Executive Director

This position is responsible for providing ultimate leadership, strategic direction, and long-term financial viability of the organization and overseeing all activities of the organization. This position will steward the organization through the Principles and Pillars of growth, determined by the 2023-27 Strategic Plan, which provides the framework for our three departments’ role: Programs, External Relations, and Agricultural Operations.

Principles: Organizational Sustainability, READI (race, equity, access, diversity, inclusion) in the Field, Serving as Experts in our Field

Pillars: Preserving Productive Green Space, Creating Shareable Models, Strengthening Organizational Partnerships The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors.

Responsibilities:

Human Resources

● Culture & Values

o Responsible for building and maintaining an organizational culture that fosters a positive, inclusive, and productive work environment

o Ensure that the to organization’s core operating values (joy, inclusion, collaboration, and stewardship) are being honored and reflected throughout the operations

o Develop and implement initiatives, activities, and processes that cultivate positive interactions, and ensure supportive organizational culture

● Personnel

o Act as a resource, leader, colleague, and listener to 30+ employees

o Support Directors in strategic planning and program development

o Ensure Directors are guiding functions in a way that aligns with strategic plan goals, mission, and values

o Retain, recruit, hire, train, and manage five direct report positions: Associate Director, Director of External Relations, Director of Programs, Director of Agricultural Operations, Special Projects Director

o Conduct annual reviews of all of direct report positions and determine salary recommendations for direct reports o Train and mentor direct reports on conflict management processes

o Provide guidance and support in all termination decisions and processes o Support direct reports in creating growth opportunities via our promotion and internal hiring processes

o Work with Associate Director to determine budget for annual Cost of Living Adjustment and merit increases, and allocations for each department

o Support Department Directors in determining merit increases for staff

o Facilitate regular all-staff meetings with support from Department Directors and Associate Director

● Benefits

o Oversee the Associate Director and HR Committee in researching, developing, and implementing employee benefit packages

o Audit health benefits every three years

o Ensure all benefit information is documented and easily accessible to staff

External Relations

● Fundraising and Development

○ Ensure fiscal responsibility by establishing achievable financial growth goals annually (historically 10%) with the Director of External Relations

○ Provide strategic fundraising vision and leadership to guarantee long term organizational growth and sustainability.

○ Collaborate with Board and Director of External Relations to maintain, solicit and cultivate foundation, individual, governmental, and corporate donations to support programmatic and general operating financial needs

■ Provide strategic leadership to develop larger campaigns, secure major gifts, and cultivate high level donors

● Marketing, Events, and Outreach

○ Ensure collaboration with Director of Programs and Director of External Relations, making certain organizational brand and identity reflect the organization’s core values

○ Support Director of Programs in prioritizing events, partners, and media channels

○ Promote Wasatch Community Gardens locally and nationally as a leading educator and resource in the urban agriculture and youth and community gardening fields through public speaking, television, radio, written materials, and in the community

○ Ensure urban agriculture partnerships are based in collaboration not competition

Programming

● Collaborate with Director of Programs and other parties as needed to design new and innovative program initiatives

● Foster positive relationships with community, business, and government leaders to further the mission of the organization

● Oversee contract negotiations with program stakeholders such as schools, government departments, etc.

Agricultural Operations

● Determine, with Director of Agricultural Operations, new food producing sites to develop (community gardens are determined with the Director of Programs as well)

● Coordinate between Agricultural Operations site funding needs and External Relations annual budget goal to ensure sites have a funding plan before they are taken on ● Help prioritize site development, costs, and other needs put forward by the Director of Agricultural Operations

● Keep Director of Agricultural Operations informed of any infrastructure needs across all WCG locations, alongside input from Director of Programs and Director of External Relations

● Oversee contract negotiations with site stakeholders such as government departments, land-owners, and partner organizations

Financial Management

● Manage $2.5M budget ● Oversee Associate Director in managing the organization’s finances

● Collaborate with Associate Director and Board Treasurer to create and monitor annual operating budget

● Collaborate with Associate Director and Board Treasurer to present financial reports for the Board of Directors

● Log checks and cash in Quickbooks and make bank deposits

● Save bank statements monthly ● Oversee adding and removing signers on bank accounts

● Ensure accounting practices follow all state and federal laws, IRS regulations and GAAP

● Ensure all state and federal reporting requirement are being met

● Collaborate with Associate Director and Board Treasurer to conduct annual audit and year-end 990 tax filing

Board Development

● Collaborate with board members and staff to recruit and cultivate board members that fulfill organizational needs

o Conduct regular internal audit to identify those needs

● Collaborate with Board Chair and Executive Committee to create and maintain highly functional board and board committees

● Work with executive board committee to continually improve board structure, processes, and engagement opportunities

● Develop and manage opportunities that foster relationships between board and staff

● Continually act as liaison between board and staff to ensure a consistent shared vision by all parties

Organizational Leadership:

● Oversee Department Directors in annual objectives to meet the existing 2024-2026 strategic plan goals

● Collaborate with Board of Directors, Department Directors, and staff to create new three to five year strategic plan that supports the growth and strength of programs

● Oversee all staff committees and staff assignments, and be a resource for the chair of each committee

● Ensure policies and processes are documented, accessible, and followed organization-wide

● Provide opportunities for staff merriment ● Oversee documentation for hiring, support plans, and termination processes Misc:

● Determine project management tools and ensure all staff have education, training, and access

● Oversee digital server, policies, and file organization

● Assign key fobs

Qualifications:

Strong candidates will offer the following skills and experiences:

● Five plus years’ experience as an Executive Director or in an equivalent leadership position

● Demonstrated success as a team leader and player, experience in facilitating group processes and positive group dynamics

● Bachelor's degree in a related field, Master's degree preferred

● An understanding of urban agriculture and its potential as a tool for social change

● A proven track record in fundraising through individual, grants, government partners, and corporate groups

● Broad business skills including strategy implementation, non-profit finances and nonprofit management

● Guide and or execute targeted marketing programs to achieve organizational goals around events, awareness and fundraising

● Experience organizing and building coalitions and partnerships with diverse communities and external organizations

● Excellent written and oral communication skills

● Knowledge of how to work with the legislature and other governmental organizations and structures in Utah

● Ability to operate/learn to operate various technology systems such as CiviCRM, Joomla, Google Suite, Dropbox, Asana, and others regularly

Hours and Work Environment:

This position is full-time (40 hours per week), with slight variations depending on the season.

Work Environments:

● Office in-person (unless disallowed by public health order/recommendation); remote work from out of the SLC area will not be considered

● Wasatch Community Gardens’ Campus and gardens

● Potential/developing garden space

● Government/community/partner locations

● Fundraising and event locations

Salary and Benefits:

Salary will be based on a targeted hiring range of $95,000 - $115,000 with a growth range of up to $125,000. Salary negotiations are commensurate with qualifications and experience. Benefits include health insurance, 401K, HSA, paid holidays, sick and vacation leave, reproductive health and wellness leave, comp time, and access to garden produce.

To Apply: 

Please email the following materials to edapplications@wasatchgardens.org

● Resume ● Names, titles, and phone numbers of three professional references

● Short response (2-page total) to the following items:

1. Why are you interested in this position?

2. What is your leadership style and how would that style contribute to this position?

3. What strengths will you bring to our organization and this position?

4. How do you approach culture building?

Please put “Executive Director - [Your Name]” in the subject line of your email. Applications will be accepted until 5pm, Monday, November 4, 2024. Applications without references and responses to the questions above will not be considered.

Applicants must submit to and clear a background check at the discretion of the organization.

This job description is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a complete inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of Executive Director assigned to the job.