Position:        Executive Director

Reports to:    Board of Directors

Location:      Palo Alto, CA/Hybrid

THE ORGANIZATION

Pacific Stroke Association (PSA) is a community-based nonprofit with a singular mission: to reduce the incidence of stroke through education and awareness and to help mitigate stroke’s devastating aftermath through support programs for patients, survivors and family caregivers.

PSA was founded in 1998 by a group of community members who were concerned with the lack of awareness of stroke symptoms among both the public and medical community and with the lack of support services for stroke survivors and their families. Although treatment options available for stroke patients were limited 25 years ago, it had become clear that recognizing the symptoms of a stroke and getting to an emergency room quickly were crucial steps to saving lives and reducing the disabilities that often result from stroke.

Fortunately, since those earlier days, medical treatments, stroke education and awareness programs, and post-stroke support services for patients have improved significantly. PSA is proud to have played a leading role in making that progress a reality, partnering with a diverse group of individuals and organizations in the healthcare community to transform stroke care and education in the region. Today, PSA supports the stroke community in several ways, including:

Annual Stroke Conference: PSA’s annual stroke conference highlights new and best practices in acute stroke treatment. The conference provides members of the medical community with the latest diagnostic and therapeutic protocols in all phases of stroke care for patients and their families. It also provides opportunities to meet and network with clinicians, exhibitors and members of the stroke community.

Post-Stroke Support Groups: PSA’s monthly support groups enable stroke survivors and caregivers to meet others and find practical information, inspiration, and support. Groups are facilitated by volunteer clinicians and are both virtual and in-person.

Post-Stroke Resource Directory: PSA’s Resource Directory is a comprehensive resource for stroke survivors and their caregivers as well as for families, clinicians, organizations, and all those who work with stroke and brain injury survivors.

Community Events and Education: PSA provides stroke education in three ways: stroke educational lectures, distribution of stroke educational materials and participation in community events and health fairs. PSA stroke lectures are presented by health professionals, medical students, physical therapists and other clinicians. The content is shared with diverse audiences at schools, colleges, churches, senior centers, businesses, and companies.

As a community-based nonprofit, PSA relies on the help, support and expertise of its volunteer staff. Throughout the year, more than 50 volunteers contribute time and talent to enhance PSA’s programs and services.

Through its programs and services, PSA remains a unique and vital resource in the Bay Area by enabling and empowering people to thrive after stroke. As PSA celebrates the 25th anniversary of its founding, it looks toward the next phase of its evolution, energized by the potential to positively impact the lives of stroke victims and their families and poised for growth to meet the increasing demand for its support services and programs.  

THE POSITION

Pacific Stroke Association is seeking a creative and charismatic Executive Director (ED). The Executive Director role is a wonderful opportunity for an individual who thrives in an entrepreneurial environment, takes initiative and can manage and scale a program for a nonprofit with an ever-increasing need for its services. The ED provides the vision for PSA, leading the strategic direction and daily operations of the organization and serving as the primary ambassador for the organization in the Bay Area medical, patient and lay communities.

Reporting to the PSA Board of Directors, the ED will be a leader and motivator ensuring PSA’s ongoing financial sustainability by growing and diversifying its fundraising programs, increasing outreach to new philanthropic and community partners and deepening engagement with current constituents and supporters.

The ED will raise visibility, awareness, and understanding of PSA’s mission as it explores opportunities to strengthen and grow its services to support more patients and families throughout the region. Essential to the success of the ED will be having a genuine passion for PSA’s mission and the ability to emulate and inspire PSA’s core values within the organization and throughout the community.

The ED will oversee a program coordinator and contract staff, a number that may grow as the organization expands its programmatic offerings.   

RESPONSIBILITIES

Organizational Leadership

• Develop and promote a multi-year vision for PSA in partnership with the board that will enable it to increase support for stroke patients and families.
• Assess, oversee and strengthen PSA’s organizational infrastructure – including operations, policies, and staffing – to maximize efficiency and support current and future growth; create and implement a yearly operating plan.
• Develop, in collaboration with the board, short- and long-term strategic goals to guide the organization in its day-to-day operations and future growth. Ensure alignment of annual goals with the organization’s vision and strategic direction.
• Design and implement a multi-year plan to enhance PSA’s program offerings and presence in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. Assess opportunities and requirements necessary to expand services to other areas of the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Support PSA’s board of directors; lead board development, including recruiting and onboarding new members and managing board engagement.
• Manage and mentor current and future staff, setting annual goals, conducting performance evaluations and setting compensation.

