Full Job Description

Position Description

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Along Side Ministries (ASM) Executive Director Position is a Christ centered, purpose-driven leadership role. The Executive Director, working with the Board of Directors, will be responsible for developing and executing ASM’s overall strategic vision. The Executive Director will set the overall tone of the ministry while leading and managing staff to achieve these objectives. As the organization’s top leader and spokesperson, the Executive Director’s primary focus will be carrying out ASM’s strategic vision and maintaining fiscal health through fundraising. The Executive Director will utilize their experience, within a Christ-centered context, to maximize donor solicitations, give proper gift acknowledgment, gift administration, stewardship, and develop repeat donor strategies. The gifts of teaching and counseling are highly valued and welcomed in developing ASM’s support staff and volunteers to effectively carry out ASM’s vision of reaching the incarcerated for Christ.

 

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

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Organizational management and leadership

• Participate with the Board in implementing a Strategic Vision in compliance with the ASM mission statement.

• Direct the planning, development, and implementation of the budget.

• Evaluation and support of all organizational functions, including the management of staff.

• Regularly communicate the current initiatives, needs, and status of the organization to the Board of Directors.

• Be the main point of contact for major donor churches and support-based organizations,regularly visiting and maintaining a positive working relationship.

• Foster effective team work between the Board and the Executive Director

• Foster effective work between the Executive Director and staff.

• Act as the primary public spokesperson for the ministry.  

 

Program planning and management

• Develop an operational plan that incorporates goals and objectives that fulfill the strategic direction of ASM.

• Monitor the day-to-day health of the prison ministry programs and services of ASM, and maintain or improve as needed.

• Oversee the planning, implementation, and execution of special projects.

• Ensure that the operation of ASM meets the expectations of the Board, financial supporters, and donor churches.

• Work with AZ Dept of Corrections Administration and Chaplains to oversee in-prison programs.

• Oversee selection of programmers to mentor and come into ASM.

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Financial planning and fundraising

• Work with the Board and Board sub-committees to prepare a comprehensive budget.

• Develop a donor program strategy including, but not limited to, matching campaigns, planned giving, major giving, annual appeals, grant applications, and special events.

• Personally manage ASM’s most important individual donor relationships, working closely with the Board, ensuring timely and effective donor relationship building, strategic solicitations, and donor stewardship.

• Lead individual targeted efforts to identify new donors for ASM, particularly those capable of making significant gifts.

• Review existing external communications and recommend future communications strategies and tactics to participant, volunteer, and donor engagement. 

• Assess current efforts and available organizational capacity.

 

Qualifications

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• Must possess a Biblical, Christ-centered mindset and a passion for Christ-centered prison ministry motivated by a heart for the incarcerated.

• Experience in organizational leadership and staff management; experience in prison ministry preferred, but not required.

• Must have a bachelor’s degree with 10+ years of senior leadership experience.Nonprofit fundraising experience a plus.

• Experience working with a board of directors for strategic planning and fundraising campaign development.

• Must fully agree with ASM’s statement of faith.

  • https://www.alongside-ministries.com/statement-of-faith

• Must be able and willing to work with and include individuals from diverse backgrounds and various faith upbringings.

• Must have the ability to use Excel and Word.

 

Ideal Candidate/Immediate Challenges

 

The candidate must have the highest of ethical standards and be able to assess and navigate difficult situations in a humble manner. This person shall also have had success in fund raising, fiscal and staff management, and leading a similar program or organization with vision and strategic planning. They shall be adaptable and good in building relationships including the recruitment of program participants and volunteers.

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Immediate challenges include:

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• Creating a 5-year vision of the ministry.

• Building a relationship with the ASM Board.

• Develop a donor program strategy and maintain a donor database.

• Assessing every part of ASM and give the Board a State of the Ministry

• Solidify and develop the staff, fostering teamwork.

• Develop and maintain a positive working relationship with major donor churches, support-based organizations, prison administrators and head chaplains.

 

Recruitment Timeframe & other key facts

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The ASM Board of Directors will consider candidates until the position is filled. It is hoped that the first review of resumes will be in mid-April.

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The Board is the hiring authority for the non-profit and composed of 6 individuals, most of which are retired executives and program volunteers. Four of the six Board members have tenure of over 4 years. ASM currently has no debt and is in very stable financial condition. The current operating budget is about $800,000 each year with donations supporting 2/3 of that. The current Executive Director, Ken Sheets, has been with ASM for 5 years and is resigning. He will remain with ASM until a new Executive Director is hired. The salary will be commensurate with similar non-profit executives.

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For application, send a cover letter and resume to Board Chair, Tom Mayer: tpmayer@cox.net.

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