Resource Post: The Arc of Texas job advertisements

UPDATE: The Arc of Texas has changed their job requirements to remove “physical and mental requirements” entirely from the list. 

UPDATE 1/29/16
– Please see Kyle Piccola’s comment from The Arc of Texas in the comment thread. Archived at the bottom of the thread for record-keeping purposes.

Original Post Below
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As of January 15, The Arc of Texas was hiring a CEO and State Advocacy Coordinator.

You can see their job ads here. I have put screenshots at the bottom as of 1/27/16 in case they change them. Update: I cut/pasted the full text of the ads for better accessibility as well.

Each job has a list of physical and mental requirements. I have put in a call to The Arc for comment and will be writing more when I get it.

CEO

Physical and Mental Requirements: 

  • Seeing
  • Hearing/Listening
  • Clear speech
  • Ability to move distances between offices and workspaces
  • Driving

Advocacy Coordinator

Physical and Mental Requirements: 

  • Seeing
  • Hearing/Listening
  • Clear speech
  • Touching :dexterity hand and finger
  • Ability to move distances between offices and workspaces
  • Minor pushing and pulling
  • Lifting up to 25 lbs.
  • Carrying up to 25 lbs
  • Driving

 Screenshots:

Cut and paste of the text for accessibility reasons below:
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The Arc Of Texas Employment Opportunities

Chief Executive Officer

Organizational Unit: State Office
FSLA Classification:  Exempt
Reports To: The Arc of Texas Board of Directors
Job Summary: The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is responsible for the successful leadership and management of The Arc of Texas according to the guiding principles of the organization and the strategic direction set by the Board of Directors.  Specifically, the CEO will ensure that the organization’s fiscal, operations, fundraising, marketing, human resource, technology, and programmatic strategies are effectively implemented.
Duties and Responsibilities:
  1. Work with the Board of Directors in developing and refining the vision and strategic plan for the organization.
  2. Develop an operational plan incorporating goals and objectives that work toward the strategic direction of the organization. Ensure programs and services offered by the organization contribute to the organization’s mission and reflect the priorities of the Board.
  3. Formulate and execute comprehensive marketing, branding and development strategies that will ensure consistency throughout the organization and enhance revenue from major donors, foundations, government agencies, and corporations.
  4. Work with the Board and staff to prepare a comprehensive budget.  Oversee the financial status of the organization including developing long and short range financial plans, monitoring the budget and ensuring sound financial controls are in place; set financial priorities accurately.
  5. Manage the efficient and effective day-to-day operation of the organization; ensure the delivery of high quality services while managing for current and future growth.
  6. Facilitate cross-departmental collaboration with staff throughout the organization; create and promote a positive, multicultural work environment that supports consistency throughout the organization.
  7. Act as a spokesperson for the organization, represent The Arc of Texas at meetings and functions with representatives from agencies, the Legislature, and other organizations.
  8. Review existing policies and procedures at least annually and recommend changes to the Board as needed.
  9. Oversee research and development of funding sources, the development of fund raising plans and proposals.
  10. Establish good working relationships and collaborative arrangements with self-advocates, local chapters, community groups, funders, elected officials, and other organizations to help achieve the goals of the organization.
 Skills:
  1. Lead, manage, and operate a multi-million dollar organization, preferably with volunteer membership and elected Board.
  2. Delegate complex tasks to staff and supervise the timely and successful completion of those tasks.
  3. Recruit, hire, evaluate, mentor and retain a high performance team, and terminate when necessary.
  4. Represent a statewide advocacy organization in its mission, including knowledge of the legislative process and the issues.
  5. Work with volunteers on the Board of Directors within the boundaries of the governance and management relationship, and respect those boundaries.
  6. Work with stakeholders in the organization’s mission and plans, specifically including self-advocates and families, chapters, disability advocacy organizations and community groups.
  7. Understand and operate a business as a manager, specifically including business planning, budgets, revenues and expenses, and prioritizing the use of revenues and resources.
  8. Reflect nonprofit law and rules, including IRS rules for nonprofits.
  9. Reflect business and charitable donation development, including fundraising methods and sources, and accountability to grant makers and donors under contracts or conditions in grants and donations.
Educational Requirements: 
 Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree preferred. Five or more years of executive leadership experience in a for-profit, non-profit, or public sector organization.
Physical and Mental Requirements: 
  • Seeing
  • Hearing/Listening
  • Clear speech
  • Ability to move distances between offices and workspaces
  • Driving
Salary:
  • $125,000 – $140,000 depending on experience. 
Benefits:
  • Health insurance coverage 100% paid for by employer
To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to The Arc of texas Board of Directors at ceosearch@thearcoftexas.org by March 31st, 2016

