President & CEO

The New River YMCA is an equal opportunity employer committed to valuing diversity and practicing inclusion.

Job Description

The New River YMCA has a commitment to creating a culture of safety.

The Opportunity

We are looking for a highly skilled, passionate leader and visionary who can build upon the foundation of this healthy $2.8M YMCA association lead by a committed board and a dedicated staff team. This position affords a wonderful opportunity for growth and expansion. In September, this YMCA will embark on construction of a $20M aquatic center with renovation of a church to become a complete youth and family recreation center. Simultaneously, there will be a capstone campaign to ensure that we are fulling funding the building and placing money in reserves. The ultimate goal is to be debt free.

The CEO must align the day-to-day work of the Y with long-term goals, and lead the organization, its staff, volunteer board and members in promoting the Y’s image while expanding membership, programs, and services to address community needs as it transitions to become an independent YMCA.

The next leader of the New River YMCA must be able to lead a strong staff team and manage a solid operation. Candidates must demonstrate their ability to identify the competencies and expertise required by the organization and attract and retain the talent needed to achieve the organization's goals. This individual will ensure that staff performance and development leads to superior outcomes in programs, member satisfaction and engagement as well as community engagement.

The successful candidate will also show an ability to create positive and strategic relationships with influential leaders and community members and leverage those relationships to enhance support for the Y mission. The CEO is expected to be the face of the organization, upholding the highest standards and values of the Y; able to maintain a culture of integrity, high ethical standards, accountability, and performance, creating a spirit of inclusiveness, mission and New River YMCA CEO Executive Vacancy Announcement cause that reinforces, encourages, and promotes values of honesty, respect, responsibility and caring.

Our Vision

To enhance an organization based on Christian principles that serves an important military focused community in eastern North Carolina through programs, activities and services that are built on the YMCA of the USA’s mission to create a healthy spirit, mind, and body for all.

Our Cause

The Y is a powerful association of men, women, and children of all ages and from all walks of life joined together by a shared passion: to strengthen the foundations of community.

Position Description

The New River YMCA’s Board of Directors seeks a skilled and experienced individual to build on the past, promote a culture of excellence within the YMCA and continue to enhance the image of the YMCA in the communities it serves.

The CEO is responsible for the development, implementation and articulation of the mission, vision, and goals of the YMCA. This involves building a culture that supports and retains outstanding staff and an active, diverse volunteer Board of Directors and its respective committees. The CEO is expected to be visible in the community and active in the development of meaningful community collaborations with other community organizations, public sector entities and businesses. The CEO should position the YMCA to be viewed in the community as a highly respected, charitable partner with a strong stake in solving community issues. The CEO is responsible for all areas of fundraising, capital plans, strategic planning, budget development, organizational development, program development, marketing, and the overall image of the YMCA in partnership with the board. Other key areas of responsibility include program, membership, and volunteer and staff development.

The complexity of this position necessitates a person who can lead an independent Y, embark on a major construction project, and who has a proven track record that defines the ability to raise contributed support through annual, capital and planned giving campaigns. Additionally, this leader will serve alongside a YMCA board that focuses on strategic issues, successfully promoting the YMCA’s services and activities to the community, developing, and managing a staff, and demonstrating solid program development and innovation. These items are critical areas for the new CEO and to the YMCA’s success.

Our History

The New River YMCA’s purpose is to strengthen the foundation of our community. We will engage people from all walks of life in our programs supporting Youth Development, Healthy Living and Social Responsibility. We strive to align our facilities and programs to meet the needs of Onslow County children and families.

The New River YMCA Youth Development Expansion is a stabilizing force that supports children and families through its thriving branch in Jacksonville. When the global COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools and services from 2020 to 2021, the YMCA offered opportunities for learning and activities for more than 300 students in a supervised and safe location. The YMCA established remote learning centers to help keep students on track, especially those whose parents are essential workers who were unable to stay home with their children during remote school.

In a community where more than three-quarters of all military personnel live off base and many have a parent or guardian who can be deployed on short notice for service out of the country, the YMCA is a vital component of the community’s support system. Longtime and new residents alike can find roots in the YMCA, no matter how long they stay in our community.

In addition to 64,000 school-age students, we have a great need to alleviate Jacksonville area childcare waiting lists. Those lists often exceed enrollment at existing centers and more space is needed on a daily basis. In response, in February, we opened a pre-school center with a capacity to serve 70 children.

Other threats to the community include gang violence, childhood obesity, food insecurity and a lack of out-of-school activities that prevent some youth from reaching their full potential.

