Executive Director

Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Salary: $80,000+

Are you ready to lead an impactful, grassroots non-profit in its next phase of growth and advancement of neighborhood impact? Are you passionate about community development and creating impact at the neighborhood level? The Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative (CSNI) is looking for an Executive Director who will provide vision and strengthen our impact in the Clarke Square neighborhood and Milwaukee’s South Side.

Who we are: The mission of the Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative is to create a strong neighborhood with a variety of homes, public spaces, safe streets, landmark places (schools, churches, community centers, parks) and strong business community to create a vibrant, diverse neighborhood.

What you’ll do: CSNI is seeking its next Executive Director to lead our comprehensive community development efforts, in partnership with the Board of Directors. Together with this team, you will cultivate an environment of innovation and empathy toward delivering impact for the people of Clarke Square and Milwaukee’s South Side. You will do so by creating opportunities to improve neighborhood quality of life through affordable housing and homeownership, safety, equitable access to green space, and expanded and culturally relevant amenities. In support of the efforts, the Executive Director will:

Community Impact and Strategic Planning

• Provide leadership in developing and implementing the CSNI strategic plan, ensuring that the annual plan furthers the strategic direction with a special emphasis on economic development, housing, arts/culture and community participation.
• Employ diverse community outreach approaches to deepen understanding of community needs, priorities, desires and preferences, and ensures that CSNI’s strategies reflect community-led perspectives.
• Develop and implements key performance indicators to measure organizational effectiveness in delivering community impact.
• Cultivate and maintain cooperative relationships with community groups, elected officials, philanthropic organizations, businesses, and other community partners.

Fund Development and Financial Management

• Identify and cultivate relationships with foundations, corporations and individual donors to increase the impact and facilitate the implementation of CSNI’s, in addition to leading all existing grant writing and reporting responsibilities.
• Provide strategic financial direction and maintain sound financial practices, internal controls, and financial planning.
• Understand financial measurements to promote performance and growth of budget and assets and ensure compliance with and execute all legal and financial contracts and reporting.

Operations and Administration

• Attract, lead, retain, develop, and inspire a diverse team of professionals committed to achieving mission-aligned results.
• Follow and evolve human resources practices so that they are equitable and inclusive and ensure effective management structuring that prioritizes ongoing staff feedback, guidance, cross-training, and professional development.
• Supervise the implementation of all CSNI program activities and provide timely submission of reports and other required documents.

Board Governance

• Ensure the board has the appropriate information to govern the organization’s mission, impact, and fiduciary commitments through clear and consistent communication.
• Prepare background materials and presents timely reports to the board on the current status and projected organizational needs and work with Chair and other board members on monthly board meetings and regular committee meetings.
• Provide leadership in supporting the board in identifying and recruiting board members who are representative of the community and offer skills, talents, and time needed to effectively govern and support CSNI’s mission.

Who you are:

You are able to demonstrate and share compelling examples of how you excel in the following:

• Strategic development, design, and implementation of high-impact community development, affordable housing, and economic development strategies and interventions that improve community quality of life.
• Problem solving and seeking opportunities in resource constrained environments with an entrepreneurial attitude.
• Community convener and conduit of information and resources from multiple scales of government (ie. federal, state and local funding opportunities) to deliver local impact and advocate for community needs and priorities.
• Systems-thinker able to address complex social problems (ie. affordable housing, crime, etc.) though data-driven information, community feedback, and other relationships in order to effect positive change.

What you will need:

• High degree of professionalism and excellence in oral and written communication and listening skills, as well as representing the organization.
• Minimum of five years experience in nonprofit, governmental, affordable housing, or other related community development industry,
• Minimum of five years experience working with Milwaukee elected, government, and community stakeholders
• Demonstrated skills and experience in fundraising, marketing and public relations, and staff and volunteer management
• Excellent time management capabilities and ability to simultaneously execute multiple projects/events

What will set you apart:

• Bilingual (oral and written)—Spanish and English
• Minimum three years experience in managing staff, financial reporting, and grant writing
• Bachelor’s degree in related field

Work Setting

Due to office changes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, CSNI staff are working from home. The Executive Director, in partnership with the board, will determine a more concrete plan to return to the office and secure appropriate spatial accommodations.