About United Way of Central Iowa
Since 1917, United Way of Central Iowa (UWCI) has served as a trusted convener of philanthropic efforts in the Greater Des Moines region, bringing together individuals and organizations from every corner of central Iowa to create and implement initiatives that address the community’s most pressing needs.
Today, UWCI has grown beyond being an organization that simply provides funds to other nonprofits. It has evolved to a strategic focus on systems, collective and programmatic impact to where we are today and the strategic imperative to address critical community issues at their root causes to build a thriving community.
In central Iowa, there are many critical challenges that people face, and in many cases those challenges are more pronounced based on factors such as race, ethnicity, disability, birthplace, and more. These are factors that should not negatively impact a person’s ability to thrive, yet they often do. In addition, nearly 1/2 of central Iowans are not financially stable with 35% of households below the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) threshold and this percentage continues to rise. (For more information about ALICE, click here). Moreover, in 2023, 1 in 4 central Iowans visited a food pantry, and of those visitors, most were a part of central Iowa’s essential workforce. Thus, UWCI is focused on empowering future generations of families experiencing the greatest need by getting to the root causes of the issues – poverty.
Community Partnership with a Focus on Equity
United Way of Central Iowa’s work has been guided by its strategic imperative UNITED to THRIVE. UWCI has been exclusively driven by a shared vision of building all of its work and engagement with equity at the center. For more information about how UWCI is incorporating equity into the organization click here.
UNITED to THRIVE emphasizes equity as a key component to inform intentional strategic and resource investment decisions. Investment decisions are made based on the advice and direction of volunteer advisors and community experts in the 5 Elements of a Thriving Community: Essential Needs, Early Childhood Success, Education Success, Economic Opportunity, and Health & Well-Being. For each of the five elements, UWCI has identified a dashboard of metrics and measures, which are used to set goals, measure impact, and track progress over time.
Through initiatives that extend UNITED to THRIVE’s reach into specific communities, UWCI is showing up - to collaborate, dialogue and build trust. UNITED to THRIVE also serves as a framework for targeted impact and a call to action to donors, volunteers, and advocates to unite to create a thriving community for everyone.
UWCI is seeking a new Chief Community Impact Officer who is passionate about the 5 Elements of a Thriving Community with equity being at the center. UWCI believes that equity means every person has access to resources and opportunities based on their specific needs and aspirations, which empowers them to thrive long-term. To view UWCI’s 2024 Community Report, click here.
The Opportunity
United Way of Central Iowa finds itself in an exciting period of growth and is committed to activating its convening power to advance its mission and work within community.
UWCI is seeking a compassionate and experienced leader with a community mindset to join its senior leadership team as the next Chief Community Impact Officer (CCIO). This leader will define UWCI’s role in the community, establishing both short- and long-term milestones to achieve the organization’s and department’s impact goals based on data, a solid community-informed framework, constituent input, and strategic maps.
The CCIO will advance UWCI’s mission of improving lives by leading community engagement and managing United Way resources to execute on the organization’s UNITED to THRIVE strategies. This leader will be focused on strategy and systemic solutions and proactively work with volunteers, community partners, government, labor, faith-based organizations, residents, and staff in visioning, identifying the strategies, and executing UWCI’s intentional role in community-building activities. The CCIO position will be central to discussions around critical community issues.
Location, Compensation & Benefits
This is a full-time, hybrid work environment. The successful candidate must be based in central Iowa. The annual salary for this role will be based on a range, starting at $150,000 - $175,000, and will be commensurate with the successful candidate’s skills and experience. UWCI also offers a generous benefits package. As a senior leader of the organization, the flexibility to adapt schedules to meet business needs is necessary.
Contact
Koya Partners, the executive search firm that specializes in mission-driven search, has been exclusively retained for this engagement. Tiara D. Muse and Dina Tyler are leading this search. All inquiries and recommendations will be considered strictly confidential.
Koya Partners is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.