Executive Director

About the Organization

Horizons St. Louis in Kirkwood is a community-centered education program supporting students from the Kirkwood area. Horizons builds long-term partnerships with students, families, communities, and schools to create experiences outside of school that inspire the joy of learning. The main component of Horizons is a six-week summer program located on the campus of Keysor Elementary School in Kirkwood, where students participate in academic, cultural, and recreational enrichment activities, including teaching all students how to swim.

The goal of Horizons is to offer kids learning opportunities that stop the “summer slide” and help close the achievement gap. Horizons’ students gain an average of 4-12 weeks of grade level equivalence in ready and math skills each summer. New skills learned at Horizons translate into school-year confidence, positive attitudes and student success. The six-week program is supplemented by a growing school-year program to support learning, enrichment and social/emotional growth. Horizons St. Louis in Kirkwood operates a proven model and is part of an affiliated network with over 70 Horizons sites serving students across the country.

Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Horizons St. Louis in Kirkwood strives to create an inclusive, affirming, and welcoming environment that allows all team members to thrive. As an organization whose central purpose is to mitigate inequities in education, Horizons is strongly committed to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in all forms, and we strongly denounce racism, sexism, and discrimination of any kind. Focus on EDI is central to Horizons National and our National Network, which actively engages in diverse and inclusive partnerships; representative councils and working groups; provides robust professional development opportunities; evaluates internal and external communications with an asset-based lens; and facilitates conversations across different communities to ensure that all Horizons voices are heard and represented.

Because of our Network-wide commitment to EDI, the ideal candidate for this role must be comfortable engaging in discussions, be self-reflective, and be willing to challenge themselves and others to learn and grow continuously.

About the Position

An integral part of the Horizons St. Louis in Kirkwood team, the Executive Director manages and leads a diverse staff overseeing all program activities and operations, including ensuring quality programming; hiring and supervising staff and volunteers; annual budget planning and management; and broadening Horizons’ base of support through fundraising and marketing initiatives. This role also serves as the face of Horizons St. Louis in Kirkwood, working to build external-facing relationships to increase awareness of the program, expand partnerships, and position Horizons as a thought leader in the out-of-school time space.

Horizons St. Louis in Kirkwood offers a strong community of support from committed families and a collaborative Board of Directors, working with the Kirkwood School District, local community stakeholders and community organizations in the St. Louis area dedicated to educational equity for all kids. As part of a national network, Horizons St. Louis in Kirkwood’s Executive Director has access to professional development opportunities, peer-to-peer learning and collaboration, and programmatic and strategic guidance from Horizons National, the hub of the Horizons Network.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Management

• Lead and manage a diverse staff overseeing all program activities and operations, ensuring the delivery of high-quality programming
• Direct student recruitment and retention efforts for both summer and academic year programs, liaising with school principals, teachers, guidance counselors, and families as needed
• Develop and implement a strategic plan for program growth and expansion, including increased year-round offerings and programming for middle and high school students

Organizational Leadership

• Collaborate closely with the Horizons St. Louis in Kirkwood Board of Directors, providing leadership and support to members and committees
• Prepare and monitor the program’s annual budget of approximately $250,000, ensuring fiscal responsibility and alignment with organizational goals
• Facilitate the collection and submission of required data to Horizons National to support organizational reporting and evaluation

Fundraising and Development

• Serve as the face of Horizons, stewarding relationships with donors and participating in networking and speaking opportunities to enhance the organization’s visibility
• Collaborate with the Board to develop and execute fundraising strategies, including the cultivation of new funding sources, and support for fundraising events
• Ensure accurate gift recording and timely acknowledgement, leveraging donor database resources as needed

Business Operations

• Supervise and manage the business operations of Horizons, overseeing staff and contractors to ensure efficient and effective program delivery
• Develop annual budget proposals for the Board approval, outlining financial plans and resource allocation strategies
• Monitor expenditures and financial performance to ensure adherence to budgetary guidelines and organizational priorities
• Lead and manage the creation and dissemination of all informational and promotional communications, including Horizons’ Annual Report, brochures, appeal letters, website and social media

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Demonstrated success in leadership roles in a nonprofit setting, preferably in an organization with a focus on education, out-of-school time programming, or youth
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to build and sustain positive and respectful relationships, with a sense of cultural competency and experience with working with a diverse range of stakeholders
• Familiarity with program administration, including operations, budgeting, and staff management
• Experience leading fundraising activities, including donor relations and events
• Demonstrated commitment to understanding how systems impact our families and communities we work with
• Commitment to continual growth in understanding personal biases and role within societal systems

SALARY AND OTHER INFORMATION

• Full-time position with annual compensation commensurate with experience, in the range of $50,000-$60,000
• Executive Director is expected to work regular business hours with some evening hours required for Board meetings and to support program and donor events
• On-site presence is required during the program, which currently runs in June and July. Otherwise, remote work is acceptable, but the Executive Director must be available for in-person meetings as necessary throughout the year
  Attendance at the Horizons National annual conference is mandatory
• We prioritize Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), and therefore, we are dedicated to providing EDI professional development opportunities in alignment with our program to all Horizons staff

HOW TO APPLY

Please send a resume and cover letter to Hope Johnson, Horizons Business Manager at businessmanager@horizonsstlouis.org.