Annie Gray Associates, Inc. 314-973-7890

Excutive Search: CEO Nurses for Newborns Foundation St. Louis, Missouri www.nfnf.org

Nurses for Newborns Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing a safety net for at-risk families to prevent infant mortality, child abuse and neglect, seeks nominations and applications for the position of CEO.  The CEO will be responsible for overseeing the direction of operations of the agency as well as for providing leadership to a dedicated staff, committed board of directors and others to build on the great successes of the past nineteen years.  As Nurses for Newborns' second CEO, the selected candidate will report to the Board of Directors and will have access to the retiring CEO and Founder. S/he will skillfully and passionately advocate for newborns at risk and mobilize others to reduce infant mortality rates, without regard to the socio-economic status of families across the St Louis region and Middle Tennessee.  The ideal candidate will exude the vision to inspire, the skills to lead, the energy and track record to fundraise, and both a sense of urgency and determined patience for social change work.

Nurses for Newborns' next phase of growth and renewal requires a dynamic leader with the experience and perspective to lift it upward and outward.  The ideal candidate will be an innovative and strategic thinker who can sustain current strengths while identifying and forging new opportunities.

ABOUT NURSES FOR NEWBORNS FOUNDATION (NFNF):

From a card table in a breezeway, Nurses for Newborns has grown to more than 56 registered nurses, operating in 24 counties in Missouri and 12 counties in Middle Tennessee. Its $3.6M budget comes from contributions, grants, government funds, events, contracts and other sources.  A corps of 1,200 volunteers includes congregations, corporations and individuals. Nurses for Newborns began in 1989 as a for-profit by a neonatal nurse who was exasperated by the needless deaths of infants after discharge from the hospital.  In 1991 it was changed to be a non-profit 501(c)3 agency to help babies at risk by providing cost-free nurse home visits to families, regardless of economic status. In 2007 20,000+ home visits were completed!

Working with referrals from hospitals, social workers, doctors, homeless shelters, schools and government agencies, NFNF employs registered nurses who make home visits to provide care for babies and their mothers.  These include homes of single mothers, parents who are developmentally disabled, teenagers, recent immigrants, and uninsured, working people who are poor.

A baby born in Cuba is 45% more likely to reach its first birthday alive than a baby born in St Louis.  Infant mortality and low-birth weight are complex issues. Unsafe living conditions, inadequate nutrition and bare cupboards are problems with real solutions.  Many mothers exist on less than $500 per month income. Nurses carry food, formula and diapers to the home visits.  They carry cell phones to enable clients without a telephone to access resources such as WIC (Women, Infants and Children, a government nutrition-focused program) medical care and community support.

In 2006, NFNF completed a strategic plan that identified opportunities for growth and set the direction for the organization's development over the next five years.  In short, seven issues are addressed. They are:
(1) Improve nurse recruitment and retention, (2) Increase and diversify funding, (3) Prepare for expansion,
(4) Define board governance, (5) Define future partnerships, (6) Maximize reach with PR, marketing and,
(7) Succession and growth after retirement of Founder/CEO.
 
The Nurses for Newborns Foundation has been the subject of countless retellings in newspapers, magazines and television programs.  The Hallmark Channel aired a segment on December 4, 2007. The Foundation has been the recipient of many honors and monetary awards, including an Oprah Angel award and $100,000 Community Health Leadership Award from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. 

PROGRAMS & SERVICES:
Nurses for Newborns Foundation exists to provide a safety net for families most at-risk; to prevent infant mortality, child abuse and neglect through in-home nursing visits that provide healthcare, education and positive parenting skills. 
Programs offered are:

• Bridge to the Future – For medically fragile babies
• Bright Futures – For pregnant women or new mothers living in poverty lacking access to services
• Safe Beginnings – For physically or mentally challenged pregnant or new mothers
• Teen Parent – For teen moms 18-years-old and younger
  

The CEO serves as the Chief Executive and is responsible to the Board of Directors. S/he has overall responsibility for the strategic, programmatic, financial, and management operations of the St Louis and Middle Tennessee sites. The CEO will lead a talented and highly dedicated team of full/part-time nursing staff and a growing corps of employees and volunteers. S/he will be expected to build upon the success of the past 19 years by both visualizing and capitalizing upon the opportunities for future growth.
 
This position became available when the current CEO and Founder announced her retirement in late 2007.  She will serve as CEO until the new appointment is recommended by the NFNF Board of Directors.

THE CEO WILL HAVE THE FOLLOWING RESPONSIBILITIES AND PRIORITIES:

STRATEGIC PLANNING AND LEADERSHIP:The CEO will inspire trust and confidence. S/he will effectively articulate a vision and attract others to assist.  The new CEO will also work closely with the Board of Directors, and the staff to refine and implement the organization's new strategic direction which will solidify the Nurses for Newborns place in the St Louis and Middle Tennessee regions and serve as a roadmap for its future program potential.  Building upon that potential, the CEO will continue established programs, create and implement new programs, and ensure the continuation of excellence in all program delivery.  Finally, the CEO will initiate specific expansion plans and determine that resources are secured for success.

