President/CEO

Job Details

Description

Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation

         - POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT -

       President and CEO

The Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation seeks an energetic, inspiring and creative President and CEO with demonstrated leadership experience and financial and management skills to advance its ambitious regional philanthropic agenda. Serving Georgia’s coastal communities and extending westward through all parts of southeast Georgia, the Foundation hosts assets of some $45 million within more than 80 distinct funds. In 2021, grantmaking and distribution by the Foundation totaled nearly $5 million.

The Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation, Inc. was incorporated in 2005, as a tax-exempt public charity created by and for the people of Glynn, McIntosh and Camden counties in Georgia. The twenty (20) member volunteer Board of Directors is composed of dedicated and highly respected civic, community and business leaders. Since it’s inception, the Foundation has awarded some $15 million in grants to community organizations in the three county region and beyond. As the Foundation approaches its third decade, the Foundation looks to engage as a change agent within southeast, coastal Georgia to ensure long-term sustainability and substantive impact across the region.

The primary service region of the Foundation has a full-time resident population of nearly 165,000. The area is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the southeast and is home to many families with second and third homes. Though faced with considerable socio-economic challenges, the region is home to active business and public service sectors, caring and generous long-time residents and engaged newcomers. The Foundation serves to link and actively engage donors and philanthropic partners in addressing both the needs and opportunities across the region. Detailed information about the Foundation is available at www.coastalgeorgiafoundation.org.

The office of the Foundation is located in historic downtown Brunswick, as the Foundation has worked to lead an effort to downtown, waterfront redevelopment across the region. The Foundation has two full time and one part-time employees in addition to the President and CEO. The President and CEO must devote their exclusive employ and attention to the Foundation. The previous President and CEO has relocated closer to family in pursuit of other career opportunities in the foundation arena. The Board of Directors, through the Executive Committee, is leading the search and assisting staff with the transition as the finance director serves a the current head of office.

The President and CEO is the public face of the Foundation, promoting and stimulating philanthropic investment in a wide variety of community-serving programs and initiatives. Among other responsibilities, the President and CEO is responsible for growing the Foundation's assets through endowments, donor-advised and agency funds, program resources, and operational funding to support the success and development of impact-oriented private and public service organizations across the region, as well as ensuring that the Foundation has operational expenses for current and future needs. The skills and experience of a successful President and CEO will be informed by best practices in business management and leadership. The President and CEO must also demonstrate effective problem-solving skills, clarity in communication, and respect for the interests and needs of the organization's fund holders and beneficiaries, as well as the Board, staff and a host of community partners. The President and CEO must be able to work confidently and effectively in the rapidly evolving philanthropy sector. The position of President and CEO must be the exclusive employment for the President and CEO such that the President and CEO is able to devote undivided attention and effort to the position.

SCOPE AND PURPOSE OF WORK: The President and CEO reports to the Board of Directors and is the only officer for the Foundation. This is a highly visible, full-time, exempt position which is directly accountable to the Board. The CEO has full authority, discretion and accountability for directing and managing all Foundation operations to achieve the expectations of the Board and to accomplish Foundation goals. The CEO must exhibit strategic and tactical leadership; possess diplomacy; have the ability to influence constituents and the community; and genuinely believe in the Foundation’s mission and champion its strategic initiatives. A focus of the role is to attract new major donors and fundholders for the Foundation, thereby expanding the capacity for grantmaking across the region together with the focus of providing effective donor relations and philanthropic capacity building across the region.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Development – Generates and manages new and increased gifts to the Foundation by:
2. Cultivating and strengthening relationships with existing fundholders, donors, Founders and Sustainers of the Foundation, and other community leaders.
3. Initiating and cultivating relationships with prospective donors.
   • Initiating, cultivating and maintaining professional advisor relationships with attorneys, accountants and financial professionals.
4. Catalyzing and supporting the work of Coastal Georgia Partners in Philanthropy, a voluntary donor affinity group.

Investments and Financial Management – Ensures the Foundation’s investments and financial management are effective and aligned with its mission and vision by:

• Facilitating the successful work of the Finance and Investment Committee in policy- making and fiduciary oversight, to include compliance with all state and federal laws and regulations.
• Working closely with all investment managers to promote secure and sustained earnings and asset allocations in compliance with the Foundation’s investment policy statement and fundholder/donor intent.
• Managing oversight and presenting of investment and financial data to allow informed review and decision-making by the Board and donors/fundholders, as appropriate.
• Maintaining high level understanding of financial products, investment strategies, market opportunities, and global economic conditions through ongoing review of literature and participation in continuing education.

Communications and Marketing – Promotes the awareness and growth of the Foundation by:

• Producing and implementing an annual marketing plan strategically designed to promote the work of the Foundation and to inspire additional gifts.
  • Developing and updating a menu of adviser and donor related services that competitively attract, retain and grow the financial assets of the Foundation.
• Engaging partners and presenting to civic and business organizations across the region.
  • Promoting the Foundation to press/media outlets and through website and social media design and management.

