Executive Director

Washington State School Directors’ Association

Olympia, Washington

(Posted 3/8/2010)

The Washington State School Directors’ Association (commonly known as WSSDA) is seeking an accomplished, dynamic leader to serve as its next Executive Director.  Headquartered in Olympia, WSSDA is the largest association of elected officials in Washington, and represents every school board member in all of the state’s 295 public school districts.  The new Executive Director will have the exciting opportunity to lead the organization in expanding its role in education policy development and advocacy, as well as its ongoing role of providing leadership development and support to local school boards throughout Washington.

Responsibilities

The Executive Director reports to the President of the 17-member Board of Directors.  Board members are elected for three year terms by the membership, while the officers are elected for one year terms.  The Executive Director leads the Association toward its mission; is responsible for the effective conduct and management of Association affairs; recommends and participates in the Board’s development of Association goals, objectives and policies; organizes, coordinates, and directs staff and activities for the Association; and acts as its primary spokesperson.

For a detailed description of the Executive Director’s responsibilities, please see the Appendix.

Compensation & Benefits

The salary for the position is competitive, commensurate with qualifications and experience. 

WSSDA is covered under the State of Washington employee benefit package.  Benefits include:

Comprehensive Medical/Dental/Vision care insurance (Multiple plan options available) Deferred Compensation plan Retirement plan (through the Washington State Public Retirement System) Life, Long-term Disability and AD&D Insurance (cost dependent on coverage)

Flexible Spending Account 11 paid holidays annually Vacation (to be determined in employment contract; can be accrued up to a maximum of 240 hours) Sick leave accrued at 8 hours per month

 Diversity Focus

 The staff, members and other stakeholders of the WSSDA are from wide and diverse socio-economic, ethnic and cultural backgrounds.  A demonstrated commitment to, and understanding of, diversity and cultural competency will be critical in the selection process.

 

Leadership Philosophy Required

The Executive Director must provide visionary leadership, inspire staff and Board members to do their best work, create, as well as identify, strategic opportunities for the Association, and serve as the “face of the organization” to its many stakeholders.  The Executive Director has wide latitude in exercising independent initiative and judgment, subject to the policies and procedures established by the Board of Directors.

The new Executive Director must be free of any affiliations that could conflict (or could create the appearance of conflict) with the exercise of his/her responsibilities.

 

Working Relationships

The Executive Director interacts with the following persons/groups on a regular basis.  A collaborative approach and a professional public presence are essential.

Board of Directors All Association staff Members (Local School Directors) Local, regional, statewide, and national education-related organizations and associations Leaders of school board associations in other states, as well as leaders of the National School Board Association

Local, district and state education administrators Members of the State Legislature and the Washington State Congressional delegation, and their staffs Representative of the Governor’s office News media Members of the general public

 

Immediate Areas of Focus for the New Executive Director

The following areas have been identified by the Board of Directors as the highest priorities for measuring the success of the new Executive Director during his/her first 12 months in office:

 

• Mutually agreed-to performance expectations (between the new Executive Director and Board) are in place and being met
• The new ED has achieved a firm grasp of the issues facing the Association and the State's education system and is able to articulate a clear picture of WSSDA's direction for the future
• The new Executive Director has built, and continues to build, strong, respectful relationships with members, other education-related associations and partner organizations, stakeholders, and legislators; feedback from them is positive; there have been no surprises to the Board or the Association’s partners
• The New Executive Director is visible and engaged in, and respected by, the greater education community
• Respectful, open, trusting relationships have been established between new Executive Director, Board and staff; the new Executive Director has "taken ownership" of the organization
• There is a sense of confidence, both internally and externally, that the Association is headed in the right direction
• Communication among and between the staff has improved both vertically and horizontally
• WSSDA's positive influence on education policies and issues is more widely recognized and forceful; WSSDA is "at the table" as a key player in the development of the State's education policies
• The Association’s focus is on its mission and its strategic plan; the organization is operating smoothly and effectively
• Innovative, new ideas are being presented to the Board
• The Executive Director and staff are working well as a cohesive team; staff members feel recognized and valued for their contributions; staff cross-training has been implemented
• The Association has demonstrated its responsiveness to members' needs
• Internal strengths and challenges of the association have been evaluated and are being addressed
• The Board is unified and is working harmoniously as a team with the Executive Director toward a common vision; the Board is focused on its governance role and the Executive Director is managing the agency.
• The number of member boards of all sizes using WSSDA services and products has increased
• The Executive Director understands that "student achievement" must be considered in the broadest sense, not merely measured by higher test scores

