Fencers Club, Inc. (the “Club”) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization dedicated to promoting personal excellence through fencing, serving individuals of all ages, backgrounds, abilities, and athletic goals.

The Fencers Club was founded in 1883, and is recognized as the oldest, continuously running fencing sport program in the Western Hemisphere. Further, the FC holds a prominent place in the history of modern athletic competition. In 2012, the Club was named as one of nine United States Olympic Committee (USOC) Community Olympic Development Programs. The designation reflects the Club’s success in developing a sustainable pipeline to US National Teams at all levels, while also increasing participation in sport among youth.

Among our accomplishments include: 63 Olympians (including medalists), 14 current World Team members (all categories), 100% college attendance rate with more than 50% going to top universities.

The Club is, however, far more than a top fencing sport facility. It is a longtime leader in community development through the power of sport. The Club is home to 500 active members, who range from age 8 to over 80. Our diverse set of programs promote mental and physical well-being among several at-risk populations including military veterans and underserved youth from across New York City’s five Boroughs.

The Fencers Club Foundations for Excellence is a set of comprehensive and sustainable programs that are established to foster and support the pursuit of excellence in fencing, learning, character development and community service in a diverse group of students and members to encourage them to become life-long learners and productive members of society. The Foundations for Excellent is comprised of four core programs: FC Schools Partnership, Military Veterans On Guard, FC Scholarship Program, and Opportunities Beyond. In all, our programs touch 1,000 individuals annually.

The FC has an active and large Board of Directors. The Board works closely with FC managers and staff to support the programs, finances, welfare, and environment well-being of the Club.  Our primary revenue sources are membership dues, donations, grants and program fees.

The Club’s mission includes to:

  • Provide the highest level of instruction and state of the art facilities for the sport of fencing.
  • Promote the social and athletic interactions of our members through the sport of fencing.
  • Produce fencers of Olympic caliber through the active sponsorship of world-class training programs, competitions and teams.
  • Encourage participation in fencing by all individuals regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual orientation, gender expression, mental or physical ability, socio-economic status or any other status protected by federal law.
  • Broaden the base of support for fencing in the United States, and especially in New York City, by actively developing and offering fencing-related community outreach, scholarship and educational programs.

 

The Club is seeking to hire an Executive Director that shall lead a small team that is responsible to help the Club achieve its mission and financial objectives.

The Executive Director will be, in many respects, the face of the organization, communicating and interfacing regularly with athlete members, parents, coaches, and the public, and shall collaborate and answer to the Board of Directors.

The Club is seeking to have the new Executive Director perform some and/or all of the functions of the Club’s former long-time Executive Director, who voluntarily resigned following eleven years of dedicated service to the Club.  The former Executive Director has agreed to continue working with the Club in a transition and in a consulting basis.

The ideal candidate should be an enthusiastic team player who will actively promote an inclusive Club culture and advance the health and safety of the Club. The new Executive Director will work with the Board to determine the optimal management structure for the Club.

Responsibilities

  • Provide leadership and vision on the strategic direction for the Club in collaboration with Board of Directors and staff, as well as provide effective administration of the Club’s day-to-day operations and of its physical space.
  • Solicit advice and guidance when reasonable and as appropriate, for example, from the Executive Committee, Board of Directors, outside counsel, auditors, or CPA.
  • Maintain the fiscal management of the Club, including: managing the Club’s resources within budget, and serve as one of the lead financial managers for the organization.
  • Oversee the development, implementation, and promotion of the Club’s programs and services.
  • Help hire, direct, supervise, support and assess effectiveness of the Club’s employees and contractors.
  • Help develop and manage fundraising initiatives and maintain key sponsor relations.
  • Oversee the Club’s marketing plan and public relations assets, including website and social media pages.
  • Help manage the Club’s existing relationship with the Peter Westbrook Foundation.
  • Effectively communicate with teams, athletes, coaches, and external partners.
  • Oversee the Club’s compliance with SafeSport requirements and relationship with USA Fencing.
  • Maintain the Club’s compliance with federal, state and local regulations.
  • Promote policies, procedures and programs that provide equal access and opportunity and creates an organizational culture that recognizes and values the diversity of every member and promotes inclusion of all members and guests.

Desired Leadership Competencies

  • Guided by high ethical values and principles
  • Committed to transparent decision making and is guided by the highest degree of integrity
  • Collaborative style with a proven ability to balance key stakeholders ( this is different than above, not inspirational but the ability to balance different, sometime complimentary or competing priorities)Stakeholders can be advocates or blockers.
  • High level of accountability
  • High energy, a sense of ownership and passion for attaining goals
  • Ability to manage and develop people, delegate and prioritize multiple projects, and a skill at managing ambiguity, operating effectively even when things are not certain or the way forward is not clear; the ability to view the unknown as an opportunity for innovation and creativity.
  • Superior interpersonal and communication skills
  • Creative problem solver and consensus builder with the ability to inspire diverse constituencies including volunteers, staff, board, and the general public

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree preferred, and/or relevant management experience
  • Experience with the sport of fencing (e.g. as a competitor, referee, coach or parent of a fencer) or experience in high performance athletics
  • Demonstrated leadership skills
  • Demonstrated experience in strategic planning
  • Proven Creative thinker and innovator
  • Demonstrated ability in fundraising and grant writing
  • Familiarity with marketing strategies, tools, and outlets
  • Demonstrated experience in managing organizational growth and change
  • Change management expertise
  • Demonstrated excellence in development, management and reporting of budgets and financial information

Please send resumes and personal statements to: EDposition@fencersclub.org

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, age, handicap, or veteran status.  All qualified applicants will be given equal opportunity.  Selection decisions are based on job-related factors.