Executive Director

Who We Are

NJCASA is the statewide advocacy and capacity building organization that currently represents the New Jersey county-based sexual violence organizations, and the Rutgers University Office of Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance (New Brunswick). There are plans for the current base of member organizations to be expanded to support the goals of inclusivity and diversity. 

NJCASA elevates the voice of sexual violence survivors and service providers by advocating for survivor-centered legislation, training allied professionals, and supporting statewide prevention strategies that work to address and defy the socio-cultural norms that permit and promote rape culture. 

Formed in 1981, NJCASA has a team of nine full-time staff and an operating budget of $2M. NJCASA provides a statewide voice for survivors of sexual assault and for the organizations that serve them, with a focus which includes:  

• Advocacy for survivor-centered policies and legislation;  

• Training and education for sexual violence programs, law enforcement, and allied professionals; and 

• Prevention programs equipping teens and adults with skills to prevent sexual violence before it occurs

Our Vision

We envision a world free from all forms of oppression, where sexual violence does not exist, and the dignity of every person is valued and respected.

 

Our Mission

NJCASA centers anti-oppression and anti-racist principles to eradicate sexual violence and support survivors and their loved ones by working collaboratively to promote equity, justice, and healing.

 

Our Guiding Principles

• Uprooting Oppression

• Dismantling Racism

• Centering Survivors

• Promoting Healing

 

Who We’re Looking For 

The Executive Director (ED) provides vision and direction for the NJCASA mission; acts as the public voice of the organization, its work, and its history; and works with the leadership team to manage daily operations and advance organizational strategic plans. The ED is responsible for coalition engagement, personnel management, funding and fiscal solvency, and development planning in alignment with the Board of Trustees. The ED is responsible for making key decisions to achieve mission outcomes. Collaborative engagement with NJCASA stakeholders in the larger community, partner organizations, and agencies is critical to the success of this role. At NJCASA, we apply servant leadership, grounded in listening, developing leadership at all levels, and empathy, as a framework of person-first services; with leadership operating in service to the staff, and the organization operating in service to the community. The ED will model this kind of leadership in practice throughout their work.

Required skills and capabilities:

• At least five years of experience in a nonprofit executive leadership role, plus a strong knowledge base of the field of sexual violence prevention and service.

• Experience leading and effectively managing a non-profit organization of similar staff and/or budget size as NJCASA; track record in effectively managing staff, coaching, mentoring, and creating opportunities for professional development and staff advancement

• Expertise in federal and state public funding sources related to the provision of support services, and all related regulatory reporting requirements.

• Exemplary organizational leadership skills, both in managing and building a strong teams and in interacting with and cultivating an active, governance-oriented Board of Trustees 

• Excellent communication skills in written and verbal communications, active listening, and public speaking and presentations

• Values-driven servant leadership style with an emphasis on integrity and transparency

• Center and solidify NJCASA’s commitment to inclusivity through the development of aligned policies, systems, and practices

 

We especially support applications from people who have these additional skills and capabilities: 

• Experience working in the field of sexual violence prevention and service

• Experience in legislative advocacy, particularly in collaboration with county & state coalitions and agencies 

• Provide proven track-record of success in cultivating and managing stakeholder relationships internally and externally, with staff, Board of Trustees, coalition membership, partner organizations, and local, state, and federal agencies

• General knowledge of trauma and trauma-informed approaches within sexual violence prevention and/or nonprofit management

 

What You’ll Do

 

Strategic Vision

• Provide movement-building vision and direction for NJCASA by developing and implementing strategic plans, in partnership with the Board of Trustees, that achieve those goals and leverage the expertise and experience of key staff, partners, and coalition membership 

• Ensure that an equity and racial justice lens is applied to organizational operations, including internal processes and infrastructure

• Implement goals and quantitative metrics for success; 

• Implement the necessary systems and tactics to track and share critical programmatic, operational, and financial data and information across the organization to align staff and stakeholders

 

Organizational and People Management

• Responsible for effective administration of day-to-day operations

• Supervise, coach, and collaborate with agency staff 

• Cultivate a culture of transparency internally and externally

• Oversee and approve contracts for services/vendors

• Oversee marketing and other communication efforts

 

Board Governance

• Along with the Board of Trustees, recruit and cultivate new board members

• Convey all necessary information to the Board of Trustees

• Support leadership that upholds the organization’s mission as defined by the Board of Trustees

 

Fund Development

• Responsible for NJCASA’s fiscal integrity, including compliance with all grant funded requirements and maintenance of a positive organizational financial position

• Responsible for developing other sources of revenues necessary to support NJCASA’s mission

• Manage the development of new grants and annual grant renewals; nurture and grow donor and stakeholder relationships to increase financial support 

• Drive and carry out fiscal operations to achieve organizational funding goals as determined by the ED and Board of Trustees 

 

Stakeholder Relations

• Cultivate and maintain positive relationships with stakeholders and community partners

• Serve as the primary spokesperson and advocate for the agency. This includes speaking with the press, representing NJCASA at statewide and national forums, and approving all press releases

• Work collaboratively with other statewide stakeholders to appropriately respond to and prevent sexual violence

• Coordinate staff activities in support of the needs of member organizations