EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ABOUT A SENSE OF HOME (ASOH)
A Sense of Home strives to prevent homelessness by creating first-ever homes for youth aging out of foster care with donated furniture and home goods. 50% of those struggling with homelessness are former foster youth. The homeless crisis can only end through prevention.
A Sense of Home was founded in 2014 by Georgie Smith after a random act of kindness. She created a home for a 21-year-old man who was released from the foster care system into a subsidized apartment with no furnishings, arriving with nothing but black plastic trash bags of his personal belongings. Smith's reaction to this young man’s cry for help was to create a home using secondhand furniture. What she thought was a one-off random act of kindness became a weekly ritual of community members renting trucks to collect donated furniture and home goods and creating up to four homes every Sunday. By October 2015, Smith formed a board and by March 2016, A Sense of Home was a 501c3. As of today, A Sense of Home has created 800+ homes placing over 2000 young people in beds.”
After six years since forming a board, and the transformation of thousands of lives — testing and honing the model within the greater Los Angeles area, the homeless prevention model pioneered by A Sense of Home is now expanding to major cities both in the US and internationally. As the founder and current CEO of ASOH transitions out of organizational activities as it pertains to Los Angeles, ASOH seeks to replace ASOH’s founder in all things at the Los Angeles chapter level with its first ED.
ABOUT THE POSITION (SEE CANDIDATE PROFILE)
A Sense of Home is growing and expanding to major cities within the US and internationally. Given the success of the model operating in Los Angeles, the founder and CEO will be focused on scaling and the formation of A Sense of Home headquarters which oversees all growth. The incoming Executive Director (ED) will be leading the Los Angeles operation as its own chapter. This position will report to the CEO/Founder as well as the Chapter’s Board of Directors. The ED is responsible for ensuring that the chapter operates in accordance with established organizational policies, procedures, and guidelines.
The Executive Director is mission driven, passionate and an excellent communicator who can share the vital way A Sense of Home is working to prevent homelessness. The ED will activate and engage staff and board as brand ambassadors as well as strengthen partnerships with aligned organizations to enhance community engagement. This position will be able to identify new fundraising sources (as well as government grants) to further broaden the work of A Sense of Home. The next ED will reach out to current donors, so they are able to establish themselves as well as looking at potential prospects for future opportunities.
The Executive Director will directly and indirectly manage a team of no less than eight including a Development & Communications Director, Operations Directors, Resources Director, Recipient Advocate, Community Engagement Coordinator, Content Coordinator, Home Coordinator, Community Engagement Coordinator, and the Logistics Coordinator. The ED will focus on continually improving the organization's best practices and processes with a lens of promoting racial and gender equity.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Leadership & Management
- Manage executive team comprised of Operations Director, Resource Director and Development and Communications Director.
- Manage hiring/recruiting process for all open positions.
- Internalize all ASOH policies, procedures and guidelines and ensure thorough implementation by all stakeholders.
- Fulfill all aspects of existing chapter budget, lead budgeting for future fiscal years.
- Establish and implement chapter level strategic plans.
- Continuously improve best practices and promote racial and gender equity.
- Activate and engage staff and board as proactive brand ambassadors.
Development & Communications
- Represent the chapter to all stakeholders and actively take part in certain high-profile public facing responsibilities such as leading Home Creations.
- Be the host of several VIP home creations each year, a one-of-a-kind immersive experience.
- Work with the DCD to tell ASOH’s story in accordance with guidelines, while setting and achieving revenue targets from grants, events, corporate sponsors, brand partners, online campaigns, Home Creation sponsorships and major giving efforts.
- Establish, maintain and grow relations with sponsors, donors and corporate partners.
- Each year introduce new strategic fundraising initiatives to increase individual giving, annually by 30% of gross revenue.
- Each year introduce new strategic marketing campaigns to increase social media following by 25% and brand partnership revenue by 25%, annually.
Program Management
- Ensure that the flow of youth applications is consistent, that all applications are processed with strict adherence to procedures, that all Home Creations are held in accordance to established protocols, that in-kind inventory is stable and growing, that the chapter volunteer program is robust and expanding, and the warehouse is operating safely and efficiently.
- Enhance reporting tools to honor participant voices in program design and evaluation.
- Develop and support the growth of young leaders; staff, pay it forward youth and student volunteers.
- Strengthen partnerships with aligned organizations to enhance community engagement.
- Monitor and adjust procedures as needed and ensure chapter wide adherence.
- As a person with a track record of building strong systems, they will focus on implementing the strategic plan for sustainable growth and advancement whilst also expanding wrap around services.
Events & Fundraising
- ASOH provides an immersive transformative experience for all participants in a “Home Creation”. This Home Creation sponsorship is an opportunity for an individual, corporation or foundation to donate $7k, volunteer and create a home for a young person in need. For cooperation it affords a one-of-a-kind team building experience. The ED ensures all Home Creations are sponsored.
- The ASOH approach to the home creation is identical to our approach to development; everyone wins in the exchange. The immersive ASOH Home Creation (HC) experience is the standard for all ASOH events. The ASOH gala (and all events) must feel as authentic, emotional, grounded and inspiring as an HC. The ED works with the CEO to build upon the success of the annual ASOH gala https://asenseofhome.org/gala/.
- Create new annual fundraising events.
- Build upon the success of the annual Holiday Gift Giving event https://youtu.be/pLmeroKjMF4.
- Harness the ASOH data base, custom online crowdfunding campaigns, and newsletters to increase annual revenue.
Operations Management
- Ensure all safety practices are communicated and implemented at all times.
- Ensure adequate inventory levels of supplies and home goods for Home Creations.
- Oversee procurement activities for the chapter.
- Oversee in-kind donations management.
- Ensure proper documentation of inventory, recipients, sponsors, and donors in ASOH's proprietary workflow automation system (ASOH APP).
- Manage chapter level human resources matters.
- Manage payroll for chapter employees.
- Work with COO in regard to financial and data reporting.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.
- A minimum of 8 years’ experience in progressively responsible roles within senior management positions.
- Ability to lead operations and collaborate with staff, work with diverse groups of people and a wide range of faiths, beliefs, ages, cultures, and experiences.
- Demonstrated fundraising success with major donors, private foundations and institutional partnerships.
- Demonstrated experience with community engagement, especially in regard to creating and implementing strategic outreach, marketing, and social media.
- Must have valid driver’s license with a clean driving record and sufficient auto insurance to comply with state laws. Will be expected to drive as a part of the job.
- Strong working knowledge of Excel, Google Apps, email, social media networks, computers, smartphones, equipment, graphics software and CRM systems.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
Salary is commensurate with experience. A Sense of Home offers a full benefits package including medical, dental, vision, short term disability, and life insurance.
The Executive Director will be expected to work full-time on location at the ASOH warehouse at 3457 W El Segundo Blvd, unit A, Hawthorne, CA 90250. Schedule depends on ASOH needs and may frequently include weekends and evenings as well as some remote work.
Envision Consulting was retained by the A Sense of Home to conduct the search for their incoming Executive Director.
