Homeward Bound seeks an experienced Executive Director (ED) with a passion for serving people experiencing homelessness and a demonstrated commitment to organizational excellence to lead the organization in its mission to prevent and end homelessness in Buncombe County. More detailed information on Homeward Bound can be found at www.homewardboundwnc.org.

 The Organization:

For over 30 years, Homeward Bound has been the leading nonprofit organization in Buncombe County focused on ending homelessness, using the Housing First model since 2006. We have a current annual operating budget of approximately $8.6 million, with 68 full-time and 17 temporary experienced and dedicated staff, including case managers trained in trauma-informed practices and motivational interviewing techniques. We work collaboratively with community partners and have a proven track record of helping individuals and families achieve long-term successful housing stability.

Our mission:

To prevent and end homelessness in our community through permanent housing and support.

Our vision:

We envision an inclusive community where homelessness is rare and resolved quickly for all people through permanent housing and support.

Our values:

• We believe in the absolute value and worth of every single human being.
• We believe that housing is a basic human right, integral to self-worth and dignity.
• We believe that homelessness is a solvable problem.
• We believe that all services should be offered with respect and empathy and in the spirit of hope and recovery.

Since adopting the Housing First model in 2006, Homeward Bound has moved more than 2,400 people from homelessness into permanent housing, 92% of whom remain successfully housed. We are now in the process of renovating a motel into Compass Point Village, an 85-efficiency unit complex that will offer around-the-clock support and services specifically for people experiencing chronic homelessness. This project will also provide program and administrative staff offices for Homeward Bound, bringing us physically together to enhance collaboration as we work together to fulfill our mission.

Current Programs and Services

Homeless Services:

• AHOPE DAY CENTER - AHOPE is the ‘front door’ to accessing housing and other assistance and resources. We offer basic services like showers, storage, mail, access to phones, and coffee. AHOPE serves as the main hub in our community for Coordinated Entry.
• OUTREACH - Our outreach services team works with individuals who do not access the AHOPE Day Center, and engages and educates community partners and businesses about issues relating to homelessness.

Housing Services:

• PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
• Permanent Supportive Housing provides long-term rental assistance and case management support for clients who have disabling conditions and a long history of homelessness. We move people out of homelessness and into homes, including at our own Woodfin and Key Commons permanent supportive housing sites and scattered-site units with private landlords and property management companies. Homeward Bound provides the right level of case management services to help sustain them in housing. It works: 92% of the people we’ve housed in a 12-month survey period remain in permanent housing.
• Our newest site, Compass Point Village, will provide permanent supportive housing for 85 people experiencing chronic homelessness. In addition to their own apartments, residents in this safe and secure community will have on-site support to help meet their complex needs, including case management, behavioral health services, culinary job training, and a medical clinic. Community support for the project is strong and we hope to begin moving residents into the fully renovated property in March 2023. 
• RAPID REHOUSING - Rapid Rehousing provides short-term rental assistance and case management services, to help people obtain housing quickly, increase self-sufficiency, and achieve stability in housing. We use the Housing First model, meaning services are offered without preconditions (such as employment, income, absence of criminal record, or sobriety). The resources and services provided are tailored to the individual needs of each person. This department also includes:
• Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF), which works closely with the VA and other nonprofits to permanently house veterans in our community; and
• Homeless Prevention assistance to households at imminent risk of homelessness to support them in sustaining their current housing, or rehousing them when needed.

The Region:

Western North Carolina is a culturally rich region that is both economically and geographically diverse. The position is based in Asheville, located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which is home to a remarkably large nonprofit sector, and rich in political and cultural diversity.

The Position:

Homeward Bound seeks an individual who is well-prepared to provide the inspired external and internal planning-focused leadership required of this role. The ideal new Executive Director will have demonstrated knowledge of and a deep intrinsic passion for providing services to people experiencing homelessness, and a commitment to the Housing First model. The position requires proven, significant, and successful organizational leadership experience and the ability to oversee finance, fundraising, programs, and overall operations while working effectively with both the leadership team and the Board to guide the organization. The Executive Director must also possess the talent to listen and communicate effectively and to build strong relationships with multiple constituencies, including the Board, staff, clients, donors, media, government officials, agency partners, and other community leaders.

The new Executive Director will start in the spring of 2023, to succeed a long-term Interim Executive Director who has successfully led the organization through the transitional period since the prior ED departed in the summer of 2021.

Reporting Relationships

The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors. The ED directly works with a strong senior leadership team including Finance Director, HR Director, Program Directors, and Senior Resource Development Director.

Compensation:

The salary range is $115,000 - 125,000 annually, commensurate with experience.

Homeward Bound offers a comprehensive benefits package.

 Application Process

To apply, please send a letter of interest and résumé in a single PDF file using the following naming convention: “Your Last Name-Your First Name.pdf” to EDsearch@homewardboundwnc.org.

Please, no phone calls.

Open until filled.

