Search Success! Emma Concepcion Joins UTEC as Chief People Officer

UTEC and Pillar Search & HR Consulting are excited to announce that, following an extensive and competitive candidate search, Emma Concepcion has joined UTEC as their new Chief People Officer.

Reporting to UTEC’s CEO, Emma will be responsible for leading UTEC’s people and talent strategies, managing and mitigating organizational risks, and continuing the development of their human resource-related strategies, policies, and procedures. She will be a strategic advisor to senior leadership on a variety of issues, including employee relations, leadership development, organizational culture, and talent management, and will be play a key leadership role in supporting UTEC’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all areas of management and embodying UTEC’s DEI vision in their work and workplace culture.

Emma joins UTEC from Bay Cove Human Services, where she was their Vice President of Human Resources and earlier was the organization’s Director of Human Resources. As a member of the Bay Cove leadership team, she established the workforce development team, was Co-Chair of the DEI committee, designed and implemented HR initiatives, enhanced staff retention and engagement, and aligned HR strategies with organizational objectives. While Emma was Bay Cove’s Vice President of Human Resources, the organization achieved recognition as one of Boston’s Top Places to Work for five consecutive years. Prior to her tenure in Human Resources at Bay Cove, Emma spent a decade as their Director of Housing. In addition to her human resources and human services expertise, Emma also has extensive mediation experience, as she spent several years participating in court mediation and mediation training as a member of the Harvard University Mediation Program, handling cases related to civil, housing, and harassment prevention orders.

About UTEC: UTEC is a nationally recognized program for justice-involved young adults. The program starts behind the walls of correctional facilities and intensive street outreach/gang peacemaking and transitions into an intensive program in the community post-release. The nature of their educational services, wraparound supports and counseling, social enterprise/workforce development, organizing/policy work, training institute, and innovative partnerships creates a variety of impacts in the lives of the individuals and communities they serve.

Last year, UTEC served over 600 young adults including a range of outreach activities, and approximately 150 young adults intensively through their comprehensive program. During this fiscal year, 75% of young adults at UTEC avoided arrest. With over 20 years of experience, UTEC is a catalyst, innovating in the way they serve young adults (ages 17-25) who are criminally and/or gang involved in Massachusetts’ Merrimack Valley. Learn more about UTEC at https://utecinc.org.

About Pillar Search & HR Consulting: A woman-owned business based in Boston, Pillar Search & HR Consulting provides executive search/recruiting and human resources consulting expertise to nonprofit and mission-driven organizations, working with senior leaders and boards of directors to hire and develop the very best talent across all functional areas of the organization. For more information, please visit www.pillarsearch.com.

New Search! Senior Director of Programs with Families First

Senior Director of Programs

Pillar Search & HR Consulting is honored to partner with Families First on the search for their new Senior Director of Programs. This is a hybrid role based out of their office in Watertown, MA.

Parents have the power to shape their children’s futures and make their communities stronger.

Families First’s mission is to partner with parents to amplify their power so they can positively impact the lives of children and communities through their groundbreaking programs. Their model includes parenting education and support, parent leadership, and alumni opportunities.

For more than 30 years, Families First has been a leader in providing parenting education across the Greater Boston area. The organization was founded in 1988 with the goal of helping parents navigate the diverse challenges of raising children by providing research-based parenting education services.

Today, Families First provides Boston’s most comprehensive model for early childhood parenting education, family engagement, and parent leadership: The Power of ParentingTM program and The Ripple Program TM.

As a result of Families First’s high-impact, multi-tiered program model, parents will support the development of their children’s social-emotional and cognitive skills, embrace their role as the most important force in their children’s learning and well-being, and gain new skills and resources to support and advocate for their children as they grow.

Learn more about this amazing organization at www.families-first.org.

About the Senior Director of Programs Opportunity

This is an exciting time for Families First, as they are seeing incredible outcomes from their programs and are in the process of expanding across the state. With the launch of a 5-year business plan, the organization looks toward significant growth in the coming years.

The Senior Director of Programs is responsible for the oversight and implementation of Families First regional programming in Greater Boston and Western MA, utilizing a lens of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging to support the regions and its programming as the organization expands.

