UPDATE: As of 5/1/20, this position has been filled.

 

It’s an exciting time for STEM and for TAME. The TAME Board announced in early July that the tenure of our Executive Director Savita Raj had come to a close after nine years of inspiring Texas students. You can read her farewell letter and challenge to the TAME family for the future here. Because of this transition, we are seeking a creative visionary and a strategic leader to guide and inspire the organization’s next stage of growth.

TAME’s Board has worked with our Interim Executive Director Sally Blue to develop a job description for the role of Executive Director. Do you know the perfect person to lead the TAME Family into the future? Please help us get the word out!

 

The full description is below. Download the PDF here:  Official Job Description

Position Title:  Executive Director (ED)

Reports To:   TAME Board of Directors

 

About Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering (TAME)

For over forty years, TAME has worked to encourage the participation of women and minorities in STEM careers through innovative, hands-on programming for K-12 students across Texas. Our strong network of K-12 educators, institutes of higher education, and industry partners helps us share ideas and concerns and to deliver targeted, relevant, and cutting-edge programming.  We offer age-specific programs to spark and support student interest in STEM; professional development and curriculum ideas for teachers; and locally relevant events to educate families and communities about opportunities in STEM.

When TAME started in 1976, we were the only STEM game in town.  Over the last 5-10 years, STEM has become a focus of education in America.  There are many organizations that are delivering exciting content.  But many start and then fade out in a few years.   It’s an exciting time for STEM and for TAME.  We are seeking an Executive Director to guide and inspire the organization’s next stage of growth.

Job Summary

Under the direction of the Board of Directors, the executive director is responsible for setting strategy, overall management and operation of the Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering (TAME) and protection of the organization’s financial assets while ensuring compliance with board directives and applicable grantor, federal and state requirements.

Traits and Characteristics:

Leadership

• Establishes direction and organizational vision
• Involves others in planning and decision-making
• Serves as a catalyst for action and is a team player
• Adapts to changes as conditions and situations warrant
• Requires little work direction
• Assumes responsibility for accomplishment of organization’s strategic priorities and operational execution
• Serve as official representative to federal, state and private agencies and organizations.

 Budgeting and Financial Management 

• Drives annual budget preparation and Board approval process
• Adheres to budget and manages regular Board/Committee progress review
• Ensure that adequate funds are available to permit the organization to carry out its work.
• Effectively utilizes resources, time, finances, budgets, facilities, equipment, and materials to minimize costs
• Maintain official records and documents, and ensure compliance with federal, state and local regulations

 Clear Understanding of Mission and Strategy of Organization 

• High level of commitment to mission
• Executes strategies with successful results

 Coordination/Collaboration

• Engages Board in meaningful and impactful ways.
• Works well with diverse individuals and groups
• Objective and keeps an open mind
• Provides frequent flow of information to the appropriate parties
• Facilitates communication and problem solving among parties when necessary
• In consultation with Board Chair, prepare agendas, reports, documents and gather information and plan for board meetings, conferences and training sessions

Roles and Responsibilities:

The ED should be a visionary and a strategic leader who can work effectively with representatives from academia, industry and government as well as K-12 students and teachers.  The ED will bring an analytical, intellectual, and data-informed understanding of STEM-related issues and their impact on the workforce. Additionally, the ED will constantly improve their knowledge and understanding of underserved populations and how best to engage them.

The TAME ED needs to be an interdisciplinary and creative thinker who can be innovative as well as practical.   The ED will be an open-minded, confident professional who enjoys exploring issues while also recognizing the ownership of ideas is less important than the result of the collaborative effort. The ED will be an enabler and facilitator who will have the strength of character and conviction to work with a strong, engaged Board that is dedicated to the TAME mission.

Strong written and oral communication skills are critical to ensure the ED will be effective and persuasive in presenting TAME and its mission to its members, various government agencies and the public. The ED will be equally adept at developing relationships with community-based organizations and leaders engaged in national STEM conversations.

The ED will be a detail-oriented professional with strong organizational, administrative, and financial management skills. The ED must be comfortable in a hands-on role and is required to do the essential tasks needed to meet the goals of TAME.  Additionally, example of key programs that require hands-on involvement, ownership, and execution by the ED include:   Math Science Competition, Trailblazer, and Comic Book.

