President & Chief Executive Officer
WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THIS POSITION.
About Unity Parenting and Counseling
Unity Parenting and Counseling strives to add value, impact, and structure to the lives of anyone in need. Through their robust slate of programs and services Unity Parenting and Counseling works to empower individuals to make positive life choices and to build life skills that help reduce & eliminate barriers to successful, independent living.
At Unity Parenting and Counseling (Unity) the staff are passionate about providing under-resourced young people and struggling families with the stability and support structure they need to live safe and comfortable lives. From its inception in 1993, Unity has been all about protecting and supporting the most vulnerable groups within the community – those who are homeless or in unstable housing situations, abused and neglected children in foster care and their parents including those with physical and mental health challenges. Unity is a social service agency invested in promoting the development of healthier and stronger family units with the intended result being the cultivate of safer, more positive communities.
With a budget of just over $8.5 million, and a staff of 70+ dedicated team members, Unity Parenting and Counseling strives to offer comprehensive programs to meet the need of their surrounding community on the east side of the Pilsen neighborhood in Chicago.
Unity’s programs are diverse and unique, but they share the common factor of being designed to meet the needs of persons, populations and communities largely underserved and often ignored, primarily serving persons of color in communities of color.
In addition to a slate of services around foster care and behavioral health Unity currently operates seven homeless programs including five programs for homeless youth. This includes:
- A low threshold shelter for homeless youth;
- Two transitional housing programs including one for youth living with HIV/AIDS;
- Rapid rehousing programs which provide youth with their own leases and corresponding support services/subsidies;
- Permanent housing for homeless youth; and
- Permanent housing for homeless disabled adults.
To learn about Unity’s full slate of programs and services, please visit their website.
The Opportunity
As the organization enters its next chapter, the next President & CEO (“CEO”) will lead Unity to achieve even greater levels of strategic influence, impact, and innovation. The CEO will provide overall management of the market including development, programs, operations, facilities management, purchasing, and budgeting for a budget of approximately $8.5 million.
Reporting to the Board of Directors, the CEO will provide both internal and external leadership in the continual advancement and fulfilment of the Unity’s mission. This leader will be responsible for ensuring that Unity actualizes its values and will drive forward the growth strategy and the strategic plan for success established in partnership with the Board.
As the public face of Unity Parenting & Counseling, the role requires fostering strong, purposeful and sustainable relationships, exceptional networking skills, an understanding of public policy impacting homeless youth, and the ability to effectively engage board, staff, partners, sponsors, funders and advocates.
The President and CEO is responsible for fostering a highly functional culture by positively empowering each team member, striving to deepen capacity of Unity stakeholders, refine and enhance internal processes, and strengthen overall community impact through effective programming.
The key responsibilities of the CEO include:
Inspirational and Visionary Leadership:
- Enhance the UNITY’s public profile and image by strengthening ties with the greater Chicago community.
- Model thought leadership that is creative, dynamic, transparent, and empowering in a manner that upholds and inspires the organization’s vision and drives the mission.
- Partner with senior leadership team to manage the day-to-day operations of the organization and ensure its overall successful immediate, short-term and long-term operations by utilizing consistent decision-making protocols.
Development, Fundraising and Network Cultivation:
- Cultivate diverse portfolio of funding opportunities and leads in securing a healthy mix of private and public funds, including individual donors, corporate partnerships and support, fundraising events and campaigns.
- Lead the Board and the Fundraising Committee in the execution of the annual fundraising plan to achieve income targets.
- Identify new potential revenue and income sources and produce strategies to access these funds.
Financial Management:
- Monitor and ensure the fiscal integrity of the organization; accept and foster extraordinary accountability with respect to accepted financial management practices.
- Direct multi-site resources and expenses and manage all financials prudently in conjunction with the finance staff and the Board.
- Ensure the maximum resource utilization, budget management and maintenance of the organization to ensure Unity is in a sustainable, positive and productive financial position.
Program and Operations Oversight:
- Provide oversight and strategic direction setting to all programmatic services that Unity offers; partner closely with management staff to ensure programs maintain the highest possible ethics and integrity.
- Collaborate with the Executive Leadership team to create and execute the Strategic Plan with specific, measurable outcomes.
- Direct the activities and be responsive to the needs and requests of key Unity contractors supporting PR, Fundraising, HR, social media and other special projects.
