Chief Executive Officer, SquashBusters

SquashBusters (Eos Transition Partners)

A Sports-Based Youth Development Program

Job Description

 
SquashBusters Seeks Chief Executive Officer
 
About SquashBusters
SquashBusters (SQB) was founded in 1996 as the country’s first squash and education urban youth development program. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, the mission of SquashBusters is to challenge and nurture under-served youth – as students, athletes, and citizens – so that they recognize and fulfill their greatest potential in life.  SquashBusters uses the sport of squash, in combination with academic enrichment, community service, personalized high school placement support, mentoring, post-secondary support, summer engagement opportunities, and career preparation and networking guidance to advance the lives of young people. 
 
The program model is intensive and long-term. Students join SquashBusters at the start of middle school and benefit from the SquashBusters community and its comprehensive program services until they are 25 years old. SquashBusters’ results-oriented programming is focused on three goals:
  • College – students will enroll in and successfully complete postsecondary programming.
  • Character – students will further develop their perseverance, integrity and character.
  • Health – students will embrace lifelong habits of health and wellness.
 
Since inception, SquashBusters has served more than 1000 urban youth and has grown its impact to reach young people in Boston, Lawrence (est. 2012) and Providence (est. 2017).   Twenty-five additional urban squash programs in the United States and several international programs have been inspired by the SQB model.
 
SquashBusters has a talented staff of 33 and an annual budget of approximately $3.5m. SQB benefits from the guidance, investment, and governance capability of a diverse, 20-member Board of Directors comprised of corporate and community leaders, program alumni, and squash/sport enthusiasts.  Following more than 25 years of service, founder Greg Zaff plans to step down as CEO in 2023.  Greg, the staff, and the Board are eager to welcome, onboard, and support the success of the organization’s next leader. 
 
Opportunity Going Forward 
SquashBusters has evolved significantly since its humble beginnings in 1996, when the organization served 24 middle school students on borrowed squash courts and a $45K annual budget.  Today, SquashBusters annually serves more than 400 middle-school, high-school and post-secondary students and runs programming in its own dedicated youth centers – facilities SQB raised millions of dollars to develop in partnership with Northeastern University in Boston and the Moses Brown School in Providence. 
 
The next CEO will join a strong organization at a pivotal and exciting time.  The programmatic results are robust – 98% of graduates have enrolled in college, and 70% of alumni have completed their bachelor’s degree within 6 years.  The team is mission-driven, highly dedicated and diverse. Many staff members – including the Program Directors at each of the three sites – are SQB alumni. In Lawrence, SquashBusters is about to break ground on an eight-court, multi-purpose facility that will become the organization’s home in the city.  Created in partnership with Lawrence CommunityWorks, the facility is part of a campus that will provide affordable housing for 80 families and serve as a hub of activity for residents and community organizations.  One of SQB’s greatest assets is a sizeable reserve fund that is managed by its Investment Committee, comprised of dedicated and seasoned volunteer investment industry professionals. This reserve affords SQB unusual organizational stability and exciting opportunities for SQB, its Board, and the new CEO to innovate and grow. 
 
Key priorities for the next CEO will include:
  • Leading senior staff in setting the organizational vision and presenting strategic options to the Board that define and advance all short and long-term goals, including achievable, exciting pathways for growth and innovation that expand impact and increase efficacy.
  • Continuing to prioritize SQB’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and work. 
  • Ensuring budget, staffing, and organizational priorities are all aligned with and advancing progress in pursuit of SQB’s core mission.
  • Assuming direct responsibility for SquashBusters’ fundraising efforts, including developing and enacting comprehensive strategies to enable the organization to continue to raise its annual budget plus a surplus.
  • Connecting with and inspiring continued support from SQB’s generous, long-time donors, many of whom have been involved since the organization’s inception.
  • Ensuring the successful build-out of the Lawrence facility and its ongoing operations. 
  • Providing strategic leadership for all administrative and operational functions of the organization, including assuming responsibility for its fiscal integrity.
  • Engaging the energy, passion, and skills of SquashBusters’ growing alumni population. 
  • Providing high-quality management to three direct reports (Chief Development Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Program & Strategy Officer). 
 
