GrowSmart Maine Seeks Dynamic, Visionary Executive Director

Become part of shaping Maine’s future. Join a dedicated and skilled team. Make a difference.  An outstanding opportunity for the right candidate:

GrowSmart Maine is a non-profit membership organization that promotes sustainable prosperity for all Mainers by integrating working and natural landscape conservation, economic growth, and community revitalization. We promote Quality of Place by convening and engaging in public conversations about Maine's future, contributing common sense policy analysis, educating the public, advocating for state and local change, and supporting model and best practices.

The Executive Director needs to be an energetic, visionary, and detail oriented leader who can inspire the staff and board, manage the office and maintain a sense of humor. Excellent communication skills, staff and office management experience, comfort with fund raising, and a mind for pragmatic politics and strategic campaigns are desired. Familiarity with, and experience in, smart growth policy, land-use-planning and sustainable economic development are all extremely helpful. The Executive Director will need to be equally comfortable working in the Legislature, public speaking, drafting organizational budgets and meeting with prospective and current funders and donors. A passion for and knowledge of Maine is essential.

Requirements:

• Five to ten years experience as an executive director or equivalent.
• Working knowledge of sustainable economic development, smart growth, and Maine's politics and people.
• Bachelor's degree or higher.

Please send cover letter, resume and salary requirements to: info@growsmartmaine.org or ED Search, GrowSmart Maine, 309 Cumberland Avenue, Suite 202, Portland, ME 04101. This position will remain open until filled.

Job Description

The chief executive is responsible for the overall administration and management of GrowSmart Maine, including programs, fundraising, and business operations. Areas of responsibility include planning and evaluation, policy development and administration, personnel and fiscal management, and public relations. This is a full-time position, hired by and accountable to the board of directors through its elected board chair. The primary focus of the executive director and the organization in the immediate term will be implementation of the 2006 GrowSmart/Brookings report, 'Charting Maine's Future.'

GrowSmart Maine works to engage people from all walks of life and every political persuasion and section of the state who wish to collaborate in shaping a more hopeful future.

Key Responsibilities

Management and administration:

• Develop organizational programs and objectives consistent with the mission and vision of GrowSmart Maine.
• Develop and facilitate an active planning process with goals and benchmarks.
• Oversee all programs, services and activities to ensure that program objectives are met.
• Oversee a robust development program.
• Ensure compliance with funding sources and regulatory requirements.
• Provide information for evaluation of the organization's activities.

Program & Public relations

• Implement recommendations from 'Charting Maine's Future', specifically:
  1. Continue to pursue a follow up report on government efficiency;
  2. Work to coordinate efforts of environmental and downtown revitalization coalitions toward quality of place common goals;
  3. Develop a more robust program to support the innovation economy;
  4. And develop a strategy to pursue all other recommendations of the GrowSmart/Brookings report.
• Serve as the 'face' of the organization with the public and media.
• Ensure appropriate representation of GrowSmart Maine in the policy arena, coalitions, and other venues.
• Represent GrowSmart Maine in the Legislature.

Fiscal

• Develop, recommend, and monitor annual and other budgets.
• Provide for proper fiscal record-keeping and reporting.
• Submit monthly financial statements to the board of directors.
• Prepare and submit grant applications and funding proposals as appropriate.

Personnel

• Administer personnel policies
• Supervise and evaluate all staff and volunteers.

Board relations

• Assist the board chair in planning the agenda and materials for board meetings.
• Initiate and assist in developing policy recommendations and in setting priorities.
• Facilitate the orientation of new board members.
• Work with the board and development director to raise funds.
• Staff board committees as appropriate.