Job Description

 

Description:

 

ABOUT THE PARKS ALLIANCE OF INDIANAPOLIS

The Parks Alliance of Indianapolis is a non-partisan, 501(c)3 non-profit, and proud partner of the Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF) that exists to connect resources to needs by uniting government and community on behalf of Indy’s parks and public spaces.

The Parks Alliance believes in the power of public spaces to transform a city. Parks, trails, greenways, blueways, and urban farms are more than amenities. They believe a city is only as great as its public spaces, and Indianapolis benefits from a sustained focus on its parks system. Because when spaces are open and accessible, a city is too.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Parks Alliance of Indianapolis is seeking a dynamic, authentic and inspirational leader to guide the future of a longstanding organization that has created lasting and meaningful change in Central Indiana, while remaining rooted in its mission to support transformational parks and to inspire the community to action.

The next leader will carry on the charge in partnership with The Parks Alliance team, Board of Directors, staff, donors and other key constituents to support the City of Indianapolis in their efforts to provide places and experiences that inspire healthy living, social engagement, and a love of nature.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

The ideal candidate for The Parks Alliance Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is, at their core, someone who believes in the transformational power of parks, and possesses the ability to align people’s interests in parks, greenspace and trails through community, advocacy and giving.

Reporting to the board of directors, the CEO will oversee the strategic and operational efficiencies of our programs and staff. This seasoned leader will not only understand the value of a city-wide park nonprofit but will also have experience in developing and implementing a successful fundraising plan. Experience in hiring and managing staff is essential, and established relationships with local community groups is a plus. Above all, the CEO should be highly effective in a leadership role that requires clear communication skills and decisiveness.

The ideal candidate will have the following characteristics:

PASSIONATE ADVOCACY FOR THE MISSION

• The CEO will fully embrace The Parks Alliance of Indianapolis’ mission with dedication and pride, embodying The Parks Alliance’s core values.
• Driven by the mission, this leader will influence the culture and impact of The Parks Alliance of Indianapolis through the modeling and adoption of best practices.
• They will be an inspiring and empathic individual of unquestioned integrity, ethics, and values, treating others with respect.
• The CEO will become the face of the organization and participate in events to increase visibility, credibility, and market brand, and develop strategic partnerships to further increase awareness of the mission and raise funds.

STRATEGIC, COMMITTED AND TRANSPARENT LEADERSHIP

• The CEO will be a strategic, forward-thinking and results-oriented leader with a proven track record of working in partnership with a broad range of constituents in a service capacity.
• They will seek ways to advance the organizational goals and foster an environment of adaptive and transparent leadership to adjust to changing circumstances or new data.
• They will assist the board in operations, administration, planning, and information dissemination, helping build, sustain, and strengthen all board functions, engaging board members in developing the mission of the organization, setting goals and objectives, annual plan of work, board meeting preparation and orientation.
• The ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience mentoring and coaching others within a team of diverse levels of expertise.

PARTNER RELATIONS

• The CEO is the primary point of contact with the City of Indianapolis including the Mayor and their senior staff; the City County Council; City Controller; and other elected and appointed officials. The Parks Alliance maintains several different relationships with the City of Indianapolis including Parks & Recreation, Public Works, and Public Safety. The CEO is the primary point of contact with all persons in these areas.
• The CEO also serves as the primary liaison with the Central Indiana Community Foundation and with key funding partners and sponsors such as AES Indiana, the Lilly Endowment, and Citizens Energy Group .
• The ideal candidate will be able to effectively articulate the value proposition of partnering with The Parks Alliance.