The Ideal Candidate 
While we recognize that candidates will not possess all the following qualities, ideal applicants
will exemplify a number of these credentials, attributes, skills, and experiences and will have the capability to oversee an organization of SquashBusters’ size and scope. 
 
Desired Credentials
  • Demonstrated ability to lead a non-profit or similar organization, work in partnership with a Board of Directors, and execute on a values-based and impact-driven mission is required.
  • Personal understanding of the valuable role sports can play in fostering character development, academic success, and a healthy lifestyle is required. 
  • Enthusiasm and knowledge of the game of squash and/or the squash-playing community in one or more of SQB’s cities is a plus.
  • Proven ability to connect with and inspire young people from diverse backgrounds
  • 10 or more years of experience and success in motivating, recruiting, developing, mentoring, and retaining high performing, results-oriented teams
  • Bachelor’s or other advanced degree
  • Multilingual abilities a plus
 
Skills and Qualities
Visionary, Mission-Driven Leader Committed to Programmatic & Operational Excellence 
  • Unwavering commitment and proven ability to ensure the quality of youth programs and services
  • Experience and skill in working with a Board of Directors to ensure outstanding financial performance, successful programming, and a clear, mission-aligned strategic direction
  • Known for setting a standard of excellence with all constituents via a demonstrated commitment to hard work, open, honest, and direct communication, dependability, and follow-through
  • Strategic thinker who can envision and assess opportunities for impact expansion, with a focus on capacity, sustainability, and quality
  • Action-oriented, entrepreneurial, adaptable, and innovative in approach to business planning
  • Fiscally sound business leader familiar with budgets and forecasts
 
Experienced Fundraiser and Compelling Communicator 
  • Able to articulate the mission and impact of SQB clearly and passionately to a wide variety of audiences, including a compelling personal connection to the organization’s work
  • Driven and excited by the opportunity to retain and expand the network of donors, community leaders and volunteers involved in SQB
  • Adept at strategically identifying, stewarding, and sustaining new donors across diverse funding sources (corporate, foundation, individual, etc.) 
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Comfortable and excited to serve as the chief spokesperson for SQB with donors, program partners, press/media, families, students, and staff 
 
Energetic Developer of People, Culture, and Effective Internal Collaboration 
  • Demonstrated commitment to SquashBusters’ mission and ICARE values: integrity, concern for others, appreciation, respect, and effort
  • Commitment to diversity and inclusion, including experience leading an organization or a team through DEI content and the enactment of policy/practice changes focused on creating an equitable internal environment 
  • Organizational manager who is sensitive to the important distinctions between sites and can foster an aligned and collaborative organization-wide culture 
  • Able to hold self and others to a consistent high level of expectations, accountability, and performance by setting an example and inspiring staff to perform at their best
 
 
 

Compensation and Benefits
This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position with a starting salary range of $180,000 to $240,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications. The position will be primarily based out of SquashBusters’ Boston office; thus, the ideal candidate will live within a commutable distance of Boston and have the capacity to travel regularly to Providence and Lawrence.
 
SquashBusters also offers a comprehensive benefits package, including subsidized health, dental and vision insurances; a retirement plan with employer matching; and generous vacation time and paid time off. 
 
Application Process and Additional Information
SquashBusters is an equal opportunity employer and strives to reflect the diverse community it serves. SquashBusters is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion and looks to all its staff members to foster and promote its values. We believe in an intersectional approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion, where all of the various forms of oppression are addressed, challenged, and dismantled. 
 
Candidates must include a resume and a cover letter that describes how your qualifications and experience align with the CEO profile and mission of SquashBusters. If taking the job requires you to move to the Boston area, please mention why that is a good fit for you at this time. Applications will be accepted until the position has been filled. Upload required documents to: https://eostransitions.applicantpool.com/jobs/. 
 
Eos Transition Partners consultant, Erin Cox, is managing this search. All submissions will be acknowledged and are confidential, and any questions can be submitted to Erin at: ecox@eostransitions.com.