Executive Director at BEE INFORMED – Maryland, USA

Organizational Background:

The Bee Informed Partnership (BIP) is a collaborative national effort among leading university research labs and beekeepers aimed at reducing colony losses. BIP provides diagnostic tools, educational resources and technical assistance to beekeepers to help increase bee colony survivorship.

Founded in 2014, BIP is a non-profit 501c3 organization with 18 staff members and governed by a nine-member board representing a mix of commercial beekeepers, scientists, and leaders in other honey bee and agricultural organizations.

BIP’s data gathering, analysis, and support focus on the importance of honey bees for our national food supply through an array of programs including:

• Technology Transfer Teams: Highly trained staff members provide independent colony health assessments, colony sampling, full pest and pathogen diagnostics, and reporting of those assessments.
• Emergency Response and Diagnostic Test Kits: BIP delivers practical sampling tools to operations of any size to address reasons for failing colonies.
• Sentinel Apiaries: BIP promotes and manages a national program to encourage beekeepers to monitor colony health metrics to inform strengthened management decisions.
• Surveys: BIP manages multiple surveys for operations of all sizes about colony loss, management practices in order to gather data to identify best practices
• Contact Research: BIP works directly with private companies to develop and conduct small and large scale field trials of promising beekeeping products
• Competitive grants: BIP acts as a collaborator on Federal and state grants, helping write grants and/or preforming research for both BIP affiliated and non-BIP affiliated research scientist.
• Database: BIP maintains and constantly improves ways of collecting, housing and utilizing a large honey bee health database.

Job Summary

Directs and oversees all aspects of Bee Informed Partnership (BIP) including programs related to data gathering, technical assistance, information sharing, organizational communications, donor cultivation, fiscal oversight, and staff management.

Job Duties:

In collaboration with the board of directors, the executive director shapes the direction of Bee Informed Partnership, and is responsible for managerial supervision and oversight of all internal staff and activities designed to accomplish its mission.  The executive director is also the primary point of contact for communications and relationship-building with external stakeholders and partners.

Key Areas of Responsibility

Programs and Research

• Assess ongoing projects to ensure they are meeting timeline, budget, and monitor outcomes.
• Ensure efficient problem-solving tools and sample flow with lab and field staff.
• Coordinate with lab and Technology Transfer Teams to develop new tools and reports that add value and increase efficiency.
• Leverage lab and tech team resources to work with industry to develop novel field trials for new or existing products and management practices.
• Work with Research Coordinator to develop analytics for participating researchers, and all beekeepers.
• Partner with external scientists to develop and create potential grant opportunities.

Staff Supervision and Development

• Responsible for all aspects of personnel management, including, but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, supervision, work planning, evaluating, and discipline.
• Evaluate and update annual staffing plans.
• Plan and implement appropriate staff training.
• Develop metrics for staff evaluation and bonuses.

External Relations

• Track trends in scientific research, industry, and beekeeping practice to ensure that BIP aligns with current needs and prepares for emerging trends.
• Represent BIP at industry conferences and related meetings as a speaker, trainer, and participant.

Administration

• Collaborate with the board to create a communications plan to expand awareness of BIP mission and activities.
• Supervise staff creating content for BIP website, social media, newsletters and external platforms and publications.
• Lead strategy development for foundation and corporate fundraising.
• Supervise grant writer in responding to appropriate funding opportunities.
• Develop and implement individual donor cultivation and solicitation.
• Develop and implement the annual budget process.
• Supervise financial management activities with external firm.
• Review annual tax forms and all BIP contracts.
• Facilitate board communication with monthly reports, quarterly meeting agendas, and ongoing collaboration about the role of the board in BIP’s strategic direction.

 QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree, at least 5 years’ management experience
• At least two years of senior leadership experience, nonprofit leadership preferred.
• Passion for positive change in the beekeeping industry
• Collaborative, adaptable, entrepreneurial, innovative

FORMAT & COMPENSATIONS

• One-year position with option to renew

EVALUATION

• Board conducts annual performance evaluation of executive director

SALARY

• Commensurate with experience
• Full benefits package including health insurance, retirement benefits, paid time off.

The Bee Informed Partnership employs staff through Equal Employment/Affirmative Action employers. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

To become a candidate, email the following to: support@beeinformed.org by July 31, 2019          

• Cover letter
• Resume
• Writing sample
• Contact information
• Three professional references