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President & Chief Executive Officer - Siskin Children's Institute (SCI), Chattanooga, TN

Posted: Monday, April 9, 2018


SISKIN CHILDREN'S INSTITUTE
PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
https://www.siskin.org/www


The Organization:

History

More than a half century ago, two Chattanooga businessmen devoted their lives to serving their community and reaching out to people with disabilities. Today, their legacy lives on at Siskin Children's Institute (SCI).

In 1942, Garrison Siskin suffered a life-threatening injury, and surgeons told him that his leg would have to be amputated. He prayed to God that if his leg were spared, he would dedicate the rest of his life to helping others. The next morning, his prayers had been answered.

When Mose learned of the vow, he told his brother, "If it's your promise, it's my promise, and we will keep it together." They established the Siskin Foundation in 1950; and nine years later, they opened a rehabilitation center to provide outpatient services, including physical therapy, speech and language therapy, and even free dental care.

A highlight of the facility was a preschool for young children with physical disabilities and developmental delays. Long before laws were passed to guarantee that children with disabilities must have the right to education, Mose and Garrison Siskin developed programs to educate children with special needs.

Visit the timeline outlining the Siskin family's philanthropic work and key events in the history of Siskin Children's Institute: https://www.siskin.org/www/download/148.197.

Today

Today, the commitment to helping children with disabilities continues at SCI, which is dedicated to making life better for children with special needs and their families.

The vision of SCI is to lead in the fields of early childhood development and special education to help build an inclusive society for children of all abilities.

The mission of SCI is to work to improve the quality of life for children with special needs and their families.

SCI achieves its mission through education, pediatric healthcare services, home & community-based programs and outreach services in the field of developmental disabilities.

Siskin Children's Institute offers the following programs and services:

  • Education: Siskin Early Center Learning provides a high quality preschool education to young
    children with and without disabilities, including children with developmental delays, autism spectrum 
    disorder, chromosomal abnormality and brain injury.
  • Health Care: Siskin Center for Pediatrics is a regional developmental pediatric center. Currently,
    there is one board certified developmental pediatrician and a psychologist. Children are referred to the center for medical, psychological and cognitive assessment, diagnosis and treatment, including physical, occupational, speech and language and other therapies as well as counseling and social skills groups.

       The center is administered by Siskin Children's Institute and is an academic pediatric practice
       affiliated with the Department of Pediatrics with The University of Tennessee College of Medicine
       Chattanooga and with Children's Hospital at Erlanger.

  • Home Visiting: The Home & Community-Based Early Intervention program is designed to help parents, other caregivers and children with special needs gain the knowledge and confidence they need to be successful in life. Through visits with an early interventionist, the family receives information, support, guidance and consultation about improving the child's and family's quality of life. The child receives therapy in a comfortable and familiar setting.
  • Outreach: Siskin Outreach Services provide disability information to families, college students and professionals through a dynamic array of programs that weave through the Institute's other areas of focus. Outreach Services offer a lending library, family support and training, consultation services, and professional training in fields related to special needs and early childhood development.

To learn more about the Siskin Children's Institute Philosophy of care, practice, community and collaboration, visit: https://www.siskin.org/145/our-philosophy.

SCI employees, volunteers, and college interns serve 2,656 children annually through its unique and innovative programs in their Early Learning Center, Center for Developmental Pediatrics with its new Developmental Family Therapy Center, and the Home and Community-Based Early Intervention services.

The Role:

Title:               President & CEO (CEO)
Reports to:    Board of Directors
Location:       Chattanooga, TN


Overview:

The CEO will have full responsibility for leading SCI in pursuit of its mission, including leadership of the organization, its programs and services, its facilities, and its financial health.

S/he is responsible for providing strategic leadership for SCI by working with the Board, the staff, and volunteers to plan and implement annual and long-range goals.

The CEO serves as the face of and the primary advocate of SCI building on established partnerships, creating new opportunities, increasing awareness of SCI's programs and services, and developing and maintaining vital community relationships.

Through strong leadership and authentic personal engagement, the CEO with help to maintain a sustainable organization that is ready for future growth and will ensure that SCI has the necessary resources and support to carry out its mission: to work to improve the quality of life for children with special needs and their families.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Vision & Leadership

  • Work with the Board to implement the current strategic plan; ensure sustainability of current programs, services and partnerships; assess financially sound opportunities for growth aligned with SCI's mission and strategic plan.
  • Recommend short and long-term goals and periodic evaluation and revision of these goals in consideration of changing conditions and challenges.
  • Report regularly to the Board on major strategic and operational issues, including: progress on the strategic plan; budget and financial resources; program and clinical operations; staff morale and performance; relationships with all external stakeholders including funders, community partners and parents.
  • Lead with the Director, Development & Communications fundraising planning and implementation; identify resource requirements and establish strategies to attain annual goals.
  • Engage the Board to expand development opportunities and financial support for SCI and create increased awareness of the SCI name in the community.

