Smithbucklin, a 650-person, employee-owned professional services company with more than 70 years of success serving the association market, is looking for an Executive Director to join our Professional Societies and Communities network in our Chicago office. Specializing in Technical Education, Networking and Industry Influence, SHARE provides valuable resources and tools to the IT and Mainframe professionals globally. SHARE began as the first-ever enterprise IT user group back in 1955 and continues to deliver important avenues of professional growth for the industry today. While the means of learning, networking and influencing this space have evolved – the desired result of providing a valuable user-driven perspective is the same. SHARE is headquartered in Chicago, IL with operating revenue of over $3M and a Membership and Operations staff of 3-4.
About Smithbucklin and Our Work Environment Smithbucklin empowers associations and communities that enrich society and move industries forward. Working together, we help organizations reimagine solutions to nurture growth, advance missions, and increase reach and impact. From complete association management solutions to a full array of expert capabilities propelled by talent, versatility, and creativity, we help associations achieve their greatest potential. Our mission is to achieve the missions of the client organizations we serve and provide uncompromised stewardship for their long-term prosperity. The work environment is collaborative, with teams organized through a matrix of skill levels and expertise. The company is 100% employee owned.
At Smithbucklin, we embody a culture driven by optimism, ambition, expertise, and thoughtfulness, where every team member is empowered to exceed expectations and deliver exceptional results for our clients. Join us in shaping the future of association management, where our values serve as the cornerstone of our success.
This role would expect you to…. As an Executive Director you will…
Serve as an ex-officio member of the client organization’s Board of Directors as well as Headquarters (HQ) liaison to various committees.
Study, learn, retain, and apply subject matter knowledge related to the organization. Become adept at the issues, environment, vocabulary, and personas of membership.
Contribute to strategic thinking and future-focused planning and prioritization efforts of the Board of Directors.
Advise the Board of Directors on governance-related leading practices related to Bylaws, volunteer recruitment, organizational structure, policies, norms, and behaviors.
Ensure all laws, regulatory filings, accounting practices, and other matters related to business administration are upheld and/or fulfilled.
Drive action-planning and execution of programs, services, product development, and other initiatives which translate strategic thinking into action and outcomes.
Work alongside the leadership to drive and/or support the creation and nurturing of external partnerships (e.g. companies, associations, governmental organizations) which elevate and broaden the reach of the organization’s brand and mission, and/or contribute to the organization’s financial health.
Work with the Board of Directors and other stakeholders to develop and nurture a culture of engaged volunteers, applying best practices to recruitment, engagement, and recognition.
Communicate effectively with leadership and all stakeholders on matters related to the organization; serve as the primary driver of communications (either directly, or through others).
Serve as the business leader of the organization, accountable for driving strategic conversations related to the financial model, and assuming overall accountability for the organization’s financial health and stability.
Drive the annual process for the development of the organization’s budget, including the identification, selection, and engagement of resources or solutions within the parameters of the approved budget (i.e. operational planning).
Lead the cross-functional HQ team, and fulfill duties such as…
Design the optimal staff (or other resources) team to execute operations and advance strategic priorities, within the parameters of the approved budget.
Create and nurture an environment for staff to be effective and engaged, including role clarity, expectations, performance management, and overall morale.
Implement quality assurance regarding creation, organization, and retention of documents and materials of the organization.
Deliver service excellence by HQ staff to volunteers, members, collaborators, funders, and other stakeholders.
Serve as a servant-leader by helping staff develop knowledge, competencies, and skills to successfully perform their roles.
Communicate expectations; surface and resolve conflict; and reward and recognize successes across the staff team.
Assume accountability for all staff functions, actions, and outcomes.
Perform obligations of a Smithbucklin Executive Director, such as…
Participate within and contribute to the Executive Director community and maximize all learning, development, and sharing opportunities.
Uphold all Smithbucklin shared values.
Actively support and advance commitments and initiatives related to people care, including commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), performance management, career development/pathing, employee relations, etc.
Develop and maintain the confidence of the client organization – individually, and with Smithbucklin as a valued management partner.
Embrace Smithbucklin’s culture of continuous improvement, leveraging all available resources (AXP, Learning Center, feedback mechanisms, supervisory and leadership coaching and development, etc.).
Maximize Smithbucklin’s service model, depth of expertise, and resources in service to the organization you serve.
This role might be a great fit if you….
Have 5-10 years of executive-level management experience.
Served in a leadership role of a volunteer-governed organization.
Wish to join an industry-leading, widely admired growing company that values diversity, equity, inclusion and its people as its number one resource.
Have a passion for servant-leadership; can lead both “in front” and also “from behind.”
Possess executive-level communication skills (verbal and written) with expertise in synthesizing the input of many voices into cohesive themes and messages.
Are a driver/enabler of strategy and growth.
Can effectively navigate challenging situations and/or personalities which lead to positive outcomes and mitigate organizational risk.
Accept accountabilities that come with a leadership position.
Invite constructive performance feedback and work in a positive manner to apply the learnings.
Can balance and derive gratification from both administrative/operational activities as well as strategic ones (in other words, easily shift gears and respect the importance of both types of work).
Where Do You Fit?
Whether you are just beginning your career or are a mid- or senior-level professional, working at Smithbucklin will offer you countless opportunities to develop transferable skills, acquire meaningful knowledge and gain rich experiences at an accelerated pace. By working collaboratively with smart, ambitious, multi-talented, genuine and hardworking colleagues, you will build meaningful, deep and enduring relationships that will serve you well throughout your career, regardless of your chosen path. In addition, as a 100 percent employee-owned company, Smithbucklin offers all our people – regardless of position or compensation – an equal chance to experience the fulfillment and reap the benefits of ownership. As owners, our employees control the destiny of Smithbucklin and are unified in the goal of building a great, enduring company.
The salary range for this role is $150,000 to $190,000. In addition to base salary, performance-based bonuses and a comprehensive benefits package are available.
Equal Employment Opportunity At Smithbucklin, Equal Employment Opportunity is our commitment and goal. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status or any other protected status designated by federal, state or local law. Applicants are encouraged to confidentially self-identify when applying. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of reference and background investigation based on position.
Smithbucklin will not sponsor applicants for work visas and as a precondition of employment, you must be authorized to work in the United States permanently.
Founded in 1949, Smithbucklin provides full-service association management and services to trade associations, professional societies, technology user groups, corporations, government institutes/agencies and other nonprofit organizations. Smithbucklin’s mission is to drive growth for its client organizations and provide uncompromised stewardship for their long-term prosperity.
