Executive Director

Position:                       Executive Director (Part-time)

Organization:              iCREST Foundation™ (501c3 nonprofit)

Location:                      Remote (Virtual office environment)

Travel:                          As needed to attend conferences, events, and business meetings

Overview

The iCREST Foundation is a start-up nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering programs that support youth in building thriving, sustainable communities. Our mission is to enrich the ecosystem of environmental education providers by convening leaders of these organizations to collaborate, explore partnerships, share resources, and support each other’s work. We aim to enhance their capacity to reach and impact youth through various initiatives and projects.

The Executive Director will play a pivotal role in leading and accelerating the iCREST Foundation’s work. Initially, the role will be a part-time contractor position with the vision of growing the organization and potentially transitioning to a full-time position as funding and growth opportunities allow. As a virtual office, the Executive Director will work remotely. 

Our Purpose

A growing number of school and out-of-school programs aim to help our youth meet the most pressing issues of our time – how to mitigate and reverse damage to our environment as well as live sustainably on a planet in crisis. The iCREST Foundation wants to enhance the impact of these efforts by conducting an Environmental Literacy Leadership Empowerment Forum bringing together key leaders from organizations already focused on climate and environmental literacy and earth system science to assist in creating a Resilience and Sustainability (RS) Framework based on the most important skill sets that the next generation need to live, survive, succeed, and cope in the decades ahead. Those skill sets are embodied in the five principles outlined below:

·      Ecosystem Literacy                                                                                        

·      Computer Modeling and Data Analysis

·      Narrative and Storytelling

·      Youth Agency and Societal Process

·      Resilient, Just, and Thriving Communities

The iCREST Foundation will serve as a catalyst to supercharge environmental literacy organizations with similar objectives building on and sharing the work they are doing to create synergy, overcome fragmentation, generate new knowledge, leverage limited resources, empower leadership, and reach greater numbers of middle- and high school-aged youth through schools, clubs, and community programs.

Utilizing the research, resources, and experience of the Forum, iCREST aims to bring resilience and sustainability education to U.S. middle- and high school-aged youth to promote and encourage good stewardship and improve public health, safety, and wellbeing through student learning and engagement in STEM as well as data analysis, sharing, and dissemination. The iCREST Resilience and Sustainability Framework will be a unique and effective learning catalyst for change, future performance, and future learning.

Responsibilities

This is an exciting opportunity for a nonprofit leader to help build what is ultimately a global initiative to support the world’s youth who are increasingly seeking resources and skills for coping with the planet they’re inheriting.

In this role, the contracted Executive Director will have the following primary responsibilities:

·      Nonprofit Leadership, Growth, and Advancement

o  Lead and strategize the organization’s growth and advancement towards becoming a global initiative.

o  Develop and implement plans for expanding the foundation’s impact and reach.

·      Creating Awareness and Unique Positioning  

o  Develop strategies to raise awareness about the iCREST Foundation and its mission.

o  Establish a unique positioning for the organization within the environmental education landscape.

·      Coalition Building and Nurturing

o  Build and nurture coalitions with key leaders and organizations in the field of environmental education.

o  Foster collaboration and partnerships among stakeholders to promote synergy and overcome fragmentation.

·      Partnership Development

o  Identify and cultivate partnerships with public and private entities to support the foundation’s objectives.

o  Establish collaborative relationships with relevant organizations.

·      Fundraising and Funder/Donor/Sponsor Relationship Management

o  Develop and execute fundraising strategies to secure financial support for the foundation.

o  Manage relationships with funders, donors, and sponsors to ensure ongoing support.

·      Financial and Business Management

o  Oversee the financial aspects of the organization, including budgeting and financial planning.

o  Ensure sound business practices and financial sustainability.

·      Forum (Conference) Planning and Management

o  Plan and manage the iCREST Foundation Forum to bring together key leaders in environmental education.

o  Coordinate logistics and ensure successful event execution.

·      Resilience and Sustainability Framework Development

o  Work with the Forum participants to build the Resilience and Sustainability Framework for youth education.

o  Ensure the framework aligns with and promotes the five principle skill sets established by the foundation’s Education Advisory Board.

·      External Contractor and Consultant Management

o  Engage and manage external contractors and consultants for various projects and tasks.

o  Ensure effective collaboration and delivery of outcomes.

·      Communications and Public Relations

o   Develop and execute communication strategies to promote the foundation’s initiatives and achievements.

o  Manage public relations efforts and maintain a positive image of the organization.

·      Public Speaking and Presentations  

o  Represent the ICREST Foundation at public events, conferences, and meetings.

o  Deliver presentations to stakeholders and promote the foundation’s mission.

·      Experience with Grant and Proposal Response Writing, Coordination, and Management

o  Prepare grant proposals ad coordinate grant applications.

o  Manage the grant response process and ensure timely submissions and grantor communications.

·      iCREST Foundation Board and Advisory Boards Presentations, Outreach, and Engagement

o  Engage with the foundation’s Board and Advisory Boards, providing regular updates and seeking input.

o  Foster collaboration and engagement with Board members.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate should possess the following qualifications.

·      Relevant environmental education experience.

·      Experience and familiarity with domestic and international environmental education programs targeting middle- and high school-aged youth.

·      Understanding of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and Career Technical Education (CTE) curriculum and programs.

·      Entrepreneurial skills and ability to grow the organization from a start-up to a sustainable and successful entity.

·      Strong communication skills (written, oral, and interpersonal).

·      Excellent problem solving, tactical and strategic planning abilities.

·      Networking skills to engage public and private organizations in the foundation’s work.

·      Proven experience in fundraising and revenue generation planning.

·      Knowledge of the U.S. public and private education system, out of school, and after school programs.

·      Research skills to identify and understand programs relevant to the foundation’s mission.

·      Self-motivated and capable of working independently while maintaining effective team communication. 

·      Familiarity with social media and web-based multimedia platforms popular with youth.

·      Focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

·      Experience with grant writing and fundraising for nonprofit initiatives.

·      Experience with planning and conducting professional conferences, both in-person and virtual.

·      Experience in collaborating with internal and external teams to create frameworks with consensus among stakeholders.

·      Insight into “green and blue jobs” and career motivation programs for youth.

Preferred Experience

·      Nonprofit Management – 5 Years 

·      Environmental Education – 3 Years

·      Creating Networks and Coalitions – 5 Years

·      Fundraising and Revenue Generation – 3 Years

·      U.S. Public and Private Education – 3 Years

·      Grant and Proposal Writing – 3 Years

Compensation

·      Starting base compensation is $75.00 per hour plus approved expenses.

If you are passionate about environmental education and empowering youth to build sustainable communities, we invite you to apply for the Executive Director position at the iCREST Foundation. Together, we can make a positive impact on the next generation and the planet's future.

Contact

[email protected]

Phone: (510) 969-6023