Sherwood Forest
Reports to: Board of Directors
Position: Executive Director
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Position Overview
Sherwood Forest is seeking an Executive Director who brings inspirational and effective leadership experience, deep passion for our mission, and strong business acumen. The Executive Director will report directly to the Board of Directors. The Executive Director is responsible for leading and directing overall operations in St. Louis and the camp facility in Lesterville, MO.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Vision, Mission and Strategic Planning
- Exude passion for the mission. Work with the Board to articulate the mission and to develop a clear vision of Sherwood Forest’s role in the community.
- Provide vision and strategic insight in developing, maintaining and/or calibrating operating and strategic plans in concert with the Board to promote and achieve long-term goals that will secure the future of the agency.
- Represent the organization to the public in a positive and professional manner; educate the public on programs and initiatives and “spread the word” of our services and outcomes.
Board Governance and Strategic Management
- Lead the organization in a manner that supports and guides our mission as defined by the Board of Directors.
- Communicate effectively and foster dialogue with the Board, providing information necessary for the Board to function properly and make informed decisions in a timely manner.
- With senior staff, build effective and collegial working relationships with the members of the Board, especially through work on Board committees.
Financial Performance, Viability and Fundraising
- Oversight of the fiscal integrity of the organization, including development of proposed annual budget for submission to the Board and interpretation of monthly financial statements to accurately reflect the financial condition of the organization to the Board.
- Ensure all functions and departments operate within the approved annual budget and maximize resource utilization.
- Working in concert with the Board and Development staff, the Executive Director implements a fundraising program that meets the goals established for the agency.
- The Executive Director will work collaboratively with the Board, staff and donors to secure adequate income and strong personal commitments from those who have an interest in the agency.
Leadership and Management of Sherwood Forest
The Executive Director will perform the following tasks:
- Human Resources
- Select highly qualified senior staff, model effective behaviors and skills, and cultivates a collegial working environment.
- Ensure that all staff understand policies and expectations, and receive an annual performance review that is timely, thoughtful, and actionable.
- Monitor ongoing performance and intervenes, as appropriate, whenever issues or concerns arise.
- Develop an environment that allows for creative thinking, problem solving, and empowerment.
- Financial Resources
- Participate in financial planning, budgeting, and management of the agency’s financial assets.
- Ensure that clear and accurate accounting systems are maintained for oversight and monitoring of the agency’s finances and operations in relation to the approved budget and to make informed financial decisions.
- Present financial reports to the Board on a regular basis and submits an annual budget for Board review, revision and approval.
- Ensure that the agency has in place sound risk management systems, and is in compliance with all federal, state and local laws.
- Programs
- Develop substantive knowledge of Sherwood Forest’s programs and services.
- Through effective oversight and staffing, ensure that standards are maintained for delivery of the highest possible quality of programs and services.
- Recommend new programs and/or modification of current programs, as appropriate, to the full Board.
- Operations and Facilities
- With the Facilities Director and Facilities Committee, create and implement plans for optimal use of our camp in Lesterville, MO that maintains all facilities in sound condition and provide for future development, while being stewards of the natural environment.
Community Relations
As the principle spokesperson for the organization, the Executive Director will perform for the following:
- Assure that the mission, programs, and services of Sherwood Forest are consistently presented in strong, positive images to the community.
- Connect people to Sherwood Forest’s mission by developing inclusive relationships, partnerships, and collaborations so that Sherwood Forest can co-create solutions to pressing social needs.
- Develop positive relationships on behalf of the organization, and is well-regarded by professional peers, community partners and stakeholders:
- Individual major donors
- Corporate, foundation, and government and potential funders
- United Way
- Community leaders and public officials
- Schools and school districts
- Relevant professional organizations
- American Camp Association
- Association of Fundraising Professionals
- Other non-profits organizations
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree required. Master’s Degree preferred in Education, Social Work, Child Development, Non-profit Management, or related field.
- Minimum ten years’ leadership experience in youth development, education, resident camp, youth at risk, or related field.
- Experience in management of a non-profit organization.
- Sincere passion for the mission of transforming the lives of children who live in poverty to discover their self-worth, realize their potential, and become productive citizens.
- Commitment to upholding values of diversity, inclusion, and equity.
- Passion for outdoors, nature and learning
- Strong, hands-on budget development and management skills, including budget preparation, analysis, decision-making and reporting.
- Strong organizational abilities including planning, delegating, program development, and task facilitation.
- Ability to interface with and engage diverse volunteer, staff, donor, and other constituent groups.
- Demonstrated ability to oversee and collaborate with staff.
- Transparent, collaborative and high integrity leadership.
- Strong public speaking ability.