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT: The successful CEO will work collaboratively with the board, staff and founder to raise funds by building relationships with and securing additional commitments from existing and new funders. S/he will oversee increasing government grants, contracts, and institutional partners and private donors. New research opportunities will be investigated and secured.
 
ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT: The chief executive officer will oversee all Missouri and Middle Tennessee organizational activities including the creation of concrete and realistic timelines, budgets, and work plans.  S/he will assume final responsibility for effective program management, will ensure top-quality performance of established programs, will lead outreach initiatives, and will oversee internal improvement processes ranging from human resources to fiscal responsibility. The CEO will support a focused, healthy workplace maintaining a supportive, nurturing, and open organization culture while encouraging increased accountability, timeliness, and efficiency. S/he will also work to build a strong system of community/client driven program planning and evaluation for the agency.

PROGRAM OVERSIGHT:  The CEO will provide supervision for the Middle Tennessee Executive Director and senior staff to ensure program goals are aligned with strategic and revenue goals. S/he will oversee the design, implementation and evaluation of all NFNF's programs, trainings, and collaborative partnerships, taking final responsibility that deadlines and budgets are met while encouraging program activity that furthers Nurses for Newborns' mission. S/he will also broaden and expand programs in areas where the agency has recognized expertise and foster new opportunities for earned income.

OPERATIONS AND FINANCE:  The CEO is responsible for ensuring that outstanding program quality is achieved and that fiscal stability is maintained and enhanced through a balanced budget and appropriate fiscal controls, effective fundraising, appropriate financing, and strong relationships with universities, hospitals, government and private funders. Internally, the CEO will ensure that professional financial controls and  financial planning and reporting systems are in place. HR policies, procedures and standards will be designed to strengthen the infrastructure and prepare for expansion and sustainable growth.
 
OUTREACH, COLLABORATIONS, AND PUBLIC RELATIONS: The CEO will represent Nurses for Newborns to the broader community, fostering and maintaining vibrant and productive relationships with healthcare and university partners, funders, donors, volunteers, community organizations, government partners, foundations and program participants. S/he will develop and continue relationships with and appear before influential civic and government groups, businesses, and other non-profits to tell the Nurses for Newborns story and develop support and sponsorship. Finally, the new CEO will foster internal communications that will equip NFNF staff, board, and volunteers to be informed ambassadors to the community.

QUALITIES OF THE IDEAL CANDIDATE:
The new CEO must be a results-driven leader and manager with vision, character and passion for the only organization of its kind for a population in overwhelming need.  With the US ranking 42nd in infant mortality, the candidate must find this an unacceptable statistic.  S/he will possess superior judgment and analytical skills and an open, clear and collaborative communication style. S/he will be an innovative thinker who can nurture current partnerships while identifying and forging collaborations with new ones. S/he will be expected to honor the agency history and forge a new direction to translate an ambitious vision into realistic strategies and programs. S/he must possess a deep understanding of and commitment to the compelling needs of the families and infants whom Nurses for Newborns serves. S/he must also possess the savvy, courage, humor, strength of character, and sophisticated interpersonal skills to navigate the challenging opportunities in this critical organization transition.  While no person will embody all of the qualities outlined below, the ideal would possess many of the following professional and personal abilities, attributes and experiences:

• A seasoned, collaborative and energetic leadership style with the courage to make hard decisions.
• An unwavering dedication to children and families regardless of economic means.
• Masters Degree preferred.
• Demonstrated success developing revenues from government, foundations, and the private sector.
• An established network and proven track record in nonprofit fundraising.
• Demonstrated success managing an operation of similar size, complexity, and diversity.
• The ability to think strategically and to continue a collaborative transition of leadership from an organization synonymous with its founder to one independent of an individual.
• The ability to translate strategies into well-funded operations.
• Truly exceptional oral, written, listening and interpersonal communications skills.
• Experience working with a volunteer Board of Directors and leveraging the talents/time of staff and volunteers.
• An entrepreneurial spirit entwined with a service-providing orientation and energy to respond creatively to the unexpected.  The integrity, wisdom and humor necessary to succeed in the nonprofit life, the humility to honor the work done to date, and the courage to take new paths to new heights.
  

Nominations and resumes are to be e-mailed to ag@anniegray.com at the executive search firm Annie Gray Associates, Inc. Resumes will be reviewed as received.  Annie Gray, M.Ed., the consultant, will contact appropriate candidates as they are identified. To be considered, applicants must include a cover letter describing interest with a current resume. Please place NFNF in e-mail subject line.

Thank you for your interest in Nurses for Newborns Foundation!