State Advocacy Coordinator 

Job Title:    State Advocacy Coordinator    
Organizational Unit: State Office, Governmental Affairs Department
FSLA Classification:  Exempt
Reports To: Director of Government Affairs
Job Summary: The State Advocacy Coordinator provides support to, organizes and empowers Local Arc Chapters, Self-Advocate Chapters, families, allies and other stakeholders to facilitate their involvement in public policy advocacy at the local, state and federal levels and ensures timely and effective communication with Local Chapters and other stakeholders about policy issues.  
At the direction of the Director of Governmental Affairs and the Government Affairs Committee, the Coordinator represents The Arc of Texas on issues related to The Arc of Texas policy priorities, and assists with monitoring disability policy discussions of legislative committees, state agency boards, advisory committees and workgroups and represents The Arc of Texas on agency workgroups and stakeholder committees.
The Coordinator reports to the Director of Governmental Affairs.
Duties and Responsibilities
A. Provide support to, organize and empower Local Arc Chapters, Self-Advocate Chapters, families, allies and other stakeholders to facilitate their involvement in public policy advocacy at the local, state and federal levels. 
  1. Develop and maintain effective working relationships and communication with Local Arc Chapters, Self-Advocate Chapters, families, allies and other stakeholders.
  2. Develop and manage grassroots campaigns to advance our public policy priorities.
  3. Recruit, train and provide support to facilitate effective participation in the disability rights movement from self-advocates and their families.
  4. Organize “Capitol Days”, other visits to the State Capitol, State Agencies, or local/regional policy related activities.
  5. Support volunteers to attend and have meaningful participation at the Texas Legislature, state agency boards, various state agency task forces, work groups and committees.
B. Act as a liaison between The Arc of Texas, the GA Committee, Local Chapters and other stakeholders about policy issues.
  1. Conduct in-person trainings/meeting, webinars, phone calls, social media and targeted email marketing to advocates across Texas.
  2. Facilitate communication between grassroots stakeholders, The Arc of Texas staff, GA Committee members and The Arc of Texas Board in a timely manner. 
  3. Utilize the latest available developments in technology to communicate The Arc of Texas message to internal and external stakeholders (for example, “action alerts” and other campaigns).
  4. Networks with allied organizations and coalitions to promote collaborative relationships on issues related to The Arc’s policy priorities. 
  5. When necessary, provide testimony in support of the positions of The Arc of Texas at hearings and meetings.
Educational Requirements
Minimum of bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Nonprofit management, Education, Human Services or a related field from a recognized college or university and at least three years of progressively responsible positions in disability advocacy.
Skills:
  1. Ability to work independently and interactively, to handle multiple priorities and to be productive under stress.
  2. Experience implementing direct action organizing campaigns.
  3. Knowledge of programs, services, rights and benefits available to persons with disabilities.
  4. Ability to effectively communicate with parents and advocates on behalf of their sons, daughters and others with intellectual developmental disabilities.
  5. Ability to effectively communicate with self-advocates with intellectual disabilities to have a voice in the policies and laws that are made on their behalf.   
  6. Knowledge of legislative and administrative processes impacting the development of public policy.
  7. Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills.
  8. Networking, organizing and coalition-building skills.
  9. Passionate about The Arc of Texas mission and the individuals we serve.
Physical and Mental Requirements: 
  • Seeing
  • Hearing/Listening
  • Clear speech
  • Touching :dexterity hand and finger
  • Ability to move distances between offices and workspaces
  • Minor pushing and pulling
  • Lifting up to 25 lbs.
  • Carrying up to 25 lbs
  • Driving
To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to Kyle Piccola at KPiccola@thearcoftexas.org by Friday, January 15 at Noon

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UPDATE 1/29/16 – Please see Kyle Piccola’s comment in the comment thread. Archived here for record-keeping purposes.

Getting Called Out Is a Good Thing
The Arc of Texas would like to offer an open and sincere thank you to you and to others who brought to our attention a job posting that was not inclusive to people with disabilities. As much as it hurts to be wrong, we know because of this experience that we will come out a stronger organization.
As advocates, we tirelessly work to right the wrongs in our world and hope to make our communities a better place. By default, it’s in our nature to land on the right side of history. That is why it was devastating to get called out for not being inclusive and promoting practices that excluded others. We have looked into how this happened, and have learned that the job requirements that were wrongfully included in our postings were left over from when we employed drivers for our household recycling program. The CEO job description that was recently approved by our Board of Directors did not include the exclusionary language as shown in the job posting.
Thankfully, being perfect isn’t a requirement to be an advocate, but owning your missteps and using them to promote progress is. That is why we have fixed the mistake and are working internally and with coalition partners to ensure it will never happen again.
It is our responsibility to hold each other to high standards and encourage nothing less than the best of everyone. The Arc of Texas’ mission is to promote, protect and advocate for the human rights and self-determination of Texans with intellectual and developmental disabilities and we are committed to being the best we can be.
We look forward to working alongside other advocates in the disability community to address the barriers to independence, community participation and employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Texas.
Achieve with us,
The Arc of Texas

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