Vice-President,
COMMUNITY IMPACT

POSITION

The Vice President, Community Impact (VP CI) is responsible for leading the strategic investment of United Way of the Bluegrass’s (UWBG’s) financial and non-financial resources to create the greatest possible impact in helping improve outcomes for individuals and families and achieving community- level change. Essential to this work is developing and adopting community-wide goals and implementing a strategic and cohesive plan for impact to make progress on these goals, all based on an understanding of community needs, an awareness of community resources, a knowledge of local and national best practice strategies (financial, advocacy, volunteer, other), leveraging and aligning UWBG’s unique strengths and abilities to support the strategies, engaging in relationships and partnerships, and measuring results.

 

As a member of the senior leadership team, the VP CI leads a department of approximately 12 staff and budgets of $2M. Ensuring that skilled talent is identified, developed, and managed to efficiently execute strategy and deliver value is a large responsibility requiring management experience. Another key leadership responsibility of the VP CI is to partner with his or her peers in Resource Development and Marketing and Communications, developing the basis for reporting and highlighting programs accountability, creating a clear and compelling message that engages donors in our work. Finally, the VP CI will be expected to be an articulate programs-to-policy advocate in order to ensure that the work we initiate is valued and replicated by government agencies and others to communities well-beyond those we directly impact.

​

This position serves as one of the outward faces of the organization and represents UWBG at national, state, and local meetings, conferences, committees, councils, media engagements and work groups as well as provides assistance to the President & CEO and Board members on communication, research, planning, analysis and other areas as needed.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS 

 

• Lead all aspects of identifying and adopting community-wide goals in education, financial stability, and health.

• Lead implementation of all community impact strategies, including investments, collective impact, volunteerism, and public policy and advocacy, to make progress on the adopted community-wide goals.

• Leads and manages a Regional Advisory Council consisting of board members and other key volunteers.

• Provide leadership in the development of inter-team communication and cohesiveness, sustaining culture and supporting staff during organizational growth.

• Maintain knowledge of best/promising UWW (and other) community impact model practices.

• Maintain deep understanding of our needs in the community supported and substantiated by data.

• Manage staff and provide supervision to staff in developing and implementing goal areas (i.e., education, financial stability, health and 2-1-1) impact plans.

• Direct development and implementation of an evaluation strategy that supports UWBG’s community impact work.

• Experience working in collective impact model, building coalitions, developing strategic relationships, evaluating the regional environment, establishing shared measures of success.

• Support data-driven and continuous learning processes with community impact staff.

• Provide counsel and support to the President and Chief Executive Officer.

• Provides staff support to the Collective Impact Taskforce, Advocacy and Public Policy Committee, and other appropriate high-level community impact committees.

• Work collaboratively with senior leadership team members to ensure organizational success.

• With the President and other senior team members, implement, monitor, and report on UWBG strategies.

• Develop and maintain external relationships with partners and thought leaders throughout the region.

• Enforces agreements, contracts, and MOUs with partners.

• Leads staff in community partner relationships to ensure open and effective communication with UWBG.

• Develops relationships and partnerships with foundations, corporate, government and private sector to facilitate collective impact.

• Liaison between UWBG and regional/national organizations for collaborative efforts and initiatives.

• Adaptable professional who can wear many hats in a small department and who is not afraid to get his/her hands dirty.

• Ability to work collaboratively across and within departments.

• Knowledge of grant making programs, including responsibilities, procedures, and activities.

• Experience building program capacity in collective impact model.

• Proven experience in creating departmental, programmatic, or organizational strategy using evidence-based means to determine relevance in the community and means to measure success.

• Build capacity of partner nonprofits and program investments.

• Experience tracking regional issues and individual communities along with emerging trends and making incremental adjustments as needed.

• Proven experience in working with a diverse group of individuals (i.e. corporate, community leaders, government officials, agency leaders and volunteers).

• Strong knowledge of social service public policy, team-based, cross-functional work environments with communication as a top priority.

• Experience designing and managing multi-level investment systems that measure results negotiating partnerships, strategic alliances, and collaborations especially with unusual or first- time partnerships.

• Assist in the preparation of annual budgets for community impact division and associated business units.

• Ensure department operates within adopted budget.

• Represent UWBG in community meetings, boards, coalitions, and forums.

• Set direction and be accountable for the divisional goals in support of the strategic plan.

• Volunteer and actively participate in projects, special events, cross-functional teams or workgroups that support the work of the entire organization.

• Be results-driven to maximize social change and enhance the quality of life in the communities UWBG serves.

• Is a skilled and passionate communicator who articulates United Way’s message in a way that inspires others to act in service to the organization and to the community.

• Champion and facilitate change to ensure long-term community sustainability.

• Work effectively in a cross-functional, matrix organization. Bring a team-oriented mindset and approach to work. Demonstrate skills and capabilities to collaborate for results.

• Demonstrate knowledge of current conditions and future trends, both inside and outside the organization, to achieve results.

