About Hardy Girls
Hardy Girls is a Maine-based, research-driven nonprofit with the mission of taking girls & nonbinary youth seriously and putting the power in their hands to challenge a society that ignores their brilliance. We dare adult allies to join us. Our vision is girls and nonbinary youth causing a ruckus. Started in 2000, Hardy Girls serves over 800 girls and nonbinary youth annually across six programs that inspire curiosity, critical thinking, coalition-building, and challenging the status quo.
A note about the workplace: We are a small staff with bold, unflinching goals. We value each other, respect each other, and laugh a lot. We really enjoy each other’s company and while the organizational values match our own, our jobs are not our lives. As full humans with lives outside of our jobs, we create a space that welcomes our authentic selves to the work. We have an office space in Augusta, but our team meetings are mostly done via Zoom.
Leadership Opportunity
Hardy Girls seeks a passionately feminist nonprofit professional, strategic leader, and enthusiastic fundraiser to be our next Executive Director (ED). The successful candidate will bring meaningful development and fundraising experience, a commitment to working in partnership with youth, and strong staff leadership skills.
The ED reports to and partners with a ~12-person intergenerational Board of Directors, which fulfills its fiduciary role through bimonthly board meetings, engaged committee participation, and active resource development efforts. The ED manages a team of three full time staff members, all of whom currently report to the ED and include a Director of Operations and two Program Managers. The ED also manages the organization’s annual budget.
Key Responsibilities
The ED’s key responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Organizational and Strategic Leadership (25%)
- Lead a dedicated, passionate team to ensure that staff are supported, work is being done effectively, and program and organizational goals are aligned.
- Collaborate with the Board of Directors to ensure that Hardy Girls is fulfilling its mission through ongoing communications and reporting.
- Oversee Hardy Girls’s high-level financial management, ensuring that the organization is financially sound and operating with financial prudence for long-term sustainability.
- Lead the development of Hardy Girls’ annual budget, alongside Board leadership and operations and program staff, to ensure that it aligns with the organization’s goals and priorities.
- Development and Communications (50%)
- Lead the implementation of a comprehensive fundraising and development strategy that aligns with Hardy Girl’s mission and goals.
- Research, write, and manage grants, often in partnership with Program staff.
- Build and steward relationships with donors to maintain ongoing support, especially in the form of monthly donations, major gifts, and the Annual Appeal.
- Work in partnership with staff, especially the Operations Director, to tell Hardy Girls’ story through communications, including but not limited to email newsletters, donor correspondence, social media, and public events.
- Programming (25%)
- Oversee programmatic strategy and growth, partnering with staff to ensure that each of Hardy Girls’ six programs has a clear work-plan and funding source.
- Directly supervise and partner with two Program Managers as they scale the Coalition Group, Muse, and Feminist Action Board (FAB) programs, ensuring clear communication and collaboration across the organization.
- Ensure Hardy Girls programs and trainings are up to date with best practices, are responsive to emergent needs, and center youth voice at all levels.
- Provide support with youth and professional development workshop delivery.
Experiences, Skills, and Qualities
- Required:
- Active desire to topple the patriarchy and call out white supremacy.
- Passion for Hardy Girls’ mission, with an understanding of issues and trends affecting girls and nonbinary youth, particularly in Maine.
- Proven experience writing successful grants, securing new revenue streams, and stewarding new and existing donor relationships for a nonprofit organization.
- Program development and management experience.
- Collaborative and supportive staff management experience.
- High level of integrity, initiative, flexibility, teamwork, creativity, and planning.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively communicate with diverse audiences.
- Preferred:
- Strong ties to community organizations in Maine.
- Experience working in the fields of girls development, youth activism, and/or LGBTQ+ youth support.
- Experience developing and running programs focused on positive youth development and social emotional learning.
Additional Information
- This position is Maine-based, and the successful candidate should be located or be willing to relocate within commuting distance to Augusta, Maine.
- When not delivering programs in person, the position could work remotely, in our Augusta office, or a combination of the two.
- This position will require occasional (15%) work and travel around the state so a valid driver’s license and access to a car is required. Travel reimbursement available.
- This is a full-time, salaried position.
- The Board is targeting a starting salary of $62,000, with future increases commensurate with organizational growth over time.
- A monthly health stipend and dental insurance are provided.
Please submit a cover letter and resume to hiring@hardygirls.org. No calls please.
This job description uses language and structures from job descriptions previously posted by Demand Justice, the Greater DC Diaper Bank, and the Appalachian Community Fund.
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