Executive Director

The American Public Gardens Association (APGA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit membership organization located 25 miles southwest of Philadelphia. APGA's mission is advancing Public Gardens as a force for positive change in their communities through national leadership, advocacy and innovation. With APGA's leadership and advocacy, public gardens will grow in relevance to people's appreciation and understanding of the irreplaceable value of plants. The vision of the American Public Gardens Association is A World Where Public Gardens are Indispensable.

APGA serves 500+ member gardens and is governed by a Board of Directors made up of 5 officers and 6 Directors-at-Large. The Executive Director is an ex-officio member of the Board.

Public gardens are scientific and educational institutions whose purpose is the advancement and diffusion of a knowledge and love of plants. In North America, public gardens are as diverse as the natural world itself and include botanical gardens, display gardens, therapeutic gardens, nature centers, sculpture gardens, arboreta, parks, college campuses, zoos, cemeteries, and historic landscapes.

Public gardens are not only a tonic for individuals; they are positive forces in the community, engaging in civic activities that include city beautification programs, historic preservation, arts, education programs, lectures, flower shows, and a wide assortment of other social, recreational, and cultural activities. More than just pretty places to visit, public gardens are heavily involved in significant scientific research and innovation (e.g., introducing new plants to the nursery and home gardening trade through breeding, collection, and selection programs). Many have extensive education programs for visitors of all ages and serve as a major source of information about plants for the general public.

Public gardens go beyond their garden gates to promote global environmental and conservation issues; some are involved in providing refuges for rare and endangered plants; others work to preserve the habitats for those endangered plants; many promote the concept of community gardens and urban greening programs; and others work to preserve cultural history through preservation of historic structures and cultural landscapes.

Challenges and Opportunities for APGA in the future:

Public gardens have long served as passionate advocates for plants and the essential role plants play in our everyday lives. The challenge for gardens is to effectively communicate the value of plants and public gardens as essential community resources. Key factors include:

• A growing public consensus that global climate change poses an increasing threat to our survival, and that protecting the environment is imperative;
• A renewed public interest in plants and a heightened awareness that they are essential to healthy communities and a healthy planet; and
• The unique position of public gardens to engage, educate, inform and inspire the public.

Therefore, public gardens have the opportunity to be leading advocates for environmental stewardship and sustainable communities. Through APGA's leadership, public gardens will be recognized as the driving force for change at the local, regional, national, and international levels.

Strategic Goals of the Association:

APGA has adopted 4 strategic goals that will drive the organization's activities over the next several years. These include:

1. Strengthen the capacity of public gardens to effect change in their communities;
2. Leverage the collective strength of public gardens to motivate the general public to conserve plants and become stewards of the environment;
3. Advance the professionalism of public gardens; and
4. Develop the resources to ensure that APGA is a leader, serving as a model for association best practices, and remaining viable in the long-term.

Position Overview:

All activities of the Association shall be carried out under the leadership and direction of the Executive Director who shall be responsible to the Executive Committee and the Board. The Executive Director, in consultation with the Board, is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the Association and for overseeing the daily operations to ensure APGA achieves its strategic goals.

Responsibilities:

Primary responsibilities include:

• Direct the development and implementation of the strategic framework and business plan and develop annual action plans and metrics to ensure the continued relevance of existing programs and services; explore new services and programs to serve the membership and develop new revenue sources; ensure APGA's programs are consistent with the highest professional standards;
• Supervise, mentor, motivate, assist and evaluate qualified staff to carry out the programs of the APGA; make recommendations to the Executive Committee for approval of compensation, benefits and working conditions;
• Consult regularly with the President, Executive Committee and Board, individually and collectively. Keep the Executive Committee and the Board informed on all matters requiring action and provide them with sufficient information so they can make informed decisions;
• Prepare and present the proposed annual budget and monthly financial reports to the Finance Committee and the Board;
• Serve as the spokesperson for APGA, particularly to national media and at the annual conference; advocate on behalf of APGA and handle governmental relations activities.
• Maintain close contact with affiliated organizations or delegate that responsibility to staff or Committees. Ensure that APGA staff and/or volunteers serve on various boards and committees of affiliated organizations in order to represent and advocate for the interests of APGA members; and
• Work with the staff, board and external partners to grow the new revenue sources necessary to support APGA operations and programs and to ensure the overall financial health of the organization in the future.

Qualifications:

Traits and Characteristics:

Leading candidates will be facilitative, coalition builders who can work at multiple levels with association membership, Board members and affiliated organizations, providing leadership as appropriate and establishing a basis for trust and mutuality of expectations. The Executive Director should have the ability to service the current needs of the membership while also identifying trends and issues of significance to the profession for the future; strategic thinking should be combined with solid, tactical and pragmatic implementation.

The Executive Director should be diplomatic, yet decisive and cognizant of the ramifications of his/her decisions. He/She should be flexible, politically astute, culturally sensitive, and self-motivated. The successful candidate should be able to create harmonious relationships, develop good rapport and be a person of vision who is also comfortable as a hands-on manager and enabler of others. He/She should be an open, confident and communicative professional who enjoys exploring ideas.

Exceptional written and oral communication skills are important. Good listening skills are equally important. The Executive Director will excel at setting priorities and will have the ability to deal with multiple tasks and functions simultaneously. Possessing a strong process orientation, the successful candidate should be highly organized and understand the importance of leveraging his/her strengths through the capacities of the membership.

Since much of the role is catalytic and facilitative in nature, it is particularly important that the successful candidate be able to earn the trust and respect of the membership as well as potential partners, constituents, supporters and decision makers. The Executive Director should be a model of integrity and fairness and have high ethical standards.

Career Path Leading to this Position:

Candidates should have demonstrated success in nonprofit leadership positions and an interest in the environment and public gardens. Membership organization or professional or trade association experience would be a plus. Candidates might have public garden experience but they could also come from association management, museums, conservation organizations or a variety of other nonprofit settings.

Education:

An undergraduate degree is required; an advanced degree is preferred.

Compensation: Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience and a comprehensive benefits package will be provided. Relocation assistance is negotiable.

To Apply:

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