• Other activities and duties as assigned.

​

Program Leadership and Management: The VP of CI will have a hands-on approach in leading a variety of initiatives. S/he will have a track record of effectively leading performance-based and outcome-based programs and staff. S/he will have developed and operationalized strategies that have taken a program or organization to the next stage of growth.

​

Team Building and Development: The VP CI will manage and develop a strong team of staff, program/project managers, and nonprofit professionals.

 

Exceptional Communication and Influencing Skills: As a voice/advocate of UWBG, the VP of CI will have strong written and verbal communication skills. S/he will be a persuasive, credible, and polished communicator with excellent interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills. This individual must work collaboratively with internal as well as external partners and other organizations, providing exposure for program impact in a variety of professional journals and other media outlets.

​

​

CORE UNITED WAY COMPETENCIES

 

❖ LEADERSHIP – Visionary leader who can develop goals and strategies and productively leverage partnerships for community engagement and contributions. Entrepreneurial ship: A creative, critical thinker, self-motivated. Interpersonal Skills: Excellent influencing skills, strong manager, coach, and team builder. Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communicator. Enthusiasm: High energy individual with an infectious ‘can-do’ attitude and an obvious sense of urgency; passionate about citizen mobilization and community change.

 

❖ MISSION-FOCUSED - A top priority is to create real social change that leads to better lives and healthier communities. This competency drives performance and professional motivation.

 

❖ RELATIONSHIP ORIENTED - Understands that people come before process and is astute in cultivating and managing relationships toward a common goal.

 

❖ COLLABORATOR - Understands the roles and contributions of all sectors of the community and can mobilize resources (financial and human) through meaningful engagement.

 

❖ RESULTS-DRIVEN - Dedicated to shared and measurable goals for the common good, creating, resourcing, scaling, and leveraging strategies and innovations for broad investment and impact.

 

❖ BRAND STEWARD - A steward of the brand and understands his/her role in growing and protecting the reputation and results of the greater network.

​

 

COMMUNITY IMPACT COMPETENCIES

 

❖ STRATEGIC COMMUNITY COLLABORATION - The VP CI engages diverse stakeholders to accurately and effectively assess community needs and, with credibility, authenticity, and humility, strategically guides United Way to contribute to the community’s priorities. Influences and inspires community leaders (e.g., individuals, corporate, government, etc.) to partner with UWBG.

 

❖ DEEP COMMUNITY EXPERTISE - The VP CI is an expert on community issues and challenges who has thorough knowledge of the data trends, research, and environment and community stakeholders. Proactively works to identify and address complex issues by providing leadership around gathering, interpreting, and using relevant data to inform and drive strategy development.

 

❖ PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION - The VP CI understands the community and the philanthropic interests of donors and investors. Identifies community strategies to connect with the interests of various investors and develops solutions and products as investment opportunities to connect donor aspirations with community needs.

 

❖ ADVOCACY AND PUBLIC POLICY - The VP CI works with community leaders and elected officials to build on the United Way mission and advocates on education, impact and health issues. Encourages partner organizations to engage in advocacy and to support issues important for the community.

​

 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s Degree in social work, public policy, nonprofit management, or related field. Master’s Degree in any of these subjects preferred. Equivalent experience will be considered.

• Five to seven (5-7) years of experience in a similar position and/or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Minimum of five (5) years of supervisory experience.

• Solid experience with developing and managing funding proposals/sponsorships; grant- making; program evaluation and community research.

• Advanced leadership and communication abilities with which to lead organizational development and success in a highly dynamic setting responsive to a complex and changing environment.

• Well-developed technical and analytical skills related to human services planning and evaluation

• Ability to present data in written, electronic, and oral forms

• Practical understanding of research and statistics and the ability to articulate results

• Ability to analyze problems, develop and implement creative solutions

• Advanced computer abilities including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other skills

• Ability to plan and manage multiple tasks

• Skill in exercising a high degree of initiative, flexibility, judgment, discretion, and decision- making

​

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The employee is regularly required to communicate clearly, in oral and written formats, with others in person, over the phone and via other devices. The employee must be able to transcribe, read extensively, prepare, and analyze data and figures, operate a computer and other standard office machinery. The employee is required to travel, by car, regularly to locations throughout UWBG’s regional footprint. Access to a reliable automobile and the ability to drive it is essential to this position. The employee must have the ability to lift, carry, push, and/or pull objects weighing up to 25lbs.

​

PRE-EMPLOYMENT SCREENING REQUIREMENTS

Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by UWBG. These screenings may include a national background check, and Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) review.

​

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Travel around the Central Kentucky region for business purposes is required. Must possess a reliable, insured automobile. 

 

The employee must have the ability to lift, carry, push, and/or pull objects weighing up to 25 lbs.

​

BENEFITS

The position is full-time and exempt, with full benefits. Compensation commensurate with experience.

 

APPLY

Please apply using the form below for consideration.