MERIT (Medical Education Resources Initiative for Teens) is a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating health care disparities by transforming under-represented high school students into health care leaders. MERIT Scholars cultivate a deep understanding of their individual roles in achieving health equality through seven years of academic, professional, and social support including weekly Saturday sessions beginning in 10th grade, summer internships, and longitudinal mentoring that extends through college. Beyond SAT Prep, college admissions guidance, exposure to clinical and research careers, and science enrichment, MERIT creates a holistic support system that ensures all of our Scholars continue to excel despite any challenges they may face. For more information, visit our website at www.meritbaltimore.org

Founded in 2010 by Baltimore City teachers and health professionals, MERIT’s first few years were focused on creating an effective program model. Tyler Mains, a former high school biology teacher and medical student at Johns Hopkins, led the organization to achieve ambitious goals as MERIT’s first Executive Director. Currently, over 90% of our alumni are on track to earn a Bachelor’s Degree, and most are planning to pursue graduate degrees in the health sciences. We support over 50 Scholars today, and we plan to support more than 200 by 2019. To increase our impact without sacrificing quality, we have recently hired four new staff members and are now seeking a new leader to take us to the next level.

Just as MERIT Scholars work towards health equity, Mr. Mains will begin a medical residency program focused on primary care in underserved populations and will be stepping down from his position in MERIT. We are consequently looking for a dynamic and courageous Executive Director who will complete our dream team of passionate, tenacious, and collaborative leaders. Together, the team will prepare and execute a national expansion plan to increase our impact beyond Baltimore.

Who We’re Looking For

The Executive Director will have overall strategic and operational responsibility for MERIT’s program, staff, development, and expansion. The role is complex, so this person must be highly organized, solutions-oriented, and focused on continuous improvement. Furthermore, the ED will manage his or her calendar and must tolerate a non-traditional schedule. Evening and weekend events, especially Saturday mornings, will occur.

Since MERIT is in the midst of expansion, the ED will have the opportunity to infuse his or her interests and skills into the position and lead the organization to the next level. We want someone who can add fresh perspectives to the challenges we solve while still maintaining our overall mission and organizational structures. Because MERIT is a small but growing non-profit organization, the ED must be comfortable leading a staff of six people, and be a creative problem solver to ensure all goals are met.

Responsibilities

Overall, the Executive Director will scale MERIT while ensuring our short- and long-term goals are met. Specifically, the ED’s responsibilities include:

Leadership and Management: Ensure ongoing programmatic excellence through rigorous evaluation and troubleshooting with staff members; oversee quality of finance and administrative infrastructure; actively engage and energize volunteers, board members, Scholars, alumni, families, and donors; develop, maintain, and support a strong Board of Directors; coach, lead, and retain current high-performing employees; determine staffing requirements for national expansion; recruit and select phenomenal new staff members as needed; ensure day-to-day operations are as efficient and effective as possible
Organizational Development: Develop operational plan which incorporates goals aligned to MERIT’s mission and expansion; Work with Strategic Growth Director and Board of Directors to expand local and national revenue to raise annual operating budget of $1 million; refine all aspects of internal and external communications; establish new organizational infrastructure to allow national expansion to occur, including HR, accounting, liability, and data management systems; draft policies for the Board’s approval as necessary
Strategic Planning: Work collaboratively with MERIT’s Board of Directors to establish organizational, development, and programmatic goals aligned to our mission; seek input from internal and external stakeholders to continuously improve the organization’s efficacy in all realms; design and execute the national expansion plan which includes starting four new MERIT sites; build partnerships in new cities to establish relationships with funders, education, and medical leaders; become an external local and national presence that publishes and communicates MERIT’s results with an emphasis on the successes of the local program as a model for national replication

Specific Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree required; Graduate Degree in business administration, nonprofit development, education, health, or related field strongly preferred
Minimum of five years professional experience managing full-time employees and a proven track record of effectively leading and/or scaling an organization
Excellence in organizational management with the ability to coach and develop high-performing staff members, set and achieve ambitious goals, and manage a budget
Past success cultivating a network of collaborators including volunteers, employees, and board members

Desired Attributes

Unwavering dedication to eliminate health and education inequalities
Willingness to learn new skills; must be adaptable, entrepreneurial, goal-oriented, and passionate
Superb, passionate, and persuasive written and oral communication skills
Strong marketing, communications, and fundraising skills with a charismatic ability to form relationships with a diverse group of Scholars, families, donors, and other stakeholders

How to apply

Please email an updated resume and cover letter to MERIT’s Founder and current Executive Director, Tyler Mains, at Tyler.Mains@meritbaltimore.org. Include the names, emails, and phone numbers of at least two professional references in your resume. Your cover letter should highlight relevant experiences working in a management role, and an explanation of why you are passionate about MERIT’s mission and the Executive Director position.