Harlem Grown, Executive Director

ORGANIZATION

Harlem Grown is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire youth to lead healthy and ambitious lives through mentorship and hands-on education in urban farming, sustainability, and nutrition. Harlem Grown operates local urban farms that increase access to and knowledge of healthy food for Harlem residents, and provide farm-based development programs to Harlem youth.

Harlem Grown manages five intensive school partners and operates eleven urban agricultural facilities, ranging from soil-based farms, hydroponic greenhouses, to school gardens. Harlem Grown provides youth and community development programs focused on urban farming, wellness, and sustainability. Our youth-focused programs include intensive school partnerships placing sustainability mentors in four public schools, as well as educational farm tours, summer camp, a Saturday enrichment program, and an afterschool program. Our community development programs include wellness workshops, special events, food scrap collection for composting, and fresh farm produce distribution to participants, volunteers, and neighborhood residents.

Founded in 2011 by Tony Hillery with one school partnership, one urban farm, and an idea to help Harlem children, today, Harlem Grown’s farms and greenhouses are used as classrooms and as venues to cultivate a connection to the environment and food among young people across upper Manhattan. For more information about Harlem Grown, please visit http://www.harlemgrown.org/.

OPPORTUNITY

With the transition of their Founding Executive Director, Tony Hillery, to a new Chief Executive Officer position, Harlem Grown is seeking an experienced, nonprofit leader and dynamic Executive Director to lead the organization into its next chapter. The Executive Director will be primarily responsible for day to day operations, finance and the management of department leads across the organization.

The ideal Executive Director candidate will be a proven nonprofit executive who loves Harlem’s kids, and believes deeply in their possibility. This person will also be a senior-level youth-development leader, with a passion for social and racial justice, and experience in building and retaining high-quality, diverse teams. Just as importantly, an excellent communicator with experience working in communities similar to those served by Harlem Grown.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Executive Director will be in charge of the day-to-day management of Harlem Grown, including:

• Organizational Management, Foster a highly-professional environment, where strategy, programming, systems, and communications are well developed and maintained. Also, in partnership with the Board of Directors and CEO, develop the vision and mission of the organization and refine, as needed to meet changing external and internal dynamics;
• Managing senior staff and in-school partnerships, acting not only as a supervisor but also as a coach and consensus builder, remaining deeply committed to the values of developing and bringing out the strengths of all of Harlem Grown’s people while also holding them accountable for their goals and desired outcomes;
• Supporting fundraising and partnering with Tony, the Director of Development, the Board of Directors, and donors to secure and allocate the resources necessary for Harlem Grown to continue to support the depth, breadth and quality of its programs;
• Carrying the voice of Harlem Grown to the broader community, connecting personally with all stakeholders (students, staff, parents and Board members) and representing the school with district leaders, external partners, policymakers, funders and other supporters.

QUALIFICATIONS

In order to meet their responsibilities, the ideal Executive Director candidate will be:

• An accomplished youth development leader with success in leading to impactful results for kids and families;
• A passion for the mission of Harlem Grown, demonstrated through experience in youth development, nutrition, urban farming, and/or environmentalism;
• Inspiring in their management style, with experience leading leaders, able to develop their people, while also holding them accountable to measurable results;
• Able to drive growth and have direct experience in developing and implementing grass-roots growth plans with tangible results in a fast-changing, entrepreneurial environment;
• Knowledgeable and experienced in programmatic implementation in the K-12 education sector, particularly in major markets;
• An exceptional relationship builder who can quickly gain the confidence of the Board of Directors, parents, faculty/staff, and students;
• Familiar with fundraising and comfortable with building strong connections to individual donors, foundation leaders, and others in the philanthropic community;
• Knowledgeable about the academic and social emotional needs of students, especially those of different racial, linguistic, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds;
• Skilled in strategic planning, project management, and organization, able to focus on big picture priorities while not losing sight of the details;
• Comfortable with structuring and negotiating contracts and agreements;

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Harlem Grown offers a competitive salary range of $122,000-130,000 and a robust benefits package. More details can be provided upon request.

TO APPLY

Please submit a resume online at https://bit.ly/3mXtxKb. For additional questions about this position or to speak with someone about your interest, please contact Kevin Bryant at kbryant@edgilityconsulting.com or at 510.575.9635.

Harlem Grown is an equal opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity. Recruiting staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all backgrounds. Candidates are evaluated solely on their qualifications to perform the work required.