View the Position Profile HERE

THE OPPORTUNITY

Community Action Organization of Western New York (CAO) is a deeply mission-driven non-profit, dedicated to promoting opportunities for low-income individuals, families, and communities to achieve and sustain self-sufficiency through advocacy, partnerships, access to services and low-to-moderate income housing development. Originating from the Economic Opportunity Act and the “War on Poverty” initiatives implemented in the 1960s, CAO has positioned itself as a problem solver and solutions provider, rather than just an outlet to “service the poor.” This approach has allowed the organization to lead the charge and provide solutions that empower their clients to become more self-reliant and overcome the crippling cycle of poverty. CAO is a multifaceted organization with a five-pronged approach to fight poverty through community health, economic empowerment, educational advancement, neighborhood revitalization, and workforce development initiatives.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) will boldly, strategically, and inclusively lead the organization and have a strong presence in the communities we serve. They will work alongside CAO leaders and community partners to break the cycle of poverty by building equity in the citizens and communities of Western New York. The CEO will have a passion for the work, knowledge of our community, and the executive acumen to lead an organization of CAO’s size and complexity. This individual will be an influencer and partner, building meaningful relationships both internally and externally with CAO team members, key constituents, grantors, regulatory bodies, governmental representatives, and partner agencies. The next leader will apply their experience and knowledge of non-profit leadership to build upon the internal work of evaluating organizational structures, strategic priorities, and community initiatives. They will balance this internal focus with their external priorities, advocating for the agency to ensure it has funding, community support, and other resources needed to fulfill the mission and meet the evolving needs of the community and those they serve.

POSITION & ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

The CEO must be a visible and engaged, community advocate, and mission-driven leader, with the dedication, integrity, courage, and community “know-how” to work across lines of differences to bring people together and accomplish objectives. The CEO will also bring a track record of success as a senior leader in complex, non-profit organizations, leading and managing strategic change initiatives to meet the needs of the community.

Key competencies include:

• Mission-Driven
• Community Advocate
• Relationship Building and Fundraising
• Strategic Planning & Execution
• Collaborative & Decisive
• Executive Acumen – Business, Financial, Operational & Leader of Leaders

The CEO reports to a highly distinguished, 21-member Board of Directors.

Direct reports include the following positions:

• Chief Operations Officer
• Chief Financial Officer
• Chief Human Resource Officer
• Chief Compliance Officer
• Chief Quality Officer
• Chief Clinical Officer
• Chief Programming Officer
• Chief Technology Officer
• Chief Early Childhood Officer

Organization Overview:

Total Revenue – $35-$40 million*

Total employees- 450-475*

Number of clients/individuals served- over 35,000* annually

*Totals approximate

MISSION-DRIVEN LEADER

The successful candidate will be a visible, mission-driven community leader who believes all people should be treated with dignity and respect and recognizes that structural race, gender, and other inequities remain barriers that must be addressed. They will do this through inspirational leadership and a commitment to achieving successful outcomes in alignment with CAO’s mission. To do this, the CEO will:

Lead with CAO’s Mission and Vision consistently prioritized and in focus.

• Work to ensure the causes and conditions of poverty are effectively addressed in order to strengthen, promote, represent, and serve the Community.
• Work to create opportunities for all people to thrive, build strong, resilient communities, and ensures a more equitable society.
• Be present in the community, understands people’s needs and works to ensure CAO has the programs and resources necessary to support them.
• Continue to build trust amongst the organization, Board, regulatory bodies, and other constituents by establishing genuine, open, and transparent lines of communication.
• Consistently communicate the purpose of the organization to prospective donors, team members, partners, and other relevant constituents.

COMMUNITY ADVOCACY, RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, & FUNDRAISING

The CEO of CAO will be an integral part of the WNY community and will be skilled in the areas of advocacy and community relations. They will continuously build upon their understanding of the needs of low-income individuals, families and communities to help them achieve and sustain self-sufficiency. They will utilize their relationships, knowledge, and “know-how” to establish partnerships and accomplish organizational objectives that will further the mission of the organization. To do this the CEO will:

• Be a partner and influencer, forging new partnerships and strengthening existing ones throughout the community to enhance and increase access to critically needed resources.
• Understand the dynamics of the local, regional, and national environments, and uses this knowledge to meet the needs of our community.
• Participate in government advocacy activities in both Western New York and across the state, including being up to date on issues/legislation impacting the Agency and engaging in in-person advocacy.
• Establish relationships/partnerships across CAO amongst the leadership team, employees, Board, and constituents, to build teams, manage conflict, and promote an engaged and inclusive culture.
• Establish and maintain effective partnerships with CAO key constituencies, grantors, regulatory bodies, governmental representatives, and with partner agencies.
• Be skilled in and actively participate in overseeing public relations and outreach strategies and speak on behalf of the organization to employees, the public, partners and the media.
• Consistently seek out opportunities to be in the community, speak with the community, and offer direct support to community members.
• Utilize their expertise in the human services field and their knowledge of the environment to influence decision-makers, leaders, and donors to support CAO in accomplishing their strategic goals.
• Be responsible for ensuring that CAO continues to find innovative approaches and funding sources for new programs that support the organization’s mission.

