Executive Director

Mission Statement

Cooking with Kids educates and empowers children and families to make healthy food choices through hands-on learning with fresh, affordable food from diverse cultural traditions. CWK partners with schools to provide fun and impactful cooking and tasting lessons to over 7,000 preK-8th grade students in northern New Mexico each year.

Summary

The Executive Director (ED) is responsible for the overall strategic and operational leadership of Cooking with Kids (CWK), overseeing all aspects of programming, development, staff management and financial health. The ED works closely with the CWK Board of Directors (the Board) to ensure well planned organizational stability and growth in accordance with CWK’s mission and board policies. The ED is the key management leader of Cooking with Kids and acts as the face of the organization, seeking to cultivate strong community partnerships and maximize the impact of Cooking with Kids.

Key Responsibilities

• Board Engagement: Work with the Board to fulfill CWK’s mission, set strategic direction and ensure effective governance. Responsible for communicating effectively with the Board and providing, in a timely and accurate manner, all information necessary for the Board to function properly and to make informed decisions. Grow the Board and Committees to meet the needs of CWK, including training and participation in committee work.
• Programs: Coordinate with the Program Director and Program Management Team to develop and implement CWK programming, evaluation and reporting that maintain fidelity to CWK curriculum evidence base. Oversee communications, planning and contract development with school district leadership and other program partners.
• Fundraising and Development: Working with the Development and Communication Directors, develop and execute fundraising strategies to secure funding for programming and operations. Oversee donor cultivation and stewardship, grants management and expansion of additional revenue streams.
• Personnel: Maintain a strong work culture that attracts and develops a talented and diverse staff. Work with contracted human resources firm to implement personnel policies that ensure compliance with state and federal regulations and help create a positive work environment that fosters employee retention. Oversee staff hiring, training and performance reviews.
• Community Engagement: Cultivate strong relationships with key community leaders and organizations to further CWK’s impact and advocate for policy changes related to CWK’s mission. Serve as the main spokesperson and liaison with the media.
• Finance and Compliance:Work with contracted accounting firm and Finance Committee to develop, implement and monitor annual budget and financial policies and procedures; oversee completion of the annual audit and 990. Maintain Cooking with Kids’ 501(c)3 status and associated state of NM requirements, CWK trademarks, and CWK curriculum copyrights. Initiate and maintain necessary agreements with various government agencies and funders.
• Risk Management: Identify potential risks in order to protect Cooking with Kids’ interests. Develop policies and procedures to ensure safe workplaces and programming. Maintain adequate insurance coverage.
• Reporting and Communication: Ensure timely and accurate program and grant reporting. Collaborate with the Communications Director to implement effective communication strategies to engage stakeholders and promote CWK’s mission.

Knowledge and Skills

• Bachelor’s Degree required. Master’s Degree preferred
• Experience in a non-profit leadership position, or comparable and relevant job experience, and experience working with non-profit boards
• Inspiring team leader with strong managerial and organizational skills
• Familiarity with various non-profit, food and education-related sectors, and cultural awareness in New Mexico
• Ability to communicate effectively with a variety of stakeholders, including CWK Board of Directors, funders, staff, school administrators, teachers, parents, and children
• Bilingual Spanish/English speaking desirable
• Ability to create budgets and to read and interpret financial statements
• Competent in MS Office and G-suite products (Gmail, Google Drive etc.).
• Must have valid driver’s license
• Must pass background check before employment begins

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee will regularly sit, walk, and stand
• Duties require the employee to work comfortably at a computer
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision

The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. The individual currently holding this position performs additional duties, and additional duties may be assigned in coordination with the Board of Directors.

Cooking with Kids is committed to providing a safe and non-discriminatory environment for all members of our community. In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Cooking with Kids does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its educational programs and activities.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $75,000.00 - $90,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule
• Health savings account
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person

Salary : $75,000 - $90,000