Leadership Opportunity: Executive Director Position Opening

Overview:

Counseling and Support Services for Youth (CASSY) provides a mental health safety net for over 20,000 students at 33 schools in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. We support students’ social and emotional well-being through crisis intervention, ongoing counseling and proactive mental health education. All services are free to the student and their parents. CASSY is school-based, so there are not any cost, transportation, or insurance barriers to prevent students from getting the help they need. CASSY has proven that when you put highly qualified postgraduate therapists on the school campus, students will come in and get help. In fact, 20-25% of the entire student body will come in. Some once or twice. Some every week for years.

Being school-based is absolutely the key. By removing the social and emotional obstacles that make it difficult to focus on academics, we give young people a chance to get the most out of the educational opportunities that are provided to them. When we improve students’ social and emotional well-being, academic achievement tends to follow.

Founded in 2009, CASSY is a nonprofit agency with a $1.8 million annual budget and 42 employees. As a relatively young nonprofit agency, we are both ambitious and pragmatic. Our mission is to de-stigmatize mental health services and make supporting students’ social and emotional well-being the norm in our local schools. We imagine a world where all kids get the social and emotional support they need to be successful in school and in life. At the same time, we understand that creating such a utopia will take a serious commitment from our schools, financial support from our communities, and tireless work by our therapists day in and day out.

The Executive Director is accountable to a community-based Board of Directors and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization and for the achievement of the major strategic objectives.

For the incoming Executive Director, the next several years at CASSY will provide a rewarding leadership opportunity in an organization with a stable infrastructure and financial model that includes both philanthropic support and earned revenue. The Board and the staff have identified the following priorities for 2015-16 to optimize what we do best, while continuing to respond to new opportunities and partnerships that are essential to our continued success.

1. Double Program Reach between 2013 and 2016: Expand current program reach 2x by directly supporting eight K-12 educational communities or 32,000 students (growth trajectory already in process).
2. Expand Impact: Establish CASSY as a thought leader regarding both our School Based Therapy model and prevailing adolescent mental health issues.

The Ideal Candidate

The Board of Directors is seeking an experienced leader who brings strategic thinking as well as a dedication to our mission. The ideal candidate should have a background in mental health work as well as strong communication and financial management skills. Candidates should be able to blend effective business practices and an entrepreneurial spirit with the mission of the organization. This is a full-time, exempt position based in the organization’s headquarters at The Sobrato Center for Nonprofits in Milpitas.

Desired Experience

The ideal candidate will possess many of the following skills and experience:

Ability to think strategically, plan and execute.
Clinical background in the mental health field.
Ability to effectively represent CASSY and its programs and clients among the diverse stakeholders in the community.
Exceptional communication skills including writing, speaking, meeting facilitation, and consensus building.
Ability to attract, develop, retain, motivate and lead the staff while maintaining a high level of performance.
Ability to conceptualize, communicate, and lead the organization to a shared vision.
Understanding and respect for vulnerable populations from diverse cultural, economic, educational and vocational backgrounds.
Financial and/or business management experience at an organization with comparable revenue streams and budget.
Ability to build relationships and work effectively both internally and externally.
Experience as a senior management or executive role in a nonprofit organization of similar size and scope.
Bachelor’s Degree required; master’s degree in counseling field strongly preferred.

In addition candidates will need to:

Effectively utilize information technology, social media, accounting and fund development database applications, and the Internet.
Work occasional nights and weekends as needed to support Board and community events. We offer flexibility to accommodate these obligations.
Provide his/her own car, insurance, and valid California driver’s license, or other means to travel throughout the Bay Area.
Pass a background check

CASSY Executive Director Job Responsibilities:

Fund Development and Community Relations

Develop and implement a fund development plan including school partners (earned revenue), foundations, and public support.
Manage the development of compelling, accurate and timely funding proposals and reports.
Provide leadership and planning for donor and marketing events.
Provide a credible and informed presence for CASSY in the community.
Maintain relationships and collaborations with appropriate community stakeholders to build a strong awareness of the mental health needs for youth and the organization’s role in serving those needs.
Direct branding and communication strategies that ensure the visibility of CASSY among targeted stakeholders and constituents.
Guide messaging regarding the mental health and our impact through the agency’s website, social media, year-end reports, donor and promotional materials.

Fiscal Management and Positive Work Environment

Ensure CASSY’s sustainability through thoughtful and realistic budget planning and monitoring. Regularly evaluate internal systems, policies and procedures for efficiency and effectiveness.
Lead by example and recruit, train, and empower a strong staff team.
Ensure that there are effective systems for tracking and evaluating vital information in place.
Negotiate all agency contracts and grants.

Program Development, Evaluation and Strategic Direction

Ensure that growth reflects the mission and values of the organization given the available financial resources.
Lead the process for planning, implementing and evaluating short- and long-range strategy and goals.
Manage programs and services consistent with the mission, values and goals of the organization.
Ensure ongoing evaluation of best practices and lessons learned from growth efforts as a basis of informing evolving processes and partnerships.
Guide outcome data collection in line with agency goals and contract requirements.
Maintain positive relations with partner agencies and agency stakeholders.

Partnership with the Board of Directors

Assist the members of the Board in their roles and responsibilities by providing support, education and leadership.
Ensure effective communications and linkages between Board and staff.
Assist the Board in identifying, recruiting, and utilizing Board members with the essential skills to support the mission and vision.
Successfully involve the Board in partnership and fundraising activities.
Provide the Board of Directors with adequate information to reach strategic decisions and to formulate necessary policies.

This position description intends to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. It is not intended to include all duties and responsibilities. The order in which duties and responsibilities are listed is not significant.

CASSY is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of CASSY not to discriminate against any employee or applicant in any aspect of the employment relationship, including, but not limited to, matters of hiring, training, termination, compensation, terms, conditions, and privileges of employment on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical and mental disability or handicap, medical condition (as defined under California law), sex or gender (which includes gender identity, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), age, sexual orientation, genetic information or characteristics (or those of a family member), status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, family status, marital status, military and veteran status, taking or requesting statutorily protected leave, or any other basis of the applicant or employee protected by law. In addition, CASSY prohibits the harassment of any individual on any of the bases listed above or any other characteristics protected under federal, state, or local laws.

For more information about CASSY, please visit cassybayarea.org.

How to apply

To apply, please send a cover letter detailing your experience and interest in this role along with your resume to info@cassybayarea.org no later than March 27, 2015. We are reviewing resumes and interviewing candidates actively and on a rolling basis.