In addition, this position will oversee Families First’s alumni services, support the evaluation and quality strategy, and support the program curricula and training strategy.

The Senior Director of Programs will serve on the leadership team to advance organizational goals and cross-departmental priorities and will execute and monitor expansion plans as a part of the 5-year business plan.

Essential Job Functions

Lead and manage the Program team

  • Guide and inspire team with human-centered leadership.
  • Ensure continuous growth and development of staff through coaching, mentoring, and continuous feedback.
  • Create and maintain a team culture where everyone is valued and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are integrated into all aspects of the work.
  • Manage the Associate Director of Curriculum & Training, two Regional Directors, Family Engagement Manager, and Senior Evaluation Manager, which includes the creation and support of annual goals for each team member, completion of quarterly check-ins and annual reviews, regular meetings, and coaching and mentoring as needed.

Oversee implementation of Families First regional programming and alumni services in Greater Boston and Western MA

  • Guide and determine strategic goals and vision for regional programming, primarily including Power of Parenting, in collaboration with Regional Directors.
  • Develop and oversee strategy for alumni services across the organization with Family Engagement Manager.
  • Oversee the development and management of regional partnerships in collaboration with Regional Directors.
  • Develop and manage enrichment partners to support programming in collaboration with Family Engagement Manager and other staff.
  • Monitor and maintain appropriate staffing levels for program implementation.
  • Oversee the development and management of the program department budget for the regions, alumni, curriculum, training, and evaluation.

Oversee the overall strategy for program curricula and training of Program Facilitators who implement our programs in collaboration with the Associate Director of Curriculum & Training

  • Support the development and implementation of the plan for ongoing curricula updates and training needs, including plans related to future growth and expansion.
  • Oversee curricula and training quality management strategy.
  • Serve as a consultant for major curricula changes and amendments.
  • Attend Program Facilitator meetings and retreat.

Oversee evaluation and quality management strategy to ensure programming is implemented with quality and fidelity to the model and impact is captured and shared

  • Support and guide the development and implementation of the overall evaluation and quality management strategy and plan in collaboration with the evaluation team.
  • Participate in key evaluation meetings such as with research partners and evaluation consultants as needed.
  • Ensure all programmatic efforts meet and exceed the needs of partners and communities through regular evaluation and review.
  • Monitor program data in collaboration with program staff across regions and in central office with a lens on continuous improvement, quality, and consistency across programming and identify needed changes/adjustments.
  • Collaborate with evaluation and administrative staff to assess changes/updates to the evaluation and quality management plan and data systems/protocols as needed.

Execute other organizational and programmatic responsibilities

  • Manage overall program budget.
  • Report programmatic activities regularly to board, staff, and funders.
  • Review grant proposals and attend funder meetings to support the organizational development work.
  • Identify programmatic and system needs and collaborate with administrative staff to build and update systems and protocols across regions to ensure programs are implemented with quality and field staff are supported appropriately.
  • Serve on the leadership team to advance organizational goals and cross-departmental priorities.

Ideal Qualifications

  • 7+ years of experience in managing programs and leading teams responsible for similar types of programs.
  • A master’s degree in social work, public health, public administration, nonprofit management, education, or related, may be substituted for two years of the required
  • Experience working in culturally diverse environments and a deep understanding of issues related to diversity and cultural responsiveness are
  • Strong management/leadership
  • A visionary, big-picture thinker who is able to engage team members and key constituents in pursuit of goals.
  • Experience managing a budget.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and strong communication.
  • Knowledge and experience with curriculum development, training, facilitation, and quality control of programs.
  • Skilled in strategic management of partnerships and/or collaborations.
  • Strong technical skills.
  • Excellent planning and organizational
  • Attention to detail and
  • Bilingual in Spanish is a plus.

Requirements

  • Must be able to travel regularly throughout Greater Boston, Western MA, and other areas as the organization grows. Valid drivers license is required.
  • Available to work evenings/weekends as required.

Salary & Benefits

The starting salary range is $100,000-$110,000, with the opportunity for growth over time. Families First offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid time off (including 12 paid holidays), health, dental, FSA, and 403(b).

