bridge for youth - executive director - position profile

8/20/2019 Bridge for Youth - Executive Director - Position Profile

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Ballinger|Leafblad is proud to present the following information on behalf of our client, The Bridge for Youth, and its

retained search for an Executive Director


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ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY

The Bridge for Youth was founded in 1970 when Sister

Rita Steinhagen noticed a growing number ofunaccompanied youth on the streets of Minneapoliswho were increasingly vulnerable to exploitation,prostitution, violence, and illness.

Responding to the need, Sister Rita opened The Bridgein the West Bank neighborhood, one of the nation’s firstrefuges for runaway and homeless youth. The Bridgerelocated to the East Isles neighborhood in 1975. In thedecades that followed, tens of thousands of youth andtheir families have benefited from the innovative and

comprehensive services of The Bridge.

Today, The Bridge for Youth is nationally known for itsinnovative programs and services for youth in crisis. Forexample, The Bridge recently earned recognition fromGuidestar and Minnesota Philanthropy Partners, ranking#2 on their List of Minnesota non-profits impactingeducation for at-risk youth.

SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE BRIDGE FOR YOUTH

The Bridge is a safe and welcoming place for youth ages 10-17 inthe Twin Cities who have no one to turn to, nowhere to go.Current programs include:

• Emergency Services – 24-hour hotline, Walk-In Counseling,Crisis Shelter

• Transition Services – housing and support for 16-17 yearold youth who need extra time before reconnecting withfamily or transitioning to an alternative living space

• Youth, Parent & Family Counseling – The Bridge for Youth

uses a strengths-based counseling approach to help youngpeople and families identify their strengths and developself-confidence to increase their chances for success.Through counseling, kids and families can explore issues ina safe environment where both sides feel heard.

• Teen Health Program – All youth arriving at The Bridgereceive a physical and mental health assessment within 24hours.

• Group Counseling – Weekly support groups give youth asafe place to talk about challenges and find peer support.

PRESENTING OUR CLIENT – THE BRIDGE FOR YOUTH


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Between 10,000 and 12,000 young people under 18 inMinnesota have experienced at least one episode ofhomelessness on their own.

60 dedicated staff work at The Bridge for Youth (plusinterns and volunteers!) serving thousands of youth andfamily members

Outcomes include:o 72% of youth in emergency shelter reunited with familyo 68% of youth in transition shelter reunited with family

or obtained safe, secure housing

The annual budget for the organization is around $3million (2/3 from government contracts and 1/3 fromgrants and donations).

The Bridge for Youth has 2 locations; a mainlocation/headquarters in Minneapolis and a newSouthwest location in Chanhassen.

Named a Top Non-profit in the PhilanthropediaFundraising list in 2013

KNOWN FOR ITS LEADING EDGE PROGRAMS, THEBRIDGE IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON NEW INITIATIVES

SUCH AS:

• TEXT-FOR-HELP PROGRAM

• EXPANSION LOCATION TO SW SUBURBS

• NEWLY BRANDED TRAINING PROGRAMS

• UNIQUE TRANSITIONS PROGRAM SERVING YOUNGERHOMELESS YOUTH

• STAR PROGRAM TO ASSIST YOUTH AT RISK FOR

SEXUAL EXPLOITATION

BY THE NUMBERS…


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MISSION

We help youth in crisis.

VISION

The Bridge for Youth is the premiere resource foryouth and their families in ending homelessness.

VALUES

• We love working with youth and their families!

• We value the ideas, contributions, and potentialof young people.

• We honor the worth, strengths, and bonds offamilies in all their forms.

•

We welcome, understand, and encourage thediversity and gifts of our staff, clients, andcolleagues.

• We promote excellence with our staff,volunteers, interns, and community partners,and celebrated their contributions.

ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE

Staff at The Bridge for Youth describe theorganizational culture as:

Full of passionate people

Changing; never static

New, exciting projects and initiatives

Leading edge; national reputation

Growing

Teaching, training, learning

Resourceful; hard work with limitedresources

Sensitive to staff self-care in the midst ofdoing trauma work

Valuing of diversity and diverse thought

ORGANIZATIONAL MISSION AND CULTURE


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The Bridge for Youth has a rich history and an exciting future. Theorganization is searching for a new Executive Director to take a long-termview and lead the organization in its work of providing programs forrunaway and homeless youth.

The Executive Director will be responsible for programmatic leadership,fundraising, financial oversight and overall management of this complexmulti-program organization. This leader will be responsible formaintaining excellence in services, building and maintaining relationshipswith non-profit, business and community leaders across the state andstrengthening ties with partner organizations.

The Executive Director reports to The Bridge for Youth board of directorswhich is made up of a variety of business and community leaders. Theposition oversees a committed staff of full-time, part- time and volunteer

professionals. Roles reporting directly to the Executive Director are:Director of Programs, Director of Finance and Administration, Director ofDevelopment and Communications.

The Bridge for Youth is seeking a visionary, empathetic, and enthusiasticleader, with a background in nonprofit or community leadership and apassion for the mission of The Bridge and the individuals served. TheExecutive Director will lead The Bridge in executing its strategic plan andwill oversee the implementation of annual operating objectives. TheExecutive Director will also oversee the continued emphasis on qualityand innovation.

THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:

Organizational LeadershipStrategic PlanningFundraising and Financial DevelopmentRelationship Management with External StakeholdersProgram Planning and ManagementExternal CommunicationsStaff Leadership and DevelopmentFinancial Planning and ManagementBoard and Committee Communications and RelationsCommunity RelationsPublic Relations and Collaborative Community PlanningEthical Leadership and Compliance Oversight

PRESENTING THE POSITION OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR…

The Bridge for Youth is the

premiere resource for youth and

their families in ending

homelessness


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The fully qualified candidate will possess ten or more years of relatedleadership experience with a non-profit service organization ofsimilar size and complexity, although comparable leadershipexperience in other sectors will be considered.

