Executive Director

Overview

The Institute for Humane Education (IHE) is seeking an inspirational and caring leader with proven fundraising success to serve as its Executive Director (ED). Reporting to the President, the ED works with the President and Board of Directors to establish IHE's strategic direction and lead the organization's efforts to operationalize and scale its mission of educating people to create a world in which all humans, animals, and nature can thrive. The ED serves as the organization's advancement leader, responsible for building a financially healthy organization, including donor and revenue development, overseeing organizational operations, supervising select personnel, and working with the Treasurer and President to draft the annual budget. This is a remote position that will involve occasional travel.

Professional Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership — Provide visionary leadership in developing and implementing IHE's strategic plans and priorities in partnership with the President and Board of Directors, evaluating progress and reporting outcomes regularly.
• Fundraising & Advancement — Serve as IHE's chief fundraiser, with the ongoing support of the President and Resource Development Committee, developing and executing a comprehensive multi-year fundraising strategy encompassing major gifts, annual giving, planned giving, grants, corporate partnerships, and earned revenue streams. Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of major donors and prospects; oversee donor acknowledgment and recognition systems; and establish fundraising metrics and KPIs to track and report progress.
• Board Partnership & Governance — Partner with the President and Board Chair to support effective governance, Board development, and member recruitment, and ensure members are engaged, informed, and empowered as mission ambassadors and fundraisers.
• Financial Oversight — Maintain fiscally responsible policies and practices; collaborate with the President, Treasurer, Finance Committee, and Director of Operations on annual budgets; and ensure the organization's long-term financial sustainability.
• Organizational Culture & Community — Foster cohesion, shared purpose, and connection across staff, Board, faculty, students, alumni, donors, and partners; model IHE's values of compassion, integrity, and solutionary thinking in all aspects of organizational life.
• Personnel & Administration — Recruit, supervise, and support select staff; oversee hiring of contractors and consultants; ensure job descriptions, personnel policies, and performance assessments are current and effective; manage key institutional agreements and partnerships in collaboration with the Director of Operations.
• Marketing & Outreach — Collaborate with the Manager of Marketing and Communications to provide strategic direction for IHE's marketing, communications, and public relations efforts, ensuring all external-facing presence reflects the organization's brand, mission, and strategic priorities.
• Program Oversight & Development — Collaborate with program leaders on the strategic direction, budget, and review of graduate and K-12 offerings; oversee feasibility assessment and development of new solutionary programs, including the Cafeteria Transformation Project and Solutionary Micro-credential Program.

Qualifications & Experience

Required

• Demonstrated commitment to IHE's mission and values, including a genuine passion for and knowledge of humane education, human rights, animal protection, and ecological sustainability, and clear alignment of actions with values.
• Minimum of five years of senior leadership experience, ideally in the nonprofit or foundation sector but potentially in the for-profit sector with significant nonprofit/foundation board service. Track record of organizational growth and mission impact.
• Proven high-level fundraising success, preferably for five years or more, including experience personally cultivating and closing major gifts and managing a donor portfolio; demonstrated ability to plan and meet or exceed fundraising goals; experience developing and executing multi-year fundraising strategies across diverse revenue streams (major gifts, foundation and corporate grants, annual giving, campaigns, and program revenue).
• Strong financial acumen, including experience developing and managing organizational budgets.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills; ability to inspire and engage diverse audiences.
• Experience supervising staff and building effective, inclusive, mission-aligned teams.
• Collaborative leadership style with the ability to work effectively with a Board of Directors, senior staff, and external partners.

Preferred

Advanced degree in education, communications, operational systems, nonprofit management, humane education, sustainability, public policy, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

How to Apply

We invite interested candidates to use this IHE Executive Director Application Form.