Executive Director - GiGi's Playhouse Tinley Park

Base Pay $75,000.00 - $85,000.00 / Year Other Compensation Eligible for bonus, ranging from 0-20%. Employee Type Full Time Exempt Manage Others Yes Description Founded in 2003, GiGi's Playhouse Inc.’s purpose is to change the way the world views Down syndrome and to send a global message of acceptance for all . We profoundly change lives through national campaigns, educational programs, and by empowering individuals with Down syndrome, their families, and the community. All programs are free and are therapeutic or educational in nature. Each one of our programs is designed to work on specific skill development, including speech and language, literacy, socialization, and fine and gross motor skills. GiGi’s Playhouse has opened over 60 locations across North America and is growing by several locations annually. Job Description The Executive Director is a business-minded leader who ensures long-term sustainability , prominence , and operational excellence of GiGi’s Playhouse Tinley Park . This includes helping to ensure the operation has the right team, is fully funded , and that the community is aware of the scope and impact of programs offered . The Executive Director will be actively involved in fundraising activities , driving community members to the Playhouse , and building a strong community presence and local donations through donor outreach, developing media contacts, grant writing, budget development and control, overseeing financial operations, and other related activities. In addition, the Executive Director is responsible for managing the Playhouse staff and partnering closely with the local Board . The role is estimated to be roughly 50% development /outreach and 50% Playhouse management and marketing. Primary goals for this role include: Increase funding through individual donors, grants, sponsorships , in-kind , and corporate support . Maximize awareness of GiGi’s Playhouse and Down syndrome across the local community . Lead the team to ensure delivery of the highest quality operational execution and outstanding customer experience to deepen family engagement and connection with the Playhouse . Essential Job Functions Strategic Leadership and Board Relations: Drive the development of the Playhouse’s strategic plan in collaboration with the Board; implement the plan , ensuring alignment with mission, values, and growth objectives . Serve as the primary liaison between the Board and the Playhouse, providing regular updates and seeking guidance. Recruit and evaluate potential Board Members through community connections and present viable candidates to the Board selection committee . Fundraising and Financial Management: Oversee financial operations, including fundraising and ensuring financial sustainability ; draft the organization’s budget to align with the strategic plan. Develop and implement a fundraising plan to achieve revenue targets in partnership with the local board and fundraising committee. Experience working on or leading a successful capital campaign. Manage and implement a donor portfolio and stewardship strategy for donors and volunteers. Achieve hard dollar fundraising objectives , continually seeking revenue generation opportunities through grants, individual donors, family foundations, corporations, and events . In close partnership with the event chair for each fundraising event, support and heavily engage with all events, particularly revenue-generation, marketing, securing in-kind donations , volunteer recruitment and management , and overall community engagement. Staff Leadership and Operations: Ensure all playhouse hours, programs, events, and activities are staffed to support the needs of the Playhouse (GiGi’s programs are 99% volunteer-run). Hire, train, manage, and evaluate all Playhouse employees, fostering a positive and productive work environment. In collaboration with the staff that is managing program s and volunteers , support recruitment , training , and management of volunteers, leveraging their skills and time to support the organization's mission. Drive the Playhouse’s achievement of the GiGi’s Standards of Execution, continually striving to increased levels of achievement, to ensure a high-quality experience for families, volunteers, donors, and community members. Marketing & Community Engagement: Represent the organization to the public, media, donors, schools, community organizations, and other stakeholders with impact stories, building strong relationships and promoting the organization’s mission. Grow community awareness by proactively bringing groups, organizations, and individuals to the playhouse to engage in the mission. Leverage newsletters , social media platforms , website , and other channels to provide inspirational and relevant content to promote local Playhouse programs, events , and activities . Engage in and proactively initiate acceptance initiatives throughout the community to help build a more accepting environment for our participants and families. Program Implementation (with Playhouse staff): Oversee and ensure the program lineup and quality serves the needs of the community while executing the full fidelity expected of GiGi’s Signature programs. Passionately serve the needs of the local families and build relationships with them such that they understand that GiGi’s makes a lifetime commitment to them. Build and engage with a Family Committee that is involved in program input, volunteerism, community outreach, fundraising, and event support. Connection with GiGi’s Playhouse national office and peers across the GiGi’s network: Proactively engage with peers to share ideas, solve problems, and collectively raise the bar of performance of GiGi’s Playhouses nationwide ; attend GiGi’s Annual Leadership Conference . Follow all national standards and policies ; collaborate with the national teams to leverage centrally developed tools and resources in lieu of building new processes, programs, and tools from scratch. Qualifications To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required . Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Education and/or Experience : 7 + years management and related experience and/or training in organizational leadership , non-profit, and/or related field . Extensive demonstrated community connections and board experience . Marketing experience a plus . Computer Skills: Adapts to new technologies and uses technology to increase productivity. Has the self-discipline to continually learn and use the tools. Must have knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) , proficiency in social media platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook. Ability to work proficiently in a database program (Salesforce) to manage interactions with all individuals who interface with this location. Work Environment: This role requires extensive engagement with the Playhouse team, families, and volunteers . In addition, roughly 50% of the time is expected to be in the community building relationships with donors, community organizations, etc . As such, this is an in-person role, not a remote role . GiGi’s Playhouse Core Values Enthusiastic :Bringing positive, high energy to your work. Best of All :We are always looking to improve every day, with all that we do.Challenge yourself every day to embrace a Generation G life. Get It Done :Making things happen and blasting through barriers when needed. Figure it out together. Believe : Believe in ourselves, believe in our mission, believe in each other, and believe in the history that brought us here. Locally Concerned, Enterprise Minded :We collaborate, share best practices, and leverage the collective learnings from across the GiGi’s network. #J-18808-Ljbffr