Executive Director

Economic Hardship; United States; Remote; USD 135,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

EHRP seeks an Executive Director who will serve as the organization’s chief executive and steward, guiding strategy, fundraising, operations, finance, and external relations while safeguarding editorial independence and mission. The ED will lead cross‑functional collaboration with editorial leadership to ensure robust systems, governance, and partnerships.

A strong track record in nonprofit leadership and financial stewardship is essential to sustain high‑impact journalism and organizational

Qualifications

• 5-7 years of progressively senior leadership experience in nonprofit or mission-driven settings.
• Demonstrated success in fundraising, including foundation relations and major donor cultivation.
• Strong financial management, budgeting, forecasting, and audit oversight.

Responsibilities

• Provide organizational strategy, planning, and leadership to advance mission and impact.
• Develop and execute fundraising strategies across multiple channels and partnerships.
• Oversee financial management, controls, and compliance in collaboration with the Board Treasurer.

Skills

Leadership

Fundraising

Financial management

Editorial liaison

Governance

HR & operations

Job description

The Executive Director (ED) is EHRP’s chief executive and organizational steward, responsible for ensuring the long‑term health, sustainability, and effectiveness of the organization. The ED leads strategy, fundraising, operations, financial management, and external relations, while partnering closely with editorial leadership to uphold EHRP’s editorial independence and mission. This role ensures that EHRP’s systems, resources, and partnerships enable high‑impact journalism and advance the organization’s values.

Key Areas of Responsibility

1. Organizational Leadership & Strategy

The ED leads EHRP’s strategic direction, annