There are three things about this job posting:
1)No-one with these pre-requisite qualifications exists.
2)If they did exist, it is highly unlikely that they would want to leave their current job to work for USATF - given what happened to the last guy in the job.
3)If they did exist, AND had a mad-moment and applied, could USATF afford them?
That job requirements posting looks like it was written by The Onion.
Is there any doubt anymore that USATF is a completely dysfunctional organization and needs revamping from top to bottom?
"Must supply own stretchy pants and cape."
Excellent points, and here's another:
In the multiple pages of what USATF wants in the next CEO, there is nothing about what this opportunity offers the right candidate. Okay, there is the perfunctory single sentence at the end stating, "Compensation includes competitive base salary, bonus tied to results." Otherwise the ad contains nothing that attempts to entice someone to apply.
Anyone who is qualified to be USATF CEO is, pretty much by definition, going to have other attractive employment options (i.e., their current job, their own business, etc.). So presumably it will take some convincing to get a truly qualified candidate to apply, let alone accept the position if offered (esp. after what happened with the last CEO).
Framing a 1,500+ word job ad entirely in terms of "what you have to do for us" without any mention of "hey, here's a pretty cool opportunity to do some amazing stuff" is, I think, revealing of the USATF board's mindset, a mindset that seems unlikely to attract someone who has other good options.
So I predict that the person they hire will be someone for whom being CEO of USATF is a huge step up in their career, rather than someone who has other very good career options.
Allowing this Board of directors and administration to choose the next CEO is akin to allowing the kids in Saturday morning detention pick the next principal.
They could have made it a lot shorter and achieved the same effect: "Applicant must have attended at least 20 Olympic Games - either as an Athlete or Coach - and should still be competing regularly at the highest international level."
Seriously, who meets these requirements? Any suggestions?
Ray L wrote:
Allowing this Board of directors and administration to choose the next CEO is akin to allowing the kids in Saturday morning detention pick the next principal.
Quote of the day.
What these f***ing idiots can't get through their heads is that USATF is a very small and insignificant organization. The problem is they think that they are a Fortune 500 company. Bingo Halls have bigger budgets than they do.
Salaries at USATF are way out of whack compared to similarly sized organizations, and NO ONE is in control. You can't hire someone to be in charge when they have to report to a bunch of community organizer types.
I'm surprised they're looking for a he/she. That has to cull the field considerably.
No, just means the field has been cut to a female discus thrower or a heptathlete.
What does it mean to be "skilled at evangelizing???"
Basically that spec confirms that the USATF Board of Directors are making a ruse and a fraud out of the public selection process. The spec is slap on the membership given it lists every possible thing an experience candidate can have so that they can stage phony arbitrary selection when in reality they have already decided on Hightower and Brooks Johnson. I myself would be against these two since they have no experience developing global sports media TV companies, sports leagues, and advancing our sport to prime time OTA broadcast non-PPV time slots on a global scale.
The CEO job that has been speced should be broken up and 2 (two) individuals sought out. A COO and a CEO. The COO would be the day to day guy. The COO would ideally be a former standout track/XC/RR athlete and superb meet/race director or NCAA D1 A/D. The CEO would ideally be a former large city TV exec, sports league commisioner/exec, Wall St sports exec, entertainment exec, etc.
some dude wrote:
What does it mean to be "skilled at evangelizing???"
Trust me; you get this job...you better know how to pray for divine assistance.
You're gonna need it.
SomeActualData wrote:
Otherwise the ad contains nothing that attempts to entice someone to apply.
Framing a 1,500+ word job ad entirely in terms of "what you have to do for us" without any mention of "hey, here's a pretty cool opportunity to do some amazing stuff" is, I think, revealing of the USATF board's mindset, a mindset that seems unlikely to attract someone who has other good options.
I couldn't have said it better myself. They aren't searching for a dynamic partnership, they are searching for a lackey.....
I was at the annual meeting and sat down together with two guys in their 40s who would both make excellent CEOs for the sport. Both have had significant in business. Both have backgounds as athletes. Both have experience in sponsorship, television, media, events, and running organizations.
I asked both about taking the job. Both laughed.
One said he would not get hired to get fired. The other said he would never take the pay cut. These are two guys who love the sport. If they won't consider the position, who of value will?
I can't decide if the board intentionally set up an impossible search criteria, or if they are so inept that they think the did a good job with this.
Regardless, the sport in the US is in much greater danger than it was two years ago. Who would have thought that possible?
Honestly if ever there was a time to sincerely ask a man for huge a favor, now is the time. Jim Ryun has decades of experience in Washington, and is still a giant in our sport. If I could meet him and talk to him, man to man, I would not be able to offer him anything except my gratitude in return if he were to help us with Congress. Where are you, Jim ?
billy mills should take the job!!!! that would be legendary
get er done good buddy FIRE THE WHOLE DARN BOD
The have 20 specific requirements. How many people even meet these two:
* Minimum 10 years executive level corporate executive experience and a track record of growth and success where best practices are utilized with significant business management and strategy development experience.
* Minimum 5 years sports marketing, joint venture, licensing, sponsor relationship experience whereby the person understands the way the sports industry operates today as well as in the rapidly changing new media world.
They'd really turn down someone with only 8 years of executive experience.
Then this one really cracked me up;
* The ability to build positive relationships with the board, the staff and the volunteer leadership.
My goodness we are in trouble! Those requirements are an absolute joke - they cannot be serious. My oh my!
Hire henry rono maybe? Hire malmo!!
Mike Singletary will be looking for a new cash paying gig soon ;-[