Chief Executive Officer

Kennedy-Donovan Center

Job Description

Kennedy-Donovan Center, Inc. (KDC) was founded on the principle that all individuals have the right to participate and thrive in their community. KDC supports people with developmental delays, disabilities and other family challenges to pursue their personal potential and success in the community and delivers life-changing outcomes. 
 
KDC brings a unique combination of pioneering data-driven approaches, a wide breadth of family-and community-based services, and a passion for human empowerment. It partners with families, caregivers, professionals and the wider community to provide the highest-quality human services possible.
 
Each year, KDC’s staff and community-based care providers and foster parents serve over 7,500 children, adults and families with (or at risk for) developmental disabilities or delays. The organization meets the needs of individuals and their families throughout their life – from pregnancy, infancy and childhood and into adulthood. It operates a wide range of programs from six regional offices, supporting individuals and families in 150 communities across Central and Southeastern Massachusetts, covering over 50% of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
 
Kennedy-Donovan Center is seeking a dynamic, visionary and accomplished leader to serve as its next Chief Executive Officer. The CEO must be an inspiring leader committed to capitalizing on the individual and collective strengths of employees at all levels of the organization and will be a visible, accessible and highly engaged leader. 
 
The next CEO will be a/an: 
 
Values-driven leader who is committed to the fundamental belief that all people should have an opportunity and the support to reach their full potential. KDC’s leader must hold a deep belief that the organization can improve the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. As a caring and nurturing individual, the CEO will radiate trust and lead with integrity. The leader will find deep and enduring value in authentic and lasting connections with KDC’s clients, families and caregiver communities, while also inspiring others toward the organization’s shared purpose. The CEO must bring a true passion for the work of KDC and demonstrate their belief in the importance of building a thriving community for all.   
 
Experienced and motivated executive with the skills and competencies to provide oversight for the operational and financial management of a growing organization. The individual must be a strategic thinker and problem solver without seeking or desiring to solve every challenge themselves; a healthy and intentional reliance on staff and volunteers is desired, as is the commitment to ongoing professional development of the staff. A track record of successfully partnering with an active and participative governing board will be essential. This person will establish and maintain a climate of trust in all leadership and board-related matters and maintain an open learning environment, encouraging active inquiry by the board and staff in pursuit of organizational excellence. S/he will ensure that the agency meets community needs through innovative high-quality programming, a professional staff, financial sustainability and community leadership.
 
Team builder and mentor who can cultivate, develop and inspire a united high-performing team of staff and volunteers who embody the organizational values of collaboration, trust and respect for one another. The CEO will have the temperament and skills to continue the development of the talented staff as well as a demonstrated ability to bring passion, vision, direction, business discipline and inspiration to the organization. The successful candidate will be a relationship builder and will be skilled at guiding the team to shared success. This leader will promote KDC’s culture of integrity, inclusiveness, transparency and respect, in which innovation, creativity, calculated risk-taking and shared leadership are valued, and where challenging but critical conversations are encouraged.
 
Charismatic and persuasive communicator who can serve as the chief brand ambassador, sharing KDC’s vision and goals by effectively communicating with a broad and diverse spectrum of the many stakeholder communities. The CEO must be equipped to lead and drive continuous improvement within the organization as well as in the public realm. A big picture thinker and ambitious leader, the CEO must bring an inclusive and collaborative style of communication along with the habit of being an engaged listener.
 
Visionary thinker and thought leader who embraces change and is open to examining different views and ways of working together, while understanding the importance of KDC’s track record and reputation for success. An adaptive leader, the CEO’s vision is informed by professional experiences. The leader will bring experience within multiple service delivery systems including developmental disabilities (children and adults), child welfare, education, mental health and early intervention. S/he must anticipate changes in the need for services and in funding environments, and advocate with legislators, regulatory and funding agencies, community leadership and donors, to effectively prioritize and fund these needs. The CEO will promote KDC and its programming to ensure that it is at the forefront of service development and delivery.
 
Relationship builder & partner who will place a priority on developing and managing community initiatives, especially those that require multisector engagement, taking the time to build trust and garner the resources necessary to succeed. Equipped with exceptional listening skills, the successful CEO will seek out the opinions of the community and team members at all levels. The next leader will encourage people to speak up and seek input from the community on big-picture strategies. The next leader’s approach will be collaborative and demonstrate a commitment to sharing the credit with others. With a reputation for being curious and open-minded, the CEO will understand community investment at a high level and will cultivate effective relationships among community and business leaders, public officials, professional organizations, funding sources, donors and constituents that contribute to the overall advancement of the agency.
 
The ideal candidate will have at least 10 years of nonprofit and/or civic leadership and business experience; a deep understanding of board, executive and managerial roles in a complex organization(s) is preferred. A bachelor’s degree is required with an advanced degree preferred.
 
Kennedy-Donovan Center, Inc. is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity and welcomes a pool of diverse candidates.
 
To apply, submit a current resume and letter of introduction to Kittleman & Associates, LLC at https://bit.ly/3wXHbSc (click on the Apply button at the bottom of the page).