Executive Director

The Opportunity

On February 12, 1974, a woman named Juliette Singleton delivered meals to the first nine clients of Meals on Wheels in Raleigh. Juliette proceeded to serve as a Meals on Wheels of Wake County (MOW-WC) volunteer for the next 40 years. While money and volunteers were often hard to come by in the beginning years, continued fundraising, dedicated personnel, and a growing need for meals to the elderly and disabled kept MOW-WC growing. Today, MOW-WC celebrates 50 years of service to Wake County seniors, its impact measured in the 11 million+ meals it has delivered to over 200,000 senior neighbors in need of meals and companionship.

Even as MOW-WC’s constituents celebrate this golden anniversary, their eyes are focused on the future. They look ahead with excitement to the arrival of a new Executive Director, a leader who will honor the organization’s history while charting its course for the future. The need for MOW-WC remains as acute as ever: 8 out of 10 low-income, food-insecure seniors are not receiving the home delivered or congregate meals they need nationwide. By 2060, 1 in 3 Americans are projected to be 60 and older. The next Executive Director of MOW-WC must feel called to meet this demand. An inspiring and collaborative leader, the next executive leader will motivate the organization’s dedicated staff and team of volunteers to ensure that every Wake County senior in need receives the nourishment, compassion, and dignity they deserve.

The Organization

Meals on Wheels of Wake County provides nourishment to seniors in need. This sustenance comes not only in the form of daily, nutritious meals, but also in the ample portions of human connection delivered by MOW-WC volunteers. Truly, Meals on Wheels is “more than a meal.”

The words of a senior served by MOW-WC best capture the mission:

“It means everything. The two ladies who deliver my meals lift my spirits, I could be down in the dumps, and they could pick me right up. I got one that tells me I’m special. She tells me to behave myself! Everyone who comes to see me is very kind. It lets me know that someone really does care.”  - Caroline

Indeed, MOW-WC exists to nourish, enrich and strengthen the lives of older adults through daily meal delivery and human connections. MOW-WC is a member of the Meals on Wheels America, which comprises over 5,000 Senior Nutrition Programs and 800,000 volunteers in the U.S. dedicated to ending senior hunger. MOW-WC has three goals for its participants, who are Wake County residents 60 years old and above: 

1)     To provide a daily, nutritious hot meal that will improve health and diet; 

2)     To provide a daily check-up and visit that makes them feel safer in their homes;

3)    To afford them the opportunity to continue living independently, with dignity, in their own home.

MOW-WC accomplishes these goals through a comprehensive set of programs powered by a fleet of trusted and dedicated volunteers. The MOW-WC programs include:

Hot Meal Delivery ServicMOW-WC volunteers deliver nutritious and fortifying meals to Wake County seniors who qualify for the organization’s most recognizable service. Individuals 60 years of age or older deemed homebound and vulnerable qualify for hot meal delivery services. Homebound seniors cannot work, volunteer, drive or leave their residence without assistance. Vulnerable seniors cannot perform basic activities of daily living without assistance due to physical, cognitive, emotional, psychological, or social impairments. In select instances, disabled individuals under the age of 60 can be eligible for MOW-WC’s hot meal delivery services. 

Friendship Cafés 

Seniors also receive nourishment from the social connections MOW-WC provides. To facilitate such socialization for seniors with mobility, MOW-WC offers Friendship Cafés across its service area.  Seniors can reserve aspace at a MOW-WC Friendship Café to eat and enjoy fellowship with their peers. Friendship Cafés are open each weekday from 9:30am – 12 pm. 

Frozen Meal Service

MOW-WC also provides services for seniors in Wake County who live beyond the boundary for hot meal delivery or who are unavailable during delivery windows. Seniors who wish to have a frozen meal delivered to their homes complete an application to MOW-WC, whose staff then assess what service can be provided based on the organization’s resources and availability.