Schedule

This is a full-time, 40-hour/week, exempt, hybrid position, working two days in-person at the central office in Watertown in addition to some regular travel to regional locations in Greater Boston, Western MA, and other locations as the organization expands. This position also requires availability to attend occasional evening and weekend events/meetings. This position reports to the Executive Director.

To Apply

Please submit your resume and cover letter to Cindy Joyce of Pillar Search at cindy@pillarsearch.com.

Families First has a strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We aim to attract qualified candidates who hold these same values and help us further recognize and celebrate the diversity among us.

Search Success: Sher Omerovic Named JVS’ New Chief Program Officer!

JVS Boston and Pillar Search & HR Consulting are proud to announce, following an extensive and competitive candidate search, the appointment of Sher Omerovic to the position of Chief Program Officer.

This is a well-deserved promotion from Sher’s most recent role with JVS as Senior Vice President of Programs. Sher joined JVS in 2016.

Reporting to JVS’ CEO, Kira Khazatsky, Sher will lead the core of JVS’ work – the development, quality, and delivery of JVS’s services. Sher will provide strategic leadership to the programmatic Vice President team to ensure alignment with the organization’s mission and goals, and support and develop the programmatic VP team to achieve programmatic outcomes. She will collaborate with other principal executives to ensure long-term strategic planning and board management align with the organization’s mission and goals.

Sher brings extensive program, workforce development and leadership experience to the Chief Program Officer role. Prior to JVS, she worked at the Fish Family Foundation, where she developed and implemented a statewide citizenship initiative partnering with multiple community organizations, immigration attorneys, and volunteers to organize large-scale citizenship events across the commonwealth, and held roles in immigration and employment with Catholic Charities of Boston and in grants with United Way. Sher earned her master’s degree in nonprofit project management from Northeastern University and her bachelor’s degree in international relations and modern languages from Beloit College.

About JVS Boston: For 80 years, JVS has helped tens of thousands of individuals with barriers to economic success secure financial independence through training, education, and employment services.  As the largest provider of adult education and workforce development services in the region, JVS is a nationally recognized leader in workforce development, and is a key part of the poverty alleviation strategy for the greater-Boston area.  In order to reach people in need of assistance on their pathway to meaningful employment and financial independence, JVS targets most of its services to low-income individuals who are unemployed or underemployed and to low-wage workers in need of career advancement services.  Many have multiple support needs ranging from limited English proficiency and lack of education to disabilities, criminal records, lack of childcare and transportation.  JVS operates on annual budget of more than $15 million, of which is derived equally from public and private sources. For more information, please visit www.jvs-boston.org.

About Pillar Search & HR Consulting: A woman-owned business based in Boston, Pillar Search & HR Consulting provides executive search/recruiting and human resources consulting expertise to nonprofit and mission-driven organizations, working with senior leaders and boards of directors to hire and develop the very best talent across all functional areas of the organization. For more information, please visit www.pillarsearch.com.

New Search! Chief Program Officer With JVS

Pillar Search is honored to partner with JVS on the search for their new Chief Program Officer (CPO). Reporting to JVS’ CEO, Kira Khazatsky, the CPO leads the core of JVS’ work – the development, quality, and delivery of JVS’s services, and oversee JVS’s team of programmatic vice presidents.

PLEASE NOTE: The application deadline for this position is Monday, May 1, 2023.

ABOUT JVS: JVS is a non-profit, non-sectarian agency. Their mission is to empower individuals from diverse communities to find employment and build careers; and to partner with employers to hire, develop, and retain productive workforces. JVS provides a broad range of workforce development services including adult education, skills training, job readiness training, job placement, and support, and access to post-secondary education. JVS assists employers in their search for well-qualified job applicants and their initiatives to upgrade the skills of their incumbent workforce. JVS’s unique education and career pathway model has been widely recognized by funders, policy makers, and practitioners in Massachusetts and nationally.

Learn more about JVS at www.jvs-boston.org.

