Executive Director, United Faculty of Florida (UFF)

The Florida Education Association (FEA) is the largest association of professional employees and the largest labor union in the Southeast, representing more than 145,000 members. FEA is a merged state association affiliated with both the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). Founded in 1968, the United Faculty of Florida is the higher education affiliate of FEA representing more than 20,000 faculty members and 8,000 graduate assistants across the state.

Position Summary

FEA seeks a dynamic and skilled Executive Director to serve as Chief of Staff of the United Faculty of Florida. The primary responsibilities of this leadership position include working collaboratively with UFF’s President, Steering Committee, and Senate, FEA’s elected officers, and management team, and UFF’s local union leaders and members. The Executive Director reports directly to the FEA Director of Organizing and Field Services and is charged with carrying out the operations of the UFF as directed by the FEA Officers, the UFF Officers, and the UFF Steering Committee. The successful candidate must possess the ability to effectively navigate politically- sensitive issues, successfully manage multiple high-priority projects, productively lead a dynamic team, and continuously build and maintain a thriving higher education union across Florida.

Specific Responsibilities

1. Support the UFF bargaining unit leadership in all union activities.
2. Support the UFF programs and activities as directed by the UFF President, Steering Committee, Council of Presidents, and Senate.
3. Support the UFF activities in collective bargaining, contract enforcement, and member representation.
4. Assist in developing and overseeing all UFF organizing activities, both within existing and potential bargaining units.
5. Lead and manage UFF staff.
6. Support the UFF President with publications and public statements.
7. Perform other duties and inter-departmental activities as assigned by the FEA Chief of Staff or the FEA Director of Organizing and Field Services.
8. Negotiate and write the contract to pay for release time for the elected UFF President.

Management Responsibilities

1. Advance FEA’s vision and mission by identifying opportunities for increased organizational effectiveness and efficiency through shared organizational learning.
2. Recommend programs, policies, and services that are aligned with FEA’s vision, mission, and strategic goals.
3. Report to and advise the Chief of Staff or designee on FEA programs, policies, and services.
4. Manage, execute, and be a steward of the departmental and organizational budget, finances, and other resources.
5. Educate staff on FEA mission and goals, and responsibilities to members as owners of FEA.
6. Contribute to the functioning and deliberations of the management team.
7. Support planning, coordination, and implementation of programs and services across departmental and cross-domain boundaries.
8. Continually review and assess programs and services to assure alignment with FEA’s mission and strategic goals.
9. Uniformly and consistently manage, implement, and enforce FEA’s programs, policies and the FEA/FSO Collective Bargaining Agreement.
10. Effectively manage FEA’s human resources through assigning, supervising, and evaluating department staff.
11. Actively support FEA’s Affirmative Action Program and policies.

General Responsibilities

1. Strong interpersonal skills and diplomatic approach to managing relationships between local affiliates, service units, and staff from individual contributors to senior/executive leadership.
2. Ability to deal with a geographically diverse organization with autonomous, membership-based operating units.
3. Support activities that promote membership recruitment, engagement, and growth.
4. Efficiently utilize technology and software such as the Microsoft Office Suite (Word-Excel-PowerPoint) and Microsoft Office 365.
5. Report to UFF’s Officers and the UFF Steering Committee to coordinate staff activities with governance plans and priorities.
6. Other duties as assigned by the Chief of Staff or Director of Organizing and Field Services.

Qualifications

• A four-year degree from an accredited college or university is required.
• A graduate degree in labor relations, labor law, business management, political science, public relations, or a related field is highly desired.
• Extensive experience in collective bargaining, labor relations, member advocacy, and labor organizing is required.
• Experience working in higher education is highly desired.
• Experience working collaboratively with union leadership is highly desired.
• Experience successfully working with governance boards, committees, or councils is highly desired.
• Professional commitment to advocating for diversity and inclusiveness is highly desired.
• Experience with leading and managing a team, including field/remote staff, is highly desired.
• Professional experience developing and working within complex budgets in desired, including the ability to track and report expenditures.
• Experience filing LM-2s is highly desired.
• Lobbying experience is desired.
• Ability and willingness to be based out of Tallahassee, and travel extensively with overnight travel, is required.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary will be based on relevant experience and qualifications. FEA provides medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term-disability insurance to its employees and eligible family members with no monthly employee premiums. Additionally, FEA provides retirement options, vacation leave, sick leave, and paid holidays.