Financial Management and Fundraising

• Oversee fiscal management of PSA. Execute effective fiscal policies and procedures and operate PSA in a transparent and financially responsible fashion, including timely budgeting, financial reporting, and compliance with all applicable laws and regulations
• Develop a financial sustainability plan that includes generating revenue and managing program costs.
• Leverage technology and data in daily operations and decision-making. Identify ways to increase the use of technology to improve and streamline PSA’s operations and programs.
• Manage and build a diversified development program to grow PSA’s revenues and donor base. Determine optimal staffing needed to have a 21st Century fundraising program.
• Partner with the board and volunteers to increase the PSA’s philanthropic capabilities. Provide counsel, training and direction regarding fundraising to the board and volunteers. Leverage staff and volunteer relationships to maximize development opportunities.
• Serve as an ambassador of PSA to prospects and funders, involving the board as appropriate in outreach, cultivation and solicitation activities 

External Relations

• Connect the community to PSA’s mission and services. Serve as a primary spokesperson and voice of PSA to community partners and the media.
• Develop and nurture relationships with external stakeholders, including community representatives, funders, government officials, healthcare providers, nonprofit leaders, educators, etc.
• Lead a strategy to expand PSA’s programs to reach and engage more diverse communities in the Bay Area. 
• Determine the need for and oversee content and collateral (digital and print) production and other marketing efforts to increase awareness of PSA’s services and to support its fundraising initiatives. Increase opportunities to leverage social media to enhance PSA’s work and reach.
• Attend community events and cultivate speaking opportunities to deepen local networks, engage new donors and volunteers, and expand community presence.

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE

PSA encourages interest from a diverse candidate pool and seeks applicants who have an appropriate combination of education, training, skills, lived experience and voice to execute the necessary job functions of the ED. The requirements listed below are guidelines. PSA realizes that candidates may not satisfy every requirement or meet every qualification listed.

EDUCATION

A bachelor’s degree is required.

EXPERIENCE

• Five to seven years of experience leading a nonprofit organization, business unit or program. Familiarity working within a medical community or organization a plus.
• Experience setting the operational vision and strategy for an organization or program to produce effective changes and improvements to operations.
• Strategic planning and execution experience and a record of delivering results.
• Experience raising support from diverse funding sources (individuals, corporations, foundations) to support an organization’s programmatic mission.
• Experience overseeing fiscal management and controls, including budgeting and reporting.
• Experience serving as an external and public voice of an organization or program and engaging diverse perspectives.  
• Experience hiring, managing, mentoring and motivating staff.
• Proven experience serving in the role of resource/coach/mentor to board members, volunteers and colleagues and leveraging relationships to maximize opportunities and strengthen capabilities in fundraising, consultation, and advocacy.
• Experience building and maintaining relationships with a wide array of people, including managing and building internal and external partnerships and coalitions.

COMPETENCIES/ATTRIBUTES

The successful candidate will have or be:

• Strong strategic planning skills and a capacity to develop and implement clear goals, systems and priorities.
• Emotional intelligence and relationship-building skills.
• Visionary mindset and ability to rally stakeholders around common goals.
• Superior communication skills with an ability to articulate a clear and compelling vision and lead others to implementation.
• Demonstrated success in fundraising and achieving monetary goals.
• Energetic, flexible, collaborative, and proactive; a leader who can positively and productively design and direct both strategic and tactical initiatives.
• Commitment to promoting a multicultural environment where diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are embedded into all aspects of operations.
• Strong financial skills, including the ability to develop and review budgets and management reports that present a clear financial picture of the organization and its revenue-generating activities.
• Ability to smartly manage day-to-day operations and multiple tasks simultaneously through challenging and ever-changing situations. Strong problem-solving skills.
• Strong people skills and the ability to foster an environment that attracts and enables staff to learn, grow, produce, impact and feel fulfilled.
• David N. Randall

Salary Range: $145K to $160K.  A competitive benefits package will be offered. To be considered for this position or for additional information about the opportunity, please send a resume and cover letter to or contact:

David Randall

Principal

Randall Search Associates

415 769 4210

david@randallsearchassociates.com