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Search Success: Becka Yturregui Joins Maine Community Foundation as Vice President of Donor Engagement!

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Maine Community Foundation and Pillar Search & HR Consulting are proud to announce the appointment of Becka Yturregui to the position of Vice President of Donor Engagement. Becka joined the organization on May 8, 2023.

Becka will be a great addition to their management team, carrying forward MaineCF’s mission and vision forward with energy and passion. Becka’s background includes donor cultivation and stewardship, community relations, and institutional communications. A skilled strategist and relationship-builder, she brings extensive experience in helping organizations tell their stories and in building deep, impactful relationships in their communities.

Most recently, Becka served as the Vice President of Donor Relations and Philanthropic Impact at CJP – Combined Jewish Philanthropies.

Becka grew up in Maine and is a graduate of Simmons College. She will be based in the Maine Community Foundation’s Portland office.

About Maine Community Foundation: The Maine Community Foundation brings people and resources together to build a better Maine through strategic giving, community leadership, personalized service, local expertise and strong investments. To learn more about the foundation, please visit https://www.mainecf.org.

About Pillar Search & HR Consulting: A woman-owned business based in Boston (with roots in Maine!), 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. Pillar’s founder, Cindy Joyce, is a Certified Diversity Recruiter. For more information about Pillar, please visit www.pillarsearch.com.

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Executive Director Pro Bono Posting for SLAM! Program Los Angeles

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SLAM! Program Los Angeles, a project of Community Partners, is a nonprofit, school-based program whose mission is to provide students from underserved schools with accessible, contemporary and tuition-free music instruction.  Our program is delivered through a network of volunteer college students, creating opportunities for mentorship and professional development through a shared experience of music. Our program offers a variety of classes at each partnering school, including Piano, Guitar, Percussion, Voice, Music Production, Songwriting, and Rock Band.

 

Core Values

  • Self-Esteem: The arts build community, which directly enhances students’ self-esteem.
  • Learning: Learning music is not a privilege, but a necessity for a well-rounded education.
  • Access: Every student deserves access to quality and affordable music instruction.
  • Musical Expression: Students need a voice that transcends language and dialect.

 

We believe that a strong student-teacher relationship has the power to change lives.

 

Starting out as a small pilot program in 2011, SLAM! has since grown into an expansive network that serves more than four hundred students across eleven Los Angeles middle and high schools, supported by one hundred volunteer instructors matriculating at the University of California, Los Angeles, University of Southern California, and Musicians Institute in Hollywood. In March of 2013, SLAM! became a fiscally sponsored project of Community Partners in order to support growing demand for SLAM! programming at additional schools. SLAM!’s Advisory Board recently completed a formal strategic plan which will guide the organization’s strategic priorities and financial growth from an operating budget of $170,000 to a projected $300,000 budget in the coming three years.

 

Executive Director Job Description 

The Executive Director of SLAM! Program Los Angeles is responsible for partnering with the Advisory Board to develop and implement the overall vision and strategic objectives for the organization. The individual will report directly to the Advisory Board, currently comprised of 9 members, and supervise 3 full-time and part-time staff members who oversee the delivery of our program model at each of our university chapters and middle and high school partners.

 

SLAM! offers a unique opportunity for an entrepreneurial, high-energy, and self-directed leader to build the foundation for growing our movement. The ideal candidate for this role is a passionate, committed organizer who can drive the impact of a lean and high-performing start-up organization. S/he will bring experience managing a team, executing against an agreed upon strategic direction, and familiarity with the broad education landscape in Los Angeles. The Executive Director’s responsibilities include: Fundraising and Development, Program Operations and Management, Board Governance and Strategic Vision, and Marketing and Community Relations.

 

Fundraising and Development (40%)

  • Provide organizational leadership in all aspects of fundraising and development, establishing personal relationships with key funders and donors in order to facilitate the creation of new and renewed sources of major gifts and philanthropic support
  • Work closely with the Advisory Board to develop annual fundraising plans and resources, consistently meeting or exceeding established goals
  • Work with relevant staff members to prepare grant proposals and reports, identify new grantmaker prospects, and meet all grant compliance requirements
  • Develop a robust individual giving program to cultivate existing donors for ongoing support and seek new and diverse donor prospects
  • Identify and maintain strong relationships with key community partners to diversify and expand the organization’s donor base

 

Program Operations and Management (25%)

  • Communicate and collaborate consistently with Community Partners, SLAM!’s fiscal sponsor, regarding all financial management, human resources, and legal counsel needs
  • Provide guidance, coaching, and supervision to the staff team in the high quality implementation of the SLAM! program model at all university chapters and partner schools
  • Oversee the school outreach and intake process as a liaison and ex-officio member of the Advisory Board in alignment with the organization’s projected growth
  • Execute a rigorous, timely, and professional hiring process for any available staff positions
  • Orchestrate the purchase, storage, and upkeep of a comprehensive equipment and supplies inventory across all SLAM! partner sites and central storage facilities
  • Encourage staff satisfaction and retention by fostering meaningful opportunities for their professional development and growth
  • Review position descriptions, ensuring they are up-to-date and that compensation is current with industry standards, and complete annual professional performance reviews
  • Appropriately address job performance issues in a timely and direct manner
  • Supervise financial activities in consultation with Community Partners’ Finance team to ensure that all revenues, obligations, reports, and filings are collected, paid and submitted

 

 

Board Governance and Strategic Vision (20%)