FUNDRAISING AND GRANT REQUESTS

• The CEO will be humble and approachable, with a collegial demeanor and openness to diverse perspectives.
• They will be able to influence and maintain relationships based on trust, confidence and respect while building effective coalitions to move the mission forward.
• This leader will possess deep knowledge of fundraising, but more importantly be able to demonstrate success in relationship building both within an organization and with external stakeholders and existing donors.
• They will oversee the preparation and delivery of grant requests, which may include coordination of outside consultants, and they will monitor the grants process and budgets.
• They will exude comfort with presenting and interacting with potential donors in a variety of settings, including one-to-one interactions, boardrooms, large public audiences, community and corporate settings.
• The ideal candidate will maintain a high degree of social awareness and political sophistication, bringing their exceptional interpersonal and listening skills to effectively work with The Parks Alliance of Indianapolis’ team, the City of Indianapolis, the Board of Directors, and donors.

FINANCIAL ACUMEN AND OVERSIGHT

• They will oversee the financial health and compliance of the organization, including but not limited to preparing operating budgets for board approval, meeting regularly with the Board Treasurer and Finance Committee, monitoring assets and banking relationships, and assisting in the development and review of financial budgets for individual projects.
• They will ensure the organization complies with all laws and regulations.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

• As a skilled relationship builder, this leader will possess an ability to collaborate and demonstrate strong emotional intelligence, allowing space for all voices to be heard and all persons to feel welcomed.
• The CEO will possess a track record of success in multifaceted environments developing and implementing strategic and operational plans.
• They will build and lead an effective team that’s dedicated to fulfilling the organization’s mission through highly successful programs, partner engagement, and fundraising.
• The ideal candidate will be a natural convener, setting clear priorities while aligning internal dynamics and organizational culture, enabling all to feel connected to the mission.

The Parks Alliance of Indianapolis is an equal opportunity employer that seeks to recruit persons of diverse backgrounds and to support their retention, advancement and leadership development. With equitable opportunity for all as the core of its mission and anti-racism and inclusivity being among its core values, The Parks Alliance of Indianapolis is committed to fostering a workplace culture inclusive of people with respect to their race, ethnicity, national origin, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, veteran status, marital status, age, disabilities, political affiliation, religious beliefs or any other characteristic. The commitment to its values also means providing a work environment that is welcoming, respectful, and engaging.

Requirements:

 

CEO SEARCH TIMELINE*

• Applications will be accepted until July 31, 2023.
• Applications will be reviewed by the CEO search committee Aug. 1-14, 2023.
• Selected candidates will be notified by Aug. 19, 2023 and invited to round one video call interviews.
• Interview video call round(s) will be conducted with qualified candidates Aug. 22 - Sept. 15, 2023.
• Selected candidates will be notified by Sept. 22, 2023 and invited to in-person interviews.
• Finalist interviews will be conducted with candidates in person Oct. 2-6, 2023.
• This timeline is subject to change, and the position will remain open until it is filled.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The Parks Alliance of Indianapolis offers competitive salary and benefits, including:

• 403(b) Retirement Plan with company match
• Health, Dental, Vision and Pet Insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with company contribution
• PTO and 10.5 Paid Holidays
• Personal development and leadership opportunities

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY:

Central Indiana Community Foundation, The Indianapolis Foundation, Hamilton County Community Foundation and Women’s Fund of Central Indiana are equal opportunity employers that seek to recruit persons of diverse backgrounds and to support their retention and advancement. Justice is one of our core values, and we are committed to fostering a workplace culture inclusive of people with respect to their race, ethnicity, national origin, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, veteran status, marital status, age, disabilities, political affiliation, religious beliefs or any other characteristic. Our commitment to justice and diversity also means providing a work environment that is welcoming, respectful, and engaging. Our mission is to mobilize people, ideas and investments to make Central Indiana a community where all individuals have equitable opportunity to reach their full potential—no matter place, race or identity. Racism deeply impacts the well-being of our communities, compounding existing disparities and creating intersectional barriers. We strive to name and address these barriers through community engagement and assessment, relevant and effective policy creation, and organizational accountability methods. We support initiatives that address all forms of oppression, however, maintaining an explicit focus on race is essential to advancing equity across our communities. Improving outcomes for people of color will improve outcomes for everyone.

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