Chief Executive Officer

Key Responsibilities

They are responsible for ensuring the organization’s people & culture, fiscal, operations, fundraising, marketing, technology, and programmatic strategies are effectively implemented across all segments of the organization. The CEO will have the support of a committed board and senior leadership team, which includes a Chief Operating Officer, Chief Program Officer, Chief People & Inclusion Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Development Officer in leading the dedicated staff and programs.

Specific responsibilities include:

Culture Building

• Champion FareStart’s commitment to becoming an antiracist* organization
• Ensure appropriate, effective, and clear channels of communication throughout the organization and with the communities served to bring everyone along; build a shared understanding across Board and staff of management practices
• Prioritize a stable, “one team, one mission,” results-oriented work culture across all parts of the organization.
• Infuse the culture with clarity about how every role contributes to achieving FareStart’s goals

Strategic Vision and Implementation

• Embrace the 2022-2025 Strategic Plan and support the staff in bringing its core elements to life
• Encourage bold and innovative ideas that leverage community input and advance goals sustainably
• Engage the Board, staff, and community in a highly consultative manner and ensure alignment through all phases of strategy implementation
• Effectively leverage the collective talents of the entire staff as an effective leader of leaders, providing advice, guidance, direction, and decision-making to make progress

Operations and Management

• Apply best practice management, ensuring well-defined roles and expectations, and clear measures of success
• Further build out and implement a high-functioning operating structure that effectively supports staff and aligns to the new strategic plan goals
• Ensure necessary systems, organizational practices, and policies are in place to support implementation of the strategic plan
• Apply sound business judgment, proactive financial management, efficient practices, and standards of excellence to support the sustained financial health of the organization
• Ensure fundraising strategies and goals, annual budgeting, and quarterly forecasting meets organizations growth needs

External Relationship Building

• Understand, engage, and center the communities served
• Build relationships with the generous donors, philanthropists, and volunteers in the Seattle community who support the organization
• Take an active role in building, supporting, and maintaining the collaborative partnerships in and out of the community that are critical to meeting FareStart’s mission
• Continue to secure and expand revenue streams that are mission aligned
• Provide leadership and advocacy on issues related to FareStart’s mission

Ideal Candidate

FareStart’s next CEO will be driven by enthusiasm and passion for FareStart’s mission. This role requires an authentic leader with strong interpersonal skills who can deploy fresh, supportive feedback and energy where needed and operate in a dynamic environment.

Strong emotional and cultural intelligence is crucial to communicate effectively and respectfully with staff, key stakeholders, the Board of Directors, and the population FareStart serves, all of whom bring diverse racial, educational, and socio-economic backgrounds to the organization. The role requires a deep understanding of how the varied needs of these groups differ and intersect in order to foster an inclusive culture that prioritizes the needs of each audience without bias. The CEO needs an action-oriented mindset to readily engage and support the staff and board in the antiracist work underway and ensure it remains an organizational priority.

The ideal candidate brings both strong business acumen and an understanding of direct service to back up their passion for FareStart’s mission. The organization seeks candidates who understand how to align and adapt strategy with the necessary responsiveness to community needs and circumstances.

Demonstrated success in a varied career that spans private, nonprofit, and/or public sector leadership is valued. Experience in social services, operating foundations, or a social enterprise would serve candidates well. Skills in operational leadership, nonprofit leadership, and external partnership building are assets for this role. It is anticipated that a minimum of fifteen years of organizational leadership experience would prepare candidates well for this role. Previous experience with a Board of Directors governance structure and responsibility for revenue generation from earned, philanthropic, and government sources is highly valued. Knowing how to create and optimize a high-functioning organization that centers communities served and capitalizes on everyone’s diverse strengths is essential. The successful candidate will also be a good listener who considers the opinions and concerns of those both internally and externally.

As a leader, the ideal candidate has proven themselves as an inclusive manager and decision maker who considers people and professional development as top priorities. They have strong interpersonal skills, allowing them to listen, balance, and prioritize effectively as well as deploy fresh, supportive energy where and when needed. They are results-oriented with the ability to inspire and motivate while navigating leadership and management issues with transparency, compassion, and agility.

Empathy, humility, and collaboration are highly valued traits for this role. The selected candidate should not be possessive over their function or their work; rather the ideal candidate delegates well, responds appropriately to conflict, and proactively brings people along. They share information, knowledge, and ideas readily and exceptionally well with others, both internally and externally. They are skilled at keeping projects and teams, including leadership, on track. They also have a willingness to bring their full self to work and live the values of the organization.