About Kalamazoo Defender
Kalamazoo Defender provides constitutionally guaranteed representation to adult individuals charged with a crime who cannot afford an attorney. Kalamazoo Defender is an independent non-profit whose model envisions a first-class public defender office for Kalamazoo County that prioritizes maturation of talent, attention to detail, and zealous representation.
To deliver that zealous representation, Kalamazoo Defender incorporates practices from the nation's most successful public defender offices, including the holistic representation of our clients. Holistic representation means leveraging community services to address the whole client, who is entitled to respect and support as a member of the community. Kalamazoo Defender deploys its holistic care through use of a groundbreaking hub of local services housed within its offices, improving cross-service collaboration and communication.
Not only will this approach promote a criminal justice system that sets up today's defendant for future success, whether that defendant is guilty or innocent, it will also address the factors that lead a defendant to come before a criminal judge.
In so doing, Kalamazoo Defender will engage in an effort to reduce recidivism in the County and change the way the community thinks about crime and poverty.
For more information on Kalamazoo Defender please visit kalamazoodefender.org
The Opportunity
Kalamazoo Defender seeks an Executive Director (ED) to lead the organization and have overall strategic and operational responsibility for staff, programs, growth, and sustainability. The ED will bring transparency and collaborative leadership to all areas of the organization, and provide oversight of the organization’s operations, programs, culture, and financial performance.
This is an outstanding opportunity for a leader with strong organizational skills, and a proven track record of creative problem-solving, to join and lead a high-impact, mission-driven organization.
The responsibilities of the Executive Director include:
Strategic Leadership
- Lead Kalamazoo Defender in a regular strategic planning process and oversee the implementation of the strategic mission;
- Plan for and implement infrastructure growth to parallel growth of the organization’s programs;
- Build and lead strategic partnerships across the organization in an effort to deepen organizational impact;
- Work on an ongoing basis to evaluate Kalamazoo Defender programming to ensure that it centers on the experiences of affected communities, and that programs and services reflect and meet the needs of the community being served;
- Integrate the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion, into the internal and external work of Kalamazoo Defender.
People and Culture
- Promote an organizational culture that fosters passion for the mission, cooperation, open and frequent communication among colleagues, teamwork, and a common organizational vision;
- Develop and reflect an inclusive organizational culture and promote transparency and collaboration throughout the organization;
- Attract, retain, lead, and mentor staff who serve the mission of Kalamazoo Defender effectively and with enthusiasm;
- Ensure resources are available for and support staff development and education;
- Assist program staff in relating their specialized work to the overarching strategic plan and vision of the organization.
Organizational Management and Development
- Work with the Kalamazoo Defender team to ensure that day-to-day operations are professionally administered to maximize organizational efficiency and effectiveness;
- Ensure the organization’s financial viability to sustain its mission and achieve its vision, and ensure that Kalamazoo Defender meets the highest standards in stewarding its financial and other resources;
- Anticipate funding needs and engage staff and/or Board members as needed to ensure that staff have the resources they need to be successful and to support the continuity of important initiatives;
- Actively and directly engage in fundraising by making major financial solicitations, and cultivating relationships with individual donors, foundations, and other potential fiscal partners; initiate funding opportunities that ensure multiple streams of financial support that build long-term stability; use external presence and relationships to garner new funding opportunities.
External Relations, and Communications
- Communicate with a broad array of stakeholders – including clients and the broader community Kalamazoo Defender seeks to serve - with empathy, sensitivity, and respect, and demonstrate the ability to work cross-culturally;
- Ensure that the organization is building relationships with external partners to develop strategic partnerships that advance its mission;
- Serve as a compelling and engaging speaker and writer; leverage the Executive Director role to build Kalamazoo Defender’s brand and serve as a leading representative of Kalamazoo Defender’s mission in public setting of all sizes with donors, partner organizations, political leaders, press, and other external entities.
Board Relations
- Be responsible to the Board for operation of all functions, programs, and services of the organization;
- Work with the Board President to facilitate efficient and impactful Board meetings;
- Communicate effectively with the Board and provide, in a timely and accurate manner, all information necessary for the Board to function properly and to make informed decisions;
- Assist the Board in recruiting, maintaining, and supporting an engaged and active Board;
- Facilitate regular interactions between the Board and staff.
Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate will have most, if not all, of the following professional and personal qualities, skills, and characteristics:
- Membership or eligibility for membership in the Michigan Bar required;
- At least 10 years of progressively responsible senior organizational leadership experience with understanding of the complexity of nonprofit organizations;
- Strong commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging along with experience integrating these principles into the policies and procedures of an organization;
- Demonstrated ability to think strategically, creatively problem solve, exercise good judgement, lead change, and translate vision into action;
- Success with recruiting, supervising and mentoring staff, supporting professional and leadership development, and cultivating a diverse and inclusive workplace;
- Empathetic and compassionate leadership style with the ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with clients, staff, partner organizations, donors, government officials, judges and court personnel, and members of local holistic human services and advocacy coalitions;
- Track record of motivating and inspiring others to achieve impact through creativity and teamwork, and by leveraging individual strengths to meet organizational goals;
- Exhibit courage and clarity when addressing controversial and complex issues and lead the Board and staff through thoughtful consideration of options for Kalamazoo Defender’s work and strategy;
- Successful track record of raising money from a variety of sources, including major donors and foundations, and ability to connect Kalamazoo Defender to resources and opportunities outside the organization;
- Excellent interpersonal as well as oral and written communication skills; ability to listen to stakeholders with respect and genuine openness to constructive input;
- The ability to simultaneously manage multiple projects and organizational responsibilities.
Compensation & Benefits
The salary for this position is within the range of $150,000 - $170,000. Benefits include generous health care coverage, retirement contributions, and paid time off.
About Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo is a mid-sized city that offers both small town charm and big-city perks in one of the most affordable metropolitan areas in the nation. From farmer's markets that influence a farm-fresh, locally sourced food scene with over 450 restaurants to a vibrant arts scene with 10 theaters, countless music venues, museums and more, Kalamazoo offers a unique range of ways to enjoy the city.
Kalamazoo is located midway between Chicago and Detroit and offers easy access to outdoor recreation opportunities from Lake Michigan beaches at South Haven, the Kalamazoo River, and various local lakes to some of the best skiing in the Midwest.
Kalamazoo is the home to Western Michigan University and other institutions of higher education. Through the Kalamazoo Promise, students who graduate from Kalamazoo Public Schools can receive up to 100% of tuition and fees paid for any in-state public community college or university.
Contact
Trisha Sutrisno and Amber Gomes of Koya Partners have been exclusively retained for this search. To express your interest in this role please submit your materials here or email tsutrisno@koyapartners.com and agomes@koyapartners.com directly. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.
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Kalamazoo Defender is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants.
Koya Partners is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email NonprofitSearchOps@divsearch.com. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.
About Koya Partners
Koya Partners, a part of the Diversified Search Group, is a leading executive search and strategic advising firm dedicated to connecting exceptionally talented people with mission-driven clients. Our founding philosophy—The Right Person in the Right Place Can Change the World—guides our work as we partner with nonprofits & NGOs, institutions of higher education, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.
For more information about Koya Partners, visit www.koyapartners.com.