Resilience - Executive Director

$150k - $165k

Full-time

Noetic Executive Search

MISSION:
To end rape culture and empower sexual assault survivors through advocacy, education, and healing.
VISION:
A world without sexual violence.
BACKGROUND:
Founded in 1974, Resilience, the only stand-alone rape crisis center in the state of Illinois, is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization that has been on the front lines of supporting survivors of sexual violence for more than five decades. Formerly known as Rape Victim Advocates (RVA), the organization rebranded as Resilience in 2018 to reflect a broader vision of healing, empowerment, and systemic change.
Resilience was founded by Dr. Natalie A. Stephens, an OB/GYN at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, along with 10 medical and nursing students and other staff. They had witnessed too many victims leaving emergency rooms in an emotionally worsened state than when they arrived and set out to provide survivors with the support necessary to begin healing. Decades later, Resilience remains true to these founding principles.
Resilience provides services at no cost to survivors seeking treatment for sexual violence at participating hospitals. Its advocacy efforts extend beyond individual services: the experience and knowledge gained through direct service informs and strengthens Resilience's work to advance institutional and systemic change.
Resilience is dedicated to the healing and empowerment of sexual assault survivors through nonjudgmental crisis intervention counseling, individual and group counseling, and medical and legal advocacy throughout the greater Chicago metropolitan area. The organization also provides public education and institutional advocacy to improve the treatment of survivors and advance positive change in policies, systems, and public attitudes toward sexual violence.
There are currently 17 full-time staff (an additional six roles are vacant) and 17 part-time staff (a minimum of four positions are vacant), across community-based offices and its downtown office. Resilience’s Medical Advocacy Program is powered by approximately 150 dedicated volunteers providing 24/7 crisis support across 12 Chicago-area emergency departments. The program attracts both new cohorts and long-tenured Advocates, representing a diverse range of professional and community backgrounds. Beyond frontline care, volunteers strengthen the program through training, mentoring, education, and donor engagement.
Last fiscal year, Resilience served more than 1,500 survivors and their loved ones and reached tens of thousands of additional people through public education and professional training.
Current programs include:
Trauma therapy
Medical and legal advocacy
Crisis intervention
Education and prevention
Professional training through the Resilience Training Institute (RTI)
Community and institutional advocacy
Bilingual services
Resilience educators work with a broad range of audiences, including schools and youth development programs, civic and community organizations, faith communities, media, social workers, health professionals, law enforcement, and other community leaders. Participants in prevention education workshops learn to identify elements of rape culture, recognize and reduce risk factors, and become agents of change within their own communities.
Resilience has an operating budget of $3M, 72% through public dollars distributed through the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA), a network of community-based sexual assault crisis centers working together to end sexual violence. State and federal allocations, including federal Victims of Crime Act grants and state budget allocations, provide a stable financial foundation for Resilience. Governed by a 13-member Board of Directors comprised of civic and business leaders including survivors of gender-based violence.
Resilience recognizes and embraces the extraordinary diversity of Chicago and is committed to ensuring that services, employment, volunteer opportunities, leadership, and community engagement are accessible and welcoming to all people.
Among survivors receiving direct services during the last fiscal year:
22% identified as White
21% identified as African American
23% identified as Latino/a or Hispanic
6% identified as biracial/multiracial; Asian/Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian, Native American or Alaska Native
85% identified as female
9% identified as male
3% identified as transgender, genderqueer, or gender non-conforming
Survivor ages ranged from infancy to more than 65 years old, with 40% between the ages of 20 and 29
These demographics underscore the importance of culturally responsive, accessible, inclusive, and survivor-centered services.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Resilience enters its next chapter with a strong mission, committed staff and Board members, significant community need, and meaningful opportunities for growth. The next Executive Director will build on these strengths while addressing areas that require greater stability, alignment, and infrastructure. Reducing reliance on government funding and building a more diversified and sustainable revenue model is a Board priority. Resilience is also exploring new earned and contributed revenue opportunities, including a potential learning management system. The next Executive Director will create the conditions for sustainable growth by growing the base of philanthropic support, clarifying priorities, building capacity, and aligning the Board and staff around a shared direction.
Resilience understands gender-based violence not only as an individual experience, but also as a manifestation of broader societal inequities and systems of oppression. Addressing its root causes requires an integrated approach connecting survivor services with education, advocacy, prevention, and systemic change.
The Executive Director will bring together staff, Board members, volunteers, survivors, funders, and community partners to establish greater clarity and shared understanding around Resilience's strategic direction, core values, public voice, and role within the broader movement for social change. Building trust and alignment across these constituencies, while ensuring that historically marginalized voices are meaningfully represented in decision-making, will be essential.
