Mission

LPIE’s mission is to support and enrich the education of every child in Lafayette public schools. LPIE fulfills its mission by providing financial support to four elementary schools and a middle school, that comprise the Lafayette School District (“LafSD”), and Acalanes High School, which is part of the Acalanes Unified High School District (“AUHSD”). LPIE works with the respective districts to identify areas for investment in core academics and enrichment at each school. LPIE supports programs and efforts that might otherwise go unfunded, particularly in the Sciences and the Arts.

Organizational Overview

LPIE is governed by a 40-member Board of Directors.

The Executive Director oversees a staff consisting of a full-time Events & Communications Coordinator, a part-time Fundraising Administrator, and a part-time bookkeeper. The annual operating budget is approximately $4.5M this year. LPIE’s fiscal year is July 01 to June 30.

THE POSITION

LPIE’s Board of Directors seeks an Executive Director (“ED”)with a passion for LPIE’s vision and mission of positively impacting the quality of public education in Lafayette. The ED is responsible for LPIE’s consistent achievement of its mission and annual financial objectives.

The ED will work in partnership with the Board, strengthening and supporting it as a fundraising and governance body. The ED will work, with the Board’s oversight, to ensure its organizational efforts are sustainable and in alignment with the mission and strategic plan.

The ED will bring and effectively deploy a high level of relational acumen to build, strengthen and steward relationships with parents, volunteers, school districts, administrators, community members, business partners, and other stakeholders. The ED will be diplomatic and highly adept at nuanced community leadership and communications.

The ED will be responsible for the strategic and operational financial management of LPIE, ensuring financial sustainability, adept management, and appropriate reporting of financial operations to the Board.

The ED will lead and manage the staff, ensuring high levels of competency and retention. The ED will be an open and inclusive leader, recognizing the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion within LPIE and the community and schools it serves.

The ED will work, with the input and contributions of others, to ensure LPIE’s brand and message are refreshed, with an appropriate frequency, and communicated consistently.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Organizational Leadership & Strategy

• Facilitate development of a strategic plan among the Board every three to five years with an annual review of the existing strategic plan.
• Provide leadership in developing programs, organizational and financial plans, and organizational policies in collaboration with the Board and staff; carry out plans and policies authorized by the Board.
• Maintain a working knowledge of significant developments and trends in education, public educational funding, and education foundation support for the school districts.
• Provide strategic thought leadership to support activities that adhere to the strategic plan.
• Through behavioral example, policy, and leadership, foster an organizational culture of mutual support and respect, personal responsibility, and empowerment.

Fundraising/Development

• Develop a strategy, in partnership with the Board Committees, to establish annual campaign financial goals, participation levels, and messaging.
• Support and assist in staffing special events that directly support LPIE, including the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce’s Art & Wine Festival and Reservoir Run.
• Ensure effective implementation of the strategic and financial plans, and that financial objectives are met each year.
• Identify metrics to determine the effectiveness of strategies.
• Create and implement a stewardship matrix in collaboration with the appropriate board members.
• Support Chairs of events to ensure goals are met including providing budget oversight, office support, and project management, as needed.

External Relations and Communications

• In collaboration with the respective fundraising Chairs and the President:
  • Create, implement, and manage an effective communication plan to support and enable all fundraising plans and objectives across all areas of constituent groups.
  • Actively and effectively reach out to current and prospective donors to cultivate and develop their support for LPIE and explore new fundraising opportunities.
  • Prepare high-quality communications to drive revenue. Examples include, but are not limited to, business partner proposals, sponsorship proposals, newsletters, appeals, and annual reports.
• Maintain the foundation’s image by being active and visible in the community and by working closely with other professionals and civic and private organizations, including the school districts (LafSD and AUHSD), parents, and the community at large.
• Represent LPIE’s programs and point of view to agencies, organizations, and the general public.
• Provide a consistent voice and be a consistent relationship manager for LPIE.
• Support the President and Board members in school- and volunteer-centric facing roles.
• Publicize LPIE’s organizational activities, programs, and goals.

Organizational Management and Financial Operations

• Collaborate with District leadership to ensure efficient use of LPIE funds at school sites; solve any programmatic or administrative challenges that arise in the course of the school year concerning LPIE funded programs.
• Supervise and manage the LPIE office team and create a collaborative environment; interview, hire, and train new staff members as needed.
• Work with staff and the Board to create, document, and maintain operational processes and procedures that strengthen LPIE and ensure that it is positioned to mitigate risk and weather changes in the current business model.
• Perform performance reviews of LPIE staff members and participate in ED performance reviews.
• Address complaints and solve problems.
• Manage relationships with vendors, including but not limited to, LPIE’s graphic designer, IT support contractor, investment firm, and auditor.

