Executive Director

The Boards of Trustees for the Equity-League Benefit Funds are seeking a dynamic, experienced, and entrepreneurial leader with a commitment to provide outstanding service to union employees represented by the Actors’ Equity Association to become its next Executive Director.

Background:
The Equity-League Benefit Funds (Funds) are comprised of three separate benefit funds. The three separate benefit funds are the Equity-League Pension Fund, Equity-League 401(k) Fund, and the Equity-League Health Fund.

The primary purpose of the Funds is to provide Health (medical – which include multiple Tiers of plans from which to choose, as well as dental, vision,supplemental workers’ compensation and pharmacy benefits), Pension (lifetime monthly income), and 401(k) (accounts in which to accumulate tax deferred income and/or employer contributions which is invested in a variety of investment vehicles) benefits to eligible actors and stage managers who are represented by the Actors’ Equity Association. The Funds are separate entities from the Actors’ Equity Association union and are jointly managed by Boards of Trustees appointed in equal number by the Actors’ Equity Assocition and the Broadway League, the latter representing the hundreds of employers who contribute to the Funds.

Position:
In partnership with the Boards of Trustees, the Executive Director ensures that the health, retirement and 401(k) benefits meet the needs of the participants at the most efficient and cost-effective level. The Executive Director also provides guidance in the best practices of communicating eligibility requirements, coverage options, and plan updates to participants.

The Executive Director will provide the strategic direction, oversight, and guidance for all aspects the Funds’ work. They must be comfortable and tactful in communicating with the individuals who benefit from the Funds as well as with Trustees, Fund Professionals and benefit partners.  They must be able to work closely with the Boards and Fund Office staff in a transparent, honest fashion and promote inclusiveness, cooperation, and teamwork.  In addition, they will be bright, diplomatic, analytical, creative, of the highest integrity, and possess sound judgment as well as a sense of humor, humility, and compassion.

Responsibilities:
Mission, policy and planning

• Helps determine the Equity-League Benefit Funds’ values, mission, vision, and short- and long-term goals.
• Formulates and recommends policies and programs to further the Funds’ service to participants; ensures compliance with all local, state, and federal laws.
• Helps monitor and evaluate the Funds’ value and effectiveness to meet the needs of the participants.
• Keeps the Boards fully informed of the condition of the Funds and the important influencing factors. Participates and presents critical information during Board and committee meetings.
• Identifies problems and opportunities and addresses them; brings those which are appropriate to the Boards and/or their committees; and, facilitates discussion and deliberation.
• Identifies opportunities for improvement and suggests goals designed to deliver required results.
• Informs the Boards and their committees about trends, issues, problems and activities in order to facilitate policy-making.
• Provides guidance on budget, legal matters, public issues, matters pertaining to the Funds and the rights of participants.
• Keeps informed of developments in benefit administration and labor relations, including changes in laws, rules and regulations affecting participants.

Management and administration

• Provides general oversight of all of the Equity-League Benefit Funds’ activities; along with the Director of Operations, oversees the day-to-day operations; and assures a smoothly functioning, efficient organization.
• Assures program quality and organizational stability through development and implementation of standards and controls, systems and procedures, and regular
• Assures a work environment that recruits, retains and supports quality staff. Assures process for selecting, developing, motivating, and evaluating staff.
• Specifies accountabilities for management personnel and evaluates performance regularly.

Governance

• Helps the Boards articulate their own roles and accountabilities and that of their committees and individual Trustees; helps evaluate performance regularly.
• Works to enable the Boards to fulfill their governance functions and facilitates the optimum performance by the Boards, their committees and individual Trustees.
• Focuses Board attention on long-range strategic issues.
• Manages the Boards’ due diligence process to assure timely attention to core issues.

Financial Oversight

• Promotes programs and services that are produced in a cost-effective manner, employing economy while maintaining an acceptable level of quality.
• Oversees the fiscal activities of the organization including budgeting, reporting and audit.
• Works with Boards to ensure financing to support short- and long-term goals.

Required competencies

Critical competencies in the following broad categories: commitment to results, knowledge of private sector collective bargaining, federal labor laws, and ERISA.

• Commitment to results: The Executive Director is a systems thinker who is mission focused and goal driven. This individual identifies relevant information and helps transform this information into individual and organizational knowledge and learning.
• Business savvy: this position requires an individual with knowledge of and experience in management and administration, including demonstrated experience integrating and coordinating diverse areas of management.
• Knowledge in the following areas is required: finance and human resources; oral and written communications; strategy, planning and evaluation; and governance.
• Knowledge of Labor Unions, Collective Bargaining and Federal Labor Laws: The Executive Director must have demonstrated experience working directly for or with collective bargaining parties–employers and labor unions–and support the core values embedded in this relationship.  They will be familiar with all laws, rules, and regulations concerning unions and collective bargaining and be able to anticipate changes affecting benefits administration.
• Leading strategic change: The Executive Director possesses the skills and implements the functions of a leader. They share the Funds’ values, mission and vision. They consistently display integrity, model best practices and behavior, encourage professional growth, and build teams. This individual deals effectively with demanding situations and designs and implements interventions.
• Motivating: The chief executive manages continuity, change and transition. This individual knows how to influence and enable others. They address the impact of attitude and action on the Funds.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, or related fields. Advanced degree preferred.
• Demonstrated track record in providing leadership for the development of strategic vision.
• Experience with multiemployer fund operations and regulatory environments applicable to administering pension, health, and 401(k) benefits.
• A professional with demonstrated leadership skills, proven “hands-on” managerial style, excellent judgment and strong work ethic.
• Strong decision-making and organizational skills with the ability to optimize the use of all available resources and deliver on multiple priorities.
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to multi-task and prioritize effectively in order to meet deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to interact with staff, at all levels of the organization, as well as outside professionals and service providers.
• Detail oriented with strong analytical skills, including ability to interpret financial and operating information.
• Highly organized with the ability to motivate others to be organized.
• Flexible, team player that can lead effectively as well as provide support to others in leadership roles.
• Innovative and creative thinker, including the ability to identify tasks that may be automated and implement necessary changes.
• Appreciation for regulatory and political environment.
• Ability to establish priorities that align with a strategic plan and manage multiple agendas and programs effectively.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including experience speaking publicly in diverse forums.
• Fluency using and understanding data to inform decision making.
• Proven ability to work in culturally and ethnically diverse environments.

The Equity-League Benefit Funds offer a competitive salary and benefits package.  Base salary will be in the $250K to $350K range.  All positions at the Equity-League Benefit Funds are filled without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, HIV/AIDS status, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. All are encouraged to apply.

To learn more about the Funds, please visit www.equityleague.org 

To Apply:

The Equity-League Benefit Funds have retained the services of Harris Rand Lusk to conduct this search.

Inquiries, nominations and applications may be directed in confidence to:

Jack Lusk, Managing Partner & CEO
Anne McCarthy, COO
Sabrina Stoker
Harris Rand Lusk
260 Madison Avenue, 15^th Floor
New York, NY  10016

Email applications to:  amccarthy@harrisrand.com

Please put “Equity League Benefit Funds ED” in the subject line of your emailed application.