Executive Director - Forward Montana

Job Title: Executive Director

Position Status: Full-time, exempt

Location: Missoula or Bozeman. Candidates in other locations in Montana will be considered.

Position Reports to: Forward MT & Forward MT Foundation Boards of Directors

Compensation: $85,000 - $100,000

Forward Montana also offers the following benefits:

• 100% Employer paid health insurance, basic life insurance, and employee assistance program
• Opt-in employee paid dental, vision, accident, and term-life insurance
• Technology and wellness reimbursements
• 3% Retirement match
• Generous paid time off policy through which staff accrue 4 weeks of annual leave per year
• 9 paid holidays and winter break
• Paid Family leave
• Professional development opportunities and funds

Forward Montana and Forward Montana Foundation are seeking an Executive Director to carry the organization into a new chapter of organizing, activism, and action throughout the state with fresh energy and perspective. The ideal candidate will be ready to engage with rural Montanans, collaborate with partners, and continue Forward Montana’s financial stability into the future. This candidate will value consensus building and internal organizational cohesion, and will be innovative, strategic, and a problem solver. 

Who We Are

Forward Montana, founded in 2004, is the state’s largest youth-led, youth-focused civic engagement organization. We strive to transform government and communities to be just, sustainable, and equitable while working toward a future where Montana celebrates and reflects the diversity of our generation. We support young people to build power with and for each other to create lasting change.

The Executive Director works closely with all staff and the Board of Directors and manages the responsibilities listed below.

Job Description

Lead the development and planning of the organization’s vision and mission – 10%

• Lead staff and board members through the creation and implementation of a long-term strategic plan.

• Oversee the annual process of developing goals and relevant strategies to achieve the organization’s long-term vision. 

• Ensure there are feedback loops within our organization so that we can remain flexible, shifting strategies and goals during times of change.

• Help identify and prioritize new program opportunities that accomplish our mission, while also evaluating programs and shifting focus when necessary.

• Develop and/or support the development of electoral and issue-based campaigns. Support and lead the internal and external efforts that foster a values-aligned culture.

Execute the organization’s vision while leading a statewide staff – 25%

• Work with staff to monitor progress towards goals and step in to redirect when off-track, offering solutions or a sounding board during high stakes moments.

• Attend events and participate in field shifts (hosted by local organizers) to ensure high quality programming and better understand successes and challenges.

• Manage the Director of Voter Engagement, Development Director, Operations Director, and Communications Manager, providing supervision, feedback, and troubleshooting challenges to ensure they have access to resources and support to manage teams and execute their job duties well.

• Regularly evaluate direct reports and their teams, to determine professional training and development opportunities, and develop improvement plans if they fail to meet expectations.

• Meet with staff and managers as appropriate.

• Oversee the annual performance review processes for all staff to ensure successful completion of work plans, and appropriate compensation and benefits for employees. 

• Conduct investigations and determine disciplinary action of underperforming staff, in consultation with their managers, HR, and legal as needed.

• Oversee legal compliance of the organization, reaching out for expert advice and board opinions when necessary. In tandem, the Operations Director submits appropriate reports to the Secretary of State and the Commissioner of Political Practices.

• Coordinate staff from across the organization to complete major projects and communicate major decisions. 

Strengthen the organization’s visibility to advance our mission – 25%

• Develop strategic relationships with key elected officials and their staff, community leaders, organizational partners, reporters, and other thought leaders; this includes strategically asking for advice and getting ahead of anticipated problems.

• Represent the organization in key coalition spaces and advocate for the needs and perspectives of young people.

• Act as the conduit for the Alliance for Youth Organizing and act as part of a broader, national movement while also communicating our organization’s interest and experiences. 

• Support the Communications and Development teams in their strategy and creation of assets by reviewing and approving press releases, media advisories, email blasts, and other collateral when appropriate.

• Attend partner and political events, happy hours, conferences, etc.; this position travels A LOT!

Be the organization’s lead fundraiser and oversee our finances – 30%

• Oversee the development of the annual budget and fundraising plan and strategy. This is done in consultation with staff and board.

• Review annually the Form 990 and audited statements with supporting documentation. 

• Review monthly all financial statements and meet with our accountant as necessary.

• Support the Operations Director in managing the organization’s financial systems and approve online payments and sign checks. Support the Development Director in managing the organization's fundraising systems and execution of plans.

• Manage relationships with major funders (individual and institutional) which includes email updates, 1:1 conversations (virtual and in-person), and other touch points. Ensure we are taking advantage of ALL opportunities. 

• Review and approve grant proposals and reports developed by the Development team, draft reports as needed, but rarely write a proposal from scratch.

• Be involved with the proposal and report development of new programs, especially of a significant expense.

• Coordinate decisions on financial strategy with the Board Finance Committee including the development of investments and reserves.

Drive board development – 10%

• Work with board chairs to ensure a positive, thriving FMT culture and best practices at the board level.

• Coordinate with the Board to ensure board members have clear roles, responsibilities, and expectations that are communicated to them at the onset and monitored regularly.

• Work with board chairs supporting the creation, facilitation, and staffing of board committees, including Governance, Finance, and Executive.

• Regularly communicate with board members, so that they are aware of our successes and challenges, opportunities to be involved, and are empowered to act as knowledgeable FMT ambassadors.

• Coordinate with board chairs on appropriate conversations to bring to the board, when developing retreat and/or meeting agendas.

• Strategize with the Political Committee on high stakes endorsement and political decisions as needed.

• Support the board in updates to bylaws, organizational policies, and the employee handbook.

Qualifications

Gotta-Have Skill Sets: Must be present for a candidate to move forward in the hiring process.

• Management experience: Can manage multiple people and departments, building internal cohesion among staff, enabling collaboration, providing leadership coaching and development opportunities to staff, while also ensuring proper implementation of fundraising, communication, accounting, and program.

• Commitment to leadership development: Experience or demonstrated investment in centering, supporting, and making space for young, historically marginalized leaders, and growing skills of and opportunities for staff, volunteers, and board members.

• Facilitation and decision-making skills: Can facilitate feedback and buy-in from multiple stakeholders on major organizational decisions; can problem solve complex and uncertain situations.

• Organizing experience: Experience and demonstrated enthusiasm for organizing around issues such as economic justice, LGBTQ2+ equality, reproductive rights, or climate/conservation.

• Skilled communicator: Experience and enthusiasm for written and verbal communication; experiences like grant writing and public speaking are a plus.

• Exemplifies Forward Montana’s values: (Accountability, connection, and empathy, strength, balance. and innovation.

• A deep understanding and desire to implement a diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice framework throughout an organization.
  
  

Nice-to-Have Skill Sets: Not required, but having these skills would make a candidate’s transition into the job more seamless for the individual and the organization.

• Montana experience and relationships

• Budgeting and financial management experience

• Fundraising experience

• Field or program experience with voter registration, voter turnout, or canvassing

• Passion for working within democratized decision-making structures

Harmful actions (legislative and beyond) disproportionately hurt the most marginalized people in society — including people of color, people from working class backgrounds, women and LGBTQ2+ people. We believe in centering our work around these communities. Hence, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities. All ages are encouraged to apply.

To apply, click "Apply for this position" and upload a cover letter and resume including three references. If you have any questions, please email the Hiring Committee at hiring@forwardmontana.org with “Executive Director” in the subject line. Applicants are encouraged to apply on or before November 17th at 11:59 pm Mountain Time.