Executive Director
Public Assets Institute, a Vermont 501c3 nonprofit research and advocacy think tank, seeks an Executive Director (ED). This person will lead Public Assets in advancing shared prosperity and policy justice and embody the organization’s commitment to racial, social, and economic equity.
Approaching its twentieth anniversary, Public Assets has achieved statewide respect and influence for its solid, data-focused analysis, timely input on key public policy issues, alliance-building skills, and accessible communication about complicated fiscal and economic topics. The founder, who has served since 2003 as President and ED, will step down this year. The board of directors is seeking a person to lead Public Assets to even greater influence, impact, and innovation—knowing that such accomplishments depend on a capable manager who operates with integrity and works collaboratively with talented staff and diverse partners.
The ED will bring transparency and visionary leadership to all areas of the organization, providing oversight of Public Assets’ operations, culture, values, staff, and financial affairs. Reporting to and serving on the board of directors, the ED will spearhead the development and implementation of strategies to ensure the organizational health of Public Assets and further its mission—working to build power within Vermont’s broad and deep advocacy community to create a state that works for everyone who lives here. The new ED can build on Public Assets’ strong organizational foundation and reputation, while setting a course for the future.
For more information, visit https://PublicAssets.org
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategy, Culture, and Values
- Serve as an inspirational, innovative, and visionary leader, balancing a collaborative, relational spirit with business acumen and discipline to ensure sustainability and continued impact
- In collaboration with the board of directors and staff, enhance and drive the overall strategic plan to expand capacity and resources to reach organizational goals and advance its mission
- Lead the organization in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Demonstrate nimble and generative leadership to enable the organization to adapt to external change by building and leveraging new approaches to address emerging challenges
Management
- Provide supportive and empowering supervision for the staff while fostering cohesion and a culture of openness, transparency, and collaboration
- Oversee and participate in the organization’s research and analysis work and set broad research priorities in collaboration with staff and support of the Board
- Focus on thoughtful organizational development; be attentive, available, and willing to invest in the growth and development of team members at all levels
- Ensure that the organization’s financial and human resources align with the goals of the strategic plan and ongoing stability
- Ensure best practices in governance, building a strong board and leadership team, and ensuring timely and open communication with them
- Provide oversight to ensure that the organization complies with all state and federal requirements and that appropriate accountability and reporting systems are in place
Communication and Relationship Building
- Ensure that Public Assets’ messaging advances its goals consistent with its identity
- Provide leadership in campaigns and coalitions where Public Assets is the major voice
- Serve as a compelling and persuasive spokesperson for Public Assets, using exceptional verbal and written communication skills to effectively represent its mission, goals, and services to the board, staff, current and prospective partners and supporters, and the public
- Inspire trust and confidence by developing and strengthening new and existing partnerships with key stakeholders and constituencies, including funding organizations and individual donors, and elected and administration officials
- Maintain active participation in statewide and national networks
- Seek out opportunities for commissioned research that reinforces and is consistent with the organization’s values and mission
QUALIFICATIONS
- Post-graduate degree or equivalent experience working in a relevant field
- Ten or more years of experience working on social and economic policy issues with an emphasis on data-driven research and advocacy
- Five years of experience managing the personnel and financial affairs of an organization of similar or greater size and complexity
- Fundraising experience and demonstrated success
- Strong data research and analytical skills
- Strong leadership and management skills
- Commitment to the organization’s mission
COMPENSATION
Annual compensation for this position is targeted at $90,000 to $100,000 including $7,200 in lieu of benefits, plus generous holidays, vacation time, and paid family and medical leave. Final salary will be commensurate with experience. Public Assets operates with a 35-hour, full-time work week.
Public Assets endeavors to bring an equity lens to all its work internally and externally. It partners with organizations led by people with disabilities, BIPOC, and LGBTQ people, and other marginalized Vermonters to improve the lives of everyone in the state. Its Mission is the following:
Public Assets Institute improves the wellbeing of all Vermonters and advances racial, social, and economic justice through research, fiscal analysis, public engagement and
empowerment, and by developing and promoting policies that state government can enact.
Public Assets’ work has led to the enactment of Vermont’s universal pre-K program, an expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), and public education funding system gains that make Vermont’s the most equitable in the nation. In 2012, Public Assets’ and its partners’ advocacy led to the passage of a People’s Budget that codified language based on human rights principles as the framework for the state budget. Now a decade later, Public Assets is coordinating the Fund Vermont’s Future coalition, which is launching a campaign to ensure that policymakers use this framework for creating annual state budgets.
Public Assets’ recently adopted strategic plan stresses Inclusive Partnerships with the goal of broadening “ our community partnerships and coalitions, especially in BIPOC and under-represented communities, by collaborating strategically and sharing our research, analysis, messaging, and other resources. ” The plan includes the following strategies:
-- Actively cultivate and build collaborative relationships, especially with BIPOC partners, through outreach, joint projects and funding opportunities, shared staff,
and advisory and board participation to build strong advocacy for our joint agendas. Encourage and be encouraged by our partners to include an equity
perspective in all work.
-- Support our partners’ work by providing data and analysis that reflect their needs and can be used effectively in their advocacy; strengthen their capacity through training in the budget and legislative process, data gathering and
analysis, and communications; work collaboratively to develop new data sources and approaches and craft widely accessible messaging.