Description

Job title: Executive Director

Position Status: Full time salaried position, $80,000 annual salary 

Reports to: Raise Montana President  and Board Chair

FLSA Status: Exempt

Benefits: From the onset of their employment, all employees are entitled to Social Security, Worker's Compensation, Unemployment Insurance and Holiday Leave based upon their FTE status. Employees who have completed 60 days of employment are eligible to use accrued Paid Time Off (PTO). Raise Montana will offer full time employees 120 hours per calendar for the first two years of employment and additional time thereafter. Raise Montana offers 12 paid holidays plus two floating holidays per year. Simple IRA Benefit: Raise Montana will match contributing funds by the employee up to 3% of the employee’s gross earningsHealth Insurance: Raise Montana offers Group Health & Vision Insurance benefits to regular full-time employees working at least 30 hours a week, after meeting the probationary waiting period of 60 days.

About Raise Montana

Raise Montana is a statewide organization dedicated to advancing the early care and education system in Montana. Our mission is to mobilize the collective power of community partners to elevate Montana’s early childhood system through professionalization, advocacy, and collaboration. Through our work, we seek for Montana’s early childhood system to be shaped by the voices, leadership, and collaboration of those who care for young children. We are committed to promoting equity, inclusion, and justice in all aspects of our work and are guided by our values:

• Leadership To us, leadership means amplifying voices that are not always heard.  It means acknowledging and working to dismantle power dynamics.  It means bringing people together.  It means being vulnerable and transparent as we work with others and support our communities. It means follow through.  It means grit.  Raise Montana is committed to demonstrating leadership that encompasses efficiency and stability.
• Innovation: To us, innovation requires listening to and valuing the lived experiences of those we serve.  It means being willing to make mistakes and fail. It means not only being responsive to, but celebrating feedback.  Innovation requires vulnerability as well as maintaining groundedness. Raise Montana is committed to demonstrating innovation through continuing our own learning, resourcefulness and adaptability. 
• Inclusive Collaboration: To us, inclusive collaboration means practicing meaningful engagement with everyone we serve and with partners.  It means we listen to learn. It means creating spaces for ideas to be shared.  It means recognizing that not all perspectives have been historically or are currently recognized and working to actively dismantle those barriers and systems.  Raise Montana is committed to demonstrating inclusive collaboration.
• Authenticity: To us, authenticity means being transparent in our actions and decisions.  It means acting according to our values and our mission.  It means providing clear expectations and information.  It means being honest about our capacity and our outcomes.  Raise Montana is committed to demonstrating authenticity with as much transparency as is feasible. 

Position Summary:

The Executive Director of Raise Montana is responsible for providing visionary leadership and strategic direction to the organization. The Executive Director will oversee the implementation of programs, initiatives, and partnerships that create spaces for early childhood partners to organize and mobilize their collective power to center the voices of those who care for young children in Montana’s early childhood system. This position requires a strong background in nonprofit management, grant administration, advocacy, organizing and collaboration with stakeholders in the early childhood education field.

Raise Montana is committed to having staff and a board that reflects Montana’s early childhood communities. We strongly encourage applications from people who have been historically marginalized and underrepresented in nonprofit and early childhood leadership, including child care professionals; Black, Indigenous, and people of color; LGBTQ+ people; people with disabilities; and people from rural and low-income communities. 

Executive Director Responsibilities:

• Leadership and Strategic Planning
  • Provide visionary leadership to advance the mission and goals of Raise Montana.
  • Develop and implement strategic plans in collaboration with the Board of Directors.
  • Identify opportunities for program growth, innovation, and improvement.
  • Ensure alignment of programs and activities with organizational objectives.
•  Partnership Development and Stakeholder Engagement
  • Build and maintain positive relationships with early childhood professionals, partner organizations, government agencies, higher education institutions, and community-based nonprofit organizations.
  • Collaborate with stakeholders to promote a responsive early childhood system in Montana.
  • Represent Raise Montana in key roles and partnerships at the local, state, and national levels.
  • Advocate for child care policies and initiatives that benefit Montana's families and early childhood workforce.
•  Contract Management and Grant Administration
  • Oversee contract management and compliance with funding agencies.
  • Develop and submit grant proposals and reports in accordance with grant requirements.
  • Ensure proper financial management and reporting of grant funds.
•  Program Development and Implementation
  • Lead the planning and execution of community organizing for early childhood professionals.
  • Develop and maintain content for Raise Montana's website and other communication channels.
  • Plan and organize conferences, workshops, and community events.
  • Identify and pursue opportunities for program expansion and enhancement.
•  Financial Management and Budgeting
  • Develop and manage the annual budget in collaboration with the Board of Directors.
  • Monitor financial performance and ensure compliance with state and federal regulations.
  • Provide financial reports and analysis to the Board of Directors.

Requirements

Preferred Qualifications:

Studies show that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications. Raise Montana is most interested in finding the best candidate for the job even if their qualifications do not exactly match the list below. 

• Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, Social Work, Public Administration, or a related field. Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in nonprofit management, grant administration, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success in fundraising, contract management, and grant writing.
• Strong understanding of the early childhood education field and the challenges faced by child care professionals and  families.
• Minimum of 5 years experience as a child care professional.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to build and maintain effective partnerships and collaborations.
• Experience in advocacy, grassroots organizing and public policy at the local, state or national level.
• Knowledge of financial management and budgeting.
• Proficiency in using computer applications and technology for program management and communication including Outlook, Zoom and Google Suite.

Raise Montana is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. 

Physical and Environmental Demands:This position is primarily remote, but regular travel throughout the state of Montana is required. 

Supervision:The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors of Raise Montana.

Application Instructions:

Applicants with Disabilities: Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process. Please advise in writing to tori@greatergallatinunitedway.org  to request reasonable accommodation at the time of application.

To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume, and three professional references to board chair Tori Sproles at tori@greatergallatinunitedway.org. 

The specific statements shown in each section of this description are not  intended to be all inclusive. They represent typical elements and criteria considered necessary to perform the job successfully.