Executive Director, The Massachusetts 4-H Foundation, Inc. - TSNE

Opportunity 

The Massachusetts 4-H Foundation(Foundation) seeks a dynamic and creative Executive Director to grow and drive the Foundation’s evolving fundraising goals at an important time for the Foundation and 4-H in Massachusetts.

Organizational Overview

The sole mission of the Foundation is to generate and provide financial resources to help expand, enrich, and advance the Massachusetts 4-H youth development programs. The Foundation was formed in 1955 as an independent 501(c)(3) organization, overseen by its own Board of Trustees, and works in close cooperation with the University of Massachusetts Extension Program (UMass Extension). UMass Extension is solely responsible for developing and delivering 4-H programming in Massachusetts while the Foundation generates and provides resources to help expand 4-H in the Commonwealth. 4-H serves over 10,000 Massachusetts youth ages 5-18 years old and has a growing emphasis on outreach to under-resourced urban and rural communities in the state as part of a nationwide initiative to close learning and opportunity gaps for all children.

Headquartered in Framingham, MA, the Foundation employs a full-time Executive Director and three part-time staff members and is led by an engaged Board of 19 members. The Foundation has an annual budget in excess of $500,000 and is financially stable with an endowment of $10.2M that covers a variety of program costs as well as its annual administration and operating expenses. In recent years, the Foundation has raised over $200,000 annually and over the last five years has donated over $1.1 million to 4-H programming.

The Massachusetts 4-H Youth Development Program is in the initial years of implementing a five-year plan to reshape, revitalize, and expand the 4-H program. The Foundation expects to be a key partner in identifying and providing resources to make this plan a success, while at the same time elevating its own standing and reach in order to ultimately support a long-term implementation of the plan.

About 4-H

4-H is a positive youth development and mentoring program that creates confident, curious, and resilient young adults through engaging programming.  Founded in 1908, 4-H is delivered via a community of more than 100 public universities across the nation that provide experiences for young people to learn by doing. 4-H is the largest youth development organization in the United States, serving over six million young people annually. 4-H programming spans a wide variety of areas, from its roots in agriculture and animal science to STEM programming, public speaking, and leadership.

Fundraising and Grantmaking

The Foundation consistently raises funds from foundations, businesses, and loyal individual donors while effectively managing its endowment and striving to support and expand the reach of 4-H in Massachusetts. Taking a creative and strategic approach to fundraising, the Executive Director will grow and formalize all fundraising strategies while working to align donors with specific programming interests. Specifically, the Executive Director will:

• Cultivate and expand the Foundation’s donor lists across existing and new demographics as a means of growing the Foundation’s annual giving program
• Create and implement a corporate giving program
• Increase effective grant-writing efforts
• Work in collaboration with UMass Extension to create opportunities for funders to align with specific programs
• Formalize, communicate, and oversee methods for evaluating the reach of Foundation giving.

Collaboration with Umass Extension School

As the Foundation is a significant funder of 4-H programs administered through UMass Extension, the Executive Director of the Foundation will develop a strong working partnership with the Director of the UMass Extension 4-H Youth Development Program. This partnership will require an understanding of UMass policies, operations, and current and future programming goals to align Foundation fundraising with 4-H program needs. Collaboration will include:

• Regular meetings with the Director of the UMass Extension 4-H Program to develop short and long-term strategies that support current and future program needs
• Attendance at Massachusetts 4-H programs and events in order to develop an understanding of the Program’s diverse offerings
• Creation of guidelines and reporting mechanisms for UMass Extension to track, measure, and report the impact of Foundation giving on 4-H programming.

Marketing and Communications

Getting the word out to funders, constituents, and the community while promoting the Foundation’s impact will evolve as the Foundation looks for ways to increase outreach and improve messaging. This will require clear and consistent communication between UMass Extension and the Foundation. The Executive Director will strive to:

• Refine and promote the Foundation and 4-H brands to existing and new networks, including 4-H alumni, individual and corporate donors, and the non-profit community
• Collaborate with the UMass Extension 4-H Program to create a clear and consistent communication strategy that increases public awareness and supports programming, including print and online materials
• Identify existing 4-H alumni to create and steward an alumni network.