POSITION SUMMARY: The CPO oversees programmatic aspects of the organization and provides strategic leadership to the programmatic Vice President team to ensure alignment with the organization’s mission and goals. The CPO supervises, supports, and develops the programmatic VP team to achieve programmatic outcomes and manages programmatic budgets. The CPO collaborates with other principal executives to ensure long-term strategic planning and board management align with the organization’s mission and goals. Essential functions include:

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Programmatic Leadership and Team Management:

  • Provide programmatic leadership that reinforces agency mission and values and demonstrates commitment to clients.
  • Supervise, support, and develop the programmatic VP team to achieve programmatic outcomes.
  • Collaborate with the programmatic VP team to identify and address programmatic challenges.
  • Coach and supervise all programmatic VP teams.
  • Oversee the programmatic VP team on programmatic goal setting and budget development in support of overall agency goals.

Programmatic Budget Management:

  • Develop, implement, and manage programmatic budgets in collaboration with the finance team.
  • Ensure the programmatic budget aligns with the organization’s strategic plan and programs’ goals.
  • Provide regular updates on programmatic budget status and variances to the management team and board of directors.
  • Collaborate with the programmatic VP team to identify and address budgetary challenges.

Programmatic Design and Approval:

  • Provide final approval for all programmatic design and delivery models.
  • Ensure programmatic design aligns with the organization’s mission, vision, and goals.
  • Ensure the programmatic design aligns with funder and employer expectations.
  • Collaborate with the programmatic VP team to identify and address programmatic design challenges.

Funder and Stakeholder Relationship Management:

  • Manage funder relationships in collaboration with the development team.
  • Ensure programmatic reporting and outcomes align with funder expectations.
  • Collaborate with the development team to identify and address funder relationship challenges.
  • Collaborate with the CEO, CFO, CIO, and CDO in setting agency agendas and priorities.
  • Work with the Chief Executive Officer on the programmatic board agendas

Programmatic Efficiency and Systems: 

  • Identify and implement programmatic efficiencies and systems.
  • Collaborate with the operations team to streamline programmatic processes.
  • Ensure programmatic efficiency aligns with the organization’s strategic plan and programmatic goals.
  • Facilitate and/or co-facilitate and direct the vision for programmatic committee meetings, task forces, and groups, and support the Staff & Board Chairperson for Client Services and Employer Services Committees.
  • Work with the Chief Executive Officer in programmatic strategic planning, implementation, reaching outcomes, leading, and tracking progress.

In addition, the CPO will perform projects as required by the Chief Executive Officer.

The CPO is a member of the leadership team, serving as a strategic thought leader.

QUALIFICATIONS

  • 10+ years of experience in programmatic leadership and management.
  • Bachelor’s or master’s degree in a related field or demonstrated equivalent work experience required.
  • Strong knowledge of budgeting and finance, program design, and stakeholder relationship management.
  • Experience working with funders to ensure ongoing support for programs.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Strong team management and leadership skills.
  • Ability to work collaboratively with multiple stakeholders.
  • Experience with strategic planning, implementation, and tracking progress.
  • Strong understanding of program design, delivery, and reporting.
  • Excellent budget management skills.
  • Proficient in Salesforce or other CRM systems

