Posted on August 3, 2012

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Executive Director

The mission of Dwight Hall at Yale is to foster civic-minded student leaders and to promote service and activism both in New Haven, Connecticut and around the world. In keeping with its mission, Dwight Hall seeks to enable students to stretch how they learn and to better understand who they are through active engagement with the world beyond the Yale University campus. Founded in 1881 as an independent nonprofit organization with close ties to Yale University, Dwight Hall is the center of service, activism, and social justice at Yale.

The Executive Director leads a team of five full-time staff members, including a development director and three graduate student fellows. In collaboration with staff, the Student Executive Committee, and the Dwight Hall Board, the Executive Director sets direction for the organization, supports student activities in New Haven and around the world, and creates opportunities for student leadership.

Dwight Hall is an umbrella organization that provides support for and fosters communication among more than 3,500 students in over 90 student-run member organizations. These organizations are led by the Student Executive Committee, a group of eleven students elected by their peers. Dwight Hall provides these organizations with funding, logistical support, advice and mentoring, and a supportive community.

Examples of member organizations include:

• The Yale Hunger and Homelessness Action Project (YHHAP), which provides case management services for New Haven community members and raises $50,000 each year for local homeless services;
• Community Health Educators (CHE), which teaches health education classes in 25 New Haven public schools;
• Elmseed, which provides micro-loans and technical assistance to New Haven residents who want to start their own businesses; and
• Unite for Sight, a national organization that began as a Dwight Hall member group, which addresses eye-care needs for people in developing countries.

• The Urban Fellows program, which places Yale students in paid semester-long internships with local nonprofit organizations and governments;
• The Public School Intern (PSI) program, through which Yale students serve as liaisons to New Haven public schools and match school needs with services provided by Dwight Hall member organizations; and
• The Dwight Hall Academic Mentoring Program at Yale (DHAMPY), a three-year program through which Yale students provide academic and personal mentoring to local middle school students who at high risk of dropping out.

Dwight Hall operates with an annual budget of $900,000. Funding comes from major gifts, endowment income, grants (including from Yale), and annual giving. The thirty-three member Board of Directors includes seven students who are elected by their peers. A separate six-member Board of Trustees manages Dwight Hall’s endowment.

Basic Function: Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will lead Dwight Hall’s activities to accomplish its core mission and will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of Dwight Hall. The Executive Director, leading a professional full-time staff of five, will be charged with providing managerial oversight and strategic leadership, supporting and complementing the student leadership team that changes annually. The Executive Director will also be responsible for coordinating program development, education and training, program and financial management, Yale and community relations, and institutional advancement.

Key Responsibilities: The Executive Director will have responsibility for:

• Serving as the point of contact for the Board of Directors, Board Committees, and the Trustees of Dwight Hall;
• Working collaboratively with students and staff to create and foster a vibrant center for student civic engagement within the Yale community. Creating innovative programs to support the activities of Dwight Hall, attracting student volunteers, and ensuring the effective management of the volunteers;
• Overseeing programs, operations, and finances, including operating fund and capital campaigns;
• Building the annual budget and managing the finances in accordance with sound business practices, and developing the data necessary for the organization to function;
• Hiring, supervising, evaluating, and supporting the Dwight Hall staff;
• Representing Dwight Hall at the highest levels of each of its constituencies- Yale University, the Greater New Haven community, the alumni, and the communities at large in which Dwight Hall operates and impacts.

Ideal Experience and Qualifications Dwight Hall is looking for a dynamic individual who:

• Is committed to the Mission of Dwight Hall;
• Has experience working with college students and in a university environment;
• Has nonprofit management experience;
• Has significant leadership experience supervising, managing, and training others;
• Has experience in or an appetite for fundraising;
• Has strong verbal communication skills in order to communicate effectively with diverse constituencies;
• Has experience working with community organizations;
• Is familiar with Yale University and/or New Haven;
• Is comfortable with digital media and information management systems.

Master’s degree required; terminal degree preferred (individuals with a bachelor’s degree in addition to significant leadership and managerial experience will also be considered).

Dwight Hall at Yale is an equal opportunity employer and seeks a diverse pool of candidates in this search.

To Apply: Interested applicants are invited to submit their resume, a compelling cover letter and contact information for three references. References will not be contacted without the permission of the applicant. Review of applications will begin immediately and will be considered until the position is filled. Please submit materials to: dwighthallsearch@gmail.com.