In 2017—in response to community requests for assistance in establishing children’s grief counseling services in the Rio Grande Valley—the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas (CBCST) created a Center in Harlingen to meet the needs of grieving children and families in “deep South Texas.”  CBCRGV in April of 2022 became a 501c(3) nonprofit organization.

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW:

Founded in 2017, CBCRGV’s mission is to foster healing for grieving children and youth, their families, and the community.  CBCRGV accomplishes this mission through facilitated peer support programs, individual counseling, camps, school supports, training, education and outreach.  CBCRGV administrative office is in Harlingen, Texas and program offices are in Harlingen, Texas and McAllen, Texas.  Led by an active 20-member board and 9-member staff, CBCRGV provides peer grief support programs for children ages 3–24 years who have lost a parent, family member, or friend to chronic illness, sudden death, murder, or suicide.

GENERAL JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Executive Director is a member of the management team, reporting to the CBC RGV Board chair and Board.  The Executive Director leads and manages the overall operations and staff of CBC-RGV in accordance with policies and goals established by the CBC RGV Board of Directors.  The Executive Director helps to build and work in cooperation with the CBC RGV Board to implement the Organization’s strategic and operational goals in order to fulfill its mission and vision.  The CBC-RGV Executive Director also oversees a staff focused on achieving CBCRGV’s goals and objectives.

The successful Executive Director is a visionary leader with an entrepreneurial spirit, fundraising expertise, and strong integrity.  The Executive Director has a combination of strategic thinking and operational proficiencies and can serve as a role model of best management practices and decision-making.  The Executive Director will possess a leadership style that is collaborative in nature and empowers staff and volunteers to achieve their highest potential.  The Executive Director will be responsible for developing and implementing an aggressive growth strategy for the Rio Grande Valley operations.  

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Oversees functional responsibility for fundraising, development initiatives, and financial accountability for the budget.
• Works with the Advisory Board to create and implement a strategic plan expanding programs and services while ensuring the budget, staff, and priorities are aligned with the Organization’s core mission.
• Builds strong and strategic partnerships with community, corporate, and government leaders to further the mission of in communities across the Valley.
• Establishes effective decision-making processes and formulates policies and procedures to enable CBC-RGV to achieve its long- and short-term goals and objectives.

• Cultivates and maintains a strong, transparent, and collaborative working relationship with the CBC Board, with timely open communications on financial, management, and program progress against established goals and objectives.
• Leads in developing the knowledge, infrastructure, culture, and competencies necessary to establish CBC-RGV as a respected provider of grief support programs for children through young adulthood.
• Leads the development and execution of a comprehensive staffing and volunteer engagement plan to ensure that CBC-RGV can, in a cost-effective manner, provide high-quality programs and support services to grieving children, their families, and the community.
• Helps identify prospective Board members and nurtures relationships with prospective Board members to strengthen the Board.
• Partners with the Board to create and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy that will generate sustainable revenues.
• Seven or more years of experience in a leadership capacity.
• Five to seven years direct experience working within a nonprofit environment preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree required.  Advanced degree is highly desirable.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.  Aptitude for public speaking is highly desirable.
• Strong strategic planning skills.
• A proven track record of success in planning and leading effective fundraising programs.
• Knowledge of and experience in best practices of nonprofit and/or for-profit management and leadership with a proven track record of accomplishment.
• Track record of success in initiating and leading start-up organizations preferred.
• Budgeting and financial experience including a thorough understanding of financial statements.
• Knowledge of and experience in human resource management.
• Ability to build trust and confidence with Board members, donors, clients, and key volunteers.
• Exceptional people-management skills.
• A team player with a hands-on, direct approach to problem solving and the ability to listen to and involve members of the senior management team as needed to ensure problem resolution.
• Must enjoy working with and being around children.
• An established reputation for high ethical standards.
• Bi-lingual (Spanish) preferred.

• Raises CBC-RGV’s visibility by formulating and executing a comprehensive marketing, branding, and development strategy that ensures consistency across the organization, enhances recognition of the CBC-RGV’s mission in the community, and increases funding from major donors, foundations, and corporations.
• Develops a diverse and sustainable funding strategy to enable CBC-RGV to accomplish its mission and expand its impact in the community.
• Promotes CBC-RGV’s visibility throughout the Harlingen/McAllen/Brownsville communities; the Executive Director is the face of the Organization in the Rio Grande Valley.

QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE, AND SKILLS REQUIRED:

• Seven or more years of experience in a leadership capacity.
• Five to seven years direct experience working within a nonprofit environment preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree required.  Advanced degree is highly desirable.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.  Aptitude for public speaking is highly desirable.
• Strong strategic planning skills.
• A proven track record of success in planning and leading effective fundraising programs.
• Knowledge of and experience in best practices of nonprofit and/or for-profit management and leadership with a proven track record of accomplishment.
• Track record of success in initiating and leading start-up organizations preferred.
• Budgeting and financial experience including a thorough understanding of financial statements.
• Knowledge of and experience in human resource management.
• Ability to build trust and confidence with Board members, donors, clients, and key volunteers.
• Exceptional people-management skills.
• A team player with a hands-on, direct approach to problem solving and the ability to listen to and involve members of the senior management team as needed to ensure problem resolution.
• Must enjoy working with and being around children.
• An established reputation for high ethical standards.
• Bi-lingual (Spanish) preferred.