KEY COMPETENCIES

  • Program Management: Demonstrated ability to manage complex programs with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities, including project planning, budget management, and ensuring programs are delivered on time and within scope.
  • Strategic Planning: Proven ability to develop and implement programmatic strategies that align with the organization’s mission and vision, identify opportunities for growth and innovation, and experience with strategic planning processes.
  • Relationship Management: Strong relationship management skills, including the ability to cultivate and maintain relationships with external stakeholders, effectively communicate the organization’s mission and programmatic impact to diverse audiences, including donors and funders.
  • Financial Management: Deep understanding of nonprofit finance and budget management, experience managing budgets of at least $10 million, and ability to make strategic decisions about resource allocation and financial planning.
  • Board Engagement: Ability to engage with the board of directors, present programmatic updates, and work with board committees, including employer engagement, client services, and budget and finance.
  • Innovative Thinking: The ability to think creatively and innovatively, keep up with the changing philanthropic and programmatic environment, and push the team to innovate and come up with new ideas to solve problems.
  • Listening Skills: Excellent listener, able to create a safe and collaborative environment for the team to share ideas and work together. Ability to take feedback constructively and make changes to improve team performance.
  • Adaptability: The ability to navigate change effectively, adjust strategies and plans as needed to respond to new challenges and opportunities, and be adaptable to changing circumstances.
  • Communication Proficiency: Excellent communication skills, able to convey complex ideas in a clear and concise manner, build relationships with stakeholders, and represent the organization effectively in public.
  • Ethical Conduct: Demonstrated commitment to ethical conduct and integrity, including adherence to organizational policies and procedures and ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
  • Leadership: Proven leadership skills, able to lead and inspire teams to achieve organizational goals, and provide direction and support as needed.
  • Problem Solving/Analysis: Excellent problem-solving skills, able to define issues, gather data, and push the team to come up with effective solutions. Ability to make difficult decisions when necessary and have the confidence to move the team forward.
  • Personal Effectiveness/Credibility: Demonstrated personal effectiveness and credibility, including the ability to build trust, maintain confidentiality, and handle sensitive issues with tact and diplomacy.
  • Presentation Skills: Strong presentation skills, able to present complex information in a compelling and engaging way to diverse audiences.
  • Technical Capacity: Strong technical capacity and knowledge of relevant technologies, tools, and systems to support program delivery and management.

Measurable Outcomes  

  • Program impact: The CPO should ensure that programs have a measurable impact on the intended target population. This may include changes in knowledge, behavior, or other outcomes that are directly related to the program’s goals.
  • Results-oriented: The CPO should have a strong focus on outcomes and measurable metrics to ensure programs achieve their intended goals. This requires setting clear objectives, developing strategies to achieve them, and regularly evaluating progress towards achieving them.
  • Analytical skills: The CPO must be able to analyze complex data and information to make informed decisions about program design, implementation, and evaluation. This requires the ability to synthesize information from multiple sources and identify trends and patterns to inform programmatic decisions.
  • Program efficiency: The CPO should ensure that programs are delivered efficiently, using resources effectively to achieve program goals. This may include monitoring program expenditures, ensuring that resources are allocated appropriately, and identifying opportunities to improve program efficiency.
  • Program reach: The CPO should ensure that programs reach the intended target population; this may include tracking program participation rates, identifying barriers to access, and developing strategies to increase program reach.
  • Program quality: The CPO should ensure that programs are of high quality, with a focus on program design, implementation, and evaluation. This may include monitoring program fidelity, ensuring that programs are evidence-based, and using data to inform programmatic decisions.
  • Staff development: The CPO should ensure that staff are supported and developed to achieve programmatic outcomes. This may include providing training and professional development opportunities, offering performance feedback and support, and creating a positive work environment that supports programmatic success.

This is a hybrid, full-time, exempt role. The JVS office is located in Boston’s Financial District.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY: JVS is strongly committed to diversity and a workplace environment that respects, appreciates and values employee differences and similarities.  By providing and supporting a work culture that fosters and builds upon diversity and its strengths, JVS will better serve our local communities and continue to provide quality services.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: JVS is an employment at-will organization and an equal opportunity employer committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital/civil union status, ancestry, place of birth, age, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation, genetic information or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws. Additionally, JVS prohibits retaliation against an applicant or employee because he or she has engaged in protected activity under the statutes prohibiting discrimination in the workplace.

M/F/V/DV

TO APPLY:  JVS has partnered with Cindy Joyce of Pillar Search & HR Consulting in the search for the Chief Program Officer. Please submit your cover letter and resume to Cindy at cindy@pillarsearch.com

Search Success: Griet Dehandschutter Joins Treehouse Foundation as Director of Development!

Treehouse Foundation and Pillar Search are thrilled to announce the appointment of Griet Dehandschutter to the position of Director of Development.

As the Director of Development, Griet will be a key member of the Treehouse Leadership Team, overseeing the organization’s fundraising and expanding its community of support across Massachusetts and nationwide. Griet will be responsible for setting fundraising strategy, managing the fundraising team, growing Treehouse’s resources by deepening engagement with individuals, corporations and foundations and raising the organization’s visibility in support of its big and bold vision. She will report to Treehouse Foundation’s Founder and Executive Director Judy Cockerton.

