ACCION NEW YORK Job Opening

[wlmmyers]

ACCION NEW YORK

President and Chief Executive Officer

ACCION New York is the largest micro lending, micro enterprise organization
in the United States. A private, nonprofit organization dedicated to
increasing incomes, creating jobs and contributing to the economic
revitalization of low-income communities across the New York City metro
area, Manhattan-based ACCION NY provides micro entrepreneurs with access to
credit and business support services not available from traditional sources
of credit such as the commercial banking sector. Since 2003, ACCION NY has
more than doubled its annual lending volume from approximately $6M to $13M
and intends to double its volume again in the next three years. With an
active portfolio of almost $17 million and more than 2,200 borrowers,
ACCION NY has lent over $65 million and provided more than 9,500 micro
loans since its inception in 1991 and is aggressively expanding its
operations within the metropolitan area. ACCION NY is a member the ACCION
USA Network and associated with ACCION International, one of the leading
micro finance organizations in the world. www.accionnewyork.org

Organizational self-sufficiency has long been a priority of ANY and it
generates an impressive ~70 percent of its funds for operation from its
business today. Programmatic innovation is another key priority of ACCION
NY. ANYs programs include: individual, group and start-up business loans,
Women's Microenterprise Initiative, Client Ambassador Program, Client
Referral Incentive Program, ACCION New York's Referral Network and free
legal services for clients.

Aggressive growth in the last five years suggests that ACCION NY's model
for micro lending has the transformative potential to influence advocacy
and policy efforts that impact on the poor on a scale that has historically
been confined to the international arena. ANY seeks a visionary leader who
can help the organization define its strategy and message for achieving
broader social impact, to be the face and voice for innovative ways to
scale up, speak out and serve more of those who seek to improve their own
lives through entrepreneurial drive and ingenuity.

BASIC FUNCTION

The President & CEO will provide the leadership, strategic direction and
visibility for ACCION NY, and will oversee its day-to-day
operations. Reporting to and working closely with the Board, the President
& CEO will ensure that ACCION NY is fiscally sound and that its strategies,
products, and programs meet the needs and interests of the micro-credit
community in the tri-state region. S/He will manage a diverse, dedicated
staff of approximately 50 in a highly collaborative yet demanding
environment. The President & CEO is responsible for all fundraising,
strategic planning and programmatic innovation. In addition, s/he must be
the spokesperson for not only ACCION NY, but also for micro lending.

KEY RESPONSIBILITES
The President & CEO will have ongoing responsibility for the following:

Vision, Leadership, Advocacy and Marketing

· Continually define for, promote to and remind the marketplace,
funders and constituents why ANY is more than ever effective, relevant and
important to them and the regional economy;
· Identify and secure funding; initiate and cultivate new donors
from among foundations, banking institutions, government entities and
individuals;
· Build appropriate strategic alliances within and beyond the
community development arena to expand ANY's sphere of influence; advance
ANY's mission and goals nationwide;
· Provide leadership to a staff of 50 full-time employees,
including loan officers, support personnel and the management team; support
a cohesive organizational whole;
· Stay abreast of new strategies in the micro lending and community
development arena and capitalize on appropriate opportunities for ANY;
· Represent and serve as a spokesperson for ANY in regional and
national conferences and events; participate in ACCION USA Network
meetings, events and other activities;

Board Development and Board Relations
· In conjunction with the Board of Directors, develop and
implement a resource development plan to raise resources for operational
costs and to further capitalize the organization;
· Increase Board participation in fundraising activities, including
identifying and cultivating donors;
· Communicate effectively with the Board on significant operational
and programmatic matters, assuring appropriate and active collaboration,
and timely and accountable decision making;
· Working closely with the Board Chair, assisting in the
cultivation and recruitment of new Board leadership as appropriate;

General Management, Finance and Administration
· Manage and provide oversight to all financial aspects of the
organization, including budget development, cash flow management and
fundraising;
· Ensure the ongoing internal strength of ANY; fine tune internal
structures, operations, information systems and staffing for the
organization, and take steps to improve efficiency when necessary;
· Regularly assess the financial credibility and accountability of
ANY; oversee the financial status, evaluate the budgetary process, audit
procedures and cash flow; ensure that sound financial controls and cost
effective structures are in place and that reporting systems are accurate.

IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES
During the first 18 months, the President & CEO will be expected to:

· Become thoroughly familiar with ACCION NY – its community,
history, mission, culture, operations, programs, structure and constituents;
· Establish good working partnerships with ANY's Board and staff,
gaining their confidence and forging relationships that will continue to
bring forth their best ideas and efforts;
· Assess ANY's current and future funding needs; initiate and
implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy, which may include, in the
immediate future, a full scale endowment campaign; work with the Board to
shift its emphasis from operating as a source of technical assistance to
one that helps financially support the organization;
· Cultivate relationships with corporate, foundation and government
funders;
· Working with the Board and staff, critically assess all of ANY's
current operations, programs and technology; build on ANY's profit making
programs and determine the long-term viability of all programs to assure
ANY's financial stability and credibility;
· Build and implement a strategic planning process that will
determine ANY's long and short-term organizational objectives, including
sector impact and geographical expansion and growth; align operations and
funding objectives and sources to reflect new priorities;
· Ensure the ongoing development and management of staff; sustain
the feeling of partnership and cohesion within the organization; identify
ways to reduce the impact of relatively high turnover among staff on
productivity, communities served and morale;
· Reach out to the leadership of ACCION USA and partner offices;
steward partnerships and participate ion the exchange of information and
knowledge that will ensure the success of the ANY mission;
· Raise ANY's public profile; become an effective and highly
visible spokesperson for ANY, increasing public understanding of and
interest in the organization's objectives and promoting ANY's reputation as
a national leader in the field. Market ANY broadly to former, current and
new constituents, including funders, elected officials, agencies, corporate
partners, and community leaders.

IDEAL EXPERIENCE

The ideal candidate will be a motivated, entrepreneurial individual capable
of managing a rapidly growing and increasingly sophisticated
organization. S/He will have to some degree:
· Demonstrated experience at successfully managing people, holding
self, staff and board accountable, operations, and the fiscal affairs of a
significant private, nonprofit, or governmental organization;
· Experience in finance or micro/small business lending, or the
ability to absorb the financial elements of ANY's activities and adapt them
to an evolving mission concept ;
· A track record as a motivational leader who can make a compelling
case for action on either business and mission grounds, as audience and
context demands;
· Proven fundraising and/or sales skills, preferably in a
commercial context; comfortable making 'the ask';
· Bilingual in English and another language is desirable.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

The successful candidate should be or have the following:
· A commitment to the mission and values of ACCION NY; a commitment
to building communities and their economic vitality; working knowledge of
current issues, strategies and opportunities in the economic development arena;
· A vision for the sector and its impact long-term or the strategic
capacity and intelligence to devise one in context;
· Senior-level experience overseeing the financial and management
systems required to support a growing, multifaceted operation;
· A service-oriented leader who imparts credibility, trust,
integrity, enthusiasm, and motivates others in a similar vein; a record as
a change or growth agent, having made an impact in previous endeavors;
· A good listener and consensus builder, able to balance diverse
agendas and points of view, while maintaining on all fronts a sense of
common purpose;
· Negotiating and political skills;
· Able to subordinate ego and include others in decision making, as
needed, without impinging on the ability to take concerted and definitive
action;
· Solid relationship-building skills; ability to cultivate
partnerships with a wide variety of constituents; an ability to communicate
passionately, clearly and concisely, both in writing and verbally;
comfortable with both formal and extemporaneous presentations;
· Proven experience framing and marketing a vision for fundraising
partnerships; knowledge of how to solicit government, foundation, corporate
and individual donors;
· Mature, with a sense of humor, and ability to maintain balance
and perspective.

Nominations and applications may be submitted to Sarah James attention at
ANY@phillipsoppenheim.com



This post transferred from the cdb-l mailing list