Strategic Planning

The Executive Director will provide visionary leadership, set clear goals, and establish measurable outcomes to guide the organization’s growth and impact. An early priority will be working with the Board of Trustees to develop and implement a strategic plan that supports the Foundation’s mission and aligns with UMass Extension’s five year plan for 4-H. To accomplish this goal, the Executive Director will:

• Develop a deep knowledge of the offerings and strategic priorities of the Massachusetts 4-H Program in order to cultivate future resources to support these goals
• Work with the Board of Trustees to establish short and long-term goals for the Foundation
• Create and manage mechanisms that monitor program outcomes, collect data, and evaluate the Foundation’s impact. Prepare regular reports for the Board of Trustees, funders, and other stakeholders, highlighting achievements, challenges, and future goals. 

Staff and Operations Management

The Executive Director currently manages a Marketing and Communications Associate, an Administrative Assistant, and a third-party financial professional (fulfilling the finance director role). The Executive Director will:

• Oversee all aspects of the organization’s operations including budgeting, financial management, and human resources
• Ensure efficient and effective use of resources and maintain compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
• Hire, mentor and provide effective leadership for staff, fostering a collaborative and inclusive work environment while promoting professional growth and ensuring a high-performance team
• Create systems and metrics to manage performance and accountability
• Engage members of the Board of Trustees in supporting 4-H while coordinating with the board committees.

The Foundation understands that candidates rarely meet 100% of the qualifications. We strongly encourage candidates, in particular women and people from underrepresented backgrounds, to apply if they meet many of the qualifications.

The Foundation is looking for an individual with strong fundraising experience, nonprofit management knowledge, and exceptional communications skills. Ideal applicants will have the following:

• Five plus (5+) years of demonstrated fundraising experience with mission-driven organizations required; track record of managing and growing a fundraising program
• Excellent writing skills required, grant writing experience preferred
• Prior employee management or demonstrated experience leading and motivating teams
• Working knowledge of sound nonprofit business and financial practices; board development and management experience preferred
• Experience with marketing, branding, or promotion is preferred
• Excellent communication and listening skills, with the passion and presence to articulate a vision and serve as the primary spokesperson for the Foundation
• Prior experience working in or collaborating with a medium to large, multi-tiered organization
• Thoughtful and collaborative leadership and management style with an ability to build consensus and relationships internally as well as with traditional and new connections
• Background in or familiarity with youth development, education, 4-H, and/or agriculture is appreciated but not required
• Proven commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion values and cultivation
• Ability to motivate, engage, and influence others; authenticity of engagement with diverse audiences in a variety of situations
• Fluency with basic technology and CRM databases.

In addition to the above qualifications, key attributes include:

• Integrity
• Ability to lead by example
• Innovative and open-minded
• Outstanding work ethic
• Strong organizational skills
• Attention to detail
• Comfort in delegating/directing tasks
• Flexibility

How To Apply

This executive search is being conducted by TSNE with consultants Anna Asphar and Jodi Dowling. Interested candidates can submit materials via the link at the top of this page. All submissions receive acknowledgment and are confidential within the search committee and TSNE. Electronic submissions sent through the above link are preferred.

Candidates should include a resume and cover letter that describes how their qualifications and experience match the needs and mission of Massachusetts 4-H Foundation, along with salary expectations and how they learned of the position. Applications will be accepted until the position has been filled.

This is a full-time, hybrid position, based in Framingham, Massachusetts. Flexible working hours. The annual salary range for the position is between $85,000 and $100,000, depending upon experience.

Massachusetts 4-H Foundation strives to achieve excellence through a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment that embraces all of our individual and collective differences. We value and honor the unique talents, learning styles and lived experiences of each individual that enriches and strengthens our workplace culture, and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

All employment conditions are based on an individual’s performance and job qualifications. Massachusetts 4-H Foundation prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, creed. Color, religion, native language, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, parental status. Pregnancy, race-based hairstyles, or any other protected characteristic stated by federal and state law. Massachusetts 4-H Foundation celebrates diversity and values the strengths that come with having a diverse team of employees.