Position Announcement: Executive Director, Great Lakes Commission

Position Announcement PDF

Description

The Great Lakes Commission is seeking candidates for the position of Executive Director. This is a leadership position with organizational responsibilities to advance the collective interests of the Commission’s member states and provinces in the areas of regional coordination, resource management, environmental protection, transportation and sustainable economic development. The successful candidate will exhibit the vision, leadership, organizational skills and technical tools required to lead the Commission in serving as an objective, science-based source of information for informed policy decisions in, and an effective advocate for, the binational Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region.

The Executive Director reports to, and serves at the pleasure of a Board of Directors, acting on behalf of the full Commission membership. The Commission offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package that includes (among others) medical, dental and optical insurance. The Commission also has an outstanding pension program through the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association-College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA-CREF).

Background

The Great Lakes Commission is a regional entity, created by compact in 1955 with Congressional consent granted in 1968. The Canadian provinces of Ontario and Québec were added as Associate Members in 1999 under a Declaration of Partnership. The Commission is an organization through which the eight Great Lakes states and two Canadian provinces advance restoration, protection and economic development initiatives at the state, provincial, national and international level. The operation of the Commission is guided by the following objectives:

• To assist governors/premiers and legislative leaders within each Great Lakes state and province in pursuing policies that result in coordinated actions beneficial to the region.
• To facilitate regional cooperation among other Great Lakes regional and local interests, in the pursuit of common goals and objectives.
• To advance cooperation between the two federal governments in their work on the binational Great Lakes-St. Lawrence resource, in efforts to provide sound policy recommended by the Great Lakes Commission.

In June of 2005, the Great Lakes Commission embarked on a strategic review and organizational assessment to determine how to best serve its member states and provinces and most effectively advance organizational goals and objectives. The resulting report, completed in December 2005, also provides guidance for the executive director search process and is suggested for review by candidates for the position.

Responsibilities

The Executive Director provides organizational leadership and vision under the direction of the Board of Directors and larger Great Lakes Commission membership. Consistent with the terms of the Commission’s enabling legislation, the Great Lakes Basin Compact, as well as its Bylaws, Strategic Plan and related member-adopted policies, the Executive Director performs functions under the Board’s direction that include, but are not limited to:

• Providing vision and leadership to guide organizational growth and development
• Coordinating the organization’s strategic planning activities
• Acting as secretary and ex-officio member of the Board of Directors and ex-officio member of all Commission committees, task forces and panels
• Being the primary spokesperson for Commission policies, programs and activities
• Serving as a liaison with U.S. and Canadian elected officials, policy makers, managers, researchers and agencies/ organizations at all levels of government, academia and the private sector
• Representing Commission interests at regional, national and international levels
• Preparing and presenting testimony and related policy positions
• Providing oversight of the hiring, evaluation and supervision of staff
• Managing budget development, financial management, and internal auditing
• Providing leadership and strategic vision in program development and fundraising
• Implementing and sustaining a member-approved strategic plan with policy, programmatic and financial dimensions

Knowledge, Experience and Skills

Candidates must have significant leadership experience demonstrating accomplishments in the following priority areas:

• Ability to provide organizational vision
• Ability to advocate organizational priorities
• Facilitation/mediation skills to resolve issues between members and constituents
• Ability to build trust in the Great Lakes Commission and its staff among members and other stakeholders
• Ability to manage finances for, and support development of, a non-profit organization

Educational requirements are commensurate with a master’s degree, doctorate preferred. Also preferable is an educational background in such areas as public policy and management or natural resource development and management. Demonstrated skills in policy research and development as well as program implementation are considered important in successfully serving as executive director for the Great Lakes Commission. Also considered important is an understanding of the environmental, economic, social and governmental dimensions of the binational Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River System, and experience in working with elected officials, policymakers, scientists and opinion leaders at all levels of government and the private sector. A working knowledge of sustainable development principles and environment/economy linkages is essential, as is an ability to effectively engage the scientific, policy and management communities within the binational region and beyond. Demonstrated ability to effectively supervise a multidisciplinary staff, including staff hiring, is required for this leadership position.

Other highly desirable qualifications include outstanding verbal and written communications skills; ability to coordinate multiple projects in a complex organizational setting; budgeting and audit protocols; familiarity with federal, state and foundation project proposal requests and project reporting requirements; a thorough understanding of governance systems and advocacy approaches in the United States and Canada; computer literacy and technical competency in data/ information management and decision support systems; and significant meeting design and facilitation skills.

Application Process

Interested candidates should prepare and submit an application package that includes a transmittal letter (summarizing interest in, and qualifications for, the position); a detailed resume, with brief bibliography of published work if appropriate; three references (including name, title, mailing and e-mail addresses); salary history and desired salary range. Note: All of these items must be provided to ensure consideration.

All applications must be received by the end of business, February 10, 2006. The application must be submitted via hard copy through U.S. mail or overnight service, or by e-mail. The application should be directed to the address below. No phone calls, please.

Hon. Thomas E. Huntley, Ph.D.
State Representative
335 State Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155
E-mail: rep.thomas.huntley@house.mn

Candidate Review Process

Applications will be reviewed by a search committee led by the chair of the Great Lakes Commission. Finalists will be selected by the committee, and will have the opportunity to meet staff and, subsequently, be interviewed by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors will select the preferred candidate on behalf of the general membership of the Commission. The objective is to have the successful applicant begin his/ her duties on or about June 1, 2006.

Employment Policy

The Great Lakes Commission is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with applicable federal and state laws prohibiting discrimination. It is the policy of the Commission that no person shall be discriminated against on the basis of race, gender, color, religion, national origin, marital status, handicap or prior military service status.

Further Information

Further information on the Great Lakes Commission is available at www.glc.org. Of particular interest will be the Commission’s Annual report (www.glc.org/advisor/report/), Great Lakes Basin Compact (www.glc.org/about/glbc.html), Bylaws (www.glc.org/about/pdf/bylaws.pdf) and the Final Report: A Strategic Review and Organizational Assessment of the Great Lakes Commission, December 2005 (www.glc.org/announce/05/pdf/GLC-Strategic-Review-Final-12-21-05.pdf).

The Great Lakes Commission is one of North America’s premier multijurisdictional regional planning and advocacy organizations. It is a nonpartisan, binational agency established under U.S. state and federal law and dedicated to promoting a strong economy, healthy environment and high quality of life for the Great Lakes- St. Lawrence River region and its residents. The Commission performs these functions via three primary activities: communications; policy research and development; and advocacy. Its membership consists of three to five delegates from each member jurisdiction, and includes state legislators, senior agency officials, and governors’ appointees from the eight Great Lakes states (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.) Associate membership for Ontario and Québec was established through the signing of a “Declaration of Partnership” and the premiers of those provinces also appoint up to five delegates. The Commission maintains a formal Observer program for U.S. and Canadian federal agencies, tribal authorities, binational agencies and other regional interests. The Commission offices are located in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The Great Lakes Commission, chaired by Lt. Gov. John Cherry (Mich.), is an interstate compact agency established under state and U.S. federal law and dedicated to promoting a strong economy, healthy environment and high quality of life for the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region and its residents. The Commission consists of governors' appointees, state legislators, and agency officials from its eight member states. Associate membership for Ontario and Québec was established through the signing of a "Declaration of Partnership." The Commission maintains a formal Observer program involving U.S. and Canadian federal agencies, tribal authorities, binational agencies and other regional interests. The Commission offices are located in Ann Arbor, Michigan.