Job description

Position Summary 
The Executive Director works with the Board of Directors to provide strategic leadership for Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo and is responsible for the overall management of the organization.  The Executive Director ensures that the organization’s programs sustain its mission and advance its strategic goals.  Responsibilities include fundraising and development, fiscal management, staff management and organizational communications.  This is an exempt, full time position with some evenings and weekends.  The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities  
Organizational Management

• Day-to-day oversight of organizational operations, including compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
• Oversee all organizational communications, including the development of marketing materials
• Implementation of strategic plan
• Work closely with an all-volunteer Board of Directors  

Financial Management

• Responsible for the management of organizational finances
• In conjunction with Finance Committee, develop and administer the annual operating budget
• Ensure fiscally-sound budgeting, forecasting and management of revenues and expenses
• Monthly bank account reconciliation
• Preparation of financial statements for Board
• Coordinate with accountant for monthly, quarterly and annual state and federal payroll and tax filing requirements, including required reviews and audits
• Grant expenditure tracking and reporting in Quick Books
• Monitor expenditures and fund balances to ensure consistency with approved budget  

Staff Management

• Responsible for staff oversight and management, including annual employee evaluations
• Lead staff in implementation of strategic plan goals
• Provide leadership for the program development process, including the establishment of priorities, a staffing plan, resource acquisition and allocation and evaluation process to assure program quality
• Recruit, train and manage new staff and/or AmeriCorps members and interns  

Fundraising and Development

• Develop, monitor and execute a fundraising plan with differentiated giving strategies.  The plan will include strategies addressing annual fundraising, planned giving, multi-year pledges, major gifts and grants
• Identify opportunities for grant support and submit grant applications to ensure adequate funding for all organizational programs
• In conjunction with the Board, manage all aspects of special events, including Harvest Celebration and the annual membership campaign.  Organize all events and content, attend events and evaluate effectiveness.
• Work with Board Members to develop donor prospects, and document all donors to ensure proper tracking, reporting and gift acknowledgments
• Oversee the development of marketing materials and collateral to support fundraising and outreach efforts
• Work with the Board Development Committee to ensure progress towards annual fundraising goals    

Public Relations and Communications 

• Responsible for clearly articulating the mission, vision and policies of the organization
• Build positive relationships with legislators, local government leaders, community leaders, funding agencies partnering organizations and civic groups
• Sustain and expand public relations efforts
• Create an overall communications and marketing plan that builds on the organization’s existing brand and furthers its mission
• Participate, as a representative of GGB, at public meetings, panels, presentations or community events
• Work in conjunction with Program Manager to ensure consistency in message, voice and plan with relation to on-line content, print content and social media  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree, Masters Degree preferred
• Minimum of 5 years of related experience
• Demonstrated ability in strategic planning, ability to establish and communicate goals and objectives and to set meaningful and achievable work plans
• Knowledge of Buffalo’s corporate, foundation and philanthropic community
• Demonstrated ability to build strategic partnerships and collaborations with external agencies, community leaders and government officials
• Experience in fund development (including grants and fundraising) for mission-based programming
• Excellent organization, verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to manage a variety of responsibilities simultaneously while being extremely well-organized and detail orientated
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Access); database management experience a plus
• Working knowledge of Quick Books
• Ability to work with diverse populations in all areas of the City of Buffalo
• Passionate about building community in the City of Buffalo
• Creative thinking and problem solving skills
• Valid driver’s license    

Organization
Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping people create and sustain community gardens on vacant property in the City of Buffalo.  Through strategic partnerships with the public and private sectors, GGB enables community-led efforts to revitalize neighborhoods and enhance quality of life through community gardens that beautify blocks, enable the productive reuse of vacant land, grow healthy food and strengthen neighborhood spirit.   GGB functions largely as the liaison organization between the City of Buffalo administration and our city’s enthusiastic community gardeners – the only organization that exists for this purpose.  GGB assists citizens with access to land for gardening and indemnifies the properties.  In addition, GGB assists gardeners’ efforts through the provision of materials and supplies.  GGB also provides opportunities for education and training.

Compensation

this position is:

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline