At Growing Places, a nonprofit organization based in Leominster, MA, our mission is to inspire and connect North Central MA residents to create equitable access to healthy food through education, collaboration and sustainable practices.

Working with individuals, families, non-profit organizations, farmers, businesses, schools and public agencies, we aim to:

• Make fresh, healthy produce more accessible, affordable and widely consumed
• Increase physical, outdoor activity
• Improve mental and emotional well-being
• Foster neighborhood pride and enjoyment
• Increase social and interpersonal connections
• Provide meaningful volunteer and leadership opportunities
• Promote environmental sustainability and climate resilience
• Contribute to region-wide strategies for creating a socially-just food system

We promote healthy people and healthy communities by:

• Building backyard, school and community food gardens and supporting the gardeners who use them
• Teaching gardening and healthy eating skills to all ages
• Building social and community connections through volunteer and leadership opportunities
• Managing a farmers market and promoting federal nutrition programs
• Leading and collaborating in a regional network of providers to advance food access strategies
• Teaching sustainable growing practices and encouraging environmental stewardship

Growing Places seeks a dynamic nonprofit professional and food justice advocate with the experience necessary to lead this organization to its next level of development. Following on the completion of our 15th year and a revised strategic plan, the new Executive Director will step into a financially strong organization with a talented and energized board and staff and a recently updated mission and vision to guide them.

The Growing Places Executive Director serves as: a passionate advocate for food justice and Growing Places’ mission; an effective and proven fundraiser; a skilled networker and communicator; and an experienced nonprofit leader. The ideal candidate will have a proven record of capitalizing on key trends and new opportunities, resulting in innovative approaches to programming, systems change and advocacy, fundraising, and strategy implementation. They must have an understanding of measuring outcomes and impact and experience in turning this data into strategies.

Position Responsibilities

The Executive Director is ultimately responsible for the successful fundraising and management of the organization and all aspects of the organization’s operations. They report directly to the Board of Directors and is responsible for implementing the Board’s decisions and policies. They may delegate portions of the responsibilities; however, the Executive Director is accountable for results.

Key responsibilities of the Executive Director include, but are not restricted to:

• Resource development and maintenance
• Organization and program planning
• Community and public relations
• Personnel management
• Board communication and development
• Fiscal management

Requirements:

The successful candidate will possess the following skills and qualifications:

• Demonstrated success and experience in grant writing and fundraising
• Exceptional verbal and written skills
• Strong supervisory, organizational and financial management skills
• Evidence of cultural competency and the ability to work with individuals and groups with a diversity of interests, skills, and backgrounds.
• Fluent with Microsoft Office suite and proficient in Quickbooks.
• Five or more years of senior level leadership or demonstrate a progressive increase in management responsibility in a non-profit is desirable.
• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree in business or a relevant field preferred.
• Ability to perform all duties with or without reasonable accommodation(s).
• Must be able to satisfactorily pass a check conducted by the Criminal History Systems Board (CORI check), as well as a completed background check satisfactory to the organization.

Full Position Description