Executive Search: CEO – Progressive Life Center

Since 1983, Progressive Life Center (PLC) has delivered on the mission to enhance the lives of children, youth, and families by providing human services that meet the psychological, spiritual, and cultural needs of those we serve.PLC is a nonprofit, community-based organization dedicated to improving the delivery of mental health services to individuals and families. Today, PLC provides culturally competent, evidence-based, and family-centered services to youth and families in Washington, DC; Newark, DE; Baltimore, MD; Landover, MD; Philadelphia, PA; Montgomery County, MD and York, PA, proudly serving more than 1,000 youth and families each year. Visit Progressive Life Center online to learn more about their program and mission.

With a developmental focus that emphasizes personal and family resiliency, PLC provides quality mental health and social services in three core areas: Child Welfare, Behavioral Health Care, and Juvenile Justice Services. Because PLC offers a multitude of children and family services, across diverse communities, to client systems with varying clinical, mental health, and social needs; it is imperative that organizationally, a continuity of professionalism and skill in all service delivery milieus is maintained.  As such PLC has adopted the NTU Approach to Health and Healing, a clinical framework rooted in an Africentric understanding of human behavior and interaction processes. PLC’s unique approach to providing quality family and mental health services is recognized by the Council on Accreditation, The Child Welfare League of America and the Association of Black Psychologists.

To ensure we continue to meet the needs of families and individuals within our community, PLC has exclusively retained Nonprofit HR to assist in the recruitment efforts for its next Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The position of CEO is a critical and visible position requiring strong business (financial, operations) and development experience. The CEO reports to the Board of Directors and is responsible to execute the strategic direction, leadership, and day-to-day operations of the organization to include information technology, advocacy, public relations, as well as community-focused and mission-aligned program development. The CEO works collaboratively with the board to execute a highly strategic vision and facilitate relationships with key stakeholders including but not limited to funders, community leaders, corporate partners, and the media.

About the Ideal Candidate:

The CEO must have exceptional leadership presence and experience serving as a spokesperson for an organization, with demonstrated ability to increase and leverage organizational visibility, credibility and brand recognition through the media and other public relations sources.  The successful candidate will have a bold vision for coordinating new strategic partnerships and business development, fundraising and diversifying revenue generating opportunities, powerful branding and effectively integrating the organization’s communications and fund development efforts. The CEO must be a visionary leader and be able to guide and facilitate resource development, access to capital, and other initiatives to enhance and sustain the organization’s financial goals and mission-driven opportunities.

The ideal candidate is a dynamic leader who can build and execute thoughtful and ambitious strategies while ensuring operational excellence. S/he will have exceptional interpersonal and people management skills, with the ability to build high-performing, cohesive teams.  The CEO will be a results-oriented motivator with high standards for excellence. The CEO must develop, lead, attract, inspire, retain, and manage a diverse, talented, and high-performing team, to ensure that the mission and core values of PLC are put into practice by holding everyone accountable for quantifiable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results. In an environment that is collegial and where talent and culture are critical, it will also be the CEO’s responsibility to establish credibility throughout the organization and with the Board as an effective developer of solutions to business challenges.

The ideal candidate will possess a Doctoral degree in Counseling, Behavioral or Mental Health, Human Services, or a related field, with a minimum of eight years of nonprofit leadership experience in roles focused on growth, business development, strategy, planning and related issues.  Candidates with significant experience in the mission areas of PLC are encouraged to apply. S/he will possess demonstrable experience using data systems to improve program performance and outcomes with the analytical skills needed to review information regarding regulations and guidelines. The position also requires demonstrated entrepreneurial ability to develop alliances and coordinate shared interests of all parties, with excellent communications and problem-solving skills designed to meet the challenges of the organization.  A track record of successful change management, process improvement, and organizational performance improvement is essential for success in this role, along with demonstrated experience in organizational development and strategic planning.

How to Apply:

For consideration, interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume. Your cover letter must address your experience and qualifications being sought.

Send materials to: execsearch@nonprofithr.com “ATTN: PLC CEO Search” in the subject line. Electronic submissions highly preferred. Interested individuals are encouraged to apply immediately.

To obtain further details about this opportunity, contact:

Myra T. Briggs, Executive Search Practice Leader at Nonprofit HR at mbriggs@nonprofithr.com.