Community Impact – Basic Needs Director

United Way fights for the education, financial stability, health and basic needs of everyone in our community.

This is an exciting time to be part of United Way of Central Indiana’s team to embark on a strategic framework that fosters innovation, builds community partnerships, and integrates across traditional functional areas. We pursue our vision in all we do as we engage our community in giving, advocating and volunteering. We believe our vision can only be achieved if pursued with shared values, and therefore place great emphasis on building a team that will pursue this vision together with ICARE.

Inclusion         Courage          Accountability             Respect           Excellence

Position Summary

United Way of Central Indiana recognizes that the key to success is a strong and cohesive team that works through shared values to achieve our mission.  The Community Impact – Basic Needs Director is responsible for implementing initiatives and projects that support United Way’s strategies and goals specifically around Housing, Food, Health, and Transportation.  The work includes leading and supporting community initiatives, engaging community partners, administering public and private grants, and supporting efforts to develop and inform future work.  This position works collaboratively across all divisions of United Way and reports to the Senior Director Basic Needs.

Position Duties & Responsibilities

The following statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed.  They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. 

• Lead and Implement community initiatives, including but not limited to homelessness prevention, community mental health and wellbeing, and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
• Convene community partners around community initiatives focused on maintaining efficacy to projects, build and expand networks, and achieving project and community goals. 
• Engage in strategic community conversations to collectively drive impact aligning with Basic Needs Strategies.  Maintain and cultivate relationships with community partners including funders, community organizations, and government officials to maximize community impact.
• Collaborate both internally and externally to meet strategic community and organizational goals.
• Measure Success ensuring effective systems to track progress, evaluate program components, measure success, and initiate quality improvements.  Develop and maintain written work plans, reports, and presentations.
• Strategy Analysis and Synthesis.  Analyze and synthesize information across a variety of sources to make recommendations to shape and inform future work.
• Administer publicly and privately funded initiatives, develop and oversee budgets. Develop fund-raising goals, write proposals, and participate in development of events to support Basic Needs Strategies.
• Lead team members, temporary staff, and/or interns to meet impact goals around Basic Needs, while fostering team development, trust, and collaboration.
• Model our values through proactive leadership that is visible in daily behaviors.
• Performs special assignments and other work, on an as-needed basis.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job function satisfactorily and be present in the office while performing those functions. The requirements listed are representative of the basic knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  The individual in this role must display the highest level of integrity and confidentiality. United Way also values innovative thinking, and a successful candidate will be a self-starter who can work within the team to achieve goals and objectives.  The individual should have effective communication skills, attention to detail and organization, and flexibility and adaptability. Must have the ability to multitask and be agile in a fast -paced work environment. The individual will also maintain knowledge of trends in his/her area of responsibility and reviews literature to understand key issues.

Education and/or Experience

Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree preferred with minimum of five years’ work experience in a related area.  Work experience may substitute for education requirements on a case by case basis.

• Must be familiar with the human service delivery systems and system-level stakeholders and constituents, including funding sources. Knowledge and understanding of nonprofit organizations is required.
• Experience building and managing diverse networks and convening community-based organizations, stakeholders, and constituents.
• Experience with grantmaking and community investments preferred.
• Experience using systems thinking to identify barriers and levers for change preferred.
• Ability to make decisions and advance work with incomplete information and to thrive in an outcomes oriented, continuously evolving work environment.
• Project management skills with demonstrated ability to execute and follow through to achieve intended results, by following through on commitments, prioritizing work, and managing time and resources well. 
• Capable of applying adaptive problem-solving skills in response to unforeseen challenges and new assignments. 
• Ability to prioritize a wide range of duties and responsibilities, organize tasks, and remain flexible to changing and multiple requests. Ability to adapt to situations and lead in the midst of change.
• Ability to acquire a baseline level of knowledge about UWCI’s other strategic priorities Basic Needs efforts can both build upon and contribute to the success of other areas. 
• Excellent verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate accurately, effectively, and in ways appropriate to different audiences from grassroots community members to CEOs. 
• Strong writer, with the ability to review, revise and synthesize a variety of information and help connect UWCI’s work to broader discussions within the relevant landscape. 
• Hard worker with high standards for outcomes and strong value in excellence.
• Ability to work collegially and diplomatically across the organization and audience groups.
• Knowledge of the Central Indiana region highly desirable.

Core Competencies

United Way of Central Indiana’s team is evaluated on the following core competencies:

• Inclusion
• Courage
• Accountability
• Respect
• Excellence
• Thinking Strategically
• Stakeholder Experience
• Effective Communication

Position Leader:       Senior Director Basic Needs 

Position Leads:         Multiple Direct Reports

FLSA Status:             Exempt, Salaried, Full-time

Salary Range:            Market

Benefits:                     Complete Benefits Package Available

Equal Opportunity Employer

Please apply at uwci.org/careers

This position description does not constitute a contract of employment or a guarantee of any terms or conditions of employment.  UWCI employees are employed on an at-will basis. In addition, nothing in this position description restricts UWCI’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this position at any time.