Smithbucklin, a 650-person, employee-owned professional services company with more than 70 years of success serving the association market, with primary offices in Chicago and Washington, D.C. is looking for an Executive Director to join our Professional Societies and Communities network as the Executive Director for the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML).

The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) Executive Director is responsible for providing strategic, financial, and operational leadership for the organization and will closely collaborate with the Board of Directors to advocate for AAML Fellowship and to advance the stature, relevance, and impact of premiere practitioners of family law.

ROLE: Provide strategic, financial, and operational leadership for a ~$2.5M fellows-based association. In collaboration with the Executive Committee and Board of Governors, develop the organization's long and short-term growth strategies. Advocate and develop relationships to advance professionalism and standards in family law. Engage the appropriate resources to achieve the desired outcomes for the organization. Manage overall operations and make major decisions affecting the organization. Manage the organization's financial, technology, and human resources. Negotiate and/or approve agreements and contracts for the organization.  Ensure compliance with by-laws and board policies for the organization.

RESULTS: Achieve AAML’s vision, mission, and organizational goals; achieve annual budgeted financial performance; grow the organization; build strong relationships across the industry, with key stakeholders and with volunteer leaders; and advance AAML’s external brand, reputation, and impact.

PERFORMANCE: Measured by achieving Board-defined metrics while consistently demonstrating the required leadership competencies, the organization's overall relevance and impact, and financial, operational, and resource management effectiveness.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

STRATEGIC & OPERATIONS PLANNING.  Advise, guide, and influence the AAML Board in defining its long-term strategy and goals. Provide expertise, develop, present, and recommend execution and operational plans and programs to the Board and committees that deliver on strategic goals in established time frames. Includes allocating resources, setting budgets, determining operational, program activities, and establishing targets.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.  Plan, direct, monitor, and analyze AAML’s finances to achieve the financial objectives. Financial planning and decision-making to ensure funding is available and assets are used efficiently. Works with the Executive Committee, Treasurer, and Board of Governors to develop and get approval for the annual operating budget; analyze, interpret and forecast financials. Provide management KPIs and financial metrics to the Board. Define and manage Smithbucklin resources and the use of outside resources. Recommend and ensure compliance with policies; and ensure that financial control processes are in place.

GOVERNANCE.   Provide governance support and leadership expertise to the Executive Committee, Board of Governors, Chapter leaders and Committee Chairs. Advise, guide, and mentor Directors. Develop and amend association policy & bylaws as needed. Actively engage in the board succession planning process, recruit and recommend potential association leaders. Establish Board, Chapter and Committee policies and charters. Ensure an effective, high-performance governance model and member/volunteer engagement processes are in place.

OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT.  Provide administrative oversight of ongoing association operations and the Fellows application and examination process.   Monitor, evaluate and optimize the performance of association programs against goals. Allocate staff and internal/external consulting resources to meet association objectives. Act as the main liaison between the association leadership and staff, lead committees or ensure that leadership is in place, coordinate and advise volunteers, report to and communicate with the Board to obtain direction, establish objectives and implement strategies.

RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT. Manage positive relationships with the Executive Committee, Board of Governors,  and volunteers. Apply Smithbucklin client stewardship principles. Identify needs, present solutions, and maximize the use of appropriate Smithbucklin capabilities where in AAML’s best interest. Ensure that there is an annual review, updating, and communication on the general services agreement, fee structure, and scope of services to ensure full transparency, understanding, and alignment with the Board of Directors and client organization operating budget.

PEOPLE MANAGEMENT.  Manage a team of senior leaders across each function of the organization. Assign and supervise work, evaluate performance, and develop individuals. Lead & direct the efforts of cross-functional teams as needed to meet AAML’s goals. Coordinate, motivate, and influence association volunteers to work towards client organizational goals. Manage resources effectively within a matrix-based professional services environment.

MANAGE GROWTH.  Oversee development, implementation, marketing, and evaluation of programs and services designed to grow membership, create member value, advance association priorities, and grow non-dues revenue. Act externally in the field as the chief business development officer to increase engagement partner support, sponsorship, and participation in AAML.