Candidate Requirements

A Bachelor’s degree or commensurate experience in a related field is required; a Master’s degree or equivalent experience is preferred

The position requires demonstrated skill, experience, and success in/with the following areas: 

 

• As an Executive Director or senior manager in a similar or larger organization, (in a nonprofit organization preferred, but not necessarily a membership association)
• Working with elected & appointed government officials at all levels
• Building and sustaining positive relationships and collaborations with key individuals, constituencies and partner organizations
• An understanding of the Washington State political and educational "landscape"
• Developing & maintaining a positive organizational culture
• Financial management and fiscal responsibility; business savvy/perspective
• Public policy advocacy at state and national levels
• Team and coalition building
• Well-networked in a variety of different sectors
• Developing, mentoring, empowering, motivating, engaging and evaluating staff in a team environment
• Providing high quality customer service and promotion of it through marketing, media and public relations 
• Understanding current best practices in organizational leadership
• Understanding WSSDA and its programs is a plus
• Conflict management and resolution
• Development & implementation of multi-year strategic plans/initiatives
• Diversification of revenues through entrepreneurial initiatives and growth of their organization(s) 
• Leadership in the public education field (a plus)

  

The successful candidate will possess the following personal attributes and competencies:

 

• Accountable (holds self and others accountable for performance); sets high expectations for self and others; follows through on commitments
• Excellent communications skills – oral, written, listening and public speaking; articulate, direct and concise
• A clear understanding of, and respect for, the role of local school boards, their strengths and weaknesses, and their relationships with superintendents
• Engenders credibility, trust and respect
• Collaborative, inclusive, deferential leadership style; willing to share authority; both good leader and a good manager, has a bold leadership spirit; leads by example, willing to "roll up their sleeves"
• Energetic, strong work ethic
• High integrity, honest, authentic, genuine, congruent; models the ethics, values and standards of the agency; keeps confidences
• Customer and member-focused
• Decisive decision maker, while remaining open-minded and considerate of other’s views; actively seeks input on key decisions; evaluates potential positive and negative consequences of various options; demonstrates consistency and fairness in decisions
• Out of the box thinker, creative problem solver; resourceful, innovative, entrepreneurial
• Comfortable being visible as the "Face of the Association;" charismatic, dynamic, outgoing
• Visionary, with the ability to inspire others toward their vision
• An advocate for staff and their agency
• Poised/professional public presence, and demeanor; politically and socially astute; tactful, diplomatic, respectful
• Action-oriented, proactive, results-oriented; well-organized; effectively sets and follows mission-driven priorities
• Change agent, courageously challenges "conventional wisdom"
• Exemplary interpersonal skills; personable; engaging; comfortable dealing with wide variety of people, cultures and constituencies
• Good common sense and judgment; intuitive
• Passion for, and commitment to, the organization, the mission, and children
• Positive attitude; inspires optimism, enthusiastic; open, approachable, "transparent," inviting, friendly; good sense of humor
• Well balanced between a systems-wide (holistic) perspective and attention to detail; between an internal and external focus; and between personal and work life  

 Application Timing

BEFORE APPLYING PLEASE REVIEW THE FULL POSITION PROFILE BY VISITING http://www.hagelsearch.com/jobs.html.  Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest and resume as soon as possible.  Full consideration is assured if letters and resumes are received no later than Noon  PST, March 31, 2010.  We appreciate all submissions via email to: wssda@hagel.net with documents in MS Word format.  If alternative methods are required please contact us.  All submissions will be acknowledged and will be held in strict confidence.  However, at such time as applicants are selected as finalists for the position, the finalists’ names will become public information.  It is anticipated that final interviews for the position will be conducted in late May, 2010 in Olympia, WA, with the hiring decision being made shortly thereafter. 

Contact Information

For further information, please contact: Dave Osmer, Hagel & Company, Phone: 425-643-4223, or email wssda@hagel.net.  

WSSDA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and desires a highly diverse candidate group.