Homeward Bound bases its human resource decisions on objective criteria without regard to any characteristic or condition protected by law. We are committed to a workplace that offers equal opportunity without discrimination based on race, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, disability, genetic information/medical history, military/veteran status, marital status, familial status, LGBTQIA+ status, or any characteristic or condition protected by law, but not specifically mentioned here.

• Vision, Mission, and Strategy Development - Working with the Board, staff, clients, and key stakeholders, the ED will oversee the implementation of strategic and annual planning to guide Homeward Bound toward achievement of its vision and mission.
• External Liaison and Public Image - As primary spokesperson for Homeward Bound, the ED will inspire external partners to collaborate toward achieving its mission. The ED advocates for the people the agency serves in its mission to prevent and end homelessness in our community and champions the Housing First philosophy that housing is a basic human right. The ED oversees the successful operations of all marketing and public relations and advocacy efforts and is the primary spokesperson for the organization. The ED also acts as liaison with partner organizations and nurtures and expands the organization’s key external relationships. The ED must develop healthy working relationships with diverse constituencies, including government, education, nonprofit, business, religious, and donor groups.
• Programs and Services - The ED oversees the successful operations of all programs, services, and functions of the agency, as well as evaluates their impact.
• Fundraising and Resource Development - The ED, in partnership with the Board and Resource Development staff, will drive fundraising initiatives for developing and implementing appropriate and diversified fundraising strategies, including approximately 65 grant awards, half of which come from public sources.
• Fiscal Management – The ED will oversee planning and budgeting systems to ensure that income is managed wisely to serve the organization’s goals and that systems and staff are in place to accurately monitor, assess, and manage the financial health of the organization.
• Human Resources Management - The ED maintains strong internal leadership built on teamwork and collaborative decision-making. The ED will emphasize staff leadership development activities that upgrade employee skills, motivate performance, and promote staff retention and morale. The ED will also ensure adherence to the personnel policies in all hiring and employment practices. They will apply best practices in equitable leadership and management: translating equity and inclusion into plans for staff recruitment, development, retention, strategy, and improving culture.

Key Organizational Priorities for the New Executive’s First 12-18 Months:

• Facilities - Continue the leadership efforts associated with the successful opening of Compass Point Village, and ongoing funding and operations of all Homeward Bound facilities.
• Planning - Lead a strategic planning process, engaging all key community stakeholders to create a collective vision resulting in a 3-5 year strategic plan, including issues of advocacy, facilities, and Homeward Bound’s place in the ecosystem of ending and preventing homelessness.
• External Communications - Serve as the flag bearer for Homeward Bound: effectively communicating with the wider community; building healthy, stable, collaborative partnerships with government entities, funders, and other partners; occupying a ‘seat at the table’ in important, and sometimes difficult, conversations around homelessness in Western North Carolina.
• Staffing and Culture - Invest in building to sustainable levels of staffing, focusing on employee retention, engagement, training, and support in order to build cohesion and morale.
• Resource Development - Build on previous fundraising successes, with a continued emphasis on increasing unrestricted gifts that will help support additional operational needs such as staffing and infrastructure.
• Board Leadership - Continue to support and partner with the Board in its efforts to facilitate strong governance via recruitment, orientation, engagement of its members, and best practices.

• A demonstrated understanding of the issues related to homelessness, including professional experience, lived experience, and/or personal intrinsic commitment to ending homelessness.
• A history of visionary, mission-focused leadership based on strong strategic and collaborative thinking, as well as demonstrated ability to align and build trust among multiple constituencies around the big picture
• A successful record of senior leadership and management experience
• Proven track record of significant accomplishments and professional experience in the nonprofit and/or public sector
• A high degree of financial literacy and financial management experience
• Personal commitment to and/or lived experience in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Demonstrated experience with organizational change and change management
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, strong interpersonal and public speaking skills, and experience with diverse populations and multiple constituencies
• Strong experience with public and media relations
• Demonstrated experience with fundraising practices and relationship cultivation within the areas of foundations, government (federal and municipal) grants, corporate and individual giving, and capital campaigns.
• Commitment to fostering a culture of staff trust, empowerment, and individualized staff development
• Political awareness and astuteness with experience in legislative advocacy and public policy
• Ability and willingness to work with and develop strong Board leadership
• A dynamic presence balanced with grace, humility, and approachability
• Demonstrated commitment to integrity and professional ethics
• A creative, entrepreneurial spirit with an innovation mindset
• A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent education, training, certifications, or experience

We are the leading nonprofit organization in Buncombe County focused on ending homelessness using the best practice Housing First model. We work collaboratively with community partners and have a proven record of stabilizing individuals and families. Since 2006, we have moved more than 2,236 men, women, and children off the streets, out of cars, camps, and shelters, and into permanent housing – 89% have not returned to homelessness.

Our values:

• We believe in the absolute value and worth of every single human being
• We believe that housing is a basic human right, integral to self-worth and dignity
• That homelessness is a solvable problem

Mission: Prevent and end homelessness in our community through permanent housing and support. We base our human resource decisions on objective criteria without regard to any characteristic or condition protected by law. For more information, visit https://homewardboundwnc.org/