In recent years, the people of Eastern North Carolina have responded to those needs. For more than 40 years, the only YMCA facility was in New Bern in neighboring Craven County. In 2019, the New River YMCA opened as a program branch of the Eastern Carolina Y, offering three days-a-week preschool, before- and after-school programs, and summer day camps.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement

Our Mission guides us in all we do and compels us to embrace, reflect and celebrate the richness of diversity within each other and our community. We invite everyone to work side by side with us to further our Purpose of strengthening the community by connecting all people to their potential, their purpose and each other.

To fulfill our Mission, the New River Y is committed to being a multicultural, inclusive organization, fully leveraging our collective resources and impact to address social inequities.

Current Key Strategic Initiatives

Completing the new facilities will help the New River YMCA continue the story that began more than 15 years ago and accelerated in 2018. It is a story with a new urgency.

These Are The Economic And Social Impacts

• Capital construction will begin in September 2024.
• Through a collaboration with Parks and Recreation, Public Schools, and other organizations, the new center will propel growth in youth programs throughout the region.
• The reimagined River of Life facility will enhance the Gum Branch Road community.
• Host the YMCA’s nationally recognized “Safety Around Water” program to teach 2,800 second graders critical water safety skills, as it does annually for more than 1 million youth around the country.
• A future gymnasium, providing an additional community resource for youth and adult sports.
• Long-range opportunity of reaching into neighboring counties to answer an even larger call to serve.
  
  

Programs

• Preschool childcare center
• 50 children in ½ pre-school
• 70 children in pre-school
• Before and After School Programming
• 1000 children in before and after school programming
• Day Camp
• Teens
  

Branch Information

• Upon construction completion, there will be a brand-new YMCA facility.
• The YMCA currently has $17M in commitments from the State and Local Govts and Public Schools to build the Aquatic Center and YMCA.
• The YMCA pays $1 per year for rent from the County for the Childcare Center.
• The Y is in full partnership with neighborhood schools to provide before and after school programs.
  
  

Financial Development

The YMCA will begin a begin a Comprehensive Campaign in the fall – in partnership with a consultant, with a target of $2.5M to be used to renovate YMCA Program Center and to provide operational support. Annual Philanthropy has been dependent on Grants. We will receive more than $200,000 grants this year from several key partners – The Armed Services, Anonymous Trust, Onslow County, The State Alliance etc. The Y will receive additional funds from the Board and Friends of the YMCA.

Staff

Current Staff

• 20 FT
• 60 PT
  
  

CEO Direct Reports

• Senior Youth Director-School Aged Youth
• Senior Youth- Preschool Youth and Community Programs
• Director of Administration
• Back-office support is being managed by Y.E.S.S. (YMCA Enterprise Shared Services)
  
  

Staff Demographics

The New River YMCA has a diverse staff team that represents various dimensions of diversity.

Board of Directors

There are 15 Board members. Additional Community leaders serve on Committees. We are building the committees with the expectation that we will have 5-7 Community leaders on each of the managing Committees. Finance, Facilities, Program, HR, and Governance.

Financial

• 2.8M budget
• Plus $400,000 in a 21st Century Learning Grant (expires in 10/24)
  

The Y has been ambitious and growing. We have $17M in commitments from the State and Local Govts, Public Schools, and a HUD grant to build an Aquatic Center and we have hired GRO to guide the design.

Population & Demographics

There are 200K People in Onslow County. Jacksonville is a young community. There are 24 Elementary Schools. The county is home to Camp LeJeune Marine Base and therefore the county is more transient than many communities.

With more than 50,000 active-duty Marines and sailors and as many retired military veterans in the county, our community has faithfully served and protected since the establishment of U.S. Marine Base Camp LeJeune and U.S. Marine Air Corps Station New River Base more than 75 years ago. Camp LeJeune remains the world’s largest Marine Corps base.

The Y can be an anchor for the young military families that are here for three years. Onslow County has an Atlantic Ocean coastline and many of the best fishing, sailing, boating, and surfing sites are within an hour of Jacksonville.

Other Amenities And Attractions

Onslow is located on the southern coast of North Carolina, where there are many fun ways for the family to engage in outdoor activities. From places to dine, enjoying the Hammocks beach state park, visiting the many trails, beautiful beaches, festivals, events, and more.

Other Sites For Information

City of Jacksonville

Only in Onslow

Onslow County

Jacksonville Onslow Chamber of Commerce

www.ymca.org

Qualifications

Minimum Criteria for Candidates:

• Accredited 4-year college degree or other relevant experience.
• Must demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication skills and personal values consistent with the YMCA mission.
• Minimum five years prior experience in a senior management role with a YMCA or related experience at a comparable organization with direct supervision of multiple levels of staff and employees.
• Must have the ability to develop and strengthen community relationships.
• Experience in developing new programs, reviewing and enhancing programs being offered or considered for both economy and the effectiveness in broadening our engagement in the communities in which we serve.
  