In program development and administration, the Executive Director will have the following specific responsibilities relative to the goals of the board of directors and its committees:

• Assure that the organization has a long-range strategy which achieves its mission, and toward which it makes consistent and timely progress.
• Provide leadership in developing program, organizational and financial plans with the Board of Directors and staff, and carry out plans and policies authorized by the board.
• Facilitate active and broad participation by volunteers in all areas of the organization’s work.
• Maintain active interaction with the Advisory Board to ensure that they provide recommendations to complement the organization’s vision and mission.
• Maintain official records and documents, and ensure compliance with federal, state and local regulations.
• Provide assistance to the Board of Directors and committee administrative services as needed to achieve objectives (e.g. Arranging meetings and agenda, maintaining minutes, and follow-up on action items).
• Maintain a working knowledge of significant developments and trends in the STEM programming and non-profit field.

In communications, the Executive Director will:

• See that the board is kept fully informed on the condition of the organization and all important factors influencing it.
• Publicize the activities of the organization, its programs and goals to increase awareness (i.e. via mass media, the general public, and other organizations).
• Establish sound working relationships and cooperative arrangements with community groups and organizations.
• Represent the programs and point of view of the organization to agencies, organizations, and the general public.

 

In relations with staff, the Executive Director will:

• Be responsible for the recruitment, employment, and release of all personnel, including paid staff, contractors and volunteers.
• Ensure that job descriptions are developed, that regular performance evaluations are held, and that sound human resource practices are in place.
• See that an effective management team, with appropriate provision for succession, is in place.
• Encourage staff and volunteer development and education, and assist program staff in relating their specialized work to the total program of the organization.
• Maintain a climate that attracts, keeps, and motivates a diverse staff of top quality people.

In budget and finance, the Executive Director will:

• Be responsible for developing and maintaining sound, rigorous, ethical, and transparent financial practices.
• Work with the Development staff, Finance Committee, and the board to prepare the annual budget and monthly financial reports to ensure that the organization operates within budget guidelines.
• Ensure that adequate funds are available to permit the organization to carry out its work. Works with Finance Committee Chair to develop annual giving campaign and presents to the full Board in the form of an annual development plan.  The plan sets strategies and goals for annual giving from individuals, businesses, and foundations.
• Oversee fundraising planning and implementation, including identifying resource requirements, researching funding sources, establishing strategies to approach private, public, and philanthropic foundations, and various donor bases. Responsible for overseeing the cultivation and solicitation of funders, which may include submitting grants proposals, meeting with donors, and administrating fundraising records and documentation on behalf of the organization.
• Ensure proper stewardship of donors is a priority. Builds close, positive and effective relationships with potential donors and prospects, clearly articulating the case for making a donation to TAME.  In partnership with board, identifies and cultivates prospective donors, maintaining contact system and tracking progress.  Assures that all donor benefits promised in a given period are delivered
• Jointly, with the chair and secretary of the board of directors, conduct official correspondence of the organization, and jointly, with designated officers, execute legal documents.
• Jointly, with the treasurer, ensures that internal controls and financial checks and balances are in place, oversee/supervise all bookkeeping, accounting, and financial activities, and establish rigorous accountability standard for grant and budget tracking. Additionally, ensure that independent financial audit and 990 submissions are conducted annually.

Requirements:

• Ability to travel to conferences and events required to fulfill needs of the position (includes some evenings and weekends)
• Bachelor’s degree (science or engineering preferred)
• Business development experience in business or non-profit organization
• Knowledge of  K-12 programming,  Awareness of STEM-related issues and/or  personal interest in TAME mission
• Excellent writing and presentation skills
• Supervisory experience
• Experience working with diverse populations
• Computer proficiency: standard office software
• Experience in financials & budget preparation/management

Desired Characteristics/Experience:

• Significant leadership experience, 5 or more years,  working in K-12 outreach program development
• Experience in proposal writing
• Awareness of STEM network and players
• Program management

Specifications:

• This position is full-time, based in the TAME State Office at the JJ Pickle Research Campus in north Austin; some remote work capability will be available as needed
• Benefits provided will include health, dental, vision, life insurance, and a 401(a) retirement plan managed through HR by the University of Texas at Austin

To Apply:

Applicants must apply through the University of Texas at Austin. A link is not yet available for this position, but please reach out with your resume to TAME’s Interim Executive Director, Ms. Sally Blue, to begin this process: sally.blue@tame.org.

If you have questions, you may contact programs@tame.org. No phone calls, please.