UNLEASHING POTENTIAL
INTERIM PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Unleashing Potential (UP) is a nonprofit provider of quality After-School Care, Summer Enrichment Camps and Family Engagement Services. Our mission is to close the opportunity gap for children and youth by building on their strengths.
UP has a long and successful history serving children and their families in St. Louis. While our name, address and programs have changed over 113+ years, we are still dedicated to bringing educational and empowering experiences to St Louis’ children and youth. UP continues to evolve. We recently transitioned away from our Early Childhood Education (ECE) program at Caroline Mission and are seeking to re-vision our ECE services.
Unleashing Potential is seeking an Interim President/Chief Executive Officer to maintain organizational stability, focus, and productivity until a permanent President/Chief Executive Officer is hired (approximately 8 to 12 months). The Interim President/Chief Executive Officer will have a transition period with our outgoing President/Chief Executive Officer.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Interim President/Chief Executive Officer has overall responsibility for the leadership and operation of UP, including general administration of the programs; working with Senior Management in Administration, Finance, Development, IT, and personnel management; implementing programmatic policies; providing necessary daily leadership support; and working with the Board of Directors. The Interim President/Chief Executive Officer reports directly to the Board of Directors.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Applicants must have seven (7) to ten (10) years of experience in executive director or senior management level nonprofit management
- Must have a B.A. or B.S. Degree from an accredited university
- A master’s degree in business and/or nonprofit organizational management is preferred
- Must have a minimum of seven (7) years progressive management and supervisory experience (including supervision of education professionals, excellent communication skills, excellent skills and supervisory experience in budgeting, financial management and fund raising)
- Previous experience at a similar non-profit organization is preferable with demonstration of the following abilities:
- Collaborate effectively with nonprofit board of directors
- Lead and manage a nonprofit organization, including navigating the organization through a transitional period.
- Build supportive relationships with staff.
- Identify organizational challenges and obstacles and help prioritize changes.
- Identify and raise hard issues, address them head on and make recommendations.
- Communicate with staff, Board of Directors, and stakeholders openly and transparently.
- Manage projects and work while also integrating input from staff.
- Develop and support current and potential donors, and engage in advocacy and public relations.
SALARY:
Competitive and negotiable depending on experience ($75-$100/hr). This is a contract position for 30 hours/week to be negotiated with the Board of Directors.
APPLICATION / INFORMATION:
Persons interested in being considered for this position should upload their letter of introduction, resume, and a list of at least three references by March 31, 2026 to:
Attn.: Andrew Walshaw, Board Vice-Chair
Email: awalshaw@upstl.org
We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.
SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
I. Work as a change agent and attend to the organization’s leadership transition process.
- Assist the Board of Directors and staff with transition and addressing important systems and capacity issues, and lay the groundwork for the permanent leadership’ success.
- Identify any organizational challenges and operating deficiencies, and highlight opportunities.
- Work with staff to identify areas of organizational improvement and change, including strengthening of organizational culture; determine next steps to address.
- Create excitement about fresh possibilities for the organization’s future, including developing new marketing ideas and public relation strategies.
- Help develop new business/program models that align with funding sources.
- Foster relationships with existing school district clients, government funding agencies and major donors and ease anxieties about the transition.
- Oversee development of transition-related communications and public relations efforts with funders and other supporters/stakeholders.
- Mentor and grow skills of Senior Management staff.
- Keep leadership, staff, and Board of Directors focused on and informed throughout transition.
II. Maintain the standard executive arena by overseeing finances and fundraising goals, monitoring the program operations, supporting managers, and attending to Board of Directors and staff/team member building.
- Work with the Senior Management Team to lead the organization and oversee overall management of UP.
- Collaborate with Senior Management Team and the Board of Directors to ensure financial and other organizational accountability.
- Fulfill administrative tasks and otherwise attend to day-to-day tasks as needed within the Chief Executive Officer role.
- Support and oversee organizational communications, development, and administrative staff.
- Support Development Director in developing and implementing fundraising, establishing and maintaining relationships and ongoing correspondence with major donors.
- Contribute to the development of federal and foundation grant proposals.
- Strengthen and expand school district client services.
- Oversee management of program finances, including supervising staff with financial responsibilities, ensuring the Board of Directors receives reports prior to the scheduled Board of Directors meetings, and informing the Board of Directors of financial problems as they arise.
- Ensure continuing accreditation and good standing of organization.
- Conduct regular visits to UP Client sites.
- Communicate with the field staff regarding Board of Directors actions and collect information from the field staff and school district clients to report back to the Board of Directors.