Organizational & Team Leadership

  • Oversee all aspects of SCI's business and finances to achieve stated goals and objectives.
  • Recruit, retain, develop and evaluate a passionate and high-performing staff; ensure the team has the tools, resources and information necessary to carry out their work at the highest levels.
  • Ensure equitable compensation, job satisfaction, career advancement and ongoing professional development opportunities are available to staff at all levels throughout the organization; continue to build a pipeline of talent.
  • Promote a collaborative culture that values accountability, transparent communication and a cross-functional approach to innovation and creativity in problem-solving and delivery of services.

Resource Development

  • Identify new and cultivate existing relationships with diversified sources of funding across the private sector, foundations, individual and major donors, and government sources.
  • Create new ways to leverage SCI's network of stakeholders, including the Board and other donors to the organization.
  • In collaboration with the Director, Development & Communications develop a diversified, multi-year development plan including but not limited to: annual campaigns, capital efforts, endowments and grants with a focus on growth, sustainability and meeting the current and emerging needs of families and children.
  • Provide high-level supervision and evaluation on all short-term and long-term fundraising efforts, employing diverse strategies for resource development with specific milestones necessary to its accomplishment.

Community Engagement & External Relations

  • Serve as the key spokesperson and champion for SCI; Be recognized as an advocate for the well-being, safety and education of children in the Chattanooga community.
  • Represent SCI with all constituency groups; develop and implement strategies and approaches to build and maintain effective relationships that support SCI in carrying out its mission within the community.
  • Cultivate effective relationships across the community including but not limited to parents, funding sources, donors, partners and nonprofit organizations, business leaders, public officials, Erlanger Health System and The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
  • Ensure compelling and consistent branding and marketing of SCI to raise the Institute's profile, reach new audiences and engage new and current volunteers.
  • Support and promote the involvement of SCI in local, state and national initiatives that relate to the mission; disseminate to the Board and staff, as appropriate, the information obtained through such involvement.

Candidate Profile:

Professional Experience:

  • Highly visible position requiring a minimum of 10 years non-profit / business management experience; minimum of 5 years in a senior management position.
  • Proven track record of strategic leadership in a business or in a large non-profit environment including but limited to education, behavioral health, early childhood intervention, or multi-program human services; private sector executives will have a demonstrated track record of service-orientation and community building.
  • Track record of working collaboratively with a Board on strategic planning processes; including Board recruitment and development.
  • Demonstrated success in securing private and public funding, obtaining and managing government funding, executing capital campaigns and building endowments; implementing short and long-term fundraising strategies.
  • Experience working in a community setting; knowledgeable about community issues and responsive to community/client/parents' needs; enjoys spending time in the community and partnering with leaders from all sectors (local businesses and residents, nonprofit agencies, local, state and federal government, and specifically with the Erlanger Health System and The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
  • Superior people management and leadership skills; evidence of leading through change and strategic growth with positive outcomes; comfortable delegating and empowering a talented and motivated staff at all levels in the organization; willingness to roll up sleeves when required.
  • Demonstrated ability to successfully lead development and marketing programs and effectively provide oversight to other program and functional operations.
  • Strong financial management skills and proven track record of working effectively with a highly capable CFO/COO.

Personal Characteristics:

  • Is passionate for improving the quality of life for children with special needs and their families and providing whole family support.
  • Strategic and visionary leader with significant presence to command respect with the Board, staff, parents, and community.
  • Deeply informed in the day-to-day work; seen as the face of the organization and a partner, leader and asset to the Chattanooga community.
  • Is committed to fundraising as an essential activity for growth and sustainability.
  • Has an approachable leadership style with an open-door policy; ability to set expectations and inspire and motivate others to perform well; wise, warm and engaging personality.
  • Possesses exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written; ability to effectively articulate SCI's mission and programs in a compelling fashion to all stakeholders.
  • Recognizes the importance and dignity of each person who receives services; demonstrates an attitude of excellence and respect for all individuals.
  • Is energetic and creative; lives SCI's values and leads by example; displays sound judgment and high ethical standards.

Education:

  • Minimum of a bachelor's degree required; advanced related degree preferred (MPA or MBA)

 

How to Apply:

If you or someone in your network is interested in exploring this opportunity,
please submit a cover letter and resume to:


Janet Albert - Partner, Bridge Partners
[email protected]
or
Tory Clarke - Partner, Bridge Partners
[email protected]


Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the position will be open until filled.


The Institute is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to affirm the dignity and worth of every person. It is, therefore, the policy of the Institute to practice and ensure the fair and equitable treatment of all applicants and employees. The Institute prohibits discrimination on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, or protected genetic information and promotes the full realization of this policy through all employment practices.