Board Development and Stewardship – Assists the Board in effectively executing its role and responsibilities by:

• Engaging the Board in order to promote active member participation, self-development, idea generation, and passion for the mission and initiatives of the Foundation.
• Supporting the work and ongoing development of the various Board committees.
• Conducting Board member recruitment, retention, orientation, and training as needed.
• Promoting training opportunities that support Board member and organizational development.

Foundation Operations and Staff Management – Provides leadership and oversight of Foundation staff in the execution of all functions of the Foundation. Such functions include:

• Grant Making and Scholarship Oversight – Oversees the identification of needs and implementation of community grant making strategies and scholarship programs consistent with donor intent and Board priorities and policies.
• Capacity Building Oversight – Ensuring the provision of training and consultation to local non- profits, and if requested public and business organizations, to enhance organizational capacity.
• Administration— ensures the efficient and effective operations of the Foundation. Responsibilities include:
  • Selecting, engaging, supervising, and evaluating Foundation staff and contractors.

• Ensuring compliance with all laws, regulations and policies pertaining to the work of the Foundation.
• Overseeing the stewardship role of the Foundation, subject to the authority and decisions of the Foundation’s Finance and Investment Committee as to investments.
• Ensuring the keeping of an accurate account of all receipts and disbursements of the Foundation.
• Ensuring the maintenance of sound and generally accepted accounting and software procedures and protocol.
• Preparing and maintaining custody of minutes of the meetings of the Board and for authenticating records of the Foundation.
• Preparing an annual budget that reflects the Foundation’s strategic goals and priorities, and managing fiscal adherence to the Foundation’s budget.
• Providing assistance to auditors and the Board’s Audit Committee in coordinating audits and other required tax reports.

Leadership/Community Involvement – Ensures that the Community Foundation serves as the community leader of philanthropy. Examples for Foundation leadership may include:

• Participating in community projects such as needs assessments.
• Initiating creative ideas for convening stakeholders and leaders in the community to promote the Foundation, collaborative philanthropy, collective impact, and the betterment of the community.
• Maintaining professional and technical knowledge by attending conferences/workshops, reading related publications and establishing professional networks, particularly with state and regional peers and colleagues.
• Keeping abreast of best practices in the field and implementing such when appropriate.

DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY

The CEO serves as the chief executive and administrative officer for the Foundation, reporting to and coordinating with the Chair of the Board and the Executive Committee. The Board evaluates the CEO through the Executive Committee. The CEO has authority and responsibility to implement decisions within the policies set forth by the Board, in a manner consistent with the articles of incorporation, bylaws, policies, and practices of the Foundation, and applicable federal, state and local laws. The CEO has the authority to enter into contracts on behalf of the Foundation.

EDUCATION AND COMPETENCIES

Candidates must hold a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and have had at least five (5) years of professional experience in the field of philanthropy, development, finance or organizational management. An advanced degree in finance, business, nonprofit leadership, public administration, law or professional field of study is preferred.

The ideal candidate for the President and CEO position will bring a broad array of leadership, managerial and technical skills to the role. A successful President and CEO will be an experienced leader and professional manager with a strong record of high quality communication skills, business success and attention to detail. Entrepreneurial, innovative and goal-oriented, the President and CEO should be fully engrained in the history, opportunities, challenges and future of the philanthropic community in the United States and Georgia, in particular. The President and CEO must be able to lead, support and develop the staff of the Foundation and to engage the Board of Directors at all times and in all facets of Foundation business. The President and CEO will be the primary individual focused on strategic planning and organizational growth for the Foundation, and as such a career experience in community philanthropy is preferred.

Experience should include strategic and tactical leadership ability; excellent oral and written communication skills to a wide range of audiences, including fund holders, community stakeholders, board members and the public; strong organizational, financial and administrative skills; proficiency with the use of technology including word processing, spreadsheets and databases; successful planning giving and fund raising experience; familiarity with investments and funds management; and good standing and credibility in the community served by the Foundation or verified good standing and credibility in the previous employment community of the applicant.

Interested candidates should submit a resume and letter of interest, detailing their skills, background, interest and salary expectation as well as a list of three (3) references. References will not be contacted without candidate permission. Submissions should be sent by U.S. mail to Attention: Hillary Stringfellow, P.O. Box 190, Brunswick, Georgia 31521; or, by delivery service, Attention: Hillary Stringfellow, 777 Gloucester Street, Suite 200, Brunswick, Georgia 31520; or, by electronic mail: hstringfellow@ghsmlaw.com.

Review of applications will begin January 9, 2023 and will continue until the position is filled. The hope is to fill the position by March 1 with the new President and CEO in the office by April 2023.

Job ID

388

Job Title

President/CEO

Start Date

4/1/2023

Application Deadline

12/29/2022

Salary Range

no minimum salary specified - no maximum salary specified

Min. Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Job Type

President/CEO

Job Location

Brunswick, GA

Website

https://www.coastalgeorgiafoundation.org/  

Contact Information

Name

Hillary Stringfellow

Phone Number

(912) 324-4121

Email

lmoore@coastalgeorgiafoundation.org 

Best Method of Contact

EMAIL