  

Preferred Criteria For Candidates

• YMCA Organizational Leader Certification, or ability to achieve within 3 years.
• Fiscally sound business management approach.
• Strategic planning and Fundraising experience including annual campaigns and the New River YMCA CEO Executive Vacancy Announcement securing of grants.
• A proven track record of budgetary and fiscal management in excess of between $2.5-$5M annually.
  
  

Essential Functions

Key Skills and Abilities

Develop and Implement a Strategic Plan: Work effectively with volunteers, community leaders, and key staff, to create and develop a strategic plan that addresses the needs of the communities served by the Y and includes defined organizational strategies, a clear implementation plan with deliverables, and measurable goals. Key competencies: Change Leadership, Communication & Influence, Critical Thinking & Decision Making, Program/Project Management

Build and Lead Staff: Ensure a talent development system is in place and executed effectively with cultural competence. Hire, motivate, nurture, retain, and hold staff accountable for key objectives. Work towards recruiting, retaining, developing, and promoting staff that represent the diversity of the communities you serve. Encourage the team by creating a spirit of camaraderie, inclusion, and sense of mission and purpose. Create a learning organization to help staff achieve their highest potential. Key competencies: Developing Self & Others, Inclusion, Emotional Maturity, Change Leadership

Fiscal Management: Use high-level financial analysis to forecast financial trends, growth, and stability, while consistently leading an organization to balance or surplus operations by growing earned revenue and contributions and controlling costs. Empower and guide staff leaders to lead their departments to successful financial operation. Develop and implement stewardship strategies. Key competencies: Fiscal Management, Critical Thinking & Decision Making, Developing Self & Others, Philanthropy

Improve Operating Performance: Engage the board and appropriate staff to develop an annual tactical plan for identifying and achieving key goals and objectives towards operating with safe, relevant, and sustainable practices. Quickly address issues that may arise, forecast future needs, and manage and direct the Y’s operations and activities. Key competencies: Developing Self & Others, Critical Thinking & Decision Making, Innovation

Make Progress as an Inclusive, Anti-Racist, Multicultural Organization: Intentionally promote inclusion in all aspects, ensure and sustains diverse representation in our leadership, and lead social change in our communities through inclusive policies, words, and actions. Key competencies: Change Leadership, Communication & Influence, Engaging Community, Inclusion

Position the Y as a Vital Partner for Community Change: Serve as an ambassador for the mission, purpose, and vision for the YMCA within the community. Possess the ability to develop and cultivate relationships with key stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, while always upholding the highest standards and values of the Y. Ensure your Y is seen as a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community by connecting all people to their potential, purpose, and each other. Key competencies: Communication & Influence, Engaging Community, Collaboration

Salary Range: $110,000-$130,000

Benefits: The YMCA currently pays 12% of Salary to Retirement. Thirteen Paid Holidays – Ten of them named (including MLK, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, and Veterans Day) and 3 Floating. 20 Days of PTO in the second year and adds additional days in year 7 and 12.

The Y currently pays up to 100% of the Individuals Health Insurance. Laptop and Cell Phone provided. The Y pays Mileage at the Standard Federal Rate vacation plan, health plan and other benefits per personnel policy included.

Residency Expectation: The CEO is expected to be highly engaged in our community. Living in the YMCA’s service area is required.

Target Dates for the Search Process

Resumes accepted through: 6/7/24

Preliminary interviews scheduled: 6/26/24 and 6/28/24

Final interviews: 7/8/24 and 7/9/24

To Apply

Candidates will apply via the following website: https://tinyurl.com/new-river-ymca-ceo

Application, References, Background Check, and Organizational Leader Certification: Candidates must submit the following in their online application, uploading a PDF of your cover letter and resume. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

Candidates who advance to final interviews will need to submit six references (four professional and two personal). References checked only with prior notification. Successful candidate accepting the offer must pass a background check and must have a current Y-USA’s Organizational Leader Certification or obtain certification within the first three years from start date as the CEO.

Questions Regarding This Position Should Be Directed To

Shaneé Jenkins - Sr. Director - Executive Leadership - CEO Search, YMCA-USA, shanee.jenkins@ymca.net, (312) 416-0852 or Bruce Griffin - Sr. Consultant, North Carolina Alliance of YMCAs, bruce.griffin@ncymcas.org, (919) 223-3400.