- Ability to coach, mentor, and develop staff.
- An understanding and respect for, as well as the ability and willingness to learn and adapt to the spirit and traditions of Sherwood Forest.
About Sherwood Forest
Vision
We believe education and opportunity are rights fundamental to all children.
Mission
Transforming the lives of children in need through powerful programs that allow them to discover their self-worth, realize their potential, and become productive citizens.
Promise
Helping kids discover the best in themselves so they can grow up to do good in the world.
What We Do
Founded in 1937, Sherwood Forest is a youth development agency providing year-round and resident camp experiences specifically designed for and devoted to children from low-income families. We provide at-risk, economically disadvantaged kids from the St. Louis metro area with the tools to overcome the many obstacles they face on their journey to adulthood.
Kids begin the Quest program after completing the first grade and which continues through the completion of ninth grade. Participating children attend a 28-day residential summer camp supported by continued programming during the school year. Activities include a mix of traditional camp experiences, including hiking, swimming, canoeing and backpacking. They also participate in learning enrichment programs aimed at reducing summer learning loss, such as Creative & Performing Arts, Library and Reading Programs, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) activities. Kids in the program develop the soft skills necessary to achieve success later in life: teamwork, independence, responsibility, problem-solving, and self-confidence. They also develop and hone academic skills that will help them succeed in the classroom.
Supports for Success provides continuous academic and skill-development programming from completion of the Quest Program through high school graduation and into and through post-secondary education. The program curriculum is focused on helping youth become economically self-sufficient through job-readiness skill development, career exploration, financial literacy, and by guiding teens to and through college enrollment and completion.
We are committed to leveraging resources and making programming available to local schools throughout the St. Louis community with our Outdoor Education programs. Sessions are three to five days long and the curriculum is customizable to meet the needs of each partner organization and offer hands-on learning activities focused on STEM and character development in our uniquely immersive outdoor setting.
Who We Serve
The majority of the youth served by Sherwood Forest are from low-income families with 90% of Sherwood Forest kids coming from homes without enough resources to cover their basic needs. Many of our children come from crime ridden neighborhoods, half live in neighborhoods with crime rates double the national average, and1/5 live in neighborhoods with crime rates five times higher. Twenty two percent of our kids attend schools that are currently under-resourced, lending to higher likelihood of dropping out, repeating grades, or being suspended. Our kids are racially and ethnically diverse: 57% African American, 25% White, 8% Bi-Racial, 2% Latino, 1% Asian, 1% American Indian and 6% other. We serve youth in 1st grade through completion of post-secondary education.
Outcomes
Sherwood Forest uses a variety of tools to evaluate the effectiveness of each program, including the Youth Outcomes Battery (YOB), Motivational Reading Questionnaire, Afterschool Youth Outcomes Measures Online Toolbox, and the Parent & Youth Survey. Our programs are intentionally designed to help kids reach milestones, and in 2017 Sherwood Forest youth reported the following: 94% are more independent; 93% are more responsible; 95% have better teamwork skills; 94% have increased interest in exploration; 100% increased their problem-solving confidence. Our goal is to ensure that low-income youth meet the academic and developmental milestones that are necessary to graduate from high school; successfully pursue postsecondary education; and become self-sufficient, motivated, and resilient adults. This includes helping them see the possibility of a future different than what they may have been exposed to; know how to navigate that path and have support doing so; and develop the judgement and self-confidence to avoid the pitfalls that can derail low-income young people. Our research-based approach is successful because it applies the most effective strategies to the most intractable challenges facing low-income youth. Since its inception, Sherwood Forest has empowered more than 100,000 youth to earn an education and break the cycle of poverty: 100% of program graduates go on to graduate high school – a rate much higher than their peers – and the vast majority go on to pursue postsecondary education. More than 75% of the young people graduating from our programs stay in touch and 95% of them report that they are no longer living in poverty.
Benefits
Along with a highly competitive pay structure, Sherwood Forest provides exceptional benefits which include the following:
- Affordable healthcare (medical, dental, vision options)
- Short-term, Long-term Disability and life Insurance provided at no additional costs
- Retirement matching program
- Generous paid time off package
- A challenging and fun work environment with creative, talented and diverse individuals.
Application Information
Sherwood Forest is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. All candidates have an equal opportunity for employment, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable United States federal or state law. Personal staff information – (application, references, background investigations, medical records) – will not be released, except as may be required by law. Requests for references regarding the staff member’s performance will be honored; however, the staff member must authorize the release of such information.
To apply, please send a resume and letter of interest to Board President, Marjorie Melton, at MarjorieM@SherwoodForestSTL.org. Applicants will be considered until the position has been filled.
