Chief Executive Officer

Position Overview:

This is an exceptional opportunity to lead one of New York City's most respected child welfare organizations at an important moment of organizational evolution.

Supported by an engaged Board of Directors, a talented leadership team, dedicated staff, and a broad community of philanthropic and public partners,the Chief ExecutiveOfficer will guide NYFC through its next phase of growth and impact.

The Board is seeking more than an accomplished nonprofit executive. It seeks a leader who combines strategic vision with humility, emotional intelligence, and authenticity—someone equally comfortable inspiring donors, partnering with government leaders, engaging young people with lived experience, developing staff, and cultivating an organizational culture grounded in trust, collaboration, accountability, and respect. These leadership qualitiesemerged consistently throughout stakeholder interviews and reflectthe Board's vision for the organization's future.

The successful candidatewill inherit an organization with strong programs,an outstanding reputation, and deep community relationships while having the opportunity to strengthen organizational culture, deepen fundraising capacity, expand strategic partnerships, and position NYFC as an even more influential voice on behalfof young peoplewith foster care experience.

Why Join New Yorkers for Children?

Leading NYFC is an opportunity to shape the future of one of New York City's most respected organizations serving young people with foster care experience. The next Chief Executive Officer will inherit a strong foundation while helping definethe organization's next level of impact.

What distinguishes NYFC is its ability to pair exceptional direct service with a longstanding commitment to innovation—developing, testing,and refining new approaches that improve outcomes for young peoplebefore helping integratesuccessful models into the broaderchild welfare system through enduring public partnerships.

For a leader who believes in the transformative power of education, opportunity, authentic relationships, and youth voice, this role offers the chance tomake a profound difference in the lives of thousands of young people while influencing the future of child welfare in NewYork City.

The next Chief Executive Officer will be supported by an engaged Board, dedicated staff, passionate young people with lived experience, and longstanding philanthropic and community partners.This is an opportunity for a collaborative leader who builds community and trust, inspires others, and believes that lasting changeis achieved through meaningful partnerships and sharedpurpose.

Key Responsibilities:

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Chief ExecutiveOfficer serves as NYFC's chiefstrategist, fundraiser, and ambassador. They will be responsible for:

• Advancing the organization's mission through visionary leadership, thoughtful organizational management, strategicfundraising, strong financialstewardship, collaborative partnerships, and an unwavering commitment to the youngpeople and familiesNYFC serves.
• Leading a talented and committed staff while fostering an inclusive, high-performing culture where people are empowered to contribute, innovate, and grow. The successful candidate will partner closely with the Board to define organizational priorities, strengthen long-term sustainability, and ensure NYFC continues to serve as a trusted leader across New York City's child welfare ecosystem.
• Articulating and executing a compelling vision for NYFC's future while ensuring the organization continues to evolve in response to the changingneeds of young people with foster care experience.

Strategic & Organizational Leadership

• In partnership with the Board, developing and executing a long-term organizational strategy, leveraging the current strategic plan.
• Identify opportunities to expand NYFC'simpact, influence, and visibility.
• Position NYFC as a leading voice within child welfare, education, youth development, and economic mobility.
• Lead organizational change thoughtfully while maintaining operational excellence.
• Make strategicdecisions grounded in data, collaboration, and organizational values.
• Oversee NYFC's financial healthwhile partnering closelywith the finance and development teams to ensure strong stewardship, sound decision-making, and long-term sustainability.

Fosteran Exceptional Organizational Culture

• Cultivate a culture defined by trust, transparency, collaboration, inclusion, and accountability.
• Empower senior leaders as strategic thought partners.
• Delegate effectively while maintaining accountability.
• Foster psychological safety where staff feel comfortable sharingideas and respectfully challenging assumptions.
• Invest in staffdevelopment, coaching, and succession planning.
• Lead with empathy,humility, and emotional intelligence.
• Continue to nurture an environment where employees feel valued, heard,and connected to the mission.