The leader will also help Resilience navigate highly visible and politically polarizing issues with clarity and consistency, ensuring that public responses remain grounded in mission, values, a survivor-centered approach, and a commitment to equity and inclusion.
STRENGTHENING FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY AND BUILDING A CULTURE OF PHILANTHROPY
Financial stewardship and revenue diversification will be among the Executive Director's most important responsibilities. The leader will work closely with the Board and staff to strengthen financial sustainability, ensure disciplined fiscal management, and develop a diversified revenue strategy that supports both current operations and future growth.
A significant opportunity is to build a stronger culture of philanthropy and substantially expand Resilience's private donor base. Individual giving currently represents approximately 5% of revenue. The Executive Director will bring strategic focus and personal engagement to fundraising while strengthening the systems, relationships, and Board participation necessary for long-term philanthropic success.
Priorities include:
Developing a comprehensive revenue diversification strategy that reduces reliance on government funding
Strengthening financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, cash management, and long-term sustainability
Providing the Board with clear, timely information about financial performance, risks, opportunities, and tradeoffs
Expanding individual, foundation, corporate, and other private sources of support
Deepening relationships with existing donors and engaging Board members as ambassadors, relationship-builders, and fundraisers
Using survivor-centered storytelling thoughtfully, effectively, and ethically
Evaluating promising earned-revenue opportunities, including the potential learning management system
Working toward approximately $1 million in private revenue over the next three to five years
The successful candidate will bring both financial acumen and fundraising credibility. They will be comfortable managing resources while thinking entrepreneurially about new revenue opportunities. They will understand that effective philanthropy depends on disciplined stewardship: listening to donors, communicating impact, maintaining meaningful relationships, and creating authentic opportunities for supporters to deepen their connection to the mission.
STRENGTHENING THE FOUNDATION FOR GROWTH
Resilience has multiple open positions, growing demand for services, and ideas for expanding its programs and revenue. These opportunities are exciting, but they also underscore the importance of strengthening the foundation for future growth.
The next Executive Director will assess staffing, structure, systems, processes, and management practices and determine what is needed to support sustainable growth. This includes establishing clear priorities, ensuring accountability, strengthening communication and decision-making, and making thoughtful investments in people and infrastructure.
The leader will balance urgency with discipline, knowing when to seize an opportunity and when to strengthen the foundation first. They will ensure that growth is aligned with financial and staff capacity, mission, and measurable impact.
An important part of this work will be strengthening the relationship between the Board and staff. While Resilience has committed Board members and passionate staff, greater alignment, clarity of roles, communication, and trust will be important to the agency's next chapter. The Executive Director will establish a productive Board partnership, create appropriate channels for communication and accountability, and help staff and Board members understand their respective responsibilities and work toward shared goals.
This is an opportunity for an experienced executive who is energized by complexity and capable of bringing stability and clarity during periods of change.
STRENGTHENING RESILIENCE'S BRAND AND PARTNERSHIPS
The transition from Rape Victim Advocates to Resilience created an opportunity to broaden awareness of the agency's identity, mission, and vision. The Executive Director will help articulate the meaning and breadth of the Resilience brand and position the agency as a leading voice in the field of sexual and gender-based violence.
The leader will strengthen strategic alliances with sister organizations, build coalitions for legislative advocacy, deepen community relationships, and expand Resilience's visibility across Chicago, Illinois, and nationally. The Executive Director will recognize the power of partnerships to increase impact, influence public policy, attract resources, and create new opportunities.
EXTERNAL LEADERSHIP AND VISIBILITY
Because sexual violence remains a topic many people are reluctant to discuss openly, Resilience requires a leader who is bold, credible, compassionate, and confident. The Executive Director will serve as a highly visible spokesperson and advocate for survivors through education, advocacy, public speaking, media engagement, convenings, and participation in conversations at the local, state, regional, and national levels.
The leader will represent Resilience thoughtfully in complex and politically charged environments and engage effectively with survivors, staff, donors, public officials, community partners, media, and national leaders in the field. For the right leader, this is an unusually meaningful opportunity. Resilience has a strong mission, significant community need, committed people, and substantial room to grow.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Executive Director, reporting to the Board of Directors, is responsible for strategic leadership, financial sustainability, and overall management of Resilience. The Executive Director will develop and execute strategic directions and policies; strengthen revenue and private philanthropy; oversee programs and services; and ensure the agency's overall well-being and sustainability. Securing the resources necessary to sustain and expand operations is a primary responsibility, as is ensuring compliance with Board-adopted policies and applicable regulations and laws. Although responsibilities may be delegated, ultimate accountability rests with the Executive Director.
