IMPORTANT: This Advertiser has requested that applicants MUST be National Residents / Valid Work Permit-holders. Other applicants need not apply.
The Apeiron Institute is a recognized leader in the field of sustainability education and advocacy in Rhode Island. A locally focused nonprofit with offices in Providence and an ecological housing model, the Center for Sustainable Living, in Coventry, RI, Apeiron’s mission is to provide education, advocacy, and research opportunities to help Rhode Islanders create more sustainable lifestyles, communities, and institutional practices.
Apeiron’s work is grounded in a vision of a world where humanity respects its intimate connection with the earth and lives in a manner that fosters educated, prosperous, physically and spiritually healthy communities while creating and sustaining clean air and water, fertile soil, abundant wildlife, and beautiful places.
Focusing primarily on educating Rhode islanders toward developing greater awareness of sustainability issues and integrating sustainable practices into business, civic, and personal life, Apeiron’s current work includes:
- Integrating sustainable practices into all areas of K-12 Education through the Sustainable Schools Network and environmental education programming
- Facilitating sustainable business practices through the work of the Sustainable Business Group.
- Providing Green Job Training and education programs to area workers
- Educating the public through a wide variety of programs at the institute’s Center for Sustainable Living
- Partnering with higher education institutions to develop opportunities for research and education in the field of sustainability
- Planning and hosting the annual Rhode Island Sustainable Living Festival, a day of educational workshops, exhibitions, children’s activities, and musical performances
Position Description
The Executive Director (ED) is responsible for leading Apeiron's effort to fulfill its mission and uphold its organizational values, strategic plans, policies and procedures. The ED assumes executive responsibility for all organizational operation, including development, budgeting, programming and staff management. The ED represents the organization publicly, and works to create partnerships with businesses, government agencies, education institutions, and other non-profit organizations. The ED actively assists the board and appointed committees with fundraising, strategic planning, board development and staff development. The ED reports to the board on a regular basis on all areas of organizational operation.
Qualifications and Experience
The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate an awareness of the core principles of deep ecology and sustainable living and articulate a vision for raising awareness of sustainability issues and enabling sustainable practices across socioeconomically, culturally, racially and ethnically diverse communities.
Education
A graduate degree in a field related to education, environmental studies, or sociology is strongly preferred. A bachelor’s degree is required.
Work experience
The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate successful experience in:
- Fundraising for a non-profit organization, including experience working on a capital campaign or other large-scale fundraising effort; grant writing and administration; fee-for-service based programming
- Providing leadership, coordination and support to staff in a collaborative, participatory work environment
- Developing and implementing educational programming
- Building collaborative working relationships with other organizations – including businesses, government agencies
- Developing, implementing and administering organizational and grant-based policies and procedures
- Recruiting, hiring, and developing paid and volunteer staff
- Strategic planning at the organizational level
- Program assessment and evaluation
- Written and oral communications, including a demonstrated high degree of intercultural communicative competence
- Community organizing and development
- Marketing or public relations, including experience working with television, print, and web-based media
- Event planning
Other skills and experience
It is preferred that the candidate has the following qualifications:
- Familiarity with QuickBooks, Salesforce and Microsoft Office applications
- Ability to communicate effectively in language(s) other than English
- Experience participating as a voting or non-voting member of a board of directors
- Experience organizing and facilitating multi-stakeholder coalitions
- A strong network within the Rhode Island environmental and sustainability community is a plus