ChampionMission and ProgramExcellence

• Possess a genuine commitment to improving outcomes for young people with foster care experience and demonstrate a perspective that recognizes their resilience, strengths, and aspirations.
• Develop a deep understanding of NYFC's programs.
• Engage regularlywith program staff and participants.
• Ensure organizational decisions remain centered on participant outcomes.
• Support innovation while preserving successful programs.
• Elevate youth voice in organizational decision-making.
• Use data and evaluation to strengthen programquality and impact.

Serve as an External Ambassador and Fundraiser

• Build and strengthen relationships with individual donors, foundations, corporations, government partners, and civic leaders while inspiring philanthropic investment through compelling storytelling and a deep understanding of NYFC's impact.
• Lead a comprehensive fundraising strategy that includesexpanding institutional and individual philanthropy.
• Diversify revenuesources.
• Serve as NYFC's principal spokesperson.
• Develop and deepen relationships across New York City's philanthropic, corporate, nonprofit, and government communities.
• Represent NYFC with authenticity, credibility, and enthusiasm.

Strengthen Strategic Partnerships

• Build and sustain collaborative partnerships across government, philanthropy, education, and the nonprofit sector.
• Maintain NYFC's longstanding partnership with ACS while cultivating relationships across city government, higher education, philanthropy, workforce development, and community organizations.

Board Relations:

• Support effective governance while leveraging the Board as a strategicthought partner.
• Keep the Board informed through transparent communication.
• Collaborate on strategic planning.
• Support Board recruitment and engagement.
• Encourage alignment between governance and management.
• Build relationships grounded in trust and mutual respect.

The Leader:

The ideal candidate is energized not only by operating high-quality programs but also by identifying opportunities to improve systems that affect young people with foster care experience. They will appreciate the unique role NYFC plays in testing bold ideas, learning from implementation, and working collaboratively with government and community partners to bring proven models to scale. The successful candidate will be equally comfortable strengthening existing programs and helping the organization identify what comes next, and will bring many of the following experiences and attributes:

• Proven executive leadership experience in a nonprofit, public, philanthropic, or mission-driven organization.
• Demonstrated success leadingmultidisciplinary teams.
• Experience managing organizational growth and complexity.
• Ability to lead throughinfluence, collaboration, and trust.
• Fundraising and external leadership.
• Significant experience cultivating major donors, foundations, corporations, and publicpartners.
• Exceptional relationship-building skills.
• Outstanding communication and storytelling abilities.
• Executive presence combined with warmth, authenticity, and approachability.
• Mission alignment.
• Deep commitment to improvingoutcomes for vulnerable populations.
• Experience in child welfare,youth development, education, human services, government, or adjacent fields is strongly preferred.
• Genuine curiosity and openness to learning directlyfrom young peopleand frontline staff.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and community partnership.

The Board is seeking a leader who:

• Leads with both head and heart.
• Builds trust before driving change.
• Values collaboration over hierarchy.
• Is confident without ego.
• Makes difficult decisions with transparency and integrity.
• Creates an environment where people feel respected, empowered, and inspired to do theirbest work.
• Possesses the energy and optimism to serve as the organization's chief ambassador while cultivating meaningful relationships acrossNew York City's philanthropic and civic communities.

Location:

• New York City.
• Residence withincommutable distance to the New Yorkers for Children officeis required, to allow for regular in-person work with the team and youth served.

Compensation:

• Salary range is $270,000 to $310,000per year, depending on experience.
• New Yorkersfor Children providescompetitive compensation and comprehensive benefitsthat include:
  • Health and dentalplans
  • Generous vacation time; sick leave and personal leave
  • Paidfamily leave (PFL)
  • Life insurance
  • Short- and long-termdisability insurance
  • Retirement plan
  • Flexible spending accounts(FSAs) / health savings accounts(HSAs)
  • Commuter benefits
  • Employee assistance program (EAP)
  • Wellbeing resources