  • Provide visionary and inspirational leadership to all board members, staff, and volunteers, helping to build an innovative, entrepreneurial and nimble organization that is responsive to the needs of volunteers, school partners, and broader community
  • Establish strong working relationships with board members during and outside of board meetings, encouraging all members to participate actively and facilitating their involvement beyond board meetings
  • Provide the board with appropriate materials prior to each meeting and inform board members of any critical issues that need to be addressed
  • Oversee the annual preparation and monitoring of the budget in consultation with the board
  • Identify new board members whose talents, background, interests, experience, and commitment will further the mission and expand support

 

Marketing and Community Relations (15%)

  • Create and implement a comprehensive marketing and communications plan including: brand consistency, social media engagement, online communications, and related activities
  • Provide leadership and guidance to staff members and board members responsible for supporting marketing and communication efforts
  • Develop and distribute consistent digital communications to all organization stakeholders
  • Actively participate in the Los Angeles arts and education communities, attending conferences, receptions, workshops, and events to boost the organization’s visibility
  • Increase widespread knowledge of SLAM!, ensuring that the public as well as current or potential partners and funders understand its value and potential

 

Qualifications

 

Qualified applicants will have:

  • A deep passion for arts education, youth mentorship, and leadership development
  • A minimum of 5 years experience in a leadership role within an organization
  • Demonstrated track record of fundraising or business development through corporate and private foundations, event planning, and individual giving
  • Demonstrated ability to inspire, empower, and uplift others in a professional setting
  • Expertise in planning, organizational development, and team or culture building
  • Ability to balance day-to-day demands with big-picture vision and strategy
  • Familiarity with the Los Angeles school system and education policies specific to after school program providers
  • A broad network of contacts and potential partners eager to move the mission forward
  • An entrepreneurial mindset and interest in social entrepreneurship
  • Strong attention to detail and ability to balance multiple priorities
  • Excellent organizational skills, strategic thinking, and problem solving orientation
  • Strong interpersonal communication skills, both oral and written, with individuals across a variety of developmental and professional stages
  • Strong technological fluency (Microsoft Office Suite, Google Apps for Nonprofits, Mailchimp, WordPress, and database management, etc.)
  • The ability and flexibility to travel to partner schools across Los Angeles and work remotely with consistent access to:
    • High speed internet
    • Personal laptop with current operating system capabilities
    • Quiet and professional environment for phone or online meetings
  • A bachelor’s degree, master’s degree preferred

 

Compensation and Benefits

Position can be structured as a full or part time role. A comprehensive compensation package commensurate with experience is provided through Community Partners and includes full medical, dental, life, and long-term disability insurance benefits. SLAM! Program Los Angeles, a fiscally sponsored project of Community Partners, is an equal opportunity employer. The organization will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.

 

For more information, please visit www.slamprogram.org and www.communitypartners.org.

 

To Apply

Please submit a resume and cover letter to Jobs@slamprogram.org with your name in the subject line and all attachments. Applications accepted until position is filled.

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Landing a Job With Your Professional “Crush”

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We’ve all seen them: The job posting that grabs your attention and you cannot get it out of your mind because it is your dream job. Be it working for a cause you adore, as part of a celebrity nonprofit whose founder you admire, on a fantastic product team, or with an artist who you are a huge fan of, the dream job does not have to be merely a dream. Before zipping off your resume, take a deep breath and follow some of these tips to ensure that you showcase your killer talents and skills in the best light. Drumroll, please:

 

  • Look at the job description very closely. If it is truly a match, pass go, collect $200, and apply immediately! If not, think before you apply. I have done searches for a celebrity-related organizations, rock star status money managers, and arts organizations that receive literally hundreds of unsolicited resumes each week because people are so excited to work there, but for the most part they are not a match in terms of experience fit.  Sending a resume to a job that you are not qualified for will not get the results you want. Wait for a job that fits your skills, as the competition for these “sexy” positions will be fierce.
  • Research the role and the company or organization. Go beyond their website. Who do they partner with? Are they on social media? Do they do a signature event? Check out similar organizations as well. If it is a non-profit, look at Guidestar. If it is a for-profit, check out their annual report. See what press is available about them so that when you craft the cover letter, and hopefully when you have an interview, you can demonstrate that you walk the walk and talk the talk.
  • Write a thoughtful cover letter that highlights your skills and what makes you the ideal candidate. In the cover letter, do not tell the designer that you love her shoes. Do not tell the movie star that you loved their latest movie. They have fans. They need an Executive Director, PR pro, Personal Assistant, or whatever role they have open. Their focus will be on the person who is best equipped to fill that need, not on the one who is most star-struck.
  • If it is a mission-based organization (i.e., nonprofit or foundation), you can and should share if you are a believer in their cause and how their mission resonates with you, but be sure to temper it. Human Resources and Executive Recruiting firms will see right through if it is not sincere. I know someone who worked in the marketing area of a Major League Baseball team’s charitable foundation and she applied despite the fact that she despised baseball. She shared with me that she adored their mission and the work they did with children’s health and education and said she was willing to “put up” with the baseball to get the job working on a cause she loved. That kind of passion shines through.
  • Do not use social media to announce that you are interviewing with a company or organization. It happened during a search and let’s just say that it was not viewed kindly. Organizations with celebrity and/or brand name affiliation will expect discretion.
  • Most importantly, be yourself. Yes, this may be a dream job, and you are probably chomping at the bit to get it, but be real. Be you. I have seen finalists in incredibly competitive searches who meet with the top person or board hiring committee and do incredibly well by relaxing, letting their guard down, and showing their true and talented self.

 

Best of luck in your job search!

 

Cindy Joyce, Founder, Pillar Search