Shambhala Boston: Executive Director Position

Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche wishes to appoint, as the next Director of the Boston Shambhala Center, a dedicated Shambhalian who has a deep connection with him and has the skills and ability to lead this growing, vibrant City Center. Could you be this person or might you know a suitable candidate?

Strong candidates have already come forward, but we have decided to extend the search process and accept applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled. This will enable others, who may not have considered applying, to do so.

We are ideally seeking a practitioner who has attended Sacred World Assembly and/or Warrior Assembly and is someone who has entered or who aspires to attend Scorpion Seal Assembly. This would be an individual who is fully committed to the current vision and leadership of the Sakyong, has considerable leadership experience in an entity (such as a not-for-profit or corporation) facing challenges similar to those at a Shambhala Center, and has a high degree of interpersonal skills. A successful candidate would have a deep understanding of the path of service, about which the Sakyong has often said that this is the path of awake. Reward comes in many surprising forms when being on the path of service.

Moving forward, the next Director will have the opportunity to lead a volunteer staff to develop new initiatives, events, and activities that will create more opportunities for connecting and collaborating with people beyond the confines of Shambhala itself.  Thus, in addition to providing leadership and inspiration to Boston Shambhala Center’s community and donors, the next director needs to be someone who can communicate and work well with local community leaders and organizations that share a commitment to personal and societal transformation.

This is a full-time position and the ideal candidate will need to reside in or relocate to the greater Boston area.

We will be accepting applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

 

Yours in the Vision of the Great Eastern Sun,

Executive Director Search Committee

Elizabeth Latchis

Charles Styron

Stacey Brown

Bryan Mendiola

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BOSTON SHAMBHALA CENTER

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JOB DESCRIPTION

 

OVERVIEW

The Boston Shambhala Center is accepting applications for the position of Executive Director. The Executive Director provides the link from the Shambhala Vision, as laid out by the Vidyadhara, Chogyam Trungpa, and as expressed in the view and activities of the Sakyong, to the local leadership team and community. We seek a leader with excellent communication, leadership and administrative skills, as well as demonstrated financial planning and oversight experience, to direct and foster a thriving organization of teaching, practice and community life. The Director provides an example of a leader integrating practice with participation in society and with the appreciation that leadership is a path of service.

The Boston Shambhala Center, founded in 1972, owns and is housed in a beautifully renovated building just blocks from Brookline Village. It is situated in a diverse, cosmopolitan city considered one of America’s leading intellectual centers, with many universities, cultural institutions, research hospitals and entrepreneurial startups. It is a vibrant community, with approximately 200 active members, representing a mix of practitioners of all ages and levels of experience. During the Sakyong’s recent visit in April of 2014 he reminded us to continue to explore the question, “What can Shambhala do for Boston?” In this regard, we are widening the view and function of the Center from primarily a school/program space to also be a forum for engaging the issues and concerns of the wider society.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Executive Director is responsible for overseeing the leadership, planning, operations, communications, and community of the Boston Shambhala Center while simultaneously being the public face that represents Shambhala Vision to the city of Boston, making connections with various constituencies and affinity groups whose missions are compatible with this vision.

 

Leadership

The Executive Director supports the entire Boston Shambhala community by integrating a leadership mandala based on the Three Pillars and in accordance with the model of Policy Governance as envisioned by the Sakyong as the organizing principle of the Center’s government. This includes:

  • Chairing the Boston Governing Council;
  • Providing the direction, management, mentoring and view for Boston Center staff;
  • Working closely with the Head of the Finance Committee (Chagdzo) and finance staff to ensure the financial well-being of the center while promoting fiscal clarity and transparency regarding the flow of financial resources within a view of abundance and generosity;

 

Planning

The Executive Director works with:

  • The Governing Council and Executive Staff to develop and implement the Center’s strategic goals and priorities in accordance with the decision making principles of reaching “broad agreement;”
  • The Center of the Mandala and the local Governing Council as the focal point for long-term planning. As such he/she is the point person with whom the Sakyong can speak about “where we are going” particularly in terms of growth, expansion and membership;
  • The Head of Development, staff and volunteers to support growth through fundraising, increasing membership, donations and dues;
  • The Head of Practice and Education and the local Shastris, collaboratively, to create the annual calendar for the core curriculum;
  • The local leadership of other organizations to plan and implement activities that support our mutual goals and extend the vision of enlightened society to the larger community of Boston.