Hospital to Home

For those eligible seniors who have experienced a hospital stay, MOW-WCoffers 10 days of hot, delivered meals. Hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and healthcare agencies refer at-risk patients to MOW-WC to receive this service. 

The Position

Healthy organizations like MOW-WC use momentous moments in their history, like a 50^th anniversary, to celebrate their past and frame their future. As MOW-WC prepares to welcome a new executive director, it does so having achieved remarkable results over the last five decades and having enjoyed stability during the lengthy tenure of its previous leader. From this position of strength, MOW-WC constituents are energized for the next phase of evolution and impact. A key first step will be the identification of a new Executive Director, an individual who will align MOW-WC’s constituents behind a shared vision for delivering the organization’s mission. MOW-WC received an incredible gift of $1.5 million dollars in 2021 from author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. The organization’s leadership and staff eagerly await the arrival of the new Executive Director who will lead MOW-WC's constituents in a strategic planning process to determine how best to leverage this transformational gift.

MOW-WC’s Executive Director will report to the Board of Directors. Partnering with the Board, the Executive Director will have responsibility for executing all aspects of the MOW-WC mission. To advance the MOW-WC mission successfully, the new Executive Director will need to be a passionate and adept communicator and storyteller. Strengthening the sustainability and visibility of MOW-WC, through both fund- and friend-raising, will be among the new Executive Director’s most critical responsibilities. Given the variety of its funding sources, the Executive Director must have an eye for detail and account for the necessary auditing and reporting associated with the organization’s resources.  Ultimately, the Executive Director’s success as a fundraiser and financial manager will shape how MOW-WC could expand its services and increase the number of participants the organization serves.

The heart of MOW-WC mission can be found in its people – the staff and volunteers who deliver the MOW-WC mission to Wake County’s seniors each and every day. Without the staff, and the over 2,200 volunteers who serve MOW-WC each week, the organization cannot provide the services it does to more than 1,400 homebound adults. Therefore, as important as the external work on behalf of the organization will be for MOW-WC's next leader, the organization’s new Executive Director must prioritize building a healthy organizational culture, one marked by collaboration, joy, empowerment, rigor, and cultural sensitivity. 

Leading a dynamic and impactful organization like MOW-WC at this inflection point in its history is an ideal opportunity for a leader intent on making an impact on the Wake County community. The need for MOW-WC will continue to increase as the senior population of the region, especially adults over the age of 80, expands. The MOW-WC Board is intent on identifying a leader with the wisdom, experience, and drive to meet the demands of the moment.

The Location

The City of Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina, home to several colleges and universities, as well as abundant arts, culture, and recreational opportunities. Fueled by an impressive mix of education, ingenuity, and collaboration, Raleigh and the surrounding “Research Triangle” region routinely rank among the nation’s best places to live, work, and play. Home to more than two million people, the Research Triangle Park has attracted hundreds of companies to the region helping to make it the largest research park in the United States. Perfectly positioned midway between the coast and the Appalachian Mountains, the Triangle offers residents a beautiful place to call home. And while the region continues to grow and offer a superior quality of life, the cost of living remains reasonable. 

Core Responsibilities 

The Meals on Wheels Wake County Executive Director will be expected to fulfill the following key responsibilities:  

·      Leadership and Strategy: Serve as the primary advocate, visionary, and spokesperson for the organization. Ensure the progress of long- and short-term strategic plans. Build strong and meaningful alliances with community partners, donor organizations, government officials, and program families.

·      Program Development and Management: In collaboration with the Program Director, ensure the successful implementation of our home-delivered meals program, Friendship Cafés, volunteer recruitment and retention, as well as client services and support. Ensure compliance with state, federal, and local agencies to meet our meal funding, preparation, and distribution requirements. Actively engage in local, statewide, and national Meals on Wheels initiatives.  

·      Staff Management: Build a positive work culture that supports a productive, professional, and inclusive environment. In concert with senior administrative and program staff, oversee the hiring, training, supervision, and evaluation of all employees and contract workers. Ensure staff members work effectively toward shared goals and a unified vision for the organization. 

