Organizational Overview
Founded in 2002, and located in Seattle, WA, the Fulcrum Foundation works in partnership with the Office of the Archbishop and the Office for Catholic Schools to implement the mission of the Fulcrum Foundation to foster the hope for a better world and the ability to make it happen. Together they serve over 22,000 students attending 73 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Seattle resulting in a high school graduation rate of 99%. Fulcrum leverages innovation and financial capital in the Archdiocese to provide accessibility to families, and to encourage transformative change and excellent leadership for schools.
Fulcrum’s areas of focus include:
Access to Opportunity - helping families overcome the financial barriers to access through new and innovating tuition assistance grant programs to meet these challenges head-on, providing meaningful assistance that increases access to Catholic schools for children across the Archdiocese of Seattle.
Revitalizing Schools - working to proactively identify the most vulnerable schools, forging multi-year partnerships that will place these schools back on a solid path toward financial health and strength for the next 150 years.
Transformational Talent - partnering with the Office for Catholic Schools to design a first-of-its-kind pathway to leadership program that supports all Catholic school principals, that will help recruit and develop the next generation of vibrant and transformational leaders that Catholic schools need and our Catholic school students deserve.
Position Overview
The Fulcrum Foundation Board of Trustees is searching for a strategic and influential leader with a proven ability to execute and a solid background in institutional advancement to take our thriving philanthropic organization to the next level. The candidate must possess a passion for and knowledge of the Catholic faith and Catholic education. The Executive Director (ED), in partnership with the Board of Directors (the Board), is responsible for its success. The ED, with the Board, ensures Fulcrum’s relevance to the catholic community, the accomplishment of its mission and vision, and accountability to its diverse stakeholders.
The Board delegates responsibility for management and day to day operations to the ED and s/he has the authority to carry out these responsibilities, in accordance with the established policies and direction. The ED provides direction and support to the Board as it governs the agency.
Position Responsibilities
Strategic Direction and Planning
- Lead the strategic and business planning process to develop short and long-term business and organizational goals and objectives. Keep plan objectives “alive” within the agency activities and through effective Board engagement
- Collaborate with the Office for Catholic Schools on public relations and marketing projects, developing and evaluating school partnership programs, and other strategic initiatives that benefit schools.
- Establish a strong partnership with the Office of the Archbishop and meet regularly to ensure continuity in the Foundation’s mission and its philanthropic goals.
- Help the Board monitor and evaluate agency effectiveness, results and relevancy
- Execute on seven-year strategic plan to build leadership capacity throughout catholic school system
Management and Administration
- Oversee a team of talented professionals and direct the overall operations of the Foundation’s primary programs: tuition assistance, school partnerships, leadership development, and special initiatives for schools.
- Work in close collaboration with Board members, especially the Chair of the Board in his/her oversight of the Foundation and the Chair of the Finance Committee in his/her developing and monitoring of the budget and investments.
- Ensures recruitment, retention and support of quality staff and volunteers.
Governance/Board
- Helps the Board articulate its role and accountabilities and that of its committees and individual members, and helps evaluate performance regularly.
- Works with the Board President/Chair to enable the Board to fulfill its governance functions and facilitates the optimum performance by the Board, its committees and individual Board members.
- With the Board President/Chair, focuses Board attention on long-range strategic issues.
- Manages the Board’s due diligence process to assure timely attention to core issues.
- Works with the Board officers and committee chairs to get the best thinking and involvement of each Board member and stimulate each Board member to give his or her best.
Funding/Fundraising
- Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with major donors and other key constituents. Identify and meet with donors on a regular basis and be comfortable with “the ask”. Manifest a relentless energy for relationship building with the ability to organize various constituencies toward the Foundation’s fundraising goals.
- Provide leadership, supervision and support to the Advancement Director, who works with the Development Committee, on the annual fundraising plan including all major events and capital campaigns. This will include the cultivation and solicitation of donors as well as foundation and corporate grants.
- Works with Board and leadership staff to ensure sufficient funding to support short-and long-term goals.
Communications/Community Relations
- Collaborate with the Advancement Director and Engagement Manager to develop and implement the Communication Plan for the Foundation.
- Facilitates the integration of Fulcrum Foundation into the fabric of the catholic community by using effective marketing and communications strategies.
- Listens to clients, staff, volunteers, donors and the community to improve services and generate community involvement.
- Serves as a chief spokesperson for the Fulcrum Foundation, and participate in local, regional, and national activities.
- Initiates, develops, and maintains cooperative relationships with key constituencies.
Approximate Percentage of Time Spent by Responsibility:
- Community relations/fundraising – 30%
- Management/oversight – 30%
- Board – 20%
- Strategic direction – 20%
Qualifications/Competencies
- Master’s degree preferred with minimum of 5 years’ experience in a senior management position. As Executive Director, this individual demonstrates critical competencies in four broad categories: commitment to results, business savvy, leading change, and motivating.
- Active Catholic and faith-filled leader with a passion for the values of the Catholic Church and mission of Catholic education.
- Strategic leader and collaborative team player, with a particular commitment to the charism of administration and fundraising.
- Proven ability to create and execute strategic plans with attention to detail.
- Demonstrated experience in the management and allocation of funds in a charitable context.
- Exceptional skills in written and verbal communication, and a compelling presentation style that engages, inspires, and motivates others.
- Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to build productive relationships with staff and external partners and constituencies.
Preferred Candidate Profile
The preferred candidate will be a passionate motivator, team leader, and communicator dedicated to the mission and values of the Fulcrum Foundation. He/She must be authentic and have unimpeachable personal integrity and professionalism. This individual will possess a high “EQ”, instill confidence and have excellent presentation and communication skills with an outgoing, personable and inclusive management style.
Personal characteristics should include: courageous, optimistic, high-energy, trustworthy, adaptive, open to change, and at ease with making tough decisions, demonstrating decisiveness, resourcefulness, and diplomatically coaching team members so that consensus and clarity can help the organization advance; a politically astute leader, who is open to input and feedback from others, and seen as a catalyst for creating an encouraging environment that inspires employees to think like innovators, identify potential new revenue streams, and try new ideas; a systems thinker who can operate at the ‘big-picture’ level as well as at the day-to-day operational level, balancing new opportunities with a stable course for the organization.
The ideal candidate will have executive presence and be a transparent, gifted and engaging communicator, whether speaking one on one or in front of a large audience. This individual will act as a “Chief Mission Officer”, with applicable business acumen, and possess a genuine, visible, infectious passion for Fulcrum’s critical mission.
Salary - $150 - 200K + relocation package
Great benefits and pension plan