Executive Director

Jim Smith, the founding and current President of Spiritus Christi Prison Outreach, is stepping down as the founding Executive Director role after an inspiring and impactful 46-year tenure with the organization. Jim and the Board of Directors are proud to be turning over a well-functioning organization to the next leader. Much of SCPO’s success can be attributed to the maintenance of a compassionate, empathetic and hopeful grass-roots culture at all levels of the organization. Employees in every role are proud of their personal impact on SCPO’s mission to move lives forward. The Board of Directors, staff and residents are keenly focused on preserving the organization’s reputation for supporting the “whole person” – body, mind and spirit- through its next phase of growth. The next Executive Director will lead a highly engaged team in service to SCPO’s mission:To empower individuals who are justice involved and homeless by providing stable housing, life skills, connections to treatment services and a supportive community. Staff members support residents living in Nielsen House, Jennifer House and several community-based residences with “built-in” supportive services. Staff unanimously report that they love their jobs and describe a high degree of affinity with the organization and its mission. Many staff members have justice involved experience, making it easier to earn the trust of clients who are re-engaging with the community after incarceration. When you combine SCPO’s compassionate culture with empathetic programming and highly engaged staff, you get results – ninety percent of program participants are not reincarcerated within the first year of service. The organization typically operates at or near breakeven and is supported by a healthy balance sheet. Since Nielsen House and Jennifer House both have waiting lists of eligible and interested future residents, a controlled growth strategy is appropriate for SCPO. To prepare for continued controlled growth, the next Executive Director must first ensure that SCPO’s organizational structure is ready for growth, including adequate staffing, training and funding. The successful candidate will team with staff and the Board of Directors to develop a strategic plan to stabilize current operations and position the organization to help a growing number of individuals each year without compromising culture and quality. The following areas have been identified for more immediate development: Fundraising responsibilities are currently shared across several positions, without a cohesive strategy to increase funding from government entities, foundations and individual philanthropy. The next Executive Director will define roles andresponsibilities and build out a plan for fundraising growth. Facility maintenance, technology support and capital expenditures are currently managed on an ad hoc basis. The next Executive Director will develop a plan to tackle ongoing facility and IT maintenance and support future growth in facilities and infrastructure. Human resources are also currently managed on a decentralized, ad hoc basis. The next Executive Director will create a clearly defined role, likely to be staffed by the addition of a human resources manager. Risk management and compliance reporting requirements continue to increase across all non-profits. At present this responsibility is under-resourced and should be analyzed for the optimal way to effectively manage risk across the organization. SCPO and Spiritus Christi Church The successful candidate will respect the history of SCPO as a community outreach program ahead of its time, launched in 1980 by a progressive church with a reputation for accepting all. Spiritus Christi’s culture is one of unconditional acceptance; “if you feel like you are a member, you are a member.” The next Executive Director will collaborate with Spiritus Christi Church leaders to identify mutually beneficial engagement opportunities between the church’s 1500 parishioners and SCPO. GOALS FOR THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE In addition to the important initiatives included in the above narrative, the successful candidate will accomplish the following within the first eighteen months: Apply organizational management skills to determine SCPO’s optimal organizational structure for mission impact and growth. Team with board and staff to create a multi-year strategic plan, establishing agreed upon organizational priorities. Work towards establishing relationships with multiple housing providers and property managers. Navigate and lead the organization through ongoing changes to HUD funding and other funding and regulatory bodies. Act as the public face of compassionate and effective reentry, advocating for person centered practices and the dignity of the unhoused. Lead or act as partner to a focused effort to further professionalize board and organizational governance practices. Explore whether additional support services should be offered by SCPO or provided by partner organizations, for example additional work readiness support. Initiate conversations with appropriate entities to explore whether SCPO can re-establish pre-COVID practices of meeting with people while they are incarcerated in prison. Establish and maintain a mutually beneficial relationship with the local homelessness Continuum of Care. Document and memorialize SCPO’s exemplary mentorship and recovery model to more easily onboard and train inexperienced staff members and ensure preservation of this unique and valuable element of programming and culture. CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS The successful candidate will possess: Experience as an executive director or member of the senior leadership team of a non-profit organization, ideally one with a mission of improving the lives of marginalized populations. A leading or supporting role in successful fundraising efforts. A reputation for optimizing the performance of teams under management through coaching and mentorship. Experience developing and executing a successful strategic plan. A reputation for demonstrating optimism, compassion, authenticity, and empathy while working with marginalized populations to move lives forward. WHY THIS ROLE? If you are looking to apply your leadership skills, integrity, and compassion to work that changes lives, we invite you to consider leading SCPO. You will join an organization with a clear mission, a dedicated team, strong community partnerships, and a proven record of impact. This opportunity is well suited for a leader who enjoys mentoring staff, cultivating talent, and building on organizational strengths while advancing meaningful outcomes for the people and communities we serve. Annual compensation for this position is $120,000 - $140,000, combined with a competitive benefits package. HOW TO APPLY/MAKE INQUIRIES For a complete description of the organization and opportunity, please click here: CAREER+OPPORTUNITY+EXECUTIVE+DIRECTOR+SPIRITUS+CHRISTI+PRISON+OUTREACH.pdf To apply, please send your letter of interest and resume to Deb Rosen, Vice President of Retained Recruitment for Clarity Recruiting and Career Management, Inc. at View email address on click.appcast.io. In your letter of interest, please highlight your most relevant experience for this role. Please do not contact SCPO directly, as all inquiries, however sourced, will be forwarded to Clarity Recruiting. Spiritus Christi Prison Outreach is committed to equal employment opportunity. We will not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on any legally-recognized basis [“protected class”] including, but not limited to: veteran status, uniform service member status, race, color, religion, sex, sexual identity, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information or any other protected class under federal, state, or local law. #J-18808-Ljbffr