The Dan and Margaret Maddox Fund is pleased to invite applications, expressions of interest, and/or nominations for its next Executive Director. Formed in 2008, the Fund continues the legacy of Dan and Margaret Maddox, avid outdoorspeople with a passion for wildlife habitat conservation and a deep commitment to the young people of Middle Tennessee. Today, the Fund provides funding support to programs and advocacy efforts in two areas of focus, the natural environment and youth.

As a learning organization, the Fund embraces all stages of transformation and change toward liberation. Guided by the North Stars that were established as a result of their 2021 Equity Audit, the Fund seeks to identify and dismantle policies or practices that perpetuate white supremacist culture in the region. The challenges facing the communities of Middle Tennessee that the Fund partners with, have led the Fund to re-double its commitment to those communities with Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Liberation (DEIJL) principles at the center of that commitment.

The next Executive Director will serve as the steward of the Fund’s mission-aligned investments, champion the Fund’s nonprofit partners, serve as an exemplar for equity-centered grantmaking, and advance a model of regional leadership that centers equity in all its forms. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will support the existing small staff and work to build the internal capacity of the organization for its next phase of work.

OPPORTUNITIES & CHALLENGES FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The next Executive Director joins The Maddox Fund at a dynamic time of change amidst growing legal, political, environmental, and social threats to communities across Middle Tennessee, particularly BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities. The Maddox Fund is a well-respected pillar of the philanthropic community in Middle Tennessee for its willingness to stand in the face of these challenges. The opportunity for the next Executive Director will include:

Leadership and Vision

The next Executive Director will work with the board and community to develop a new strategic plan that maps out next steps for philanthropic engagement, including grant and non-grant forms of support as well as issue advocacy. Guided by the Fund’s North Stars, the Executive Director will advance creative ways for the Fund to aspire to its vision of a world where people and planet flourish together in regenerative systems free from oppression and threat.

Advocacy in Middle Tennessee

The Fund partners with a range of nonprofit organizations that are actively advocating for equity in all its forms. Maintaining the courageous funding practices in the focus areas of natural environment and youth is critical to this work. The next Executive Director will build on the Fund’s relationships with nonprofit partners while testing pathways for the Fund’s own efforts to advocate for policies that support racial equity.

Organizational and Team Leadership

The Maddox Fund operates with a lean staffing model that currently consists of two full-time employees: the Executive Director and the Program Officer. The small team nature of the Fund means that collaboration to ensure day-to-day functioning is essential. Having a team player mentality while understanding the dynamics of leading a small team is an opportunity for the next Executive Director to engage in with respect to staffing needs as the Fund moves forward.

DESIRED ATTRIBUTES OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The next Executive Director will be one who leads with compassion but recognizes the primacy of their function as a steward of the vision and resources of The Maddox Fund. While no one person will embody all the qualifications below, the ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional and personal abilities, attributes, and experiences:

1. At least 12 years of professional experience in a nonprofit or mission-driven organizational context.
2. A commitment to the DEIJL values of the Maddox Fund and the resilience to demonstrate those values as a representative of the Fund in today’s challenging social, political, and legal climate.
3. Commitment to the mission of the Maddox Fund to better our community through partnerships that improve the lives of young people and protect the natural environment.
4. The ability to engage and partner with the Board of Directors in their fiduciary capacity and support the work of the five board committees: Audit, Executive, Grants, Investments, Operations & Networking.
5. The ability to facilitate courageous conversations around the systemic economic, political, and social oppression of BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities in Middle Tennessee.
6. The financial acumen to ensure accurate financial reporting, including the oversight of the annual audit and preparation of the IRS Form 990-PF.
7. The investment expertise to evaluate the financial performance of the investment portfolio and initiate or assess potential strategic or operational changes, including a commitment to work with the Outsourced Chief Investment Officer to guide the Fund’s mission-aligned investments and explore how the Fund may use MRIs and PRIs to advance its mission in Middle Tennessee.
8. Ability to demonstrate transparency in all aspects of the management of Maddox and its grantmaking.
9. Understanding the role of philanthropy in advancing social change and willingness to continue learning about the field of philanthropy.
10. Superb community and external relations skills, with a track record of advancing organizational integrity.
11. Strong people management skills with experience guiding the professional development of others.

Possessing any of the following qualifications would be welcome value-adds to the Fund:

1. Deep connections and roots in Middle Tennessee.
2. Experience in an advocacy role within the context of the modern South.
3. A love of the outdoors and a commitment to environmental care toward a flourishing planet.
4. A work history that includes senior leadership at a philanthropic organization or grant-seeking nonprofit.
5. Experience working on or with a small team.
6. An aptitude for consensus building when working across lines of difference or conflicting priorities.
7. A commitment to and experience with restorative practices.

The salary range for this role is $160,000 - $200,000.

TO APPLY

To learn more about The Dan and Margaret Maddox Fund please visit:maddoxfund.org

This search is being led by Cara Pearsall and Robert Diggs of NPAG. Candidates may submit their cover letter, outlining their interest, qualifications, and commitment to equity and transparency as a central tenet of effective grantmaking, along with their resume via NPAG’s website. NPAG welcomes expressions of interest, prior to applying for the position, and/or nominations submitted via this form.

The Maddox Fund commits to providing a work environment that is free of discrimination. It is the policy of the Maddox Fund that all applicants and employees are entitled to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, religion or creed, sex (includes sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), gender (includes gender identity or expression), national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information or other protected characteristics as required by local, state and federal law. As such, the Maddox Fund does not discriminate in employment decisions, including with regard to hiring, termination, promotion, transfers, leave of absence, compensation or training. The Dan and Margaret Maddox Fund is an equal opportunity employer.