The Opportunity
The Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation (SASF) seeks a strategic Executive Director to lead us into the next decade. Our desired candidate is a compelling spokesperson and proven leader with a successful track record in managing operations, budgets and facilities as well as fundraising. You are willing to fight for our mission to provide for the welfare of homeless animals, promoting and nurturing the bond between people and animals through adoption, education, and community outreach. We are proud of our commitment to providing a home to any companion animal, regardless of the animal's circumstances or past. We turn no animal away. Post-pandemic, a record number of animals have been abandoned, and our resources are stretched to the limit. We need a leader who will help us meet this unprecedented demand. We are well-positioned.
About Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation
Located on the East End of Long Island, the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, open admission, no-kill shelter that relies on the generosity of our donors and volunteers to care for the homeless animals in our community and to place them in loving "forever homes." The shelter provides abandoned animals with housing, food, medical treatment, training, and rehabilitation. For 13 years since the town eliminated the original shelter, we have helped homeless animals in our community of 17 hamlets and 6 incorporated villages that make up the Township of Southampton covering more than 140 square miles. We also rescue dogs from "kill shelters" and dire situations across the country. We operate out of a 13,000 square foot facility in Red Creek Park in Hampton Bays. Since 2010, we have provided a veterinary clinic that handles medical evaluations, general care, spay and neuter services, microchipping, and vaccinations.
Overview of the Position
The Executive Director provides leadership across management of staff and facilities, day-to-day administration, financial forecasting and budgeting, programming, adoptions, community outreach, and fundraising and marketing. The core responsibilities are:
BUDGETING AND FINANCE
- Develops, proposes, and monitors the board-approved annual budget.
- Works with our Chief Strategy and Transformational Officer to establish a financial strategy aligned with SASF’s mission and goals that ensures fiscal responsibility, balanced budgets, attainable revenue projections, and continued financial growth.
- Collaborates with accounting and audit staff to oversee revenue/expense budgets, audits, accurate financial reportage, analysis, and data integrity, including monthly reconciliations that ensure proper income and expense allocations.
- Ensures leadership is clear on department budgets and ensures processes support for the proper and efficient tracking of all income and expenses
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS
- Works with the Chief Strategy and Transformational Officer to implement the long-term vision and business strategy supporting the mission and goals.
- Provides leadership and assumes primary responsibility for efficiency and impact in all operations and service areas.
- Oversees all elements of Human Resources, including payroll, benefits, and compliance.
- Inspires the staff, encourages teamwork, and fosters an environment that promotes excellence, open communications, efficiencies, and the development of new ideas to ensure the best experience for the animals in our care and for those wanting to adopt them.
- Encourages community volunteers with compelling opportunities to assist in day-to-day operations.
- Identifies potential risks and opportunities to protect SASF’s interests.
- Ensures SASF complies with federal, state, and local statutes and regulations and operates according to best practices and in keeping with SASF’s mission.
- Manages the facility, which includes communicating with the Town of Southampton and overseeing the renegotiating of the contract to ensure SASF’s best interests are served.
- Responsible for developing and sustaining key performance metrics that will hold leadership responsible for departmental performance, including meeting budgetary requirements to drive efficiencies in staffing and purchasing decisions.
- Works with departments to continuously identify volunteer opportunities within the community to drive shelter support and reduce operational expenses.
COMMUNICATIONS AND FUNDRAISING
- Supports the Chief Strategy and Transformational Officer in raising SASF’s profile with the media, the community, donors, and the public, amplifying SASF’s voice in the No Kill movement.
- Serves, along with our Chief Strategy and Transformational Officer, as one of the shelter’s primary fundraisers in cultivating sustainable relationships with major donors, foundations, and corporations and helping to expand SASF’s relationships with local governments and partner organizations to strategically enhance our programs and mission and increase revenue.
- Facilitates the integration of SASF into the fabric of the Hamptons by effectively branding, marketing, and communicating our mission and programs.
- Works with our Chief Strategy and Transformational Officer to lead campaigns to engage community members and partner organizations to encourage volunteers and advocate for the welfare of animals.
- Maintains a collaborative relationship with the board of directors and brings forth their best ideas, efforts, resources, and contacts.
IDEAL EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
The ideal candidate is committed to animal welfare and should have the following experience and qualifications:
- Minimum 10 years of senior-level management and leadership responsibility within a complex nonprofit organization with a budget of $1.5MM+.
- Successful track record as a fundraiser with measurable results in identifying, cultivating, and soliciting major donors, increasing corporate sponsorship, securing government support, and generating other sources of earned revenue.
- Strong financial management and analytical skills combined with a record of success in managing people, operations, and budgets.
- A visionary with solid guiding values and a commitment to transparency, accountability, diversity, and integrity, fostering an environment of belonging.
- An organized consensus builder with the ability to prioritize the significance of issues and determine who to include in the problem-solving process.
- Able to effectively analyze and use data and measurable benchmarks in making timely decisions and setting direction.
- Personal commitment to animal welfare background; experience running an animal shelter, sanctuary, and/or adoption center preferred, but not required.
- A superb communicator, verbal and written.
- Willingness to be accountable for results and transparent about success and shortcomings.
- Have humility and respect for the hard work of animal welfare professionals and volunteers.
- A bachelor’s degree at a minimum; an MBA, MPA or Master’s Degree in Finance a plus.
The salary is $160,000 to $170,000. Benefits include health insurance and PTO. It is not typical for offers to be made at or near the top of the range. Salary offers are based on a wide range of factors, including relevant skills, training, experience, education, and, where applicable, licensure or certification obtained. Market factors are also considered.
Interested applicants should email their resume and cover letter to [email protected] with Southampton Animal Shelter in the subject line. In order to be considered, applications must have cover letters addressing the candidate's fit with the key qualifications.