Most recently, Griet was the Executive Director of Acton-Boxborough United Way where she doubled the revenue in two years and engaged multi-stakeholder coalitions to address vital community needs. Prior to that, Griet was an international fundraising consultant, where she pioneered innovative and sustainable international major giving, corporate and foundation giving strategies with large and small nonprofits, museums, and universities across 15 countries and 4 continents. Earlier in her career, as East Coast Director for Flanders Investment and Trade, Griet partnered with Fortune 500 executives to locate their pan-European business operations in Belgium. Griet also co-founded the European-American Chamber of Commerce in the United States, today known as the Transatlantic Business Council (TABC).

Griet earned her Master of Arts degree in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University and her Master of Law from Belgium’s University of Antwerp.

In addition, Griet has served on several boards, including the American Fund for Charities, SilverAqua, and iScale. As a volunteer, Griet co-chaired the Capital Campaign for the United Church of Christ in Boxborough, MA.

About the Treehouse Foundation: The Treehouse Foundation is an award-winning Massachusetts-based nonprofit that is working diligently to inspire a Re-Envisioning of Foster Care in America.

Since its launch in 2002, Treehouse has been investing in foster care, vital aging, and affordable housing innovation. Its mission: To inspire, implement, and support innovative child welfare practices that ensure our children who experience foster care find permanent families and supportive communities, allowing them to develop, heal and thrive. Its vision: Every child rooted in family and community. 

Nationally recognized social entrepreneur, Judy Cockerton, has provided her visionary leadership to the Treehouse Foundation since its inception. Cockerton, known as a highly collaborative leader, developed the award-winning intergenerational Treehouse Community model and leads the Re-Envisioning Foster Care in America (REFCA) movement. In 2006, the first intergenerational Treehouse Community opened in western Massachusetts, where the largest percentage of children and youth experiencing foster care in the Commonwealth reside. The Treehouse Foundation partnered with Beacon Communities LLC to design, build and operate the first Treehouse Community in Easthampton, MA. Treehouse is now partnering with 2Life Communities to bring the successful intergenerational Treehouse Community model to the site of the former Boston State Hospital in Mattapan.

On November 3-4, the Treehouse Foundation will host its 9th national Re-Envisioning Foster Care in America (REFCA) conference in Boston. REFCA2023 will feature the wisdom, award winning ideas, and lived expertise of REFCA Champions – stellar changemakers who are using their firsthand experience and professional acumen to create new visions for child welfare.

To learn more about this visionary organization, please visit https://www.treehousefoundation.net.

About Pillar Search & HR Consulting: A woman-owned business based in Boston, Pillar Search & HR Consulting provides executive search/recruiting and human resources consulting expertise to nonprofit and mission-driven organizations, working with senior leaders and the boards of directors to hire and develop the very best talent across all functional areas of the organization. For more information about Pillar, please visit www.pillarsearch.com.

Stuart Siegel Joins Schooner Adventure as Executive Director!

Schooner Adventure and Pillar Search & HR Consulting are proud to announce the appointment of Stuart B. Siegel to the position of Executive Director. Stuart joined Schooner Adventure on April 4, 2022.  

As Executive Director, Stuart will be responsible for the overall management of Schooner Adventure, working together with the Board of Directors to further their mission. He is charged with leading efforts to position Adventure as a focal point for education focused on themes of fisheries, maritime history, and the ocean environment. Building off of Schooner Adventure’s successes, he will drive program development and growth, enhance community awareness of Adventure’s programs, and activities, and develop diversified revenue streams.  

Stuart remarks, “When my wife and I decided to settle our family in Gloucester, I was determined to find work that connected me deeply to the city, in which I could promote Gloucester’s unique history and appeal. In my wildest dreams I couldn’t imagine a more exciting and compelling opportunity than with Schooner Adventure. Like the city she represents, she stands tall, resilient and beautiful. I am eager to see how we can work with local organizations and individuals to tell the story of Gloucester and ensure a bright future for our harbor.”

