About Us:
We want to see our world— and all the people in it— flourish. You are invited into an organization that is activating a people-driven movement to serve vulnerable youth around the world. L.A.C.E.S., which stands for ‘Life And Change Experienced thru Sports,’ is a Christian non-profit that for the last 14 years has been leveraging the power of sport to mentor at-risk youth. Sport is more than a game to us; we work to create a sustainable, replicable model of community development using sports as a tool to empower local communities. We operate in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Washington D.C., and with plans to strategically expand throughout Africa.

You will be joining an award winning team that includes young leaders who were most recently recognized by ESPN and Billie Jean King Foundation at the ESPN Sports Humanitarian Awards (2021). We also received an award from Chelsea F.C. for our work in fighting discrimination in sports (2017). We received the Most Courageous Use of Sport Award (2016) sponsored by Land Rover for our work in fighting Ebola and additional awards recognizing our work in fighting corruption and conflict resolution.

Job Description:
The Executive Director (ED) position is ideal for a person with an entrepreneurial mindset and passionate about casting a vision of impact. The ED is primarily responsible for being the face and voice of L.A.C.E.S.’s mission. The ED acts as the liaison to the Board of Directors and leads fundraising and strategic growth. The ED reports to the Board of Directors and is responsible for the overall management of L.A.C.E.S.

Responsibilities:

Fundraising:
We believe that relationships are at the core of what we do. We see our supporters as a valuable part of our organization and team. This person will proactively fundraise and relay the important work of the organization to our donor base in a way that energizes, empowers, and excites those involved. You will also be responsible for the following:

• Develop, lead, and execute on a fundraising strategy to support L.A.C.E.S mission and vision.
• Diversify and develop new funding streams.
• Grow revenue by $100,000 in the first 18 months.
• Cultivate existing and new donors.
• Build and manage relationships with a variety of stakeholders, from our Board of Directors, to first-time supporters.

Strategy:

We are perfectly poised for our next phase of growth at L.A.C.E.S. As the ED you will be helping develop a plan to lead this next growth phase. You will:

• Set priorities and strategies to ensure high growth in funding
• Maintain our high standard of excellence in our programs and the organization’s brand
• Lead the implementation of the new strategic plan and evolve it based on learning and evidence.

Operations:

We are a small, passionate and agile team that knows in order to build a successful organization people matter. As the only full-time staff member you will:

• Lead a team that prioritizes its people and recognizes their strengths and leverages them to move the mission forward.
• Manage a senior operations coordinator, oversee international partners, and manage external consultants.
• Never have the same day twice, meaning some days you will be fundraising, next day budgeting, and another day hanging with the youth in our program. Whatever is needed, you know how to prioritize your time, delegate tasks and/or be willing to roll-up your sleeves and take it on yourself.
• Develop annual budget and oversee the day-to-day finances.
• Manage and update a donor database
• Execute on all responsibilities required for the organization to stay compliant with 501 (c) 3 status, state requirements, insurance, governance and compliance.

Key Skills:

• You’re an activator. You take initiative by turning thoughts into action
• You’re a visionary. You know how to inspire others with a vision and help them see their role in it both within and outside of an organization.
• You’re a great communicator. You are skilled in creating powerful, compelling written and oral communications and know how to convey complex ideas into brief simple content.
• Connector. You love the challenge of meeting new people and making a strong personal connection with them.

Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Experience in communicating the story of a mission driven organization
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement fundraising strategies and a track record of securing gifts from individuals and foundations
• Keen understanding of international development and/or sports for development
• Align with the mission and vision of the organization
• Candidates must provide evidence that they can work in the US.

Compensation range is: $55,000-$65,000 with opportunity for bonus. It includes a flexible work schedule.  Location: Washington D.C. preferred; but remote work is an option. To apply:  Submit a resume to jobs@laces.org. Applications accepted until March 1st, 2022 and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.