OVERSEE MESSAGING & BRAND MANAGEMENT.  Oversee the development of AAML’s internal and external messaging and communicate with volunteers and staff regarding the association, including briefing association staff to act as spokespersons. Ensure all actions, activities, and output for AAML is consistent with the brand promise and value proposition.

DEVELOP STRATEGIC ALLIANCES.  Identify partners in the family law ecosystem that can help achieve AAML’s goals, develop and manage strategic partnerships, and coordinate association efforts on key industry issues.

MANAGE SERVICE CONTRACTS.  Recommend and review service provider selection (auditor, legal, investment advisor, independent contractors) as required to meet client organization-specific needs. Manage service provider contract administration, including setting performance metrics for desired outcomes.

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Minimum attainment of an undergraduate university degree. Advanced degree preferred.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Senior-level management experience is required. Demonstrates experience and competence with developing both strategy and operational plans to support general business goals of an organization and directing the operations designed to achieve these goals. Must include experience with budgeting and managing P&L. Knowledge of governance practices, financial management, and accounting is required.
• Prior experience with leading, performance management and developing staff is desirable. Prior experience with mobilizing results from volunteers and with matrix work environments is beneficial.
• Previous work in Association Management is desirable. CAE designation is preferable.
• Experience and/or familiarity with the legal profession is a plus.

SKILLS & TECHNICAL ABILITIES

• Business Analysis Skills
• Business Planning Skills
• Communications Ability (Written & Verbal)
• Account Management Ability
• Financial Acumen (budgeting, forecasting, analyzing)
• Presentation Skills
• Supervising Skills (Assign/delegate, Observe/Correct Performance)
• Administrative & Project Management Skills
• Marketing Management Skills (Program design & management, communications strategy)
• Workforce Planning Skills (Assess Business Talent Needs/Recruit Talent)

KEY BEHAVIORAL COMPETENCIES

• Demonstrated Executive Presence
• Board Relationship Management
• Results Oriented: strives to achieve high levels of individual and organizational performance
• Initiative: takes independent actions and goes beyond what the position or situation requires
• Analytical/Systematic thinker: takes a well-ordered and logical approach to analyzing a problem, organizing work, and planning actions
• Conceptual /strategic thinker, identifies and see the relationship among key issues while understanding the big picture
• Forward thinker: anticipates and plans to deal with future events, trends, problems or opportunities
• Team Builder: creates an environment to sustain highly motivated groups working to achieve common objectives
• Consensus Builder: uses well-considered approaches to convince others and build support of ideas & objectives
• Communicator: takes advantage of opportunities to listen to others, have them feel listened to and satisfy their need to be informed
• Relationship Builder: develops and maintains strong relationships with internal and external clients/contacts
• Developer of People: takes time to provide guidance and feedback to improve others’ performance and ensure their development
• Personal Sensitivity/Empathy: is perceptive and responsive to the feelings, attitudes, values, and concerns of others.

EMPLOYMENT CONDITION REQUIREMENTS

• Chicago-based in-office team-based environment
• Willing to travel frequently domestically and internationally
• References

Where Do You Fit?

Whether you are just beginning your career or are a mid- or senior-level professional, working at Smithbucklin will offer you countless opportunities to develop transferrable skills, acquire meaningful knowledge and gain rich experiences at an accelerated pace. By working collaboratively with smart, ambitious, multi-talented, genuine and hardworking colleagues, you will build meaningful, deep and enduring relationships that will serve you well throughout your career, regardless of your chosen path. In addition, as a 100 percent employee-owned company, Smithbucklin offers all of our people – regardless of position or compensation – an equal chance to experience the fulfillment and reap the benefits of ownership. As owners, our employees control the destiny of Smithbucklin and are unified in the goal of building a great, enduring company

Equal Employment Opportunity

At Smithbucklin, Equal Employment Opportunity is our commitment and goal. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status, or any other protected status designated by federal, state or local law. Applicants are encouraged to confidentially self-identify when applying. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a reference and background investigation based on position

Smithbucklin will not sponsor applicants for work visas and as a precondition of employment, you must be authorized to work in the United States permanently.