- Understand and execute the terms of complex business relationships and contracts.
Board Engagement:
- Organize and participate in quarterly meetings of the Board of Directors as an ex officio capacity.
- Maintain a strong relationship and partner with the Unity Board, maintaining regular and ongoing communication and providing support and guidance to members to support effective governance of the organization.
- Cultivate new Board prospects as opportunities for membership become available.
Candidate Profile
While it is understood that no one candidate will bring every desired skill, characteristic, and experience, the following offers a reflection of the ideal candidate profile.
A Strategic and Visionary Leader
A trailblazer, this leader will have the ability to actualize a new reality for Unity - together with other senior leaders, the staff, and Board - building on Unity’s evolving mission and vision for the future. The CEO will be a visionary, and results-oriented leader who is experienced at articulating and implementing a long-term strategic plan. They will inspire the staff and Board to see where the organization could, and should, be going and lead the organization forward in a collaborative manner. While embodying the qualities of a visionary leader, the CEO must also be grounded in results-driven work. This leader will demonstrate the ability to diagnose critical areas for attention and implement clear strategies that address challenges that may arise for Unity. Action-oriented and adaptable, the CEO will have an ability to develop innovative approaches to problem-solving and day-to-day operation. In addition, the successful candidate will ensure fiduciary responsibility, sound financial management practices and accountability.
A Relationship Builder, Collaborator and Fundraiser
The CEO will have the character and confidence to work comfortably in a highly visible role and to interact effectively with a broad range of constituents. This leader will work tirelessly to build rapport and promote Unity with its constituents and partners. The CEO will have the skills to articulate the vision of the organization to its supporting community, attracting new and diverse partnerships. This leader will have familiarity with a wide range of fundraising channels, including individual giving, organizational funding partners, and foundation support. The CEO will cultivate and grow relationships to strategically increase Unity’s private funding and donor base. As the lead external voice of the organization, the CEO will be able to work effectively with diverse populations and will be a recognized leader in the community. With a focus on deepening the organization’s work, the CEO will be skilled at continually strengthening Unity’s powerful sense of shared purpose by engaging long-time advocates and new potential supporters to face the opportunities and challenges ahead.
A Talent Developer and Engaged Manager
Bringing a passion for developing and coaching others to the role, the CEO will have a demonstrated ability to support HR in designing and implementing effective talent recruitment, management, and retention strategies. Engaging and supportive, they will be experienced in building, developing and retaining a dynamic, expert team to meet organizational goals. Moreover, the CEO will be able to set priorities, delegate responsibilities, assure accountability and allocate resources to ensure results. This leader will have extensive experience in retaining, building, and leading teams of the highest degree of professionalism and guiding team members’ growth and development. Finally, the President will be a leader known for honesty, transparency, strong diplomacy, and for being an engaged, inclusive and active partner.
A Passion for the Mission
On the most fundamental level, the CEO will be inspired by and committed to the Unity mission of supporting youth and families. This leader will have not only the ability, but a strong personal motivation, to guide the leadership team in carrying out the organization’s mission and vision. In service of the mission, the CEO will maintain a consistent focus on the future and how to best adapt Unity to best serve its constituents. This leader will be responsive to the needs of the Unity community and will be respectful and mindful of the individual lifestyles and backgrounds represented by their staff and community members. The CEO will have a collaborative spirit and will be a charismatic leader who treats others with respect. Above all, they will be an individual of unquestioned integrity, ethics and values; someone who can be trusted without reservation.
Compensation & Benefits
The salary range for this position is $145,000-155,000 per year. Starting salary will be commensurate with experience.
Unity offers comprehensive benefits including health, dental and vision insurance, an FSA program, and generous paid time-off, among others.
Contact
Koya Partners has been exclusively retained for this search. Chartise Clark and George Theotokatos are leading the engagement. To make recommendations or express interest in this opportunity, please submit your materials here or email unity@koyapartners.com. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.
Koya Partners is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email NonprofitSearchOps@divsearch.com. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.
About Koya Partners
Koya Partners, a part of Diversified Search Group, is a leading executive search and strategic advising firm dedicated to connecting exceptionally talented people with mission-driven clients. Our founding philosophy—The Right Person in the Right Place Can Change the World—guides our work as we partner with nonprofits & NGOs, institutions of higher education, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.
For more information about Koya Partners, visit www.koyapartners.com.