Executive Director Job Opening
The Elkton Community Education Center (ECEC) is a cultural, educational and social oasis for all ages located in rural Douglas County. We are looking for an energetic, visionary Director to lead us into the future as we celebrate 25 years of community-building in Elkton.
To apply: Submit the following as one PDF by email only to [email protected]
- A cover letter (maximum two pages), describing how your skills and experience would meet the requirements outlined in the job description below and what you would uniquely bring to the job
- A resume that includes a chronological work history
Application deadline: Open until position is filled. Application review begins May 5th, 2024. References will only be requested of final candidates. All applications will be acknowledged within 48 hours.
We think Elkton is a special place, but don’t take our word for it–see what Travel Oregon has to say. Whether you’re already in our area or looking to relocate to a vibrant rural town, we encourage you to apply and explore the possibilities with us! Learn more about ECEC below, and if you have further questions, contact us at [email protected].
Our Team
We have an enthusiastic team of nearly 100 volunteers supported by a small number of dedicated staff and an active Board of Directors. We actively partner with local businesses to create community-wide events that contribute to our local economy. Elkton’s Mayor often refers to ECEC as the town’s “unofficial chamber of commerce.”
Other active partners include:
- Elkton Charter School and, during our spring field trip season, 25 other area schools
- Historic interpreters from the Takelma Cultural Center, the Education Program of the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, Kommema Cultural Protection Association, Fort Umpqua Muzzleloaders, American Mountain Men Party of the Wallamet, and living history museums in the Pacific Northwest
- The Oregon Department of Education’s Summer Food Service Program to provide free meals to kids when school is out of session
- A network of advocacy groups–including the Xerces Society and Southern Oregon Monarchs Association–to educate people about what they can do to protect the Western Monarch butterfly population
What Guides Us
Our mission is “to create a social, cultural and educational oasis for all ages in rural Oregon.” We don’t claim to serve all of rural Oregon, but we believe that our approach and the variety of activities we offer are an example of what rural Oregon needs to thrive. While we primarily serve the town of Elkton and neighboring communities in North Douglas County, the “oasis” metaphor in our mission also speaks to how people are drawn here and that by attracting tourists and school field trips, we serve more than our local community.
We also have a vision and “theory of change” that describes the future we’d like to see in our rural community, and our understanding of what it takes to get there. On a more procedural level, we are also guided by our Bylaws.
Our Finances
Our $500,000 annual budget is funded from diverse sources, including grants, donations and earned income, and we have reserves to ensure our operations continue smoothly and to support future facility upgrades. We’ll share more detailed financial information with candidates who advance to the second round of interviews.
Benefits
Ten years ago, we were a volunteer-led nonprofit. In just a few years, we have grown to six year-round staff (4.5 FTE) and we continue work to improve the salary and benefits of our employees.
Currently our benefits include:
- two weeks of paid time off (three weeks after two years of employment)
- paid holidays include Christmas and New Year’s Day
- family, medical, military and bereavement leave are available as needed
ECEC participates in Oregon Saves, the state of Oregon’s retirement savings program. Employees can opt to have 5-10% of their paycheck deducted and paid into a convenient and portable Roth IRA that the employee owns.
As a tourist organization, we are open six days a week during the summer and we stagger schedules to ensure individual staff have work/life balance. Our office is closed for two weeks during the winter holidays. While some staff coverage is needed for year-end duties, the closure does offer flexibility for staff to take additional unpaid time off during that time.
An additional benefit is the opportunity to thrive in, and contribute to, a supportive, creative and collaborative work environment with talented co-workers and a committed Board of Directors.