Vice President

The Community Environmental Center (CEC) is a groundbreaking nonprofit whose mission is to help reduce carbon emissions through energy efficiency and other sustainability programs.

Founded by its visionary leader Richard Cherry in 1994 at a time when sustainability was just beginning to be talked about, CEC was the first organization to link the environment to communities by designing programs to retrofit and weatherize buildings to save energy, particularly in inner-city neighborhoods. Today it is a leader in energy efficiency technology and the largest provider of these programs to low income households under the State's Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP).

In the early 2000s, CEC expanded into environmental conservation education as the designated steward of Stuyvesant Cove Park which was built on an old brownfields site and established by the City as a conservation area. Continuing on this path, CEC established Solar 1 at the north end of the Park-the City's first stand-alone solar powered building which is used to teach children and adults about energy conservation.

CEC has also taken education one step further by building the EcoHouse, a mobile trailer containing common fixtures in the home which can be taken to different locations as a tool for learning about Energy Star appliances and the best technology for addressing energy efficiency in the home.

CEC is constantly at the forefront of new ways to address conservation. In 2005, CEC established Build It Green, a reuse and recycle program which salvages building materials and architectural elements of buildings for reuse in new and rehab construction. Newer programs include the Cool Roof program; selected by the Mayor's office to launch the program, CEC works with youth employment organizations and volunteers to paint roofs white, which helps keep buildings cooler in the summer.

CEC's construction crews have pioneered in the use of green insulation and have installed more solar for domestic hot water than any other contractor, CEC's engineers provide energy auditing and modeling to a full range of building sizes and types.

As it looks towards the future, CEC will continue to push the envelope in energy conservation and sustainability and create innovate programs to help reduce our carbon footprint.

As the Center continues to grow and respond to the changing needs of the community, the CEC has decided to expand the senior leadership to help build its capacity to address those needs. As such, the Community Environmental Center is looking for a strong leader and manager to work with the CEO in managing the organization.

Position Overview:

The Community Environmental Center is seeking a highly intelligent and energetic leader with a commitment to energy conservation and sustainable communities to become its first Vice President (VP).

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the VP will be a key member of the senior leadership team and will help in establishing and implementing the strategic goals for CEC as it moves into the next phase of its development. He or she will be a highly skilled, energetic, and experienced executive who has proven leadersh ip in significant executive management positions, in the nonprofit, for-profit and/or public sectors.

The VP must be an exceptionally strong manager with leadership vision, a sense of entrepreneurship and superior operations skills to assist the CEO with the running of the organization.

The successful candidate must be capable of integrating seamlessly into the senior leadership team, be thoroughly committed to the organization's mission and comfortable interacting with external business contacts from private industry, the non-profit sector and government as well as with Board level leadership. In addition, he or she must have excellent interpersonal and communication skills and a hands-on management style He or she will be highly intelligent and creative, diplomatic, analytical, of the highest integrity, and possess sound judgment and a sense of humor.

For more information on the Community Environmental Center, please visit our website. 

Specific Responsibilities: 

• Supervise and set quality standards for all programs and staff at CEC; promote a culture of transparency, inclusiveness, and openness that fosters opportunities for career growth.
• Provide a management structure that is flexible and responsive to changing conditions, and allows for a thorough and fair review of, and timely decision on, program and policy ideas. 
• Oversees contract compliance, ensuring that program goals are appropriately met.
• Supports the CEO in implementing program expansion plans and network development.
• Plans and implements business development and fundraising strategies and goals in partnership with the CEO.
• Works with the CEO and other staff to oversee the financial status of CEC including developing short and long term goals.
• Helps create additional financial support from foundation relationships, individual donors and corporate funders as well as new contracts.
• Cultivates a strong and transparent working relationship with the Board of Directors.
• Supports the CEO with identifying strategic priorities and goals for CEC.
• Manages data collection and regular program evaluations to measure program effectiveness and identify opportunities for improvement  .
• Exercises full authority and power to lead and direct line departments and maintain continuity.
• Provides appropriate focus, oversight, requisite resources, and accountability standards to ensure successful implementation of revenue enhancements and cost containment initiatives across all line businesses. 

Qualifications:

• A Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university. Advanced degree in business, public policy, planning, environmental science, engineering or related area is highly desirable.
• At least 10 years of increasingly responsible leadership experience in an applicable setting.
• Superior leadership abilities and a demonstrated record of increasingly responsible jobs. 
• Demonstrated experience managing a multi-dimensional operation involving a diverse workforce and financial management at the executive level.
• Ability to develop complex strategies to achieve broad business goals and to understand their impact on various stakeholders within and outside CEC.
• Demonstrated ability to develop a strategic vision and comprehensive plans and objectives.
• Ability to establish plans, set priorities, coordinate activities and delegate tasks and responsibilities appropriately. Establish individual and group goals and expectations as well as providing opportunities for growth and development.
• Experience advising senior executives and interacting with multiple governmental agencies and officials with potentially significant divergent views.
• Proven track record to perform effectively under pressure and to resolve conflict situCommunity Environmental Centerations constructively. Demonstrated ability to manage conflict, build consensus, and facilitate problem solving and collaboration among various stakeholders.
• Strong transaction, decision making and problem solving skills.
• Ability to lead, motivate, mentor and develop staff.
• Experience in sound management of the finances of a non-profit organization or an organization of similar capacity and complexity.
• Demonstrated successful performance supervising/managing complex projects and knowledge/experience in project management functions. 
• Aptitude for organizing and managing human, physical and financial resources, organizing activities, managing time and multi-tasking to achieve goals. Ability to motivate, coach and support individuals to achieve goals and provide balanced feedback related to performance. Able to recognize and capitalize on individual difference, with appreciation of the need to manage diversity.
• Ability to guide the planning, assessment, testing and implementation of all aspects of the transition from one major organizational structure and/or business process to another, including building consensus and alignment among customers and stakeholders. Concern for meeting and exceeding the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers.
• Can reach sound conclusions and make recommendations based on the analysis of pertinent/available information. Will take calculated risks in uncertain or ambiguous situations in order to make sensible, innovative decisions to address problems.
• Exceptional communications and interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to interact effectively with the workforce at all levels as well as external constituents.
• High level of integrity and dependability with a strong sense of urgency and results-orientated work ethic. 

Compensation: Salary will be commensurate with experience.  

To Apply:

Please utilize the email address provided below to make inquiries, nominations or applications, in confidence to:

Jack Lusk, Managing Partner
or
Anne McCarthy, Senior Director
Harris Rand Lusk
261 Madison Avenue
11th Floor
New York, NY 10016

~ The Community Environmental Center has retained the services of Harris Rand Lusk to conduct this search. ~