Executive Director

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR POSITION

About Hardy Girls

Hardy Girls is a Maine-based, research-driven nonprofit with the mission of taking girls & nonbinary youth seriously and putting the power in their hands to challenge a society that ignores their brilliance. We dare adult allies to join us. Our vision is girls and nonbinary youth causing a ruckus. Started in 2000, Hardy Girls serves over 800 girls and nonbinary youth annually across six programs that inspire curiosity, critical thinking, coalition-building, and challenging the status quo.

A note about the workplace: We are a small staff with bold, unflinching goals. We value each other, respect each other, and laugh a lot. We really enjoy each other’s company and while the organizational values match our own, our jobs are not our lives. As full humans with lives outside of our jobs, we create a space that welcomes our authentic selves to the work. We have an office space in Augusta, but our team meetings are mostly done via Zoom.

Leadership Opportunity

Hardy Girls seeks a passionately feminist nonprofit professional, strategic leader, and enthusiastic fundraiser to be our next Executive Director (ED). The successful candidate will bring meaningful development and fundraising experience, a commitment to working in partnership with youth, and strong staff leadership skills.

The ED reports to and partners with a ~12-person intergenerational Board of Directors, which fulfills its fiduciary role through bimonthly board meetings, engaged committee participation, and active resource development efforts. The ED manages a team of three full time staff members, all of whom currently report to the ED and include a Director of Operations and two Program Managers. The ED also manages the organization’s annual budget.

Key Responsibilities

The ED’s key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Organizational and Strategic Leadership (25%)

• Lead a dedicated, passionate team to ensure that staff are supported, work is being done effectively, and program and organizational goals are aligned.
• Collaborate with the Board of Directors to ensure that Hardy Girls is fulfilling its mission through ongoing communications and reporting.
• Oversee Hardy Girls’s high-level financial management, ensuring that the organization is financially sound and operating with financial prudence for long-term sustainability.
• Lead the development of Hardy Girls’ annual budget, alongside Board leadership and operations and program staff, to ensure that it aligns with the organization’s goals and priorities.

Development and Communications (50%)

• Lead the implementation of a comprehensive fundraising and development strategy that aligns with Hardy Girl’s mission and goals.
• Research, write, and manage grants, often in partnership with Program staff.
• Build and steward relationships with donors to maintain ongoing support, especially in the form of monthly donations, major gifts, and the Annual Appeal.
• Work in partnership with staff, especially the Operations Director, to tell Hardy Girls’ story through communications, including but not limited to email newsletters, donor correspondence, social media, and public events.

Programming (25%)

• Oversee programmatic strategy and growth, partnering with staff to ensure that each of Hardy Girls’ six programs has a clear work-plan and funding source.
• Directly supervise and partner with two Program Managers as they scale the Coalition Group, Muse, and Feminist Action Board (FAB) programs, ensuring clear communication and collaboration across the organization.
• Ensure Hardy Girls programs and trainings are up to date with best practices, are responsive to emergent needs, and center youth voice at all levels.
• Provide support with youth and professional development workshop delivery.

Experiences, Skills, and Qualities

Required:

• Active desire to topple the patriarchy and call out white supremacy.
• Passion for Hardy Girls’ mission, with an understanding of issues and trends affecting girls and nonbinary youth, particularly in Maine.
• Proven experience writing successful grants, securing new revenue streams, and stewarding new and existing donor relationships for a nonprofit organization.
• Program development and management experience.
• Collaborative and supportive staff management experience.
• High level of integrity, initiative, flexibility, teamwork, creativity, and planning.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively communicate with diverse audiences.

Preferred:

• Strong ties to community organizations in Maine.
• Experience working in the fields of girls development, youth activism, and/or LGBTQ+ youth support.
• Experience developing and running programs focused on positive youth development and social emotional learning.

Additional Information

• This position is Maine-based, and the successful candidate should be located or be willing to relocate within commuting distance to Augusta, Maine.
• When not delivering programs in person, the position could work remotely, in our Augusta office, or a combination of the two.
• This position will require occasional (15%) work and travel around the state so a valid driver’s license and access to a car is required. Travel reimbursement available.
• This is a full-time, salaried position.
• The Board is targeting a starting salary of $62,000, with future increases commensurate with organizational growth over time.
• A monthly health stipend and dental insurance are provided.

Please submit a cover letter and resume to [email protected]. No calls please.

This job description uses language and structures from job descriptions previously posted by Demand Justice, the Greater DC Diaper Bank, and the Appalachian Community Fund.