BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF GREATER MILWAUKEE
With safe places to learn and play, positive role models, and educational programming, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee has helped local kids and teens thrive since 1887, when Annabell Cook Whitcomb transformed two basement rooms at Plymouth Church on Milwaukee’s east side into a Club for boys.
Today, we are the largest youth-serving agency in the city and have grown to be one of the largest Boys & Girls Clubs in the country, with more than 40 locations throughout the city, including Legacy Clubs and Community Learning Centers.
Every day, thousands of Milwaukee’s youth stream through our doors and participate in academic and recreational programming. We provide safety and support during critical hours of the day, meals, strong role models, organized athletics, and access to the arts. At the Clubs, there’s a way for every kid to get involved and learn something new.
Our vision is to build the community’s social and economic fabric by ensuring the academic and career success of every Club member who walks through our doors or engages with our programs virtually. We achieve this by providing more impactful programs that appeal to our members, strengthen their academic performance, build character, encourage healthy lifestyles, and meet the basic needs of Milwaukee’s youth.
None of our work would be possible without the commitment of 600 full- and part-time employees, passionate volunteers, and a dedicated Leadership Team and Board of Trustees. Together, the group is guided by the same passion that drove Cook Whitcomb all those years ago: To inspire and empower the youth who need us most.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) reports to the approximately 50-member Board of Trustees and leads BGCGM, preserving its legacy of impact on the children and families in Milwaukee. As the head of one of Wisconsin’s top nonprofits and one of the largest chapters within the BGC Movement, the CEO collaborates with the Board to create a strategic vision, ensuring effective budget management, operations, and program delivery. The CEO inspires and unites the community to maximize impact, focusing on building financial and social capital, strengthening organizational health, and reimagining the business model to better serve Club members.
ResponsibilitiesVision
The CEO is the Chief Mission Officer, setting a clear vision for the organization, confronting the complex realities of the environment, and simultaneously providing purpose, direction, and motivation for BGCGM’s work. The CEO provides strategic leadership balanced with authenticity, respect for others, and trust building across all stakeholders, including employees, members and their families, donors, volunteers, Board of Trustees, and community partners. The CEO proactively drives the organization to a higher level of performance, efficiency, and impact through inspiring action and commitment for best results.
Board Engagement
The CEO partners with a dynamic board to shape the organization’s future, setting and implementing BGCGM’s strategic direction. The CEO cultivates trusting and collaborative relationships with Trustees, ensuring transparency and support for governance functions and utilizing their talents and resources to help advance strategic priorities to support the mission.
Organizational Leadership
The CEO attracts, develops, mentors, inspires, and retains a passionate, dedicated, and diverse staff with an empowering leadership style that instills accountability. The CEO fosters a supportive and inclusive culture that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion where the team can do their best work to advance the mission and create impact throughout the Greater Milwaukee community. The CEO will focus on developing and implementing strategies that unite the senior leadership team and club staff, enhance employee engagement, promote organizational values, and create a cohesive and collaborative work environment.
Fundraising and Impact Growth
The CEO possesses a high-level of business acumen and a broad management skillset and is effective at generating and growing financial support for the organization. The leader actively participates in BGCGM’s long-term fundraising efforts to build and maintain key community relationships and secure significant investments from various sources to advance the mission.
Community & Partnership Mindset
Serving as the brand champion and BGCGM advocate, the CEO builds and cultivates strong community relationships and values and leverages the power of networks as well as BGCGM’s reputation, breadth of community presence, and influence. The leader develops strategic alliances with community leaders and local officials and fosters collaboration with other youth-serving organizations, members, parents, families, donors, and community organizations. The CEO successfully navigates the complex dynamics of the local, regional, and national environment.
We are seeking a dynamic visionary who leads with authenticity and trust to amplify impact and propel this powerful organization forward. The CEO must be a passionate advocate for BGCGM’s mission. This person will be a highly relational and credible professional with demonstrated executive leadership experience with an organization of similar size and scope. Specific experience includes:
• Experience leading a complex organization in the nonprofit, corporate, or governmental sector where there are multiple and diverse constituencies.
• Experience working with a mission-driven “people business” service organization, either directly through a role as its leader or as an engaged board member.
• Proven business acumen and fiscal accountability for significant budgets and operating plans.
• Strength in fundraising stewardship; revenue generation experience and the skills to drive growth through corporate, foundation and individual giving, with direct experience soliciting major gifts and donations, and a history of establishing innovative and sustainable sources of funding.
• Experience in strategic planning and execution.
• Excellent board engagement and stakeholder management skills; ability to leverage the diverse skills and personalities of a dynamic and highly effective volunteer Board of Trustees and other community stakeholders.
• A courageous and visionary executive who will work with the Board of Trustees to assess the organization, set a clear, compelling vision, and create strategy to address short-term needs and establish long-terms goals to continue the organization’s impact and respond to the changing needs of the Milwaukee community.
• Proven track record for team and culture building with an ability to inspire, elevate, empower, and recognize others; embodies and instills accountability.
• A strong networker who will build collaborative relationships with business and community partners and establish trusting alliances with local nonprofit organizations.
• Transparent communicator and trust builder who listens first and embraces feedback.
• An innovative mindset that is continuously seeking creative solutions.
• Leads with authenticity, humility, integrity, compassion, respect, dignity, and gratitude.
• A demonstrated track record of measurable impact in diversity, equity, and inclusion, and social/racial justice.
EDUCATION
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university preferred.