 

Operations

The Executive Director manages the day to day activities of the Boston Shambhala Center by:

  • Hiring, supporting and providing oversight of the paid staff;
  • Providing oversight and cooperative planning with those responsible for maintaining and developing the Center property;
  • Ensuring a properly created and monitored annual budget.

 

Communications

The Executive Director will ensure the clarity and continuity of communication between the Center Staff, the Governing Council and the Boston Shambhala community.

  • Act as the principle spokesperson for the Boston Shambhala Center to the broader community and to the Kalapa Court;
  • Work in consultation with the Center Communications Head to communicate effectively and consistently within the community;

 

Community

The Executive Director models and fosters a culture of kindness based on the foundation of practice, study and service by:

  • Supporting the Head of Practice and Education to ensure sufficient practice and education opportunities for all members of the community, including children;
  • Working closely with the Dorje Kasung, the Head of Culture and Decorum, and the Head of Societal Health and Well-being, among others, to cultivate a harmonious and meaningful environment of engagement for community life;
  • Creating pathways and encouraging the community to extend Shambhala Vision into the various forums in which they may interact with the extended community.

 

QUALITIES, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

A ideal candidate will:

  • Be committed to the leadership of the Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche and to the lineage of Sakyongs;
  • Be able to articulate the Shambhala Vision effectively to a broad range of leaders and organizations beyond the Shambhala mandala and to form rich networks that promote sanity and basic goodness in the greater world;
  • Be a committed practitioner of the Shambhala Buddhist path and one who has attended Sacred World Assembly or Warrior Assembly and who is committed to entering the Scorpion Seal Path;
  • Be familiar with and have personally studied and have experience in the Six Ways of Ruling. In this regard, be committed to leadership as path;
  • Be familiar with the cultural forms held in the Shambhala traditions;
  • Be able to work collaboratively with the President of Shambhala, international governing structures of Shambhala, the local Governing Council, and a wide variety of paid and volunteer staff;
  • Have the ability to engage skillfully and generously with a wide range of practitioners from every era of Shambhala’s history;
  • Have professional experience with demonstrated managerial, project management, and fiscal accountability skills, including creative collaboration and conflict resolution skills;

 

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT

  • Approximately 40 hours per week with the understanding that this is a flexible work schedule that will also include weekends and evenings;
  • Attendance at local, regional and international governance gatherings and training programs;
  • Three year commitment with possibility of one term renewal;
  • Commitment to continued progress along the Shambhala path, including Scorpion Seal, Kurukula Abhisheka and Monarch Retreat, as appropriate;
  • Fulfillment of all ceremonial duties expected of Director.

 

BENEFITS & COMPENSATION

This is a full-time paid position, with paid time off for retreats, vacation, and illness (details will be discussed with serious applicants). It is covered by the reduced payment policy for Shambhala employees and Center financial support is available to Shambhala programs required by the job. Free off-street parking is provided by the Center.

TO APPLY

Please submit the following:

  • A resume;
  • A cover letter summarizing your skills, experience and qualities that relate; specifically to this position. Also include your practice experience, where you are now and what your aspirations are on the Shambhala path;
  • Contact information for three references.

Please submit this information to the Executive Director Search Committee by email to: [email protected].

Applications not submitted via e-mail can be mailed to:

ED Search Committee, BSC

c/o Stacey Brown

74 Rockingham Ave.

Malden MA 02148

We will be accepting applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Thank you for your interest.