CohenTaylor Executive Search Seeks CEO for Children’s Cancer Research Fund
March 13, 2020 – Minneapolis-based CohenTaylor Executive Search has been enlisted to help find a chief executive officer for the Children’s Cancer Research Fund (CCRF).
The Minneapolis-based non-profit wants a dynamic and visionary CEO to guide the organization through its continued growth trajectory, said CohenTaylor Excutive Search. Reporting to the board of directors, the leader will be expected to provide innovative leadership toward the achievement of the organization’s mission, vision and strategic direction, and ensure CCRF’s stability, financial health, vibrancy and innovation within a constantly changing environment.
As the primary external face and voice of the organization, the CEO will be expected to lead with passion and inspiration to effectively engage people with the organization’s mission, said the search firm. The CEO must demonstrate world-class relationship management capabilities with staff, donors, external partners, volunteers, and other critical stakeholders.
Among the role’s key accountabilities, the CEO must provide team leadership. This will involve developing, coaching and a diverse and multi-generational staff. The leader must also foster collaborative, open and respectful communications. He or she will be expected to ensure that the CCRF culture continues to attract experienced and knowledgeable people and ensure that they feel they can make a difference at CCRF. Championing the organization’s culture and values is essential.
The Ideal Candidate
Fundraising and revenue development will also be critical. The CEO must take a visible and active role in critical fundraising activities, said CohenTaylor Executive search. The individual will serve as a fundraising leader and manage a major gift portfolio as needed with the director of development and director of events and partnerships. He or she must work with the senior leadership team to oversee all national and local donor development plans and programs and actively support donor and resource development networking opportunities with both individual and corporate donors.
The ideal candidate for CCRF’s CEO will be an experienced and visionary leader with a deep passion for the mission of CCRF, said the search firm. This candidate must be a proven leader with an innovative and entrepreneurial spirit, strong business development or fundraising experience, exemplary business and/or non-profit management skills, and a strong commitment to raising the visibility and effectiveness of CCRF nationally.
The successful candidate will be highly relational, with proven ability to manage and build complex partnerships. The new leader will be experienced at leading strong teams, enhancing organizational culture and will exemplify the core values of CCRF.
Candidates must have proven fundraising or business development/sales experience; experience in securing major gifts for a non-profit is preferred. The right candidate will also be a strong developer and mentor of a diverse and multi-generational staff. He or she must be a visionary leader that can balance pragmatism with strategic vision to determine and guide staff focus. Proven experience developing a strategic plan and guiding staff to execute on that plan is required, as is proven experience successfully leading an organization through growth.
Role Requirements
CCRF seeks a relationship builder who can continue to build and enhance national stakeholder relationships, said CohenTaylor. The ideal candidates will be a financially savvy and politically astute leader with the ability to set clear priorities, delegate and guide investment in people and systems. Experience working with or serving on a non-profit board of directors is necessary. The individual should also have an appreciation and curiosity for the science and research done through the work of CCRF.
Why Recruiters Center On Fundraising Skills
Organizations nationwide are under pressure to find leaders who can act as de facto chief fundraisers – and recruiters are in lock step to find talent to satisfy the demand. These leaders need to be strategic thinkers who can motivate the stakeholders whose philanthropy pulls everything together.
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A bachelor’s degree in healthcare, general management or a related field is required; an advanced degree is preferred. The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 10 years of professional leadership experience that includes general management responsibilities (GM, CEO, etc.) of a business unit as well as significant business development, sales, and/or non-profit fundraising experience.
The Children’s Cancer Research Fund is a national non-profit dedicated to ending childhood cancer. With only four percent of federal funding available for childhood cancer research, the organization believes that fundraising is crucial to finding safer, more effective therapies for kids battling cancer. CCRF invests in promising and groundbreaking research to improve the way families experience cancer treatment and life afterward. It supports groundbreaking research that is leading to better treatments and cures. It also funds vital family support services and advocates for childhood cancer education and awareness. Since 1981, CCRF has contributed $186 million to research, support for children and families, and education and awareness outreach.
CohenTaylor Executive Search is a boutique executive search firm dedicated to non-profit and public sector organizations. Founded by Chris Cohen and Don Taylor, the firm has conducted hundreds of leadership searches, locally and nationally, in multiple sectors. Its clients include Second Harvest Heartland, Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership, First Avenue Productions, Healthy Building Network, Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota and Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties, among others.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
