Executive Director Job Description

Connecting people of all ages to wildness.

To foster a multi-generational community in Chittenden County that is dedicated to building relationships to human and more-than-human ecosystems. We use a relationship-centered approach to promote, foster, create and support direct, hands-on opportunities for people of all ages to reconnect to their wildness. To read a narrative description for the educational community we strive to create, read A Day In The Life.

Since 2010, Crow’s Path has built a strong organizational foundation with a range of programs from preschool to adult. We have an ambitious vision for the future (see A Day in the Life for a narrative description of our long term vision for Crow’s Path). Teage O’Connor, Crow’s Path’s founder, has served as Executive Director since our inception. As the organization prepares for a new phase of growth and impact, Teage will be moving into a role focused on strategy and program design. We seek a new Executive Director who can lead the organization in this next chapter – ensuring the continued sustainability of our existing work, enhancing the accessibility of our programming and organization for families and staff, and turning our vision for the future into reality.

The Executive Director will provide leadership and direction to advance the organization’s mission, reporting to the Board of Directors and collaborating closely with a talented and passionate staff which includes:

• Teage O’Connor (Founder, current Executive Director; transitioning to role focused on strategy and program design)
• Ross Doree (Youth Programs Director)
• Sarah McClellan (Preschool Director)
• Julia Cornell (Preschool Assistant Director)
• Lauren Greco (Business Manager)

Crow’s Path operating budget in FY23/24 was approximately $500,000, though this will steadily increase over the next two fiscal years as our preschool slowly expands its capacity. Through deliberate, thoughtful program design and budgeting alongside a measured and patient approach to growth, our established programs are self-sustaining in their current structure. Behind the stability, however, are hidden costs borne by our educational staff and financial costs that make our programs inaccessible to many families. The board’s focus on resource mobilization will be critical to supporting the following organizational priorities for advancing our mission and bringing our budget and practices into closer alignment with our values:

• Expand our financial aid fund to make programs more accessible
• Improve staff compensation
• Seed new program initiatives in their initial and experimental phases
• Secure new funding and physical resources to realize our 5-10 year vision of creating a full-time elementary school, including the purchase of land

• Manage staff, oversee goal-setting and work performance, and ensure staff receive the feedback, support, and information to thrive in their work
• Sustain and strengthen a culture of collaboration and innovation among staff, built on a practice of distributed leadership where staff are empowered to experiment and make decisions on the work they lead

• Ensure Crow’s Path has the right staffing and resources to advance its mission
• Enhance Crow’s Path’s HR practices and policies to ensure they align with the organization’s values and promote staff retention and well-being, including strengthening the organization’s compensation practices

• Develop and execute comprehensive fundraising strategies to secure financial support from diverse sources, including individual donors, foundations, corporations, government, and local businesses
• Secure new funding and physical resources to realize our 5-10 year vision of creating a full-time elementary school, including the potential purchase of land
• Build and maintain strong relationships with community leaders, partners, and external stakeholders to expand the reach and effectiveness of Crow’s Path’s programming, in close collaboration with program staff

• Support the process of building and strengthening the board, including the recruitment and onboarding of new board members
• Partner with the board to co-create a board culture and board/staff relationship that effectively supports the long term vision of the organization

• Oversee Crow’s Path financial management, budgeting, and multi-year financial planning to meet current needs and future vision
• Ensure Crow’s Path is compliant with all applicable laws and regulations and that the organization takes appropriate steps to mitigate risk

• Ensure Crow’s Path has the operational infrastructure for staff to be successful in their work, including internal communication, collaboration, technology, facilities, data, and program operations
• Create and lead the execution of operational plans to realize Crow’s Path’s multi-year vision, which includes the opening of an elementary school

• Ensure Crow’s Path has the right staffing and resources to advance its mission
• Enhance Crow’s Path’s HR practices and policies to ensure they align with the organization’s values and promote staff retention and well-being, including strengthening the organization’s compensation practices

Our ideal candidate will hold experience and knowledge in the following areas:

• Passion for the mission: passionate about Crow’s Path mission to connect people to wildness; experience with educational programming preferred but not required
• Organizational leadership: Minimum of 3 years of nonprofit leadership experience, including managing a staff in a collaborative, entrepreneurial environment
• Financial management: Knowledge of nonprofit financial management, budgeting, and reporting; ability to use financial information to support organizational decision-making
• Fundraising: Expertise in creating and executing comprehensive fundraising strategies; proven ability to cultivate and maintain relationships with a diversity of funders including individual, foundations, and businesses

In addition, they will possess the following:

• Authentic leadership: Demonstrates high levels of self-awareness, leading with authenticity and transparency, openly sharing successes and challenges, and creating a culture where learning and vulnerability are valued
• Communication: Communicates clearly, honestly, and persuasively to internal and external audiences, serving as a compelling champion and building trust and credibility
• Decision-making: Practices effective, inclusive decision making that advances the mission of the organization by drawing on data and feedback, while also recognizing where decisions can be made by others and fostering an environment of distributed leadership where staff are empowered with the skills, information, and authority to make decisions to advance the work they manage
• People management: Ability to support and coach others to succeed in their work, building and nurturing a high-performing team that encourages collaboration, innovation, and mutual support
• Project management: Can plan and manage many complex projects simultaneously, working closely with others to gather input, build buy-in and participation, manage conflict, keep stakeholders informed, and deliver high quality results
• Organization and follow through: Demonstrates strong organization and time management skills, managing multiple responsibilities efficiently, creating effective plans and processes, and following through on commitments made
• Prioritization and adaptability: Ability to evaluate tradeoffs and decide how to prioritize staff time and financial resources towards areas of highest organizational need, as well as flexibly adapt when new needs, opportunities, or information arises

Compensation and benefits: The salary range for this position is $68,000-$78,000. As emphasized in this job description, expanding Crow’s Path financial resources to strengthen staff compensation and benefits is a key priority for the incoming Executive Director. Assuming successful resource development that enables the organization to prioritize compensation increases for program staff, there is also opportunity for growth in the Executive Director’s compensation over time.

Location: In person in Burlington, VT

To apply: First, submit an application, then email your resume and cover letter to Teage O’Connor (teage@crowspath.org).

To apply, first, submit an application, then email your resume and cover letter to Teage O’Connor (teage@crowspath.org). You can learn more about the process and timeline on the application page.