Executive Director of New Ventures Maine

UMA transforms the lives of students of every age and background across the State of Maine and beyond through access to high-quality distance and on-site education, excellence in student support, civic engagement, and professional and liberal arts programs.  

UMA is the third largest public university in Maine.  In addition to its main campus in the state’s capital, UMA also serves students at its campus in Bangor (UMA Bangor) and through UMA Centers around the state. With its multiple locations and long-term expertise in online and distance learning, UMA is generally considered the university of choice for Mainers of all ages who want to attend college without uprooting their lives.

UMA is seeking applicants for the full-time position of Executive Director of New Ventures Maine, based in Augusta. New Ventures Maine (NVME) is a statewide education and economic development program administered through UMA/University of Maine System. The mission of NVME is to help Maine people succeed in the changing economy and achieve economic security for themselves and their families. NVME achieves its mission by providing training and individual coaching in planning careers, starting businesses, managing money and building assets, and developing leaders. NVME was established in 1978 as a Displaced Homemaker Project, operated as Women, Work, and Community for many years and became New Ventures Maine in 2015. The organization has grown for 42 years with leadership from the founding Executive Director, Gilda Nardone, who will be retiring this year.

The Executive Director (ED) is responsible for the overall management and development of the organization, including planning and implementing the strategic planning process. The ED oversees all activities of the organization, including the following primary areas: organizational leadership, results-based planning and program implementation; relationships with the NVME Advisory Council, UMA, and the University of Maine System; and resource development, human resources, and administrative management.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:
 

• Visionary leadership to empower and inspire 20+ staff members statewide.
• Commitment to creating an inclusive organizational culture that attracts and retains diverse talent.
• Ability to cultivate existing and new stakeholder relationships in the nonprofit, public and private sectors: government, foundations, and education systems.
• Proven fundraising success with grantmakers and individual donors within the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
• Strong administrative and finance management skills.
• Expertise in leveraging technology and data to enhance organization effectiveness.
• Commitment to quality programs and data-driven program evaluation.
• Exemplary written and verbal communication skills and excellent interpersonal skills

The complete job description can be accessed here.  

Work Schedule:  Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, evenings and weekends as necessary.

Salary:  A typical salary for this position is in the high 70s to high 80s range and is commensurate with qualifications and experience. The university offers an excellent fringe benefits package to include health, vision, and dental insurance, vacation time, tuition waiver, and retirement benefits. To learn more about the University's comprehensive fringe-benefits package, please see the video posted here.  

This position and New Ventures Maine is a soft money program and it has secured external funding consistently for nearly 43 years.

Required Qualifications:
 

• Master’s degree in Higher Education, Nonprofit, or Business Administration, Management, or related field or an equivalent combination of training and experience
• Five to seven years of progressively responsible senior-level manager experience in organizational strategic planning, development, and management, including supervision and professional development of staff, preferably in a nonprofit or higher education environment
• Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills with diverse audiences
• Demonstrated skills and experiences in fund development and financial management of an organizational budget with varied revenue streams
• Ability to develop and sustain collaborative relationships and partnerships across sectors
• Ability to create and sustain an inclusive organizational environment that supports continuous learning and team building and models diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Demonstrated leadership skills of strategic thinking, problem-solving, negotiating, organizing and managing, and innovation

Preferred Qualifications:
 

• Advanced education and professional development beyond Master’s degree
• Seven or more years of progressively responsible senior-level experience in sustainable organization development and management, with experience facilitating change and transition through organizational cycles
• Seven or more years of program and policy experience in human resources and economic development fields – workforce, microenterprise, and asset development
• Ability to be flexible and multi-task within an ambiguous, competitive environment with a results-oriented approach; demonstrated resourcefulness in setting priorities, guiding investment, and developing capacity within people and systems
• Ability to communicate a vision for the future of the organization and work collaboratively with key stakeholders to move toward that vision while honoring past organizational history and achievements

Applicants must complete an online application and submit a cover letter and resume at https://uma.hiretouch.com/. Materials must be submitted via "Apply for Position." You will need to create an applicant profile, complete an application, upload a cover letter which fully describes your qualifications and experiences with specific reference to the required and preferred qualifications, a resume/curriculum vitae and contact information for three professional references. You will also need to complete the affirmative action survey, the self-identification of disability form, and the self-identification of veteran status form.  

Review of applications will begin on September 3. Materials received after September 2, 2021 will be considered at the discretion of the university. We are not able to consider applicants who require Visa sponsorship support.  

The successful applicant is subject to appropriate background screening.

The University of Maine at Augusta is an EEO/AA employer, and does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran’s status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The following office has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies:  Director of Equal Opportunity, 101 North Stevens Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5754 or at 207.581.1226.