Experience with programs for runaway youth, homelessness, youthtrauma issues, family and children’s services and/or educational

issues preferred.Experience managing a staff, managing a budget and engaging with

a board of directors is required.

Demonstrated experience with issues of diversity and inclusionrelated to persons of other racial, cultural, religious, gender andsexual orientation backgrounds and the ability to developproductive and collegial relationships with various stakeholdersand constituencies is key.

Educational background includes a bachelors or masters degree in arelated topic or comparable community or certificateeducation.

The Executive Director will:

Have experience and understanding of the regional andnational runaway or homeless community or relatedsector and the role of consumer-directedsupportorganizations within that landscape;

Bring a passion and experience in resource developmentincluding having metand exceeded fundraising oradvancement goals;

Demonstrate a proven ability to build lastingrelationships with funding entities, suchas state, countyand federal government officials;

Experience with managing, hiring, and effectivelystructuring staff and staff positions; including executiveoversight of metrics relating to all employees(compensation,turnover, recruiting, etc.)

A commitment to on-going development of staff skillsand abilities;

Experience managing successful strategic initiatives,particularly in execution of strategic plan objectives;

Demonstrate excellent communication and

interpersonal skills with experience inpublic speakingand communicating The Bridge for Youth’s vision ofbeing a premiere resource for youth and their families inending homelessness.

Have a proven record of excellence in staffcommunication and staff relations;

Establish credibility within a wide range of communitiesfrom demonstrated commitmentto working with peoplefrom a wide range of cultural, socio-economic, age andprofessional backgrounds.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:


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Characteristics of the new Executive Director:

Passion for the mission of service to youth in crisis

Ability to build bridges, remove barriers andcommunicate broadly with staff at all levels

Commitment to diversity in all forms

Ability to build positive work teams

Skills and commitment to staff growth anddevelopment

Positive and inspirational; strategic and visionary

Empathic and kind; understanding and inclusive

Flexible and adaptable

Excellent judgment and decision making skills

Strong public presence and public speakingabilities


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PRESENTING THE TWIN CITIES OF MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA

The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul are a unique blend of small town and major cosmopolitan hub. Both urban cores boast athriving atmosphere for residents and visitors alike. Minneapolis is the larger and more commercial of the two cities, and Saint Paul, asthe state capital, is home to state government and has a more historical vibe. Outside of the central downtowns, however, both citieshave many distinct neighborhoods, and many residents identify with their individual neighborhood as well as with the larger city as awhole. Unique architecture, arts and community groups contribute to make this a vibrant region. Further, there are over 60

institutions of higher education in the Twin Cities offering formal and informal educational programming.

Both cities share a common root of being river towns, and the outdoors is still a major attraction for residents and tourists alike to thisday. In addition to the mighty Mississippi River, there are over 100 lakes (over 900 including the suburbs), over 250 parks, and miles ofbiking and walking trails. Nearly every weekend in the summer there are several outdoor active events for participants andspectators—festivals, outdoor celebrations, triathlons, biking races, running races, boat races, water skiing competitions, golftournaments, and more.

The lifestyle of the Twin Cities residents doesn't lie dormant during the winter. Indoor and outdoor activities abound. Skiing, skating,ice-fishing and other activities are popular, and the music and arts scene gets even better in the winter.


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For those who prefer activity of the spectator variety, the Twin Cities are home to the major sportsteams: Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Wild, Minnesota Timberwolves, MinnesotaLynx (current WNBA champions), Minnesota United FC (soccer), and Minnesota Swarm (lacrosse).There is also a minor league baseball team, the Saint Paul Saints.

The Twin Cities have hosted the World Series, Super Bowl, NCAA Basketball Finals, the USGA U. S.Open, the PGA Championship, and the Special Olympics. In 2014, Target Field was the setting forbaseball's All-Star Game, and, in 2018, the Super Bowl will be played in a newly built state-of-the-artstadium.

There are countless arts offerings here. There are over 30 theatre venues, 10 dance companies, and 30classical music groups in the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul alone. Penumbra Theatre illuminates thehuman condition through the prism of the African American experience. Since the early 1960s, the GuthrieTheatre has staged A-plus shows from the classical to the contemporary. The Grammy Award-winningMinnesota Orchestra has a reputation as one of the top orchestras in the world. An exciting and innovativepop music scene abounds, including the iconic First Avenue venue and Minnesota Public Radio, creator of “APrairie Home Companion” show and inventive station The Current. Popular national shows and performersalso tour through the Twin Cities year round at stages in both Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The new Cowles

Center for the Arts showcases local dance companies and other artists.Beyond the outdoor, entertainment, and culture,perhaps the biggest attraction for the Twin Cities isthe lifestyle. Forbes hailed Minneapolis and Saint Paulas the nation's healthiest cities. USA Today namedSaint Paul as North America's "Most Romantic City.“The Twin Cities offer award-winning restaurants withcuisines from around the world. In addition to thepopular Mall of America, there are plenty of unique

shopping districts in both cities and in the suburbs.


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THE COMPENSATION PACKAGEThe compensation package is based on experience and includes participation in the The Bridge for Youth’s benefits plan.

Marcia Ballinger, PhDCo-Founder [email protected]

BALLINGER|LEAFBLAD INVITES YOU TO CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Lars Leafblad, MBACo-Founder [email protected]

Civic Search. Reimagined

www.ballingerleafblad.com
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

bridge for youth - executive director - position profile

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