The Green Business Director is responsible for oversight and implementation of the launch of an ambitious new initiative to respond to the needs and opportunities in our communities generated by the economic recession coupled with the new public dollars available for greening America.   The YouthBuild Green Small Business Initiative will encompass several avenues for local programs to create jobs for their graduates and other neighborhood residents, while at the same time generating revenue for their programs in the process of greening their communities.

As part of this initiative the Director will lay the groundwork for a national YouthBuild Green Small Business Franchise for either local programs or well-qualified and trained YouthBuild graduates to establish and own as entrepreneurs in their communities.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Under the general oversight of the President of YouthBuild USA, the Green Business Director shall be broadly responsible, either directly or through delegation, as appropriate, for:

1.    Program Management
•    Provide overall direction and management for the technical assistance and capacity building needs of YouthBuild programs in creating and sustaining revenue-generating programs or small businesses through telephone assistance, on-site visits, training events, resource development and the delivery of pass-through funding.

•    Develop strategic priorities in a business plan for a small business franchise owned and operated by YouthBuild USA through extensive market analysis, assessments of organizational capacity, and identification of prime resources.

•    Deliver webinars, workshops, conference calls and publications with information on funding streams that are available to YouthBuild programs and that will support green building, green job training, and entrepreneurship.

•    Scan the YouthBuild network for case studies of successful revenue- and job-generating activities by YouthBuild programs and for graduates that are business owners.

•    Oversee the service of VISTAS that are contributing to local green initiatives at YouthBuild programs.

•    Take the lead on identifying and prospecting companies or funders that will provide grants, loans, or job opportunities, job shadowing or skills training.

•    Ensure that the work is closely aligned with YouthBuild USA’s core goals, strategies and initiatives.

2.  Administrative and Contract Management
•    Closely manage and administer in a timely fashion all relevant grant deliverables, project budgets and any other funding sources through the timely completion of all reports, compliance with all requirements and sound financial management.

•    Complete all administrative obligations.

•    Manage all consultant contracts with green small business experts.

3.  Communications Management

•    Oversee all communications including the website, publications and press related to the job responsibilities

•    Maintain, strengthen and initiate partnerships and networking that bring critical resources to the project, including any formal MOUs

•    Represent the initiative at events, speaking engagements, and in coalitions

About YouthBuild USA
YouthBuild USA is a dynamic, expanding, highly regarded, non-profit organization with operations throughout the USA and in 15 other countries.  It manages advocacy, training, technical assistance, research, data management, communications, grants, and loans for a network of innovative and highly effective YouthBuild programs designed for disadvantaged youth and young adults to complete their secondary education while serving their communities by building affordable housing for homeless and low income people.  Students learn leadership skills and internalize the ethic of service, toward becoming leaders in their communities.

Minimum qualifications
The Director will have the following experience, skills and abilities:
•    Master’s Degree
•    Visionary, entrepreneurial, creative, collaborative ability to make things happen at the local level through excellent relationships, ideas, and systems consistent with an existing complex network’s priorities and procedures.
•    Strong, steady, supervisory and management skills including at least 5 years in a leadership position directly supervising staff
•    Successful and extensive experience with small business development and operation
•    Knowledge of green building and green jobs theory and practice
•    Significant project management experience
•    Demonstrated financial management experience
•    Experience with youth development programs
•    Experience working and/or living in low-income communities
•    Excellent organization skills
•    Excellent oral and written communication skills
•    A demonstrated ability to think and act independently, cooperatively, strategically, tactically, and creatively
•    Excellent inter-personal skills and ability to function effectively in a multi-cultural organization and network

Reporting and Organizational Relationships
The Director will report directly to the YouthBuild USA President until the initiative is well launched, and is expected to communicate and cooperate fully with other members of YouthBuild USA’s senior management team as directed or appropriate.  The Director will work collaboratively with other program directors where overlap is advantageous, especially the Green Initiative and Career Development.  This also includes the departments and initiatives of Education, Rural and Tribal Development, Graduate Leadership Development, AmeriCorps, Affnet, VISTA, Training, and Technical Assistance.

Supervisory responsibilities
The Director will supervise directly all project related consultants and one full-time staff coordinator.

SALARY:
Commensurate with experience and qualifications.  Excellent benefits package.

If you are interested in learning more about YouthBuild USA, please visit our website at www.youthbuild.org.  If you are interested in applying for this position, please send your cover letter and resume to: Job Search, YouthBuild USA, 58 Day Street, P. O. Box 440322, Somerville, MA 02144 or you may apply on-line @ http://www.youthbuild.org/apply. Please apply by June 22, 2009.

YouthBuild USA has built a strong public/private partnership with the United States government, an agency of which administers the federal YouthBuild program directly through competitive grants to local non-profit and public agencies, and then contracts with YouthBuild USA to provide quality assurance systems for these grantees.

The headquarters for both national and international work is located in Somerville, Massachusetts.  Our national programs and services are focused on a growing network of over 200 YouthBuild operating programs in 43 states and relate to a diverse group of public and private funders and policy stakeholder groups. International work related to program replication is currently concentrated in South Africa, Mexico, Central America, Canada, and Israel; the other international focus is on broad national policy and program development for unemployed youth.

Organizational Mission

To unleash the intelligence and positive energy of low-income youth to rebuild their communities and their lives.

To help build a movement toward a more just society both nationally and internationally in which respect, love, responsibility, and cooperation are the dominant unifying values, and sufficient opportunities are available for all people in all communities to fulfill their own potential and contribute to the well-being of others.

Basic Statement of Philosophy

The intelligence and positive energy of young people need to be liberated and enlisted in solving the problems facing our society. Young people in low-income communities and developing nations want to rebuild their neighborhoods and lives, and will do so if given the opportunity. The desire to serve, to do meaningful work that is of value to other people, is universal. Community-based organizations and developing countries need the resources to solve local problems and to mobilize local people, including neighborhood youth. Leadership development is a central element of effective community development and youth service.

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Author: Tracey de Morsella (323 Articles)

Tracey de Morsella started her career working as an editor for US Technology Magazine. She used that experience to launch Delaware Valley Network, a publication for professionals in the Greater Philadelphia area. Years later, she used the contacts and resources she acquired to work in executive search specializing in technical and diversity recruitment. She has conducted recruitment training seminars for Wachovia Bank, the Department of Interior and the US Postal Service. During this time, she also created a diversity portal called The Multicultural Advantage and published the Diversity Recruitment Advertising Toolkit, a directory of recruiting resources for human resources professionals. Her career and recruitment articles have appeared in numerous publications and web portals including Woman Engineer Magazine, Monster.com, About.com Job Search Channel, Workplace Diversity Magazine, Society for Human Resource Management web site, NSBE Engineering Magazine, HR.com, and Human Resource Consultants Association Newsletter. Her work with technology professionals drew her to pursuing training and work in web development, which led to a stint at Merrill Lynch as an Intranet Manager. In March, she decided to combine her technical and career management expertise with her passion for the environment, and with her husband, launched The Green Economy Post, a blog providing green career information and covering the impact of the environment, sustainable building, cleantech and renewable energy on the US economy. Her sustainability articles have appeared on Industrial Maintenance & Plant Operation, Chem.Info,FastCompany and CleanTechies.