President & CEO

President & CEO

Georgia United Methodist Foundation - Peachtree Corners, GA

Overview

The Georgia United Methodist Foundation (the "Foundation") seeks an inspirational, faith-centered President and Chief Executive Officer who will combine strategic thinking with disciplined execution, build trusted relationships, encourage innovation, inspire generous philanthropy, and lead the Foundation into its next era of growth and impact. The Foundation is an independent, nonprofit ministry with a staff of six, serving United Methodist congregations and institutions and Wesleyan congregations across Georgia. A leading Methodist foundation nationally, the Foundation manages over $262 million in assets and works closely with the newly combined Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church.

The Foundation empowers congregational partners through investment management services, loans, and endowment services. It empowers individuals, churches, and church-related institutions by offering endowment development and management resources, financial literacy training, and investment vehicles. The Foundation provides "how to give" information, financial tips, and timely advice, through various media.

This is a consequential moment for the Foundation and the Church. Following disaffiliations and the unification of Georgia's North and South United Methodist Conferences into one Georgia Conference, congregations and ministry partners are navigating new financial, relational, and organizational realities. Other Wesleyan congregations and communities face similar pressures and opportunities. The Foundation is committed to offering strategic partnerships and services that help meet these evolving challenges and strengthen long-term ministry sustainability.

The new President and Chief Executive Officer must be an inspirational leader who can guide the Foundation through significant change in the Church and financial markets. The successful candidate will combine strategic thinking with disciplined execution, will be deeply perceptive of the needs of clients, prospects, and staff, and build trusted relationships with Trustees and other stakeholders. An understanding of the different Methodist denominational structures and challenges is critical, along with the ability to encourage and shepherd new ideas, advance innovation, and inspire generous philanthropy.

The new CEO is called to a bold mandate, grounded in faith: to lead the Foundation forward by shaping and implementing strategic vision and valued services.

The President and CEO will be the Foundation's face and voice and serve as the chief relationship officer. The President and CEO is expected to visit frequently with stakeholders and prospects, including donors, beneficiaries, clients, prospective clients, and the broader Wesleyan community of clergy, laity, and volunteers. He or she must champion Christian giving.

The President and CEO is also responsible to the Trustees for increasing revenues and stewarding Foundation resources. The Foundation is financially strong and offers high-quality products and services. He or she must look continuously for new opportunities to share faithful giving strategies, as well as new avenues for growth in the investment and loan portfolios.

The President and CEO must be a strong, encouraging, collaborative leader with demonstrated business, financial, and management skills. The times are challenging and will require a talented and insightful individual who can be a bridge builder and leader with Methodists throughout the state.

The Foundation is poised to grow through philanthropy and diversified, highly valued services and offerings, including loans and investments. As the Foundation grows, it creates more opportunities for investment in congregational communities across Georgia. The Foundation's growth magnifies Kingdom-focused philanthropic support and grant-making. The new CEO must be a strategist, relationship-builder, and grower on behalf of the Foundation's mission and the Kingdom of God.

The Directive for the Next President & CEO

The President & CEO will lead the Foundation into its next era of innovation and impact by setting a clear strategic direction, strengthening organizational capacity, and deepening relationships across Georgia. This faith-centered leader will bring a record of success relevant to the Foundation's mission and the evolving needs of the Church. Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the CEO will:

• Be an inspiring, transformational leader. The CEO will be strategic and forward-looking, called to lead and position the Foundation at the forefront of performance, mission, and innovation. The CEO will energize staff and the Board and will relate well with the new combined Georgia Conference Bishop and Treasurer, clergy, lay leadership, and congregational partners ranging from 50 to 8,000 members. The CEO will be a source of cohesion, fresh ideas, vision, and strategy. The CEO will lead growth and change in ways that are faith-based, inclusive and philanthropically impactful.
• Grow relationships and giving. As the face and voice of the Foundation, the CEO will be a visible and passionate presence statewide. The CEO will be dynamic, engaging and effective at building relationships with clergy, volunteers, funders and donors across the community. The CEO will generate engagement, enthusiasm, and support—inspiring annual giving, endowment, planned and transformational gifts, loans, investments, and legacy commitments, in addition to greater awareness and participation across the Georgia Conference.
• Increase revenue. The CEO will foster growth in loans, investments, and endowment services and implement promising new programs and revenue streams to advance its mission of serving the Kingdom. The CEO will build awareness of quality programs like the Clergy Financial Literacy Academy and develop valued new programs and revenue streams, such as fiscal planning, stewardship, and digital offerings, that add revenue and enhance fiscal management across congregations.
• Enhance the Foundation's awareness and reach. The CEO will be active, visible, and a compelling communicator who builds the Foundation's profile, relevance, and engagement. The CEO will be or become a thought leader in faith-based finances, stewardship and sustainability. The CEO will broaden reach, connection, relationships and impact with diverse audiences throughout the Georgia United Methodist Conference and among other Wesleyan congregations and communities.
• Be a great business and financial manager. The CEO will be a strategic, faithful leader with business and financial acumen. The CEO will manage effectively through current and future challenges, analyze and advance current and new opportunities, and develop a sustainable and adaptive business model that ensures a thriving future for the Foundation.
• Nurture a positive, engaged culture. The CEO will promote collaboration, inclusion, innovation, and a high-performance culture that makes the Foundation among the best places to work and projects positively across the state. The CEO will foster trust and will work to build the competency and confidence of individuals and congregational partners to achieve financial growth, sustainability, and impact.

Personal Characteristics

The ideal CEO is a dynamic, faith-based Methodist leader with personal magnetism, vision, financial acumen, and passion for mission. Knowledge of Methodist and Wesleyan history and traditions is prized. Personal assets will include:

• Strategic thinking with a passion for the mission and the potential of the Foundation
• Financial and business acumen for lending and investing
• Visible and deep engagement with strong marketing and relationship skills
• The ability to lead and inspire others
• Knowledge and commitment to the Methodist church
• Creativity, resilience and adaptive leadership skills
• Compassion, listening and communication skills
• A commitment to innovation
• Adaptability and a sense of humor
• A strong desire to serve and to build bridges
• Willingness and ability to learn new strategies
• A long-term commitment to the success of the Foundation

Essential and Preferred Qualifications

Essential Qualifications

• Demonstrated success in relationship-building, external engagement, and communication with diverse stakeholder groups.

• 5-10 years of executive or senior leadership experience in a nonprofit, faith-based, philanthropic, financial services, foundation, or mission-driven organization.

• Bachelor's degree in business, nonprofit leadership, theology, finance, law, or a related field.

• Working knowledge of investment management principles, fiduciary oversight, institutional portfolios, and financial stewardship.

• Experience with fundraising, donor stewardship, planned giving, endowment development, or major gift cultivation.

• Experience working effectively with a Board of Trustees and Board committees.

• Strategic thinking with a leadership style grounded in integrity, humility, trust, collaboration, and accountability.

• Experience leading through organizational, denominational, philanthropic, or market disruption.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading a United Methodist or other faith-based foundation, community foundation, or similar philanthropic/financial services organization.

• Familiarity with United Methodist structure, polity, Conference relationships, connectional giving, church finance.

• Professional credentials such as CFP, CTFA, CFA, CFRE, or comparable education/experience.

• Experience with technology modernization, stakeholder-facing reporting tools, or digital communication strategy.

• Advanced degree in business, nonprofit leadership, theology, finance, law, or a related field.

The Organization

Georgia United Methodist Foundation (the Foundation) was established in 1984 as an extension ministry of The United Methodist Church and serves churches, ministries, clergy, individuals, and