OTTUMWA, IOWA -- The newly created Ottumwa Community Leadership Academy, hosted by the Ottumwa Regional Legacy Foundation, is on the hunt for an executive director looking to become a familiar face in the city of Ottumwa.

However, candidates don't need to be from Ottumwa, or even know anything about the area. The leadership-based program will focus on a different aspect of city each month, from education to city government to local social services organizations and non-profit groups.

The position will be responsible for reaching out to individuals, programs and businesses to participate in the academy's curriculum, so what candidates do need to have is great networking and communication skills.

"High energy, highly disciplined, flexible," said Brad Little, Executive Director of the Legacy Foundation. "It's a different topic each month, so this is not something that you're going to come into the office and do the same thing every day. It's going to have, like I say, moving parts at the beginning."

Work experience and a degree is preferred, but Little said he has already received applications from candidates up to 100 miles away from Ottumwa. The candidates will be selected through a predictive index program, and then an advisory panel. The chosen candidate will have a few months to learn the area, network and meet people.

"The hard part was the getting the curriculum set, so now that that's set, they'll really just, this position can get settled in and really get started filling in the curriculum and getting the speakers and the site visits lined up so we still think that by early July that would be plenty of time for the September class."

The class will run from September to June, and the appointed executive director will also be responsible for fundraising efforts for the program, as well as manage the academy from an off-site location in Ottumwa.

The deadline for applications is June 15, and to apply, you can send a cover letter and resume to the Ottumwa Regional Legacy Foundation at 101 South Market Street, Suite 201, Ottumwa, Iowa, 52501.