·      Operational and Financial Oversight: In collaboration with the Director of Finance & Operations, oversee the financial integrity of MOW-WC, ensuring the strategic creation of and adherence to the budget, diligently following approved financial policies and accounting ethics and best practice. With the Director of Finance & Operations, oversee the human resources and general operations of the organization.  

·      Fundraising, Resource Development & Communication: In collaboration with the Director of Development & Communications, support resource development efforts, including donor growth and retention, fundraising efforts,grants management, and marketing and communications. Strategically engage with the Board in the fundraising process, providing support for the Board’s donor events and enabling board participation in fundraising campaigns. Ensure that short- and long-term fundraising plans are developed and executed. Actively grow funding from individuals, foundations, government, and corporations. Ensure that marketing and communications activities effectively reflect the MOW-WC brand, mission, and vision.

·      Board Governance: In collaboration with the Board, identify, recruit, and retain highly effective board members. Maintain regular communications with the Board of Directors and provide them with the necessary training, support, counsel, and information required for effective governance. Support the Board’s involvement in fundraising, strategic planning, program delivery, and increasing the overall visibility of the organization. 

Below outlines an approximate percentage breakdown of responsibilities:

·      Leadership - 30%

·      Program Management - 20%

·      Staff Management - 15%

·      Operational & Financial - 10%

·      Fundraising - 20%

·      Board Governance - 5%

Required Attributes, Skills, and Qualifications

Required Skills & Characteristics

MOW-WC’s new leader must share a passion for and commitment to the mission and the diverse constituents the organization serves. In addition, they should possess a variety of attributes, including:

·      Collaborative, innovative, transparent and effective leadership that can motivate Board, staff, families, donors, and partners; 

·      Dedication to the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion and the ability to demonstrate that commitment in culture, communications, and personal interactions with the MOC-WC community; 

·      Strong business acumen with a solid understanding of operations, finance, and budgeting; 

·      High social-emotional intelligence, integrity, and sound judgment;

·      Ability to inspire others through written and verbal communication.

Other specific skills and qualifications include:

·      Five or more years in a leadership position or commensurate experience with demonstrated success in organizational management including strategic planning, program development, finance, fundraising, and operations. 

·      A bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college/university

Salary/Benefits 

MOW-WC is committed to attracting extraordinary leaders for this position through a compensation package that includes a competitive salary in the range of $125,000 - $135,000 and a generous employee benefits package that includes employee health insurance, dental, vision and paid vacation and sick time.

To Apply: Please send cover letter and resume in one attachment by May 20, 2024 to by clicking here. Applications will be accepted until position is filled. 

Questions: mowwakesearch@mossandross.com

Meals on Wheels Wake County is deeply committed to our diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) journey. As a values-led organization, we understand that creating a sense of belonging for all our stakeholders, including but not limited to clients, volunteers, community partners, community members, board, and staff, is critical to living out our mission as an organization. 

We are committed to serving homebound older adults and persons with disabilities in Wake County who represent diverse backgrounds. At Meals on Wheels Wake County, our definition of diversity includes but is not limited to race/ethnicity, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, age, disability status, genetics, language (spoken and visual), socioeconomic status, and homebound status. When we deliver a nutritious meal, we ensure that each recipient feels seen, valued, and cared for by our volunteers. We are more than a meal; human connection and compassion are as important as our meal service. 

We believe that our service to the community should take a holistic approach that acknowledges people’s unique needs. Meals on Wheels Wake County values the diversity of needs, perspectives, and experiences of our staff and clients to create a more genuine and sincere approach to our work. We will continue to act in ways that enrich and strengthen the lives of older adults and persons with disabilities in our community.

Meals on Wheels Wake County is an Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to building and maintaining a workplace that celebrates diversity and is equitable and inclusive for all employees.

Meals on Wheels Wake County

1001 Blair Drive, Suite 100

Raleigh, NC 27603

www.wakemow.org