THE SEARCH PROCESS

Spencer Stuart, a global executive search and leadership advisory firm, has been retained by C2C to help identify and recruit the next CEO. For confidential nominations and expressions of interest, please contact Spencer Stuart at CradlesCEO@spencerstuart.com.

About the Organization

Cradles to Crayons (C2C) is leading the way to End Clothing Insecurity for kids. Founded in 2002 by the current CEO, Lynn Margherio, C2Cs vision is that one day all children will have the essentials they need to thrive at home, at school, and at play.

THE UNMET NEED

In the United States, more than 20 million kids are facing Clothing Insecurity and go without basics like pants, shoes, diapers and school supplies during their critical developmental years. Three of the top 10 reasons kids miss school are rooted in Clothing Insecurityjust one example of the short- and long-term social and economic costs when clothing needs go unmet. This solvable, yet pervasive, crisis is often unseen, lacking visibility or sustainable solutions to break down these significant barriers to childhood success.

WHAT WE DO

Cradles to Crayons keeps clothing access at the core of its mission and is the only large-scale national nonprofit organization to focus on this resource gap. C2C provides children living in crisis, homeless, or low-income situations with the clothing and essentials they needdistributing more than one million packages each year of clothing, shoes, diapers, school supplies, and more, free of charge. 90% of Cradles to Crayons community partners tell us their clients would not otherwise have access to free clothing and essentials they need. Since its founding, Cradles to Crayons has distributed nearly six million packages of clothing and essentials to children in Chicagoland, Greater Philadelphia, Massachusetts, NYC, and San Francisco. Additionally, C2C is actively driving education and awareness efforts that elevate the crisis of Clothing Insecurity nationally and mobilize stakeholders around this critical basic needs gap.

HOW WE DO IT

In partnership with more than 300 service organizations and through three physical Giving Factory warehouses and the first-of-its-kind digital clothing donation platform, Giving Factory Direct, Cradles to Crayons harnesses the power of donations and volunteers to provide families with the clothing resources their children need. Cradles to Crayons also leverages its unique, clothing-focused position to raise Clothing Insecurity as a national issue through awareness and education campaigns, research and evaluation, connection to other clothing distribution efforts, and legislative outreach.

As Cradles to Crayons expands nationally, it is focused on two core objectives:

• Put the issue of Clothing Insecurity on the map of prioritized childrens needs
• Establish Cradles to Crayons nationally as the leading solution to Clothing Insecurity

C2C leverages three pillars to deliver on its mission:

• In-person Engagement at The Giving Factory: We source new and like-new childrens products through collection drives, community-based donation units, corporate and community engagement events, and targeted procurement efforts. These items are inspected, sorted, and packaged by tens of thousands of children and adults who volunteer annually at our Giving Factory warehouses. Packages of high-quality clothing and other supplies are distributed to children through a network of Service Partners who order on behalf of children and families they support.
• Online Clothing Donations through Giving Factory Direct: C2Cs propriety technology platform provides a convenient way to unlock available clothing donations and deliver them straight from one kids closet to another. Giving Factory Direct matches clothing donors anywhere in the U.S. directly to individual children in Cradles to Crayons communities. This growing distribution program is currently available in several communities as we expand our reach nationally.
• Advocacy, Education, and Awareness: With the goal of elevating Clothing Insecurity to the level of other known insecurities and working toward long-term, sustainable solutions to childrens clothing access, Cradles to Crayons engages in strategic partnerships to develop impact data, expand advocacy efforts, and increase engagement and visibility for the cause.

Cradles to Crayons has earned the highest possible rating (4 stars) from Charity Navigator since 2009. Only 2% of charities nationwide have received this distinction. C2C has a budget of $19.4M for FY25 with a total staff of approximately 100.

About the Role

Reporting to the National Board of Directors, the next Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cradles to Crayons will embrace the organizations mission to provide children in need with the essential items necessary to thrive at home, at school, and at play. The next CEO, in partnership with the Board and the Senior Leadership Team, will work with focus and urgency to expand the organizations impact and profile while building broader awareness around Clothing Insecurity. With a keen focus on growth and innovation, the CEO will establish a multi-year strategy and prioritize collaboration and transparent decision-making to propel Cradles to Crayons into an exciting next chapter.

The CEO will be an inspirational leader of Cradles to Crayons both internally and externally. The next leader will place a high priority on the retention, development, and motivation of a high-performing staff and will leverage the organizational culture and core values, including a demonstrated commitment to equity, to lead the organization. Externally, the CEO will serve as Cradles to Crayons primary ambassador, raising its national profile, forging new partnerships, and growing its impact through on-the-ground and technology-driven efforts. The next CEO will be a skilled communicator with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders effectively, clearly, and warmly.

