Description
Smithbucklin, a 650-person, employee-owned professional services company with more than 70 years of success serving the association market, is looking for a chief staff executive to serve our client, the Window & Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) in our Washington, DC office. 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.
Our Work Environment Smithbucklin empowers associations and communities that enrich society and move industries, fields, and professions forward. Working together, we help organizations reimagine solutions to nurture growth, advance missions, and increase reach and impact. With 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.
About WDMA Founded in 1927, the Window & Door Manufacturers Association is the premier trade association representing the leading manufacturers of residential and commercial window, door and skylight products for the domestic and export markets. WDMA members are focused on Total Product Performance products that are designed and built to performance-based standards. The association is focused on key member needs in the areas of advocacy, product performance, education and information, and facilitating business interactions and relationships in the industry. For more information, please visit
www.wdma.com.
THE ROLE: Provide strategic, financial, and operational leadership for a ~$3M membership-based industry association. In collaboration with the Board of Directors, develop the organization's long and short-term growth strategies. Advocate and develop relationships to advance the window, door and skylight industry. Engage the appropriate resources to achieve the desired outcomes for the organization. Manage overall operations and make major decisions affecting the organization. Manage the organization's financial, technology, and human resources. Negotiate and/or approve agreements and contracts for the organization. Ensure compliance with by-laws and board policies for the organization.
EXPECTED RESULTS: Achieve the organization’s vision, mission, and organizational goals; achieve annual budgeted financial performance; grow the organization; build strong relationships across the industry, with key stakeholders and volunteer leaders; and advance WDMA’s external brand, reputation, and impact. This is a hands-on, roll-up-your-sleeves position.
PERFORMANCE METRICS: Measured by achieving Board-defined metrics while consistently demonstrating the required leadership competencies: the organization's overall relevance and impact; the financial, operational, and resource management effectiveness.
FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES: STRATEGY: Advise, guide, and influence the WDMA Board in defining its long-term strategy and goals. Provide expertise, develop, present, and recommend execution plans and programs to the Board and committees that deliver on strategic goals in established time frames. Includes prioritizing initiatives, allocating resources, setting budgets, determining operational program activities, and establishing performance targets.
GROWTH: Oversee development, implementation, marketing, and evaluation of programs and services designed to grow membership, create member value, advance association priorities, and grow non-dues revenue. Act externally in the industry as the chief business development officer to increase industry engagement support and participation in WDMA.
FINANCIALS: Plan, direct, monitor, and analyze WDMA’s finances to achieve the financial objectives. Financial planning and decision-making to ensure funding is available and assets are used efficiently. Works with the Executive Committee, Treasurer, and Board members of each organization to develop and get approval for the annual operating budget; analyze, interpret and forecast financials. Provide management KPIs and financial metrics to the Board. Recommend and ensure compliance with policies and financial control processes are in place.
ADVOCACY: Working with the Board, committees, and staff, responsible for the ongoing supervision and leadership of WDMA’s advocacy efforts at the federal and state levels, including policy agenda formation, management of consultants, and operationalization and coalition formation and management.
GOVERNANCE: Provide governance and compliance leadership expertise to the Board of Directors and committees. Advise, guide, and mentor Directors. Develop and recommend association policy & bylaw amendments as needed. Actively engage in the board succession planning, recruit and recommend potential association leaders. Establish Board and committee policies and charters. Ensure an effective, high-performance governance model and member/volunteer engagement processes are in place.
OPERATIONS: Provide executive oversight of association resources and operations that are managed in partnership with Smithbucklin. Monitor, evaluate, prioritize and optimize the performance of association programs against goals. Allocate staff and internal/external consulting resources to meet association objectives. Act as the main liaison between the association leadership and staff, lead an effective committee structure, report to and communicate with the Board to obtain direction, establish objectives, and implement strategies.
RELATIONSHIPS: Manage positive relationships with the Board, key strategic partners, and volunteers. Be a visible voice force in the window, door and skylight industry. Identify industry partners that can help achieve WDMA’s goals, develop and manage strategic partnerships, and coordinate association efforts on key industry issues.
TALENT: Manage a diverse team of senior leaders across each function of the organization. Assign and oversee work, evaluate performance, and develop individuals. Lead & direct the efforts of cross-functional teams as needed to meet each association’s goals. Coordinate, motivate, and influence association volunteers to work towards client organizational goals. Manage resources effectively within a matrix-based professional services environment.
BRAND: Continue to evolve the WDMA’s PR and marketing strategy and messaging with oversight of WDMA’s internal and external messaging and communications. Ensure all communication, actions, activities, and output for the association is consistent with the brand promise and value proposition.
EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS: Minimum attainment of an undergraduate university degree. Advanced degree preferred.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: - Senior-level management and leadership experience is required. Demonstrates experience and competence with developing both strategy and operational plans to support general business goals of an organization and directing the operations designed to achieve these goals. Must include experience with budgeting and managing P&L. Knowledge of governance practices, financial management, and accounting is required.
- Prior experience with leading, performance management, and developing diverse staff is desirable. Prior experience with mobilizing results from volunteers and with matrix work environments is beneficial.
- Prior experience in developing and implementing advocacy strategies and leading government relations efforts.
- An understanding of the role as an employee of a professional services company while working closely with volunteer leadership to execute association goals and objectives.
- Experience leading an organization through change to remain relevant is a plus.
- Experience and/or familiarity with the building industry sector is highly desirable.
- Previous work in association management is desirable.
SKILLS & TECHNICAL ABILITIES: - Business Analysis Skills
- Business Planning Skills
- Communications Ability (written & verbal)
- Financial Acumen (budgeting, forecasting, analyzing)
- Ability to influence others
- Presentation Skills
- Supervising Skills (assign/delegate, motivate, observe/correct performance, reward)
- Administrative & Project Management Skills
- Marketing Management Skills (program design & management, communications strategy)
KEY BEHAVIORAL COMPETENCIES: - Demonstrated Executive Presence
- Board Relationship Management
- Results Oriented: strives to achieve high levels of individual and organizational performance
- Initiative: takes independent actions and goes beyond what the position or situation requires
- Analytical/Systematic Thinker: takes a well-ordered and logical approach to analyzing a problem, organizing work, and planning actions
- Conceptual /Strategic Thinker, identifies and sees the relationship among key issues while understanding the big picture
- Forward-thinker anticipates and plans to deal with future events, trends, problems or opportunities
- Team Builder: creates an environment to sustain highly motivated groups working to achieve common objectives
- Consensus Builder: uses well-considered approaches to convince others and build support of ideas & objectives
- Communicator: takes advantage of opportunities to listen to others, have them feel listened to and satisfy their need to be informed
- Relationship Builder: develops and maintains strong network of internal and external clients/contacts
- Developer of People takes time to provide guidance and feedback to improve other’s performance and ensure their development
- Personal Sensitivity/Empathy is perceptive and responsive to the feelings, attitudes, values, and concerns of others.
- Customer/Member Focused: is aware of member needs; makes decisions with members in mind; builds strong member relationships
- Accountable: follows through in all areas; accepts and delivers on responsibilities; requires others to follow through on commitments
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 transferrable 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 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. Our hybrid environment offers you the option to work from home two days per week. Employees will work a standard 40-hour week, with the possibility of additional hours based on project deadlines.
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 a 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.
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