Recruitment for New President/CEO Underway
Columbia Association (CA) is excited to officially begin recruitment for our next President/CEO, a process assisted by search firm Baker Tilly US, LLP. The successful candidate will see the pandemic as a catalyst for thinking outside of the box and taking a fresh look at new ways of providing services and programs with greater effectiveness and experience.
Current CA President/CEO Milton W. Matthews will end his term as President and CEO in April 2021. CA is grateful for the years Matthews has served this organization and this community.
A first review of resumes will occur on December 28, 2020.
Qualified candidates can view the recruitment brochure with in-depth details about the opportunity here, and can submit their cover letter and resume here. CA, the Board of Directors and Baker Tilly will keep the identities of applicants confidential throughout this process.
About CA
As a reminder, the Columbia Association (CA) is a 501(c)4 nonprofit community services organization that manages Columbia, Maryland. Columbia encompasses 32 square miles and is home to approximately 100,000 people.
The CA organization has a staff of approximately 200 full-time and over 1,000 part-time and seasonal team members, organized into five departments: Community Services, Sport and Fitness, Open Space and Facility Services, Communications and Marketing, and Administrative Services.
About the Position
The President/CEO oversees, directs, and manages the CA organization. Primarily, that involves supervising and working through an 11-member senior leadership team that includes
- Executive Assistant to President/CEO
- VP of Administration & CFO
- Chief Information Officer
- General Counsel
- Chief Marketing Officer
- Director of Human Resources
- Director of Sport & Fitness
- Director of Open Space & Facility Services
- Director of Community Services
- Director of Planning
- Director of Audit & Advisory Services.
This position reports to the CA Board of Directors.
Major responsibilities of the President/CEO fall into three broad priorities:
- Strategic, visionary leadership. The President/CEO provides visionary leadership to Columbia Association and positions CA for a strong future, ensuring effective operations and quality services.
- “Face” of CA. High visibility in the community and regular interactions with Columbia residents and businesses are major expectations for the President/CEO.
- CA management. The President/CEO is responsible for all financial, operational, administrative, contracting and legal aspects of the daily organizational management of CA.
Leadership opportunities include:
- Board development and governance.
- Re-energizing CA values.
- Community partnerships.
- Financial sustainability.
- Planning for and funding facility improvements.
- CA business model.
Desired Capabilities
The successful candidate will be of impeccable integrity and demonstrate the ability to build trusted relationships with governing board members, CA staff, residents, the business community and stakeholder organizations. A transformative leader, the successful candidate will honor CA’s founding principles and be committed to making the CA organization and the community better.
With considerable executive experience, the optimal candidate will bring a big picture, systems understanding to CA and a willingness to accept challenges, think big and encourage new ideas. They will have the ability to frame organizational policy issues and provide information, options and recommendations to support the work of the governing body.
The successful candidate will be highly visible in the community, an approachable leader who displays empathy and takes a genuine interest in the ideas and opinions of others. With a transparent and collaborative style, they will establish working relationships with the villages and engage people with diverse interests to identify common ground solutions. Experienced in managing organizational change, the successful candidate involves staff, seeks their expertise and input on a broad range of issues, and provides clear direction and the latitude to accomplish assigned objectives.
For more information on CA as an organization, the President/CEO position, the hiring process or compensation and benefits, download the recruitment brochure. To learn more, please contact Sharon Klumpp at sharon.klumpp@bakertilly.com or 651-223-3053.