STRATEGIC PLANNING & EXECUTION

The Community Action Organization of WNY is on the frontline each day to mitigate the impact of poverty on low-income communities throughout Western New York. The CEO will be at the frontline leading the vision for the future and driving the strategy for the organization to build the necessary talent, systems, and culture to optimize the organization’s ability to continue to accomplish this work. To do this, the CEO will:

• Understand the complex realities of the community and maintains a belief in a better future, providing purpose, direction, and motivation.
• Lead strategic planning and its implementation – consulting the governing Board and other governing bodies to establish a road map with strategic priorities, measurable outcomes, plans for implementation, and ensuring alignment of resources behind that plan.
• Be a systems thinker who is goal driven and a strong advocate for systems and policy change.
• Alongside the CAO leadership team, plan, monitor and evaluate the organization’s programs of service to maintain a high level of effectiveness and responsiveness to community needs.
• Work with CAO team members to evaluate current systems and processes to ensure data is accurately captured and can be used to measure progress, determine the impact of activities, identify issues that need to be addressed, and ultimately ensure the success of programs and projects.
• Serve as the principal resource to the Board of Directors and collaborate with the members to champion new initiatives, push for needed changes, anticipate and solve problems, and be a team player.
• Motivate a cohesive, effective management team to problem solve.
• Promote workable solutions that connect more families to opportunity.

NON-PROFIT LEADERSHIP & EXECUTIVE ACUMEN

The CEO will possess extensive non-profit leadership experience with a high-level of business, financial, and organizational leadership skills and will be responsible for ensuring the organization’s financial and operational success. To accomplish this the CEO will:

• Be knowledgeable about the market and anti-poverty trends that would impact CAO, the industry, and funding.
• Work closely with the Board of Directors to ensure CAO’s fiduciary and compliance responsibilities are fulfilled in a transparent and responsible manner.
• Work with the Program Directors to oversee, evaluate, and administer programs.
• Work with the Chief Human Resources Officer to maintain an environment to attract and retain a highly motivated staff, develop future leadership, and provide guidance to ensure the organization attracts and retains the most qualified employees.
• Work with the Chief Financial Officer and the Board to manage organizational spending, monitor budget compliance, and mitigate financials risks.
• Build cohesive teams across CAO that engage the ideas of people with diverse skillsets and backgrounds at all levels.
• Cultivate a culture of employee empowerment and encourage innovation throughout the organization.
• Operate with transparency and accountability at the Board and staff level.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 7-10 years of senior level leadership experience required.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree preferred.
• Extensive non-profit leadership experience in administration of organizations of comparable complexity and mission, including responsibility for strategic planning design and execution, budget, staff, and program management.
• Successful experience with fundraising, resource development, and grant writing.
• Social Work degrees and certifications valued.
• Proven experience working successfully to bring people together in a racially and ethnically diverse environment.
• Thorough knowledge of low-income community needs; sensitivity to community issues; sound decision making ability.
• Skilled in public and community relations, as well as experienced/knowledgeable of trauma informed resources, preferred.
• Experience working with government agencies and regulatory bodies.
• Demonstrated track record of leading a team of senior management professionals, as well as extensive experience with budgeting, financial management, and financial reporting for an organization with a multi-million-dollar budget with multiple funding streams.
• Experience developing partnerships with like-minded parties and across lines of differences, building teams, and leading/managing change initiatives.
• Effective communicator.
• Knowledge of labor union contracts valued.
• Demonstrated commitment to continuous professional development.
• Proficient and up to date with current computer, technical skills, and social media platforms to effectively communicate, lead, and manage (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Video Conferencing, Facebook, Instagram etc.).

The salary range for this position is $175,000-$200,000

MISSION STATEMENT

The formal mission of the CAO of WNY is to promote opportunities for low-income individuals, families, and communities to achieve and sustain self-sufficiency through advocacy, partnerships, access to services and low-to moderate-income housing development.

OUR VISION

Hope is the driving force that enables us to persevere through adversity. Here at CAO of WNY, we offer hope by assisting low-income individuals, families, and communities in finding the necessary resources, tools, and support. However, we can't achieve this alone. To continue our fight against multigenerational poverty and uphold CAO of WNY's enduring commitments, we collaborate with community members and organizations to create a safety net that empowers our clients to regain control of their lives, fostering their sense of self-empowerment.

When you provide hope, empowerment, and self-responsibility to those who might otherwise feel lost, you contribute to a better, brighter future for generations within our community. This is our ultimate goal at CAO of WNY. We encourage health centers, educational and cultural institutions, law enforcement, community engagement teams, business owners, and all individuals and groups committed to making a difference to join us in realizing our vision of a society where everyone plays a meaningful role.

WHO WE ARE

The Community Action Organization of Western New York is a non-profit that serves thousands of individuals and families annually. We use our combined expertise to lead the charge on mitigating poverty throughout low-income communities within our area by empowering our clients with the resources they need to become self-responsible.

For more information, visit https://www.caowny.org/

Posted On: Wednesday, February 14, 2024