Position Description: Executive Director
Position Type: Full-Time, Exempt
Reports To: Board of Directors
Salary Range: $60,000 – $85,000 depending on experience
I. Organizational Mission
To provide hope for a better tomorrow while helping the homeless and hungry survive today.
II. Organizational Vision
Better Lives Rhode Island (BLRI) is dedicated to offering stability, justice, and hope to underserved
communities through advocacy and direct services; focusing on food security, homelessness, and
access to essential services. We are seeking a visionary leader to guide our team, expand our reach,
and ensure the long-term sustainability of our programs.
II. Role Overview
The Executive Director serves as the chief executive officer of Better Lives Rhode Island; ensuring
operations meet the mission of BLRI. The Executive Director is responsible for all core business
areas including organizational operations, fundraising and development, finance and budget
management, event planning, volunteer coordination, and creating and maintaining partnerships with
both for-profit and non-profit organizations. The Executive Director provides leadership to the staff
and works closely with the Board of Directors to execute the strategic plan.
III. Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Strategic Leadership & Vision
• Provide leadership to articulate and advocate for BLRI’s vision and mission.
• Ensure overall compliance with BLRI standards, policies, and practices as well as local, state,
and federal laws.
• Support diversity, equity, and inclusion. This includes retaining diverse, highly qualified staff
and volunteers by providing career coaching, growth, and personal development for workers.
• Support governance by giving the BLRI Board of Directors necessary data and information to
assure accountability and transparency.
• Collaborate with the Board of Directors to create strategic plans to achieve BLRI's objectives;
disseminate information; serve as ex-officio on all committees; and build board involvement
and alignment with the strategic direction of the organization. Attends board meetings.
• Assess mission outcomes utilizing client feedback and data analysis.
• Prepare or oversee preparation of community facing materials, to include but not limited to an
annual Impact Profile to communicate the organization’s successes.
2. Financial Management
• Develop and maintain sound financial practices and policies.
• Work with the Board of Directors to identify and acquire resources needed for program
operations and the implementation of strategic initiatives; using data-driven research and key
community partners where possible.
• In partnership with the Board of Directors, identify, develop, and execute fundraising strategies
with granting foundations, corporate contributions, and individuals. Ensure all relevant
government grant opportunities are identified and applied for.
• Analyze, organize, and oversee the costs and expenditures of the organization. Manage cash
flow; communicating with the board as needed.
• Work with the staff and board to prepare a comprehensive budget.
• Ensure financial reporting occurs in an accurate and timely manner, to include board,
grantees, donors and government entities. Ensure records are maintained to support auditors.
7/1/20263. Program & Operations Management
• Oversee execution of all operations of the organization. This includes but is not limited to food
pantry services, meal site operations, providing case management to underserved and
unsheltered individuals, and the women’s transitional house.
• Provide leadership to and manage staff to ensure coordination and support of all operations.
o Ensure that the organization is staffed by qualified, high-performing individuals and
volunteers while supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion.
o Ensure that all personnel matters; including job descriptions, recruitment, onboarding,