A new resident of Gloucester, MA, Stuart brings significant experience to the Executive Director role. Most recently, Stuart and his wife Emily wereirectors of the Sonoran Desert Inn & Conference Center in Ajo, Arizona. There, Stuart managed all aspects of this education-focused non-profit inn and event space including marketing, staff development, event/educational program planning and implementation, fiscal oversight, community partnerships and daily operations. Stuart was instrumental in the development and implementation of high-quality education programs, retreats, and cultural experiences.

Prior, Stuart was the Director of New Initiatives with the Brandeis University Office of High School Programs, where he designed and directed nine residential summer education programs serving hundreds of teens from across the U.S. and around the world. Stuart guided university professors and experiential educators in the development and implementation of program curriculum and service learning.

Stuart earned his Master of Hebrew Letters from the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion and bachelor’s degree in Film and Television from Boston University’s School of Communications. He lives in Gloucester with his wife Emily, the E.D. of the Gloucester Education Foundation, and their children Jonah and Bayla.

About Schooner Adventure: Schooner Adventure (d.b.a. The Gloucester Adventure) is a 501(c)(3) maritime historic preservation and educational organization. They are the proud stewards of the 1926 Schooner Adventure, one of the last surviving Grand Banks dory-fishing schooners. When Adventure was built in 1926 in the salt marshes of Essex, MA, no one thought that she would survive into the next century. Indeed, only a handful of the more than 4,000 wooden schooners built in Essex exist today.

Adventure is a national treasure that has, following an extensive, two decade-long, nearly $6 million restoration to ensure her preservation, resumed active sailing as an icon of the American fisheries and as a floating classroom for maritime history and environmental education programs. Adventure is operated at sea, primarily along the New England coast, as a living monument to Massachusetts’ fishing heritage. As such, Adventure is important not only to Gloucester, but also to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and all of America. In 1994 Adventure was awarded National Historic Landmark status in recognition of the significant role of the vessel in the nation’s history.

The mission of Schooner Adventure/The Gloucester Adventure, Inc. is to:

  • Restore and preserve the Schooner Adventure for the enrichment of future generations and their love of the sea
  • Enable the Schooner Adventure to serve as a community resource for educational programming focusing on maritime, cultural, and environmental issues
  • Operate the Schooner Adventure at sea as a living symbol of America’s maritime heritage

This is an exciting new chapter for Schooner Adventure. With an extensive historic restoration of the vessel now complete, the organization is poised to launch its next chapter, focused on a robust offering of programs and educational opportunities.

Learn and see more about Schooner Adventure here.  

About Pillar Search & HR Consulting: A woman-owned business based in Boston, Pillar Search & HR Consulting provides executive search/recruiting and human resources consulting expertise to nonprofit and mission-driven organizations, working with senior leaders and the boards of directors to hire and develop the very best talent across all functional areas of the organization. For more information, please visit www.pillarsearch.com.

New Search: Senior Director of Career Center Operations with JVS!

Pillar Search & HR Consulting is honored to partner with JVS on their search for a new Senior Director of Career Center Operations.

JVS is a non-profit, non-sectarian agency. Their mission is to empower individuals from diverse communities to find employment and build careers; and to partner with employers to hire, develop and retain productive workforces.

JVS provides a broad range of services including adult education, skills training, job readiness training, job placement and support, and access to post-secondary education. JVS assists employers in their search for well-qualified job applicants and their initiatives to upgrade the skills of their incumbent workforce.

POSITION SUMMARY: As a member of the Career Services management team, the Sr. Director of Career Center Operations is responsible for the management, compliance, and operating functions at the MassHire Career Center to ensure that high quality, workforce development and labor exchange services are provided to Boston employers and job seekers. The Director ensures that all performance goals and objectives as outlined by the Career Center Charter and State and Federal regulations are achieved. As a member of Career Services management team, the Director develops innovative plans and strategies to ensure the agency’s continued success in fulfilling its mission and achieving short- and long-term goals and objectives. Working closely with the Vice President of Career Services, the Sr. Director of Career Center Operations will provide direct supervision to JVS MassHire staff.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Promotes Agency
• Develop and maintain strategic alliances and collaborations with community-based organizations, training providers, supportive service referral organizations, and the employer and job seeker communities in order to sustain and support the Career Center vision
• Support and promote the mission and philosophy of JVS MassHire both internally and externally.
• Actively serve on state-wide and Boston-based Career Center operating committees in order to coordinate among career centers, to plan for cross-system service improvement, and to maintain cross-system service standards.

