EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Founded in 2003, GiGi’s Playhouse Inc.’s purpose is to change the way the world views Down syndrome and to send a global message of acceptance for all. We profoundly change lives through national campaigns, educational programs, and by empowering individuals with Down syndrome, their families, and the community. All programs are free and are therapeutic or educational in nature. Each one of our programs is designed to work on specific skill development, including speech and language, literacy, socialization, and fine and gross motor skills. GiGi’s Playhouse has opened over 60 locations across North America and is growing by several locations annually.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Executive Director is a business-minded leader who ensures long-term sustainability, prominence, and operational excellence of a GiGi’s Playhouse location or multiple locations in one community. This includes helping to ensure the operation has the right team, is fully funded, and that the community is aware of the scope and impact of programs offered. The Executive Director will be actively involved in fundraising activities, driving community members to the Playhouse, and building a strong community presence and local donations through donor outreach, developing media contacts, grant writing, budget development and control, overseeing financial operations, and other related activities. In addition, the Executive Director is responsible for managing the playhouse staff and partnering closely with the local Board. The role is estimated to be roughly 75% development/outreach and 25% Playhouse management & marketing. Primary goals for this role include:

• Increase funding through individual donors, grants, sponsorships, in-kind, and corporate support.
• Maximize awareness of GiGi’s Playhouse and Down syndrome across the local community.
• Lead the team to ensure delivery of the highest quality operational execution and outstanding customer experience to deepen family engagement and connection with the Playhouse.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Strategic Leadership and Board Relations
  o Drive the development of the Playhouse’s strategic plan in collaboration with the Board and Playhouse staff; implement the plan, ensuring alignment with mission, values, and growth objectives.

o Serve as the primary liaison between the Board and the Playhouse, providing regular updates and seeking guidance.

• Financial Management

o Works with staff and board to ensure that budgets are prepared in alignment with the strategic plan and are approved before the beginning of the budget year.
o Places a high priority on working within the budget.
o Ensures that budget-to-actual reports are presented to the board monthly.

o Ensures that internal controls are in place and observed.

• Fundraising

o In partnership with the board, identifies revenue targets; develops and implements on-going strategic initiatives to meet them through individual donations, corporate and foundation grants, and events.
o Works with local government to obtain funding for capital projects (as needed), and for on-going services.

o Takes responsibility for the success of each fundraising event in close partnership with each event chair, delegating administrative tasks to staff as deemed appropriate.

• Staff Leadership and Operations

o In partnership with Playhouse staff, ensure all Playhouse hours, programs, events, and activities are staffed to support the needs of the Playhouse (GiGi’s programs are 99% volunteer-run)

• Hire, train, manage, and evaluate all Playhouse employees, fostering a positive and productive work environment.
• In collaboration with the staff that is managing programs and volunteers, support recruitment, training, and management of volunteers, leveraging their skills and time to support the organization’s mission.
• Drive the Playhouse’s achievement of the GiGi’s Standards of Execution, continually striving for increased levels of achievement, to ensure a high-quality experience for families, volunteers, donors, and community members.
• Marketing & Community Engagement (along with Playhouse staff)

o Represent the organization to the public, media, donors, schools, community organizations, and other stakeholders with impact stories, building strong relationships and promoting the organization’s mission.
o Grow community awareness by proactively bringing groups, organizations, and individuals to the playhouse to engage in the mission.

o Engage in and proactively initiate acceptance initiatives throughout the community to help build a more accepting environment for our participants and families.

• Connection with GiGi’s Playhouse national office and peers across the GiGi’s network

o Proactively engage with peers to share ideas, solve problems, and collectively raise the bar of performance of GiGi’s Playhouses nationwide; attend GiGi’s Annual Leadership Conference.
o Follow all national standards and policies; collaborate with the national teams to leverage centrally developed tools and resources in lieu of building new processes, programs, and tools from scratch.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Education and/or Experience: 3+ years management and related experience and/or training in organizational leadership, non-profit, and/or related field. Extensive demonstrated community connections and board experience. Marketing experience a plus.
• Computer Skills: Adapts to new technologies and uses technology to increase productivity. Has the self-discipline to continually learn and use the tools. Must have knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook), proficiency in social media platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook. Ability to work proficiently in a database program (Salesforce) to manage interactions with all individuals who interface with this location.
• Work Environment: This role requires engagement with the Playhouse team, families, and volunteers. In addition, this role requires relationship building with donors, community organizations, etc. As such, this is an in-person role, not a remote role.

GiGi’s Playhouse Core Values: GiGi’s challenges all staff and volunteers to embody the following core values:

• Enthusiastic: Bringing positive, high energy to your work.
• Best of All: We are always looking to improve every day, with all that we do. Challenge yourself every day to embrace a Generation G life.
• Get It Done: Making things happen and blasting through barriers when needed. Figure it out together.
• Believe: Believe in ourselves, believe in our mission, believe in each other, and believe in the history that brought us here.
• Locally Concerned, Enterprise Minded: We collaborate, share best practices, and leverage the collective learnings from across the GiGi’s network.

The job duties listed in this job description may not be inclusive of all requirements of this position; other duties may be assigne

The Executive Director is a business-minded leader who ensures long-term sustainability, prominence, and operational excellence of a GiGi’s Playhouse location or multiple locations in one community. This includes helping to ensure the operation has the right team, is fully funded, and that the community is aware of the scope and impact of programs offered. The Executive Director will be actively involved in fundraising activities, driving community members to the Playhouse, and building a strong community presence and local donations through donor outreach, developing media contacts, grant writing, budget development and control, overseeing financial operations, and other related activities. In addition, the Executive Director is responsible for managing the playhouse staff and partnering closely with the local Board. The role is estimated to be roughly 75% development/outreach and 25% Playhouse management & marketing. Primary goals for this role include:

• Increase funding through individual donors, grants, sponsorships, in-kind, and corporate support.
• Maximize awareness of GiGi’s Playhouse and Down syndrome across the local community.
• Lead the team to ensure delivery of the highest quality operational execution and outstanding customer experience to deepen family engagement and connection with the Playhouse

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Education and/or Experience: 3+ years management and related experience and/or training in organizational leadership, non-profit, and/or related field. Extensive demonstrated community connections and board experience. Marketing experience a plus.
• Computer Skills: Adapts to new technologies and uses technology to increase productivity. Has the self-discipline to continually learn and use the tools. Must have knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook), proficiency in social media platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook. Ability to work proficiently in a database program (Salesforce) to manage interactions with all individuals who interface with this location.
• Work Environment: This role requires engagement with the Playhouse team, families, and volunteers. In addition, this role requires relationship building with donors, community organizations, etc. As such, this is an in-person role, not a remote role