EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR GAY & LESBIAN VICTORY FUND

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR – Washington, DC

GAY & LESBIAN VICTORY FUND / GAY & LESBIAN VICTORY INSTITUTE

Goodwin & Company has been retained to assist the Victory Fund (www.victoryfund.org) & Institute (www.victoryinstitute.org) in recruiting a new Executive Director. The Executive Director will work with the Boards of Directors to provide leadership to staff, donors and supporters. She/he must possess a strong commitment to the organizations’ missions of

• Changing the face and voice of America’s politics;
• Achieving equality for LGBT Americans by increasing the number of openly LGBT officials at all levels of government; and
• Advancing a diverse network of LGBT public leaders worldwide.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR GAY & LESBIAN VICTORY FUND

BACKGROUND

In 1991 the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund was formally created as a non-partisan, multi-candidate, federal political action committee, largely as a result of the work of ten gay and lesbian political activists. In the fall of that year, Sherry Harris became the first candidate recommended to the Victory Fund donor network and later, the first Victory Fund candidate to win her election. Rapid growth followed and in the first election cycle six of 12 candidates endorsed by the Victory Fund won their races. As success follows success, more growth ensued and in 1998, the Victory Fund was instrumental in electing to Congress U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, the first candidate ever elected to that body running as openly LGBT. Other breakthrough elections have occurred since then at the national, state and local levels.

In 1993, the Victory Institute was formed as a 501c3 to provide comprehensive, non-partisan training to present and future LGBT candidates, campaign staff and community leaders. Among the Institute’s centerpiece programs is an intensive three-day course designed to teach essential components of a winning political campaign. Courses are offered in 3-4 regional locations each year. To date more than 2000 individuals have completed those courses.

To develop additional leadership skills for elected and appointed officials, Victory Institute has established a suite of programs including:

• David Bohnett LGBT Leadership Fellowship, which sends outstanding LGBT leaders to the Harvard Kennedy School’s Senior Executives in State and Local Government program to hone their skills and build leadership potential.
• Victory Congressional Internship which provides a semester-long internship experience in a Congressional office;
• International Leadership Development which trains LGBT public leaders in developing countries around the world;
• Annual LGBT Leaders Conference which provides the opportunity for elected and appointed officials from around the world to gather annually to build connections, exchange ideas and develop their leadership skills; and
• Gay Politics Report which provides greater and easier access to news information related to important issues in the LGBT community;

The Victory Fund is a 527 political organization, which provides funds and other resources in support of its endorsed candidates. The organization is governed by a board of up to 17 members, headed by its Chair, Steve Elmendorf. The Victory Institute, a 501 c 3 organization with a separate board of up to 17 members, is chaired by Debra Shore. The boards meet on a quarterly basis. (The Victory Boards are in the process of establishing a 501 c 4 umbrella organization to streamline governance and operations.) The combined annual budgets have grown to more than $5 million. In addition, the Victory Campaign Board provides support and guidance on endorsements of candidates and has more than 100 members.

There are 20 full time staff and a small number of part-time staff. Those reporting directly to the Executive Director are the Managing Director/Chief Operating Officer, Senior Vice President for Leadership Programs, Political Director and Development Director. The staff members share the commitment of the board members and other supporters to the mission of the Fund and Institute and are talented and resourceful. Financially, the Victory Fund and Institute are strong, consistently receiving clean audits. To maintain their financial stability, the Victory Fund and Institute maintain a broad range of development and fundraising activities including programs for major donors, corporate sponsors, direct mail, and events.

CURRENT SITUATION

For the past 12 years Chuck Wolfe has served as the CEO of the Victory Fund and Victory Institute. He has decided to explore other career opportunities and will leave the CEO position December 31, paving the way for a new Executive Director to provide the necessary leadership and bring their own talents and perspective to the organizations.
With the mid-term elections finished, the new Executive Director must give attention to local elections in 2015 and to preparing for the 2016 elections. In addition, the new CEO will need to face and resolve other issues during the first year of her/his tenure:

Strategic Plan—The new strategic plans for the Fund and Institute will be implemented in 2015. The implementation, governance, marketing and execution of the plans are vitally important and should be the Executive Director’s top priority. A central part of the plans emphasizes greater electoral involvement in states where there has been little success in achieving LGBT equality.

Political Skill Building—The Institute has been very successful in building political skills for candidates and others. The Executive Director should focus attention on the organization and placement of the trainings and on increasing participation by people of color and transgender individuals.

International Trainings—In 2015, agreement with US AID must be reached on other countries to be served in 2015 and 2016.

Office space—The lease for the Victory Fund and Institute office will expire at the end of 2016. Relocation is a strong possibility and decisions will need to be made in 2015 about the future.
25th Anniversary–Planning should begin in 2015 for the 25th anniversary of the Victory Fund in 2016.

Also during the first year, the Executive Director should become well-acquainted with all aspects of the operations of the organizations, with supporters, with elected and appointed officials and with other organizations who share common ground with Fund and Institute.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The Executive Director will be responsible for all activities of the Victory Fund and Institute, overseeing other staff to ensure success in all areas including operations, fundraising, and marketing, The boards of the two organizations will make clear their expectations through the strategic plan and through annual performance reviews of the Executive Director. To meet those responsibilities, the Executive Director should possess a broad range of skills and experience and perhaps, most importantly, a strong commitment to equality for LGBT individuals in every facet of life.

For the right person, this Executive Director position is a rare opportunity to provide leadership to an established and successful organization, to work with a broad array of talented, successful people who are committed to the specific mission of the Fund and Institute and to keeping the organizations constantly fresh and responsive to changing needs and challenges. The Executive Director must be astute about electoral and organizational politics, working with a strategic plan and working effectively in a bi-partisan organization. The new Executive Director will bring her or his own personality and attributes to the position but should have the following professional qualifications and personal qualities:

• Understanding of the mission of the Victory Fund/Institute and the larger political landscape in which the organization exists and works, including that related to elections but also related to other organizations;
• Successful experience managing a similar sized organization or managing within a larger organization, including working with a board of directors or similar governing body;
• Successful experience managing organizational growth;
• Demonstrated success recruiting, motivating and retaining diverse staff;
• Demonstrated success building and managing programs that appeal to a diverse population of participants;
• Demonstrated success in organizing resources and leading an organization toward a defined goal;
• Demonstrated success in executing a broad fund raising program, including cultivating major donors and corporate support;
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills,
• Excellent public representation skills with ability to motivate others;
• Ability to work successfully with people from varied backgrounds;
• Superior leadership skills with an easy style of using them;
• Creativity, vision and the ability to implement ideas;
• Ability and interest in listening to opinions and ideas of others; and
• Ability to travel.

COMPENSATION

Compensation includes salary competitive with other similar sized organizations. Benefits include employer paid health insurance, disability insurance, 20 days of annual paid time off, employee assistance program and 401 (k) with employer match.
For further information or to submit resume please contact:

Tom Goodwin
President
Goodwin & Company
PO Box 30036
Washington, DC 20036
tom@goodwinco.com
202-785-9292

The post EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR GAY & LESBIAN VICTORY FUND appeared first on Seasons of Pride.