Executive Director

High Country Humane; Flagstaff (AZ); On-site; USD 110,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision

Unlimited PTO

Sign-on bonus

Job summary

High Country Humane in Flagstaff, AZ seeks an Executive Director to lead lifesaving programs, fundraising, and community relations, reporting to the Board and guiding senior staff. You will oversee strategic planning, budget discipline, program governance, and donor partnerships to ensure sustainable impact for animals and people in Northern Arizona.

This role requires nonprofit leadership, financial stewardship, equity and inclusion, and the ability to build strong relationships with boards,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree or equivalent executive leadership experience preferred.
• Progressive executive leadership experience in nonprofit, public, or mission-driven organizations; animal welfare experience a bonus.
• Experience in strategic planning, budgeting, governance, fundraising, and organizational leadership

Responsibilities

• Oversees planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of programs and services in alignment with mission and policies.
• Serves as primary executive liaison to the Board, supporting policies and providing performance and financial reports.
• Develops annual operating budget and enforces internal controls with finance partners; reports with transparency.
• Leads recruitment, development, and succession planning for the leadership team; fosters a diverse, inclusive culture.
• Promotes donor relations, community partnerships, and crisis communications in coordination with the Board.

Skills

Emotional intelligence

Communication

Change management

Strategic thinking

Crisis leadership

Fundraising

Donor relations

Public speaking

Media relations

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree or executive leadership experience

Job description

High Country Humane (HCH) was created in 2019 as a mission-driven organization that partners with county and city resources to comprehensively serve the Northern Arizona community and animal population. The mission of the organization is to transform lives by providing exceptional animal care and adoption services, supporting and strengthening the bond between pets and people, and advocating for the well-being of all animals.

HCH consists of the Main Campus, Butler Campus, and full veterinary services.

HCH is seeking a passionate and experienced individual who can serve as the Executive Director and lead the organization through lifesaving care, community relations, strategic development, and financial stewardship. The Executive Director will serve under the general guidance of the Board of Directors and will support senior leadership staff.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Planning and Development

• Oversees the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of HCH programs and services, ensuring alignment with the mission, vision, and policies.
• Partners with the Board of Directors to create strategic initiatives to meet organizational goals and collaborates closely with HCH leadership to plan and implement this work. Encourages innovation and creativity to strengthen staff involvement and buy in.
• Promotes continuous improvement and best practice through shelter and veterinary services.

Governance & Board Relations

• Serves as the primary executive liaison to the Board of Directors, supporting and implementing board-approved policies.
• Provides timely organizational performance and financial reports, including but not limited to animal care outcomes, shelter capacity, community impact, and financials.
• Reports successes, challenges, and suggests new policies, amendments, and solutions in a timely and transparent manner.
• Develops annual operating budget and works closely with finance partners to enforce budgetary adherence and address issues in real time, ensuring sufficient internal controls are in place.
• Responds to changes in the fiscal health of the organization in a timely manner and reports to the board with appropriate urgency and transparency.
• Reviews all organizational revenue and expenses, acting as the signer on all accounts.
• Serves as a key ambassador and relationship manager for major donors, foundations, corporate sponsors, and strategic funding partners.

Organizational Leadership

• Develops and leads the HCH leadership team including recruitment, hiring, training, professional development, and succession planning.
• Builds and maintains a culture which attracts, retains, and motivates top quality personnel. Guides staff development and professional growth through regular performance evaluations for all employees. Embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the organization.
• Supports the development and sustainability of volunteer and foster programs through strategic planning, resource allocation, and community engagement.
• Ensures personnel documents are developed and housed per policy, all job descriptions reflect the current work and needs of the organization, and human resource practices are in place.
• Resolves formal personnel grievances and coaches the HCH leadership team on conflict resolution among their respective teams.
• Works with payroll to manage and track accurate timecards, overtime, and paid time off.

Community & Public Relations

• Serves as the principal spokesperson for donor relations and community involvement.
• Promotes visibility of HCH and develops relationships with municipalities, businesses, donors, foundations, and community organizations.
• Promotes equitable access to programs and services and works to eliminate barriers for underserved communities.
• Oversees contractual compliance, performance reporting, contract renewals, and negotiations with municipal and governmental partners.
• Leads crisis communication efforts and manages sensitive public relations matters in partnership with the Board and leadership team.

Operations, Services, and Programs

• Ensures organizational compliance with all animal welfare regulations, shelter medicine standards, licensing requirements, and industry best practices. Monitors key animal welfare metrics and outcome measures to support continuous improvement.
• Evaluates programs and services to ensure efficacy and efficiency. Recommends and guides adjustments to meet the needs of the business and animals, partnering closely with HCH leadership to ensure safe and effective change management practices. This includes animal intake, volunteer and foster programs, veterinary services, and all safety net programs.
• Supports recruitment, retention, and growth of foster networks to increase organizational lifesaving capacity.
• Maintains sound risk management policies and is responsible for renewing property and liability insurances as necessary.
• Oversees all facilities maintenance to include improvement, repairs, construction projects, and selecting qualified contractors.
• Ensures disaster preparedness, emergency response, business continuity, and animal evacuation plans are maintained, updated, and regularly tested.

Measurable Success Factors

• Animal Welfare Outcomes: Achieve and maintain established live release, adoption, and animal care goals.
• Community Impact: Expand community engagement, partnerships, and access to services.
• Operational Excellence: Continuously improve operational efficiencies and establish diversified and durable revenue streams to ensure the organization’s economic health. Identify a pathway that establishes a 12+ month runway.
• Staff Engagement: Achieve target retention and employee satisfaction goals.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Emotional intelligence that lends to compassion for animals and employees with a mission-centric approach.
• Clear communication, honesty, and integrity.
• Skilled in change management, strategic thinking, and crisis leadership.
• Ability to develop healthy relationships with boards members, staff members, and key community leaders.
• Strong negotiation skills and partnership development.
• Demonstrated success in fundraising, donor relations, community development, public speaking, and media relations.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree or equivalent executive leadership experience preferred
• Progressive executive leadership experience in nonprofit, public, or mission-driven organizations; animal welfare experience a bonus
• Experience in strategic planning, budgeting, governance, fundraising, and organizational leadership

Physical Requirements

Ability to travel throughout the service area, attend meetings and events, and perform the customary duties of an executive leadership position.

Compensation and Benefits

• Salary $110,000-$120,000 plus $5,000 sign-on bonus
• Medical, dental, and vision
• Unlimited PTO