About MLK Community Center
Vision: The Beloved Community where all neighbors thrive.
Mission: MLK Center engages neighbors to practice radical love and build Dr. King’s vision for the Beloved Community.
The Martin Luther King Community Center (“MLK Center” or “the Center”) embraces the teachings and philosophies of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to help people of all ages find, and remain on, their own paths to success and stability.
For 50 years, the Center has been building a foundation upon which the community can prosper, through investment in their youth and empowering families.
Additionally, the Center is an anchor institution in the Mid-North neighborhoods of Butler-Tarkington, Crown Hill, Mapleton-Fall Creek and Meridian Kessler. Since day one, the Center has provided a hub for their neighbors to gather, create, problem-solve, and interact with each other. The many locations the Center has called home throughout history have allowed them to become the heartbeat of the Butler-Tarkington neighborhood. Since 2015, they have invested heavily in their current location and continue to set courageous goals.
To create the most impact, the Center’s physical building and its interpersonal interactions cultivate a space where community dialogue can flourish. Through these discussions, the Center aims to foster rich, inclusive conversations that not only address the complexities of the issues at hand but also explore actionable steps toward community healing and empowerment. Staff have trusting and long-term relationships with neighbors and have worked in partnership with other community organizations for decades.
Everything done at the Center is informed by its commitment to the collective struggle for social justice. The Center’s mission is to engage neighbors to practice radical love and build Dr. King’s vision for the Beloved Community.
Looking Forward: The Next 50 Years, And Beyond
The Center recognizes the opportunity to lead greater impact through operational excellence and by strengthening community capacity for positive change. Today, the Center has a dedicated staff of approximately 40 highly motivated professionals and an annual operating budget of $3.8 million to advance its mission.
The next Executive Director of the Center will make a direct and sustained difference in the lives of individuals and families by bringing people together to expand access to resources that drive neighborhood growth and community development for the next 50 years and beyond.
To learn more about the MLK Community Center, please visit: https://www.mlkcenterindy.org/
The Opportunity
Martin Luther King Community Center is seeking a dynamic Executive Director who can compellingly articulate, and help the Center live out, its mission and vision. The ED will be responsible for directing the operations of the organization, along with its major programs and strategic community initiatives, charting its future course in collaboration with staff and the Board of Directors.
Reporting to the Board of Directors, the ED will oversee the implementation of a new strategic framework and will share a clear direction for the Center among wider audiences. The next ED will maintain the momentum of past successes while addressing the organization’s current challenges and opportunities, proposing new ways to innovate and advance the mission. The ED will oversee strategic priorities, including financial and grant stewardship, program management, talent and culture development. In addition, they will create systems and structures across all departments to increase collaboration and organizational capacity.
The Executive Director will prioritize fostering inclusion and accountability among staff at all levels of the organization, ensuring that all staff remain informed, engaged and enriched both personally, and professionally. Within the first six months on the job, this leader will need to roll up their sleeves alongside the Board and staff to assess the organization’s infrastructure, risk factors, staff responsibilities, grants, services and programs.
A key aspect of success in the role is strategically leading fundraising efforts, including identifying and cultivating new funding opportunities. In collaboration with staff and the Board, the ED will consistently develop and maintain relationships with donors, sponsors, and grant-makers.
As the primary ambassador and trusted voice for the Center, the ED will authentically represent the organization regionally and nationally among a variety of audiences. This leader will have a perspective on a wide range of topics and multi-faceted systemic issues (i.e., gentrification) impacting the surrounding communities the Center serves.
The next leader of the Center will raise the visibility of the Center and effectively articulate the value of the organization’s work.
Compensation & Benefits
The starting salary range for this position is $130,000 to $150,000 plus benefits. The final salary offered will reflect the selected candidate’s individual experiences, skills and qualifications.
The Martin Luther King Community Center offers an excellent benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision, as well as other great benefits such as 3 weeks’ vacation. In addition, the Center is closed from Christmas Day through January 2nd every year.
This is a full-time, on-site work environment. The role is based in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Contact
Tiara D. Muse and Kaley Blaszinski of Koya Partners are leading this search. Submit a compelling cover letter and resume by filling out our Talent Profile. Please email [email protected] with questions or candidate nominations. All inquiries are strictly confidential.