Posted on July 3, 2012

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Chief Executive Officer

The National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (www.nacdd.org), based in Washington, DC, is seeking a dynamic Chief Executive Officer to lead a national network of state and territorial organizations focused on improving the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

Our vision for this position is an executive who will use his/her leadership and relationship skills to challenge us to move forward in creative ways, resulting in tangible growth; foster excellent partnerships with our colleague organizations and expand our relationships with Congress; advance a strong working relationship and excellent communications with the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and other federal agencies; and develop a tight team, smooth operations and excellence in our core areas – member services, public policy and technical assistance.

The Organization

The National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) is a member-driven organization consisting of 55 state and territorial Councils. NACDD represents the diverse interests of the Councils and serves as their national voice. NACDD’s purpose is to support the Councils: (1) in their role of implementing the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, (2) in their role in promoting the interests and rights of people with developmental disabilities and their families, and (3) in their role as change agents working towards positive systemic change on behalf of persons with developmental disabilities.

About the Councils: The state and territorial Councils on Developmental Disabilities were formed under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act. The purpose of the Councils is to engage in advocacy, capacity building, and systemic change activities that are consistent with the purpose of the Act, and contribute to a person- and family-directed, comprehensive system of community services, individualized supports and other forms of assistance. The goal of the Act and the Councils is to enable individuals with developmental disabilities to exercise self-determination, be independent, be productive and be integrated and included in all facets of community life.

The Councils are charged with identifying the most pressing needs of people with developmental disabilities in their state or territory and developing innovative and effective ways to meet those needs in a manner that upholds the human and civil rights of people with developmental disabilities. Each Council develops a state plan that identifies specific five-year goals for its state. Councils implement their state plans by conducting activities such as: outreach, training, technical assistance, supporting and educating communities, interagency collaboration and coordination, barrier elimination, systems design and redesign, coalition development and citizen participation, informing policymakers, and demonstration of new approaches to services and supports. Areas of emphasis include: quality assurance, education and early intervention, child-care, health, employment, housing, transportation, recreation, and other services available or offered to people with developmental disa bilities.

An eleven-member board of directors governs NACDD. Current staffing includes five positions. The organization’s current budget is $1.6 million. Funding sources include membership dues, conferences, contracts and contributions. More information on NACDD may be found at www.nacdd.org.

The Position

The Chief Executive Officer manages the programmatic and administrative operations of NACDD to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Association as determined by the Councils. The Chief Executive Officer will provide national leadership to support and strengthen the work of the Councils and coordinate the Councils’ national advocacy efforts on behalf of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

NACDD’s goal areas are:

• To become a more respected, effective voice for the Councils.
• To promote and enhance support for and viability of the Councils.
• To provide timely, useful training and technical assistance, including information and services to member Councils that emphasizes best practices and promotes excellence.
• To advance leadership development for board, committee and Council leaders.

Toward this end, the board of directors has identified the following priorities for the first 12 to 18 months of the incoming Chief Executive Officer’s tenure (not necessarily in order of priority):

• Develop a solid understanding of the work of the Councils.
• Build strong working relationships with leaders of the Councils and our national colleague organizations.
• Assist the NACDD board and membership in implementing the strategic plan, which represents the collective interests of the Councils; work with the board to update the plan.
• Assess and further develop NACDD’s structure, staffing, and funding toward support of its strategic plan.
• Successful implementation of the new 5-year technical assistance contract.

Key Responsibilities

Reporting to the board of directors, the Chief Executive Officer will provide overall management of the organization and staff, and work closely with the board and the Councils to chart the future goals and direction of the organization.

Key responsibilities include:

• Direct all operational matters of NACDD, operating within the budget, bylaws, operational plan, and applicable local, state and federal laws.
• Support the board of directors in their governance functions and respond to their direction.
• Hire, supervise, support and assess NACDD staff and consultants.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with related external organizations.
• Represent NACDD and serve as a spokesperson, consistent with bylaws and guidance of the board of directors.
• Coordinate the development of board-approved proposals for grants and contracts and assure that all deliverables are completed. Serve as principle investigator or project director where applicable.
• Develop and adhere to financial policies and procedures, develop and monitor the annual budget, maintain internal fiscal control, coordinate the annual audit and serve as the liaison to the finance team.
• Serve as liaison to the public policy, audit, nominations, strategic planning, bylaws and ad hoc marketing teams.
• Communicate with the Councils to meet their needs for information, education and coordination, including current internal and external developments, promising practices and issues related to their work.
• Supervise the planning and administration of NACDD conferences and meetings.
• Manage the development, distribution and evaluation of NACDD products and services.

Experience and Attributes

An ideal candidate for this position will bring a variety of experiences and attributes to NACDD, including:

• Ability to become a passionate advocate for NACDD’s mission, the Councils and people with developmental disabilities.
• A minimum of five years’ experience in a senior organizational management position, including operational, fiscal and human resources management.
• A facilitative, consensus-building leadership style with a track record of building and maintaining strong working relationships with internal (staff, board and membership) and external stakeholders.
• Experience with membership organizations and governing boards. Exposure to Policy Governance model is a plus.
• Strong and effective written and oral communication skills, as well as excellent public-speaking skills.
• High energy and initiative with an ability to exercise prudent, independent judgment.
• BA degree required, advanced degree preferred.
• Experience with policies, practices, programs and support of people with developmental disabilities is a plus, including inclusiveness. Experience with a Developmental Disabilities Council is also a plus.
• Ability to travel extensively within the Washington, D.C. area and some overnight, out-of-state travel is required.

Salary & Benefits

Salary will be competitive and commensurate with experience. NACDD offers a competitive salary and benefits package that is comparable to other associations with similar size and budget. Resume reviews begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

Application Instructions

To apply, email cover letter, resume, and salary requirements to: NACDD@transitionguides.com.

Other inquiries should be addressed to: Ginna Goodenow or Don Tebbe at TransitionGuides, phone (301) 439-6635.

The National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage persons from diverse backgrounds to apply.