Job Opening: Urban Squash Director, Cincinnati

Posted October 22, 2013

Job Title: Executive Director

Program: Emanuel Squash

Home Base: Emanuel Center

City: Cincinnati, OH

Start Date: Jan-July 2014

Position
The National Urban Squash + Education Association seeks an Executive Director of Emanuel Squash in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Executive Director, who should be prepared to lead Emanuel Squash for a minimum of three years, will launch the organization in the spring or summer of 2014 at Emanuel Squash’s newly renovated three court youth center. The center, which has classrooms and offices and is within walking distance of several prospective partner schools, is in an architecturally rich and up-and-coming neighborhood called Over the Rhine adjacent to Cincinnati’s downtown business district.
The Executive Director will report to Emanuel Squash’s Board of Directors and her or his responsibilities will include building an able and dedicated staff; managing the program’s space in the building; creating and strengthening partnerships with local schools, businesses, and nonprofits; recruiting and retaining students and volunteers; raising money and organizing fundraisers and other events; working with and building Emanuel Squash’s Board of Directors, Board of Advisors and Young Professionals Board; and other duties as needed or assigned.
We seek candidates who are organized, hardworking, and comfortable raising money. Candidates should also enjoy coaching, tutoring and mentoring young people from under-served communities and cultivating personal relationships with families. As the leader of the organization, the Executive Director will be in control of her or his daily schedule, but candidates should understand that the position demands considerably more than a typical full-time job. For at least the first year, the Executive Director will be present at virtually all of the program’s weekday and weekend practices, and be regularly accessible outside of traditional work hours.
In short, the Executive Director will be responsible for ensuring that Emanuel Squash is successfully launched and that it is well run, well supported, and well respected in Cincinnati and beyond. It is a unique opportunity for a talented and focused individual to lead an organization, become a community leader, and make a difference in the lives of at-risk youth.
Qualifications & Experience
● Bachelor’s degree from a high quality university; graduate degree a plus
● High level of familiarity with the urban squash program model; past experience as a volunteer or staff member of an urban squash program highly desirable
● High quality English skills as a writer and speaker
● Experience as a squash player or squash coach

Skills & Personal Characteristics
Leadership
● Capable of building, managing, and a leading a team; proven track record in initiating and successfully leading groups or projects
● Natural, hands-on leadership skills and a pragmatic, business-focused approach to management.
● Organized, with the ability to implement systems and processes while overseeing growth and change; ability to work against tight deadlines under pressure.
● Entrepreneurial drive and desire to build from the ground up; able to effectively operate with little infrastructure.
● Sets extremely high standards for self and colleagues. Provides strong leadership but encourages input from colleagues in the decision-making process and possesses good team-building skills.

Communication
● Ability to fundraise, persuade, and rally groups to achieve a goal
● Excellent negotiation, influence, and presentation skills. Must have the credibility necessary to lead meetings with accomplished professionals from a variety of sectors.
● Exceptional interpersonal skills to build strong relationships with various stakeholders.
● Ability to work effectively at all levels of the organization when needed, as a squash coach, tutor, chaperon or more; exhibits the gravitas, charisma and knowledge to be credible in all situations.

Motivation/Culture Fit
● A sharp focus on delivering exceptional levels of service; a customer service orientation
● Highly self-motivated and objective driven with a strong commitment to career.
● A pragmatic approach and the ability to thrive under pressure of constant change.
● The ability to connect socially with people of different ages, backgrounds, and interests

Start date: The position can begin as early as January of 2014, with the recruitment of students and tryouts beginning in April or May. However, candidates who are interested in the position but cannot start before July are encouraged to apply. For the right candidate, the position could start (on a full-time basis) as late as July 1, 2014.
Commitment: 3 years minimum
Compensation & Vacation: Commensurate with experience and qualifications. Salary range: $50,000-$70,000, with the prospect for future increases based on performance. Full health-insurance coverage included. The position includes 5 weeks of vacation annually: 1 in December, 1 in the spring, and 3 in the summer.
Application Process: Interested candidates should send a brief, informal email to Tim Wyant (tim.wyant@nationalurbansquash.org) and Peg Wyant (peg@grandinproperties.com) to indicate interest. Subsequently, candidates may be invited to send PDF copies of their resume and a one-page cover letter that explains in more detail her or his qualifications and reason for interest in the position. The letter should be addressed to the four board members serving
on Emanuel Squash’s Executive Director Search Committee (Tom Shepherd, Dan Good, Peg Wyant, and Tim Wyant) and sent to Tim Wyant and Peg Wyant.
Background: In the fall of 2012, the Emanuel Community Center, which has served Over the Rhine residents for 142 years, repurposed its mission to become an urban squash and education program. Led by NUSEA and a group of squash enthusiasts in Cincinnati, Emanuel Squash began rebuilding its Board of Directors and raising the capital required to build squash courts in what had been an indoor basketball court, and refurbish its classroom and office space. With NUSEA’s assistance, Emanuel Squash has secured over $125,000 in operations funding, and the organization is scheduled to launch in the spring or summer of 2014 with at least two full-time staff members and approximately 40 elementary and middle school studnets. Emanuel Squash will have almost exclusive access to the courts and classrooms at the Emanuel, and there is the possibility of further court construction in future years.
Cincinnati: Located on the Ohio River, Cincinnati is a city of hills with two major league sports teams – the Cincinnati Reds and Cincinnati Bengals – eight Fortune 500 Companies, and a population of two million. An affordable place to live, Cincinnati has a friendly, Midwestern culture and a highly regarded park system. The city has a strong squash community, with six squash facilities, ten local squash professionals, and longstanding commitment to junior development. The Emanuel Center, which overlooks Music Hall and the newly renovated Washington Park, is within easy walking distance of theaters, museums, stadiums, and riverfront parks. Over the Rhine, where the Emanuel Center is located, is enjoying a cultural and economic renewal and has become the city's most active entertainment and entrepreneurial district. It is also home to one of Cincinnati’s poorest populations. Over 90% of the students in the area’s schools qualify for the federal government’s free lunch program.
Board of Directors • Randy Cooper • Kevin Dehner • Dan Good • Francy Hughes • Dhani Jones • Drew McKenzie • Don Mills • Harrison Mullin • Russ Naber • Tom Shepherd F.D. Wilder • Peg Wyant • Tim Wyant
www.emanuelsquash.org