• Maintain sound financial practices including ensuring that adequate funds are available to permit LPIE to carry out its work.
• In conjunction with the President, Vice President, and Past President, collaborate with LafSD and AUHSD to define funding goals that align with each district’s priorities.
• Develop and execute LPIE’s annual budget for approval by the Board.
• In partnership with the Treasurer and bookkeeper, manage monthly reporting to ensure expenses and revenue align with the budget, including reviewing and approving expenses.
• Provide financial oversight, ensuring that all funds are disbursed and spent in a transparent manner.
• Maintain official records and documents; ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.

Board Development

• In collaboration with the President:
  • Manage all aspects of the Board to ensure LPIE’s ability to maximize philanthropic funding for public education in Lafayette,

• Empower volunteers through manageable and fulfilling opportunities, and by maintaining good communication, support, and training,
• Host annual board orientation and training, board meetings, and board socials.

• Serve as an active, non-voting member of the Board and its committees and task forces, including as an ex-officio member of various Committees.
• Collaborate and support the Board by assigning resources and staff to ensure success in reaching fundraising objectives and empowering them to serve as ambassadors in the community.
• Keep the Board regularly informed about the condition of the organization, its programs, and progress towards its goals.
• Provide support to the Board by assisting with the preparation of meeting agendas, supporting materials, and notes, as needed or requested.
• Serve as a professional advisor to the Board on all aspects of the organization’s activities.

LPIE Endowment Donor Cultivation and Management 

• Establish goals, strategies, and tactics of the endowment campaign. 
• Oversee event and donor databases, run reports to identify and track. 
• Steward new major donors and secure gifts, and work with  donors and members with potential to give to the LPIE endowment.
• Maintain a detailed portfolio of donor communications and gifts. 
• Coordinate and participate in donor appreciation activities. 
• Work with LPIE team and Board members to identify, cultivate, and solicit significant donors. 
• Implement a planned giving marketing plan to cultivate donors resulting in a pipeline of giving and planned giving prospects. 

Education: Bachelor’s degree or the equivalent work experience is desired.

Experience: Minimum of ten years of nonprofit, public sector, or relevant leadership in roles of increasing responsibility. This experience must include:

• Managing a budget of $2.5 million or greater.
• A demonstrated track record of successful volunteer management of a large board of directors or supporting organizational auxiliary group(s). Leadership of an organization with a small operating staff, such that hands-on efforts by the chief executive are required. 
• Experience successfully managing and professionally developing staff. Track record of partnering with a Board of Directors in strategy, governance, fundraising, and organizational operations to support growth. Interest in or aptitude for fundraising from an array of donor groups and partners, such as parents, business leaders, entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, and civic leaders.
• Experience in education is desirable, but not required.

COMPETENCIES/ATTRIBUTES

The successful candidate will have:

• The ability to create a vision for LPIE and achieve operational excellence.
• Excellent written communication skills and effective public communication skills.
• Well-developed management skills of staff, Board members, and volunteers -- prior successful volunteer management is critical.
• Management of financial operations of a minimum $2.5M enterprise.
• Operational understanding of systems, processes, and procedures, and the ability to be the driver of those systems.
• Strong project management and time management skills.
• Experience with, or aptitude for, fundraising and working in partnership with the Board on fundraising matters.
• Branding skills and abilities, including the expertise to know when to bring in an expert and when to use volunteers.
• A marketing mindset.
• Strong interpersonal and relational skills, including relationship management.
• A commitment to collaboration, teamwork, and a sense of humor.

The successful candidate will be:

• Proactive, forward thinking, strategic.
• An active listener.
• Diplomatic, sensitive to different audiences, able to interact with a wide array of people.
• Resilient, flexible, adaptable, and open to change (recognizing that Board leadership changes annually)..
• Well organized in both work style and office operations.
• Supportive of small and high functioning staff.
• Tactfully aggressive.
• Intuitive.
• Highly collaborative.
• High EQ (emotional intelligence).
• Customer oriented.
• Ability to navigate internal “politics” of managing an ongoing enterprise with volunteer support.

COMPENSATION

An attractive salary will be offered, commensurate with experience, with the opportunity to earn an annual discretionary bonus. Paid holidays, sick days, and vacation will also be offered.

Lafayette Partners in Education is an equal opportunity employer and encourages candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply.

For additional information regarding this opportunity, please contact:

Anita Embleton, LPIE HR Committee Chair

hiring@lpie.org

DEADLINE TO APPLY: 12 noon, October 5, 2023

For additional information on LPIE, please see www.LPIE.org.