Accountability and Results Focused
• Manage day-to-day career center operations
• Read, summarize and ensure compliance with all federal and state One Stop Career Center regulations
• Manage all aspects of funder monitoring including planning, report writing and arranging and facilitating visits and necessary follow up.
• Manage state database, MOSES, reporting
• Assist in the overall process and service delivery improvements to the Career Center, working from a customer centered approach.
• Demonstrate ownership of projects and assignments and respond to organizational requests by deadlines

Coaches and Develops Staff
• Hire, train, and supervise staff (functional or directly as assigned)
• Develop high performance standards and delegates responsibility
• Effectively communicate priorities and decisions to program staff.
• Ensure staff are accountable for meeting programmatic and contract requirements.
• Ensure program staff members work collaboratively with all JVS programs and services.
• Communicate to staff via regular meetings, developing performance expectations and performing annual performance evaluations.
• Monitor the achievement of performance expectations, in accordance with MassHire work plan and take remedial action where necessary.

Planning and Organizing
• Establish sound and systematic course of action to assure results
• Determine priorities and allocate time and resources effectively
• Know and work comfortably with both MassHire and JVS systems, processes, and procedures
• Maintain annual reporting plan, write and ensures data quality for reporting making systems or data collection changes as needed
• Ensure accurate, effective, timely MOSES database usage.

Builds Relationships, Collaboration and Teamwork
• Work collaboratively with and encourage collaboration between JVS departments and divisions to ensure agency performance goals are met
• Lead program planning meetings and team-based projects
• Communicate regularly with Supervisor to ensure successful program performance
• Provide leadership and exemplify resolving disagreements and conflict in a professional and productive manner

MINIMUM QUALFIICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
• 8 years of related work experience in workforce development, compliance, or employment services
• 3 years of program management and supervisory experience
• Proven financial management skills
• Proven program development and management skills
• Demonstrated presentation skills
• Demonstrated technical database skills
• Experience in grant and proposal writing
• Experience in review and creation of budgets
• High proficiency in Micro Soft Office Suite
• Strong interpersonal, communication and organizational skills
• Ability to work as part of a team; experience in team facilitation preferred
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment

EDUCATION REQUIRED:

BA/BS in Human Service, Education, Marketing, Business or equivalent.

KEY COMPETENCIES:
• Accountability and Results Focused
• Adapting to Change
• Building Relationships, Collaboration and Teamwork
• Cultural Competency and Respect
• Communication Skills
• Initiative
• Planning/Organizing
• Promotes Agency

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES:
• Coaches and Develops Staff
• Inspires a Shared Vision
• Manages Effectively
• Administrative/Systems Expertise
• Managerial Accountability

JOB COMPETENCIES:
• Strategic program planning
• Managing program budgets
• Quality Improvement
• Grant management

MENTAL DEMANDS:
• Reading
• Verbal communication
• Detailed work
• Written communication
• Confidentiality
• Multiple concurrent tasks
• Problem Solving
• External contacts
• Language
• Analysis of statistical and financial data
• Math

SPECIAL WORK CONDITIONS:
• Occasional evening and weekend hours required
• Occasional out-of-state travel required
• Frequent local travel required

JVS CULTURE:

JVS is strongly committed to diversity and a workplace environment that respects, appreciates and values employee differences and similarities. By providing and supporting a work culture that fosters and builds upon diversity and its strengths, JVS will better serve our local communities and continue to provide quality services.

M/F/V/DV

TO APPLY: JVS has partnered with Cindy Joyce of Pillar Search & HR Consulting on the search for the Sr. Director of Career Center Operations. Please submit your cover letter and resume to Cindy at cindy@pillarsearch.com.