Baltimore Yearly Meeting is the regional organizing unit for the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in the area of central Pennsylvania, Maryland, parts of West Virginia, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. It is through membership in a Yearly Meeting that individual Quakers become connected with the larger Quaker movement worldwide. "In fellowship, in deep listening, in waiting worship, in commitment to each other, it richly rewards those who embrace the challenge of being a Yearly Meeting Friend." (2011 draft Faith and Practice)

General Secretary (Chief Executive)

Baltimore Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (BYM) is seeking a General Secretary. This executive position provides spirit-led, strategic leadership to Baltimore Yearly Meeting. The charge includes planning, supervising staff, raising funds, and monitoring programs, finances, and property.

The General Secretary works to strengthen a culture of consultation, accountability, outreach, and inclusion, in keeping with BYM’s commitment to be an antiracist faith community.

The successful candidate should have a demonstrated commitment to the Quaker beliefs and practices that guide the work of Baltimore Yearly Meeting, demonstrated success working within an organization that includes committee decision-making and consultative processes, and at least five years of experience with staff supervision, fiscal oversight, and program administration. The role requires excellent interpersonal skills, and evening and weekend meetings and events.

The Baltimore Yearly Meeting office is located in Sandy Spring, Maryland. Once it is safe to do so, we anticipate the General Secretary returning to the office on a full-time basis.

The full job description is below.

BYM is striving to ensure that its leadership and staff reflect the full diversity of our region. People of all genders and ethnicities, especially people of color and women, are encouraged to apply.

To apply: interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to the Search Committee at bym.gs.search@gmail.com. Please use the subject line “General Secretary Candidate” and include both cover letter and resume as attachments with your name in the file names. Deadline to apply is January 31, 2021.

Job Description:

General Secretary Position Description as approved at Dec 5 2020 Interim Meeting

Title: General Secretary, Baltimore Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
FLSA Status: Exempt
Reports to: Clerk(s), Supervisory Committee of the Baltimore Yearly Meeting

Position Summary

As a participant in the Religious Society of Friends, the General Secretary provides Spirit-led, strategic leadership to Baltimore Yearly Meeting. The charge includes planning, supervising staff, raising funds, and monitoring programs, finances, and property.

The General Secretary works to strengthen a culture of consultation, accountability, outreach, and inclusion.

Functions and Responsibilities

Responsibilities for the Staff

• Hires and evaluates employees consistent with the policies and procedures of the Personnel Handbook, while supporting their professional growth.
• Supervises the staff, including working towards achieving the goals of the Yearly Meeting
• Builds relationships among the staff and volunteers that facilitate communication, consultation and cooperation, and that nurture love and unity within the Yearly Meeting community.
• Represents the staff’s interests to the Yearly Meeting.

Working with the Components of Baltimore Yearly Meeting

• Demonstrates, through example, being rooted in Faith and Practice and in the practices of the Religious Society of Friends
• Serves as a voice for and about Baltimore Yearly Meeting
• Cultivates inclusiveness across the Yearly Meeting with particular attention to young adults, people of color, people of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, and people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities.
• Initiates the development of policy changes or new policies as needed.
• Ensures that Yearly Meeting policies and decisions accord with applicable laws and regulations.
• Shares relevant information about BYM and its activities within the Yearly Meeting and to the public.
• Supports the Presiding Clerk and the Clerk of Interim Meeting in planning and carrying out meeting activities and events.
• Supports the Program Committee in the planning and implementation of Annual Session.
• Provides information and support to Trustees
• Enhances opportunities to collaborate with Friends’ organizations, institutions, etc. that will expand the reach of the Yearly Meeting and the Religious Society of Friends.
• Ensures the smooth running of the many programs of the Yearly Meeting, including the camping programs, programs for youth throughout the year, and various retreats.
• Supports individual Meetings and Worship Groups of Baltimore Yearly Meeting

Fundraising and Managing Resources

• Manages fiscal resources in keeping with the articulated vision of the Yearly Meeting.
• Helps to develop the budget each year in conjunction with appropriate committees
• Works with the staff and the committees to meet budgetary objectives.
• Supports Development staff and Development Committee members in seeking funding from potential donors.
• Monitors applications for grants and their administration and evaluation.
• Ensures that record management procedures are clear and consistently implemented.
• Approves and monitors contracts.
• Manages the maintenance of the BYM office building and grounds, and the camp properties.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree, or:
• Some college education and exceptional management experience in lieu of a formal degree
• Demonstrated commitment to the Quaker beliefs and practices that underlie the work of Baltimore Yearly Meeting.

Experience Desired

• Active involvement as a member or attender in the Religious Society of Friends as well as experience working on Quaker Committees, organizations, or other Quaker activities.
• Experience of Quaker decision-making such as in committees or business meetings.
• Completion of at least 5 years of staff supervision, fiscal oversight, and program administration.
• Demonstrated success working within an organizational structure that includes committee decision-making and consultative processes.
• Experience in building relationships across ethnocultural groups.
• Experience in making presentations to internal and external audiences.
• Experience in working with all age groups, including youth camp programs, is an asset.

Other Required Skills and Abilities

Excellent interpersonal skills

Willingness to travel frequently and, at times, to work unconventional hours.

Salary and Benefits

Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. Benefits include: health plan coverage; long-term disability insurance; term-life insurance; eleven paid holidays; annual, personal medical, maternity/paternity, adoption and sabbatical leaves; retirement contributions.

Nondiscrimination Statement

Baltimore Yearly Meeting, a spiritual community, welcomes all to its programs. The Yearly Meeting is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring based on race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, age, or national origin.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

Criminal Background Check

A criminal background check is required for any new staff person.

Baltimore Yearly Meeting is Hiring Catoctin Quaker Camp Caretaker!

Baltimore Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends is seeking applicants to fill the position of Caretaker at Catoctin Quaker Camp in Thurmont, MD.The Caretaker is the onsite arm of the Camp Property Management Committee (CPMC). He or she provides a year-round presence at the camp, cares for the facility, and makes it ready for summer camp and for the groups who rent the facilities in spring and fall. The Caretaker should be an individual who enjoys living in a remote area and who is willing to work within the Friends process of decision-making. The caretaker should be a self-starter who enjoys initiating projects in consultation with a committee and the Camp Property Manager (CPM).

Click Here to See the Full Announcement and Draft Job Description