The Clothesline is seeking a full-time
Executive Director (ED) to take over from its founders and guide the
organization to the next stage in its development. The Executive Director will be leading a 7-year
old non-profit that has become a key element in the social safety net in
Arlington, serving over 1,600 children each year. The Clothesline provides a fun but engaged and rewarding workplace for its staff and volunteers. Our focus is to ensure that each child visiting our store comes away with clothes that help them feel comfortable and confident at school - while treated with respect and dignity.
This position will be responsible for leading
the organization’s 5-6 part-time employees and 100+ volunteers. The new ED will work to expand The
Clothesline’s reach with donors, community partners and other stakeholders, as
well as continue to improve the service provided to families. On an interim basis, the founders will remain
in volunteer positions to support the ED for finance/administrative tasks and
store merchandising/purchasing. The ED
will report to an expanded Board of Directors of 7-9 members.
The position will be in-person at The
Clothesline’s location in the Clarendon neighborhood of Arlington.
Tasks/Responsibilities
Donor and Community Outreach
- Work closely with
Development Manager to expand and enhance donor base, particularly with larger
institutional, corporate and government donors
- Build and enhance
relationships with other components of the Arlington social safety net, County
government, and business community.
- Represent and
advocate for The Clothesline at community stakeholder events and with other
community groups
Strategy/Planning
- Work with Board
to elaborate 5-year plan
- Develop and
elaborate annual budget with staff for delivery to the Board (Nov/Dec)
- Evaluate similar
business models in other parts of the US as well as local non-profits for best
practices
- Develop ways to
solicit feedback from clients and other community stakeholders
Store Operations
- Lead store
managers in smooth operation of the store
- Set schedules
with staff and volunteers to ensure adequate coverage on sorting and shopping
days
- Coordinate with Merchandising/Purchasing
manager to stock store
- Lead team in
coordinating seasonal switch-overs (Feb and Aug)
- Periodically work
on sorting/shopping days to ensure familiarity with day-to-day operations
- Identify and
implement opportunities where store operations can be improved
Requirements
A successful candidate will have demonstrated leadership
and organizational capabilities, particularly with smaller organizations. Prior experience leading teams will be important. In order to conduct outreach with donors and the community effectively, candidates will need to show prior experience with communicating to a diverse group of stakeholders.
Additionally, competitive candidates will have experience in some or all of the following areas:
- Experience in
fundraising and building donor relationships
- Experience in provision
of social services, particularly with families and children
- Experience in
retail clothing
- Spanish language proficiency
and experience working with the Hispanic community
Benefits
To be determined based on qualifications and situation.