The Rian Immigrant Center (“Rian” or “the Center”) seeks a strategic leader to be its next Executive Director (ED). For more than 30 years, Rian has been dedicated to serving immigrant and refugee families in Massachusetts by responding to their most urgent needs, enabling them to lead fulfilling lives and contribute to our communities. The ED will join an organization that is deeply committed to advancing its historical values of hospitality and social justice.
BACKGROUND
Founded to serve Irish immigrants, today Rian is recognized as Boston’s “Welcome Center” for all people wanting to make the United States their home. Rian provides support to families from more than 126 countries on their path to success.The organization is known best for its superior legal services, providing free legal consultations to over 2,000 immigrants, refugees, and asylees annually, as well as full case representation before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for over 600 families. In many ways, Rian is Boston’s “Welcome Center” for people.
Additionally, the Center maintains a strong connection to Ireland through an international learning exchange program, which provides students and graduates of Irish universities the opportunity to gain professional work skills and experience as interns with companies throughout the United States. Throughout the years, Rian has deftly managed the political landscape, strengthening its role as an advocate for the human rights of immigrants and refugees, and playing an important role as a convener across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Rian Immigrant Center is seeking an experienced and enthusiastic Executive Director who will provide strategic leadership, drive organization growth, oversee financial management and engage stakeholders. This role involves close collaboration with staff and the Board of Directors.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES
Strategic Leadership
- Guide organizational vision and priorities
- Translate vision and strategy into practical implementation plans with measurable anticipated outcomes
- Develop and implement strategic plans and initiatives that further Rian’s mission and drive growth
- Foster a collaborative and respectful leadership culture that encourages ownership, accountability, and collaboration
- Engage with the Board of Directors to build, sustain, and strengthen board functions, including strategic planning, policy compliance and fundraising help
- Have proven track record leading through transitions and change, including confidence making hard choices and experience establishing clear decision-making processes and channels
- Demonstrate exceptional leadership and communication skills, with the ability to inspire, motivate and align teams, while articulating the organization’s vision and mission
Operations Management
- Oversee all aspects of Rian’s operations, ensuring that workflow is smooth and productive and in compliance with applicable laws and standards
- Empower senior management by delegating when appropriate and mandating accountability
- Support programmatic implementation, and ensure regular review and continuous improvement
- Identify opportunities for new programs and make decisions regarding program initiation, continuation and termination
- Overseeing human resources functions, including recruitment, staff development, payroll, performance management, and ensuring compliance with all relevant employment laws to support the organization's mission and values.
Financial Management
- Ensure the overall financial health of the organization
- Partner with Rian’s finance team to understand in detail overall revenue and expenses of organization at any given time and manage accounting systems, tax filings and audits
- Work closely with senior staff to create and manage the organization’s budget, ensuring fiscal responsibility and sustainability
- Supervise staff to ensure comprehensive accounting, policies, financial analyses, and internal/external reporting to donors is followed
Fundraising and Donor Engagement
- Grow and diversify revenue streams, including a creative approach towards fundraising as well as resource allocation
- Cultivate relationships with grant-making organizations, foster connections with individual donors and drive major gift initiatives in collaboration with advancement team
- Identify and leverage opportunities for sustained philanthropic support and ensure alignment between donor priorities and organizations goals
- Ensure compliance with funder requirements and provide timely reporting.
Board Communication and Development
- Work with the Board of Directors to establish objectives, goals and policies
- Present regular operational reports to the Board, including detailed status updates on programs and strategic metrics
- Engage the Board in strategic planning and priority setting, ensuring alignment with organization goals
External Engagement, Advocacy, and Media
- Represent Rian publicly, engaging with media, attending events and participating in professional organizations
- Develop and maintain strategic relationship with key external stakeholders
- Ensure 501(c)(3) organization compliance
- Engagement in community education and government advocacy opportunities
QUALIFICATIONS
- Resonance with the mission, values, and legacy of the organization;
- Record of inspirational leadership and effective management within a similarly complex community-based organization
- Outstanding communication skills for both internal management needs and external role as spokesperson for Rian with key government entities, media, philanthropic community and private sector funders
- Deep experience with financial management of an organization Rian’s size
- Demonstrated commitment to immigrant and and social justice
- JD or a master’s degree in a field related to immigration law, policy, or non-profit management preferred
- Understanding of current immigration law and policies
- Deep experience with fundraising and grant writing/management;
- A sense of humor
