Nonprofit Executive Director
Description - Chief executives in advocacy and civil organizations devise procedures and lead everyday functions. In nonprofit organizations, the executive director is responsible for the success or failure of the business. Career duties may include, but are not limited to, overseeing and managing of fundraising, marketing and communications, generating, executing and assessing programs, recruiting of directors, and employee and director training. I desire to hold the position of executive director at the orphanage I plan to start. This orphanage will start small, but has the potential to grow into a large nonprofit organization.
Education Requirements - The educational pathway required for a nonprofit executive director position varies greatly depending upon the focus and scope of the organization. Generally, organizations look for a master's degree in public administration or business administration. In running a global nonprofit organization, as I am looking to do, employers look for international degrees and up to ten years of experience. I plan to double major in International Business and Global Studies at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia for undergraduate studies, enter the field and gain management experience overseas for five to seven years and then return to further my education with a Master of Business Administration.
Job Outlook - During economic recession, necessity for the services that nonprofits offer rises considerably. A stable one to three percent growth has been reported in nonprofit employment from 2000 to 2010, even in the most severe times of the recession. The 2012 Nonprofit Employment Trends Survey reported 43 percent of their nonprofit survey respondents increased the quantity of their staff in 2011, which had increased from 34 percent in 2010, and 43 percent intended to establish and fill new positions in 2012. Wage and salary jobs in nonprofit organizations are expected to rise 13 percent from 2006 to 2016.
Salary and Advancement - The salary of the executive director of a nonprofit organization can vary greatly among different organizations. Salaries can range from $30,000 anywhere up to $280,000, depending on the size and budget of the organization. The Nonprofit Times Annual Salary Survey reported that the average total compensation for executive directors for nonprofit organizations of $149,427. Beyond the executive directing position, there is little room for advancement. However, to obtain the executive directing position, there is much advancement necessary. Typically, one starts in a low or management position within the company and receives the executive directing position after many years of experience. With small organizations, the executive director is typically the founder of the organization as well and has little experience in nonprofit organizations beforehand.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Payscale, and NonprofitPeople. "Job Profile: Executive Director, Non-Profit Organization." NonProfitPeople. Monster, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2013.
Ingram, David. "The Role of an Executive Director of a Nonprofit Organization." Chron. Demand Media, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2013.
"Nonprofit Executive Director Career and Job Outlook." Villanova University. University Alliance, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2013.
Salamon, Lester M., S. Wojciech Sokolowski, and Stephanie L. Geller. Holding the Fort: Nonprofit Employment During a Decade of Turmoil. The John Hopkins Nonprofit Economic Data Report. John Hopkins University, Jan. 2012. Web. 30 Nov. 2013.