Executive Director

Alternatives Colorado; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Alternatives Colorado is seeking an Executive Director to guide the ministry in a new season of impact from its Denver-area presence. This leader will oversee a team of professionals and a large volunteer network across multiple locations.

The role requires in-person leadership, collaboration with national and local pro-life coalitions, and strong donor relations in a complex political environment. The Executive Director will partner with the Board to set priorities, communicate progress, and

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of progressive professional experience.
• Approximately five years of senior or organizational leadership experience.
• Experience leading leaders and managing organizational priorities.

Responsibilities

• Provide spiritual and mission leadership aligned with the organization's beliefs.
• Lead strategic direction with the Board and leadership team.
• Strengthen cross‑department communication and trust within the organization.

Skills

Leadership

Fundraising

Strategic planning

Communication

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor's degree required

Graduate degree welcomed

Job description

Alternatives Colorado is seeking a spiritually mature, relational, and experienced Executive Director to guide the ministry into its next season of impact. This leader will inherit a deeply committed team of professionals and volunteers who care passionately about the mission, the people they serve, and their areas of expertise. Following a period of executive transition and organizational change, Alternatives Colorado needs a steady leader who will begin with curiosity, listen carefully, build trust, and create greater unity across the ministry. Alternatives Colorado has a respected mission, capable leaders, loyal supporters, and more than 40 years of service throughout the Denver community. The next Executive Director will honor what is working while bringing greater clarity to organizational priorities, leadership responsibilities, communication, fundraising, and the partnership between the Board and staff. This person will serve as a visible ambassador with donors, churches, and community partners; a transparent partner to the Board; and an accessible, trusted leader for staff. The Executive Director will oversee a leadership team that helps in overseeing around 30 employees and a volunteer community across four Denver-area locations. The role is based in the Denver metropolitan area and requires a consistent in-person presence throughout the organization. The Executive Director will serve as the public face of Alternatives Colorado, representing the organization with wisdom and conviction within a complex political and cultural environment. This work will not be undertaken alone. The Executive Director will cultivate strong partnerships with national affiliates and local pro life and pregnancy resource center coalitions, including Heartbeat International, Care Net, and the Colorado Pregnancy Care Alliance (COPCA). Because Colorado has become one of the nation’s most accessible destinations for abortion, with no gestational limits and increasing access for residents and those traveling from other states. In this environment, Alternatives’ Colorado locations in Denver, Aurora, Englewood, and Arvada provide a crucial life-affirming presence, offering compassionate care, practical support, and meaningful alternatives to women and men facing pregnancy-related decisions.

A great match for this position would be:

• Spiritually Mature and Mission Aligned: This leader has a deep and active Christian faith and can fully affirm Alternatives Colorado Statement of Faith, Statements of Principle, and life-affirming mission. They lead with humility, integrity, prayerful discernment, courage, and grace.
• Steady and Trustworthy: The right leader builds trust through consistency, confidentiality, transparency, and follow-through. They can enter an organization that has experienced transition, listen without taking sides, and acknowledge the past without allowing it to define the future.
• An Experienced Leader of Leaders: This person has successfully led senior or departmental leaders within a complex organization. They bring clarity to competing priorities, establish achievable goals, use data and financial realities to guide decisions, and help the organization execute a focused strategy They respect the expertise of others, clarify responsibilities, develop leaders through coaching and accountability.
• A Relational Fundraiser: The Executive Director should receive deep satisfaction from fundraising and understand that donor development is a central part of the role. This leader has cultivated donors, made meaningful asks, and stewarded important external relationships. They can work closely with the Development Director to strengthen major giving, donor retention, church engagement, foundation relationships, and major event planning.
• A Passionate Pro-Life Advocate: This leader must have a willingness and ability to provide energetic guidance and advocacy for pro-life work at the organizational and community level. They should understand the political, cultural and spiritual environment and be able to articulate Alternatives Colorado faith based pro-life beliefs and convictions.
• A Healthy Board Partner: The next Executive Director will build a candid and appropriately bounded relationship with the Board of Directors. They understand the distinction between governance and operations and communicate early, clearly, and consistently about organizational progress, decisions, opportunities, and risks.
• Bridge Builder for Faith and Care: Can translate theological conviction into thoughtful and consistent daily practice. Understands compassionate, trauma informed, and noncoercive care and can create shared expectations for how spiritual support, client consent, clinical standards, professional boundaries, and Christian ministry identity work together.

Key Responsibilities

Mission and spiritual leadership

Champion Alternatives Colorado Christian and life-affirming mission. Model spiritual maturity and ensure that the organization’s theological convictions are expressed consistently through leadership, organizational practices, client care, fundraising, partnerships, and public communication.

Organizational Leadership and Strategy

In partnership with the Board and leadership team, establish a focused strategic direction and translate it into achievable organizational priorities. Evaluate opportunities according to mission, client need, impact, financial sustainability, and organizational capacity.

Leadership, Culture, and Communication

Lead and develop the senior leadership team. Clarify responsibilities and decision-making authority, strengthen cross-departmental communication, address conflict appropriately, and create an environment of trust, accountability, and collaboration.

Fundraising and External Relationships

Serve as a primary ambassador and fundraiser for Alternatives Colorado. Personally cultivate important donors and partners while providing executive direction and support to the Development Director and development team.

Organizational Stewardship

Maintain accountability for the organization’s financial health, programs, people, compliance, and operations. Work through qualified leaders to ensure that effective systems, responsible budgets, appropriate controls, and high standards of care are maintained.

Board Partnership

Build a transparent and productive partnership with the Board. Provide timely information, reliable reporting, thoughtful recommendations, and early communication about significant decisions, challenges, or risks.

Key Qualifications

The strongest candidates will bring:

• A mature and active Christian faith and full alignment with Alternatives Colorado Statement of Faith, Statements of Principle, and commitment to the dignity of born and preborn life.
• At least 10 years of progressive professional experience, including approximately five years of meaningful senior or organizational leadership in areas or missions like healthcare, human services, or pregnancy centers.
• Experience leading leaders, managing organizational priorities, and carrying responsibility for budgets, operations, programs, fundraising, or enterprise strategy.
• Demonstrated experience cultivating donors, making meaningful asks, and stewarding external relationships.
• Evidence of building healthy teams, developing leaders, navigating conflict, protecting confidentiality, and leading through transition.
• Experience partnering effectively with a governing Board.
• The ability to communicate clearly and relationally with staff, volunteers, donors, pastors, clinicians, foundations, and community leaders.
• Respect for clinical expertise, client consent, professional boundaries, confidentiality, and medically responsible care.
• Active engagement or understanding of pro-life movement organizations or initiatives.
• A bachelor’s degree is required. A graduate degree is welcomed but not required.