There is a preference for the CEO to be in the current markets of Boston, Chicago, and Philadelphia but also flexibility to consider interested leaders from other locations.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Reports to National Board of Directors

Direct Reports Chief Financial Officer

Vice President, Giving Factory Direct

Vice President, Operations

Vice President, External Affairs

Vice President, Human Resources

Other key relationships Market Executive Directors

Market Board of Directors (Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia)

NYC Leadership Council

Donors and Partners

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• In concert with the national and local boards and staff, drive the strategic vision and planning to support national growth and impact. This will include assessing future strategies for growth through deeper engagement within current markets, expansion to new markets, launching an awareness campaign, and the continued development of the organizations nationwide online platform Giving Factory Direct.
• Serve as Cradles to Crayons external spokesperson and relationship builder, continuing to establish the organization as the integral, nationally recognized leader in the Clothing Insecurity movement. Leverage data to highlight need and organizational impact. Broaden the organizations reach and presence by way of engagement in policy and advocacy.
• Deepen and expand donor and strategic partner relationships at the national level. Ensure processes, systems, strategies, and structures to lead a best-in-class development operation that supports local engagement while taking advantage of national scale.
• Lead the continued journey to pursue meaningful and lasting efforts to integrate the work of social justice and equity into Cradles to Crayons programming, operations, and practices, thereby pursuing diversity, equity, and inclusion within and beyond the organization.
• Develop, retain, and recruit a highly committed and qualified talent, driving high levels of staff engagement and teamwork, thereby promoting transparency, trust and accountability within the organization.
• Oversee the organizations infrastructure, staffing, processes, and culture, ensuring that its financial, human, intellectual and fiduciary capital are deployed to their highest and best use.
• Foster innovation and promotes a culture of openness to trying novel approaches, tools, and strategies.

IDEAL EXPERIENCE

Strategic Leadership

Extensive strategic leadership experience. An effective communicator and connector with a record of demonstrating decisiveness, inclusiveness, collaboration, transparency, effective risk mitigation, and a focus on solutions. A performance history of innovative and entrepreneurial leadership within dynamic and evolving organizations.

Development and Revenue Generation

A proven and eager relationship builder with significant fundraising experience and success. Experience working at the national level with a track record of securing major giving from individuals, foundations, and corporations. A creative and ambitious advocate for philanthropic and governmental support, with a history of representing an organization to a wide range of audiences in ways that inspire confidence, engagement, and partnerships.

Proven Impact on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Demonstrated experience in leading equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives in a multicultural environment and a track record of impact on organizational culture, systems, practices, and strategies which drive measurable progress on the dimensions of access, equity, belonging, and outcomes.

Senior Leadership and Management Experience

Experience as a leader or senior member of an executive team, with evidence of senior level management experience, operational acumen, financial sophistication, and success leading growth and change within a multi-faceted and multi-site national organization. Track record of building and managing high performing teams. Demonstrated experience leading change management and partnering closely with the Board of Directors.

Mission and Values Orientation

Leadership experience within, and personal commitment to, organizations aligned with Cradles to Crayons mission and core values. A demonstrated ability to build a strong and healthy culture driven by an organizations mission and values.

CRITICAL LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES

Strategic, Visionary Leadership

• Develops and implements a strategic plan, achieving appropriate streamlining opportunities and capacity building where required.
• Works with the Board of Directors to balance short-term objectives with long-term vision to drive the strategic direction of Cradles to Crayons.
• Employs a forward-thinking mindset which looks beyond the current strategy and leverages technology to drive continuous improvement, impact, and reach.
• Assesses growth strategies that optimize impact while considering costs.
• Challenges assumptions and conventional wisdom with specific, data-driven, and well-reasoned proposals, exhibiting unclouded vision and the ability to deliver on a focused mission with measurable outcomes.
• Maintains an awareness of the challenges and opportunities facing the organization, adjusts the organizations actions and approaches accordingly, and demonstrates resilience and adaptability through changing environments.

Collaborating and Influencing

• Articulates Cradles to Crayons mission, culture, value proposition, and impact effectively and with passion, and serves as an authentic, inspirational, and compelling external spokesperson.
• Leverages a wide range of relationships, common values, and motivations to create a clear sense of mutual benefits and equitable partnership.
• Cultivates and builds relationships with current and potential donors and partners, growing revenues and champions to enable greater impact.
• Seeks new challenges and innovative, transformational opportunities which increase the organizations national impact and reach.
• Impeccable credibility, integrity, and ability to create and maintain strong relationships built on trust and transparency across diverse stakeholders and partners.

Leading People

• Develops an organizational infrastructure which provides support for team members, creating clear decision-making processes and reinforcing transparent and open communication.
• Retains, develops, and empowers a cohesive, sophisticated team; focuses on the teams growth and invests in their development as a group and as individuals.
• Demonstrates a commitment to equity and social justice, working in deep partnership with the staff and the Boards on this objective.
• An empathetic, active listener with high EQ and humility who is open to different perspectives and opinions.
• Holds the team accountable for their commitments, providing clarity, fairness, and constructive feedback, and bringing out each team members personal best while modeling passion for the mission of Cradles to Crayons.

OTHER PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Embraces learning and being challenged.
• A collaborative leader.
• An unwavering commitment to upholding and fulfilling all fiduciary responsibilities with integrity.
• Exceptional organizational, written, and verbal communication, public relations, and interpersonal skills.
• Willingness to engage as needed within all aspects of the operation.
• Intellectual curiosity.
• Decisive, honest, transparent, and a sense of humor.