As chief executive, the Executive Director will cultivate a culture grounded in equity, inclusion, belonging, accountability, and respect, fostering an environment in which diverse perspectives and lived experiences are actively sought and incorporated into decision-making.
CORE COMPETENCIES
Leadership
In partnership with the Board, provide vision and direction for Resilience's programs, policies, partnerships, and capacity.
Be visionary, mission-driven, business-focused, and experienced in guiding organizations through growth and change while maintaining stability and long-term financial viability.
Financial Leadership and Fund Development
Demonstrated success building a broad base of financial support and securing major gifts from individuals, foundations, corporations, and public sources.
Lead efforts to diversify revenue, strengthen donor relationships and stewardship, increase private philanthropy, and develop a sustainable culture of fundraising.
Demonstrated fiscal leadership, including financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, fund accounting, data analysis, and reporting.
Partner with the Board to strengthen its engagement as ambassadors, fundraisers, and relationship-builders.
Marketing, Public Relations, and Outreach
Serve as the face and voice of Resilience, effectively representing its mission, values, and goals.
Build visibility, develop community partnerships, serve as a thought leader in the gender-based violence field, and represent Resilience effectively with media, policymakers, funders, health care providers, community leaders, and advocates.
Inclusive Management and Culture
Understand nonprofit structure, governance, and operations and have experience working with or reporting to a Board of Directors.
Build a strong, cohesive team and create an environment where staff feel valued, supported, heard, and accountable.
Hire, develop, and retain diverse talent; address conflict constructively; incorporate diverse perspectives; and create accountability for shared values.
Operational Expertise
Demonstrated record of sound personnel, fiscal, technology, facilities, and business management.
Understand how strong operations and infrastructure support high-quality, equitable, and accessible services.
Programming and Impact
Ensure high-quality, trauma-informed, survivor-centered programs and services.
Expand program reach and impact while increasing public understanding of the root causes of sexual and gender-based violence.
CANDIDATE PROFILE
Resilience seeks a highly competent, mission-driven executive with a strong record of fundraising, financial management, community partnership, and organizational leadership. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated success growing private philanthropic and earned revenue and will bring exceptional interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
The successful candidate will balance creative thinking with management acumen to move an organization to a new level of effectiveness. The ability to understand financial statements and use financial information to plan, monitor, and evaluate performance is required, as is experience with budget preparation, fund accounting, data analysis, and reporting. Business and personnel management experience and sound senior-level financial leadership are essential.
The Executive Director will be the public face of Resilience and must possess excellent communication skills, personal credibility, and the ability to build effective relationships at all levels. Experience representing an organization externally and speaking with media is highly valued.
The successful candidate will bring a strong commitment to equity, inclusion, anti-oppression, and racial justice and understand how these principles intersect with survivor services, prevention, organizational culture, and community advocacy.
The ideal candidate will be a collaborative, innovative leader with demonstrated experience developing and implementing strategic and business plans, building consensus around major initiatives, and working closely with a Board of Directors. They will be able to facilitate open, respectful communication with staff, Board members, survivors, funders, community partners, volunteers, and other constituents.
The successful candidate will:
Drive a culture of philanthropy and growth in private funds
Ensure organizational stability ahead of growth strategies
Lead with humility, integrity, and emotional intelligence
Build consensus while making timely and difficult decisions
Navigate complex and sensitive issues with courage and compassion
Develop and retain a talented and diverse team
Foster accountability and continuous learning
Adapt priorities as community and program needs evolve
Develop and execute long-range plans
Communicate clearly, consistently, and sensitively
The Executive Director will have a management style focused on coaching and developing others. They will be calm under pressure, open to new and established ideas, and intentional about soliciting and incorporating team input. The successful candidate will be adaptable, trustworthy, welcoming, humble, and comfortable working in a therapeutic and trauma-informed environment.
Above all, the Executive Director will be motivated by the best interests of survivors and Resilience and will bring the emotional intelligence, financial discipline, and inclusive leadership required to move the agency forward with clarity, courage, and minimal disruption.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Demonstrated nonprofit leadership experience.
Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university required
Graduate degree, such as an MBA, MSW, or master's degree in counseling or a related field, preferred.
Minimum of 10 years of senior-level management experience preferred
SALARY & BENEFITS
$150,000 - $165,000 with comprehensive benefits including healthcare, vision, dental, life and disability insurance.
Resilience is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in all that they do, seeking education and opportunities to challenge current practices to build a culture of anti-racism and encourages candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

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Vacancy posted 21 days ago

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