate as Learning Forward is in a strong financial and strategic position, leaving flexibility for new ideas and strategies to prosper. Education is an ever-changing landscape and developing a vision to influence the growth of the organization will be in the new Executive Director’s hands.

The executive director reports directly to a Board of Trustees, the organization’s governing body of up to nine elected members. Due to recent changes in the by-laws, Trustees are elected by membership and up to one-third may be  appointed by the current Trustees. Through a carefully designed and implemented nominating process, Trustees represent the diversity of the membership by region, ethnicity, and experience. By design, the current board is heavily represented by superintendents. Trustees operate through a modified policy governance approach. New trustee orientations and mentoring, semi-annual meetings, monthly email updates, and as needed virtual meetings keep board members engaged and informed but not overburdened.

The executive director operates across all functions of the organization in a hands-on way and the successful candidate will possess a vision for the organization’s outcomes and operations and share leadership with a diverse board, staff, and membership to accomplish that vision. The role leads a staff of 22 with five direct reports and indirect leadership of the 41 affiliate. With its international and national presence and advocacy work in the role, travel may be as much as 40% from a home base in Dallas, Texas. While executive offices are located in Dallas, due to the NCTAF acquisition and other legacy and strategic arrangements, there is a business office in Oxford, OH, and virtual staff based in Columbus, Boston, and Washington, DC.

The right leader will have a dynamic personality and will be able to leverage existing relationships and skillfully build new ones with members, funders, partners, policymakers, and allies to achieve the organization’s mission and vision. A candidate for this position will be able to demonstrate capacity to develop multiple sources of revenue and manage a self-sustaining budget in a non-profit organization environment. The new leader will have the knowledge, skills, and experience to successfully serve as a thought leader in preK-16 professional learning.

Key Position Responsibilities follow:

• Serve as chief executive officer of the organization, report to the board of trustees, and manage the overall operation of Leaning Forward;
• With the organization president, enable the board to fulfill its governance function and facilitate the optimum interaction between management and the board;
• Oversee and monitor the organization’s strategic plan and strategies for achieving the vision, mission, goals and objectives;
• Provide qualitative and quantitative data-based progress reports to the Board of Trustees biannually regarding the progress and success of the organization’s strategic plan;
• Ensure that the actions of the board are implemented and results are reported in a timely manner;
• Lead overall supervision and management of the staff and consultants;
• Approve all employment, promotions, or termination of staff within the policies set by the board;
• Facilitate shared decision-making and seek to improve work processes and methods to increase effectiveness;
• Ensure that processes are in place for internal leadership development and succession planning;
• Ensure the financial viability of the organization and acts as steward of its assets;
• Oversee budget development and monitoring of finances, making appropriate recommendations and reporting to the Board biannually or as requested;
• Provides leadership and direction to procure funding to aid in achieving the organization’s vision, mission, and strategic priorities;
• Represent the organization to federal, state, provincial, and local legislators and decision makers, educational leaders, professional associations, foundations, etc.;
• Prepare columns and articles for the organization and other education-based publications;
• Build positive relations with partner organizations, policymakers, media and others;

Additional Responsibilities include:

• Engage Board of Trustees and International Advisors to gain and influence perspectives to advance the field;
• Drive member satisfaction and increase association membership;
• Oversee execution of highly effective marketing and communications strategies that resonate with and are accessible to a wide variety of audiences;
• Demonstrate a sense of priority in defining, undertaking and completing projects; assuming responsibility and taking initiative; will be responsible for a body of work;
• Create a positive, collaborative and productive work environment in which staff members experience trust, commitment, excellence, respect, collegiality with enjoyment and opportunities for professional development, clarity, and purpose;
• Travel throughout the country to increase understanding, expand and drive both membership engagement and satisfaction and professional learning policy through planned and focused efforts; 
• Effectively communicate to members and stakeholders the importance of professional learning on major education policy and issues impacting education;
• Create effective programs and develop and articulate ways to measure outcomes;
• Understand and advocate for key policies and actions, playing a significant external role in Learning Forward’s interaction with local, state, and national governmental entities, educational leaders, professional associations, foundations, etc.;
• Participate in key roles in associations and organizations outside of the organization to gain further influence for Learning Forward;
• Represent Learning Forward at various functions including the annual conference, and as required, makes speeches, presentations and address the media.

Key Qualifications/Experiences/Attributes Include:

• Masters’ degree in chosen field required; doctoral degree preferred
• 15+ years professional experience
• 7+ years leadership experience in a non-profit, association, university or state/local school system or equivalent; experience with contracted services preferred
• 5+ years’ experience in professional learning role in a K-16 education space with a solid understanding and commitment to the advancement of professional learning
• Passion for the preK-16 field of education
• Exceptional ability to lead, inspire and support others in a collaborative environment is essential and required; experience should include an organization of at least similar size and complexity; including experience supervising staff (in office and virtual) and working with a Board of Trustees
• Demonstrated success securing grants and finding new revenue streams; has a broad network
• Great teambuilding and interpersonal skills; collaborative, naturally seeks others’ thoughts and actively listens; not afraid to address issues and conflict head on and with respect; motivator
• A courageous and proven decision maker with the ability to set priorities, manage. and implement them
• Demonstrated success as highly-effective communicator; skilled in strategic, operational and educational writing and public speaking
• Politically savvy and able to communicate effectively with political leaders from both parties and at all levels of government
• An energetic self-starter, patient, flexible and able to prioritize multiple tasks & stressors
• Understands the necessities of non-profit organizations including financial and membership operations
• Willing and able to relocate to Dallas, Texas if not already based in the area

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Please send a short cover letter sharing your “why” about being the Learning Forward Executive Director and your connection to K-16 education and professional learning, as well as a current resume to Coral Owdom at cowdom@mcintyreco.com or call 614.796.3878.