Each Child. Every Community.

Durham’s Partnership for Children

www.DPfC.net

Position Profile: Executive Director

Durham, NC

THE ORGANIZATION

Durham’s Partnership for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is part of the Smart Start initiative across North Carolina.  The Partnership leads community strategies for children birth-5 and their families to ensure that every child in Durham enters school healthy and ready to succeed. We administer the Smart Start initiative, NC Pre-K and Early Head Start, as well as community-based programs that promote healthy development and learning and enhance access to high quality care. The Partnership identifies emerging needs and mobilizes partners to support comprehensive approaches to serving all 23,000 young children in Durham.

THE CANDIDATE

The ideal Executive Director is a relationship-driven leader who brings people together around a shared mission. They have sound judgment, strong experience working with Boards and diverse teams, and approach their work with integrity and a positive attitude. This person is dependable, self-motivated, and able to manage multiple priorities. They are creative, forward-thinking, and comfortable taking the initiative while maintaining a professional and respectful presence.

THE POSITION

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Executive Director provides professional leadership for the Durham’s Partnership for Children’s activities including program coordination, personnel management, project evaluation and compliance with all state and federal rules and regulations regarding the Partnership’s financial and programmatic activities.  The Executive Director is accountable to the Durham’s Partnership for Children Board of Directors for the proper management of the Partnership and will work closely with all Board-level committees to ensure the success of the Partnership’s programs.

Community Leadership and Engagement

• Engage with community members and stakeholders to build meaningful relationships, foster collaboration, and maintain a visible presence that supports the mission and strategic goals of the Partnership.
• Serve as a catalyst for and develop collaborative programs and services for Durham County’s young children and their families.
• Build consensus and strengthen relationships with community organizations serving children age 0-5 and their families.
• Create a place for the early childhood system’s influence and leadership in new or existing collaborative efforts in Durham County.
• Keep the community informed of Partnership activities and achievements through adequate outreach and media coverage of Partnership events and achievements and represent the Partnership in industry and/or community events.
• Make presentations with staff to local groups to communicate the Partnership’s goals and activities and to build public support for early childhood initiatives and intervention within the community.
• Develop working relationships with private companies in Durham County to build private sector support for Durham’s Partnership for Children goals and activities.
• Establish and maintain relationships with Durham County legislators to ensure accurate knowledge regarding Durham’s Partnership for Children’s activities and achievements.
• Follow the General Assembly’s activities regarding young children and work with other agencies within the county and state to represent the interest of young children.
• Attend NCPC Executive Director meetings and participate in statewide planning and collaboration efforts.

General Management and Budget Oversight

• Effectively lead and manage all programmatic, financial, and personnel functions, including allocation of funding, contract management and monitoring, ensuring the Partnership’s accurate interpretation of and full compliance with funders’ and local policies, contract requirements, and governmental regulations for financial and programmatic data.
• Support and implement with staff a comprehensive communication strategy including web content, social media, newsletters, annual reports and other publications to effectively market the Partnership, educate the public about its work, and promote transparency and accountability.
• Plan, facilitate and direct the Partnership’s financial development efforts; develop and maintain relationships with potential and existing funders; identify potential funding opportunities and oversee preparation of materials.
• Ensure compliance with laws and regulations and terms and conditions of contracts and grants affecting the Partnership; oversee vendor contracts; oversee operating budgets for adoption by the Board of Directors and prepare required reports to government agencies and funding sources.
• Plan, develop, and maintain the Partnership budget within established guidelines, ensuring efficient utility of all staff, services, supplies and equipment.
• Direct the efficient allocation and utilization of funding to ensure maximum outcomes for children.
• Ensure proper expenditure of funds and maintain appropriate documentation of all expenditures to ensure adequate accountability.
• Oversee reports for the Board of Directors and its committees on actual vs. budgeted expenditures.
• Manage preparation for audits and ensure that recommendations are fully implemented.
• Manage multiple grants and ensure compliance with each funder’s requirements.
• Monitor and evaluate service and financial status of all activities to ensure they meet required outcomes.

Personnel Management

• Work with the Board of Directors and/or its committees to establish proper personnel policies and procedures.
• Hire, manage and train all Partnership staff.
• Ensure proper compliance with all personnel policies and procedures.
• Hold regular staff meetings to ensure proper movement toward and attainment of all Partnership goals and objectives and establish work priorities.
• Perform formal performance appraisals and conduct informal feedback sessions on a regular basis.
• Ensure all necessary federal and state documents are completed and filed appropriately.

Board Support and Coordination

• Attend Board-level committee meetings to ensure proper coordination of activities, communications flow and non-duplication of efforts between and among all committees.
• Staff the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee and other committees deemed appropriate by the Board. Schedule meetings and prepare reports, agendas, minutes, and other materials.
• Establish communication systems between and among committees at all levels to ensure adequate flow of information and ideas.
• Work with and through all Partnership staff to ensure adequate collaboration and communication of all Partnership activities.
• Manage the Partnership’s Strategic Planning process, balancing the need for local data collection and planning with NCPC requirements.

Systems Change

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with partner organizations and agencies, and manage the local collaborative change process to ensure that all the Partnership programs work together with other community resources to effectively accomplish the Partnership’s vision, mission and goals.
• Increase the local community’s capacity to deliver services to children and families, which have been locally designed and planned.
• Actively advocate at the local, state and national levels for systemic improvements, which will support and enhance the development of children and families.

The Executive Director is responsible for other duties as assigned.

It is the responsibility of all staff to contribute to the positive work environment at Durham’s Partnership for Children and work to maintain a team effort.

Education and Experience:

• Undergraduate degree (graduate degree preferred) in business administration or related business field, public administration, public policy, education, or human services-related field.
• Minimum of five years of experience in management and financial administration with at least three years of supervisory experience.
• Experience in nonprofit or state government financial administration and management, including responsibility for developing and managing diversified sources of funding (e.g. federal, state, local, private) and responsibility for regulatory compliance.
• Experience managing early childhood programs.
• Experience working and convening diverse stakeholders for community impact.
• Experience in nonprofit board governance and working with governing boards.
• Experience fundraising and grant writing for the nonprofit sector.

Safety, Security and Confidentiality:  This position requires keeping complete confidentiality of all human resource/financial information and protecting the confidentiality all DPFC files and records.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The physical requirements of this position are those typical of office staff.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Employer’s Rights: This job description is general in nature and illustrative of the kind of duties and responsibilities required of this position.  It is not exhaustive and does not contain a detailed description of all of the duties that may be required of the incumbent occupying this position.

TO APPLY

Durham’s Partnership for Children is working with Capability Company Consulting to support the search process. Please send a cover letter linking your skills and experience to this position and your resume to:

DPFCED@CapabilityCompany.com

Applications will be reviewed as they are submitted, beginning June 2, 2025. Early submission is encouraged. The target hiring salary for this position is $115,000 – $125,000 at this time.