Snapshot

Location: Lookout Mountain, GA

The Role: CEO

Meet The Chalmers Center:

The Chalmers Center was formed in 1999. Dr. Brian Fikkert serves as the Founder of the Chalmers Center and as a Professor of Economics and Community Development at Covenant College. Dr. Fikkert and Steve Corbett co-authored the highly influential book When Helping Hurts, examining the history and weaknesses of church-based poverty alleviation efforts. He also co-authored Becoming Whole and the Field Guide to Becoming Whole with theologian Dr. Kelly Kapic, two books that explore the theological aspects of poverty, why the opposite of poverty isn’t the American dream, and what true flourishing is.

Over the past two decades, the Chalmers Center has expanded its impact and influence throughout North America and the Majority World. Partnering with Christian organizations like Compassion International, Tearfund, OneChild, and Prison Fellowship, The Chalmers Center trains thousands of people each year in principles of biblical poverty alleviation.

The Chalmers Center has a staff of twenty-three engaged in the ongoing work of products and programs, curriculum development, partnerships, program quality, and administration. Additional people serve as lead trainers, coaches, and ambassadors to equip and train others and to represent Chalmers.

The Chalmers Center continuously develops and improves its tools and resources for ever-changing contexts. Its signature programs include Faith & Finances (a financial education resource for low-income adults in the U.S. and Canada), Work Life (a jobs readiness training program for communities facing the challenges of unemployment and underemployment), RESTORE (a church-centered program for starting savings group ministries in the Majority World), and Innovate (a program that integrates best practices in community development and design thinking, teaching how to apply a biblical framework to develop or improve ministries). Together with online, on-demand courses like Helping without Hurting and Are You a Good Neighbor? The Chalmers Center provides all learners with practical, biblical, and effective ways to care for their community. In addition, Chalmers influences thousands of organizations through its books, speaking engagements, and workshops.

The Chalmers Center seeks to transform the body of Christ’s response to poverty so that all people are restored to flourishing. This approach to poverty alleviation is based on our unique framework that combines God’s story of change, the local church, and transformational development. Chalmers influences God’s people through books, speaking engagements, online resources, and programs.

About the CEO:

The CEO provides the overall executive leadership and management of the Chalmers vision, mission, and Theory of Change model. The CEO will strengthen and advance the work of the Chalmers Center by continuing to cultivate relationships with the staff, supporting institutions, donors, churches, foundations, and the public at large.  The CEO will also forge new relationships to expand Chalmers' influence and impact. The CEO will provide inspiring leadership to the team while scaling up the external influence of the Chalmers Center. 

The CEO Responsibilities Include: 

• Appropriately execute and manage all activities and functions of the Chalmers Center.

• Collaboratively determine, refine, and articulate the collective direction of the organization in a way that can be strategically executed.

• Work in partnership with the Founder to gain important insight into organizational history and its biblically-based  Theory of Change. 

• Lead a theologically diverse U.S. and international staff in a remote/hybrid work environment. 

• Work closely with the governing Board of Directors to implement the vision and mission of the organization. 

• Empower department leaders to lead their teams effectively and relationally.

• Command of the financial, budgeting, and management dynamics of a complex nonprofit organization.

• Maintain a healthy office culture that attracts, retains, and motivates top-quality staff and volunteers.

What You Bring: 

The following describes many of the characteristics of the ideal candidate for the CEO:

Education & Experience

• Undergraduate degree

• 5+ years of executive leadership and board experience

• Experience leading and executing development campaigns

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated concern for people experiencing poverty. Experience in poverty alleviation preferred.

• Financial acumen in organizational day-to-day operations, budget management, and donor relationships.

• Outstanding interpersonal relationship skills with proven skills in building, directing, and empowering a strong leadership team.

• A demonstrated record of leadership that includes strategic planning, building bridges, and restoring relationships.

• Ability to understand and integrate diverse viewpoints, to manage conflicts efficiently, to exercise reasoned decisiveness, and to lead people effectively through active conversational listening.

• Ability to exercise spiritual disciplines.

• Actively  involved  in a local Bible-based church.

• Displays some proficient theological acumen, with the capacity to lean into and support the theology that drives the curriculum and culture.

• High capacity to encourage whole-life integration for individual leaders.

• Able to direct and encourage leaders' continued education and development.

• Able to fully understand and preserve Chalmers values, culture, and statement of beliefs.

• Can galvanize efforts and produce results that adhere to the current vision.

• Very strong execution skills with the ability to make difficult decisions with the head of an organizational leader and the heart of a pastor.

• Ability to travel up to 40% of the time.

• Strong project management and execution skills.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

• Proficiency in Google Suite and Salesforce.

• Understands the dynamics of serving alongside an organization's founder.

• Able to engage authentically with a wide range of audiences, both formally and informally, including Chalmers' constituents, staff, and associated communities in a clear, winsome, and productive way amid the divisive cultural and political issues of this age.

Personal Characteristics & Qualifications

• Demonstrates a love of the local church and its ministry 

• Has a deep commitment to the vision, mission, and values of the Chalmers Center

• Caring, but direct; possesses the head of an organizational leader and the heart of a pastor

• Operates from a place of compassion in difficult situations

• Relational leader who enjoys meeting new people  to share Chalmers strategies for building the dignity and capacity of poor people in the context of the local church

• A deep commitment to integrity and transparency in all communications

• Big-picture visionary who can create and expand the vision of Chalmers Center without changing the established foundation 

• A passion to see the vision of the organization fully actualized

• A mature Christian evidenced by a growing relationship with Jesus Christ

• A leader who affirms a full and unwavering commitment to the Lausanne Covenant, particularly the inerrancy and authority of Scripture 

• Possesses the spiritual maturity of confidence tempered with humility

• Commitment to excellence and attention to detail

• Holds a global awareness with cultural sensitivity

• Effective at encouraging and equipping the development team's fundraising efforts

What it's Like to Live in Lookout Mountain, GA: 

Lookout Mountain is located near one of America's rapidly developing mid-sized cities. Nestled in the foothills of southern Tennessee and on the banks of the Tennessee River, Chattanooga is a quickly growing and vibrant city. A gem of the revitalization movement in the United States, Chattanooga is a dynamic city that has created a new environment thriving in cuisine, arts, and music. Nicknamed the "Scenic City," Chattanooga is known for the natural beauty that surrounds it, highlighted by the picturesque mountains that rise around the city and integrate into the city skyline. Chattanooga also sits a quick two-hour drive from the larger metropolises of Nashville, Knoxville, Atlanta, and Birmingham. It's the perfect mix of urban city with immediate access to the outdoors and the beauty that lies within. Often described as a haven for outdoor adventurers, there are a variety of activities to partake in from hiking and rock climbing to white-water rafting and hang gliding. 

The area is also well renowned for its arts and education. Home to one of the nation's largest collections of American art, the Hunter Museum of American Art is the cornerstone of a lively arts scene that can rival anywhere in the country. As far as education, Chattanooga is home to some of the premier private K-12 schools in the nation, creating a true environment of youth learning and development. The city is also home to multiple premier higher education institutions, highlighted by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and nearby Covenant College. Here is what the media says of the area: 

• Outside Magazine named Chattanooga the "Best Town Ever" based on readers' votes. 

• National Geographic Adventure ranked Chattanooga as one of the "Best Adventure Towns in the US to Live & Play." 

• The New York Times named Chattanooga as one of 52 must-visit places worldwide. 

• Travel + Leisure named Chattanooga as one of the five "Next Great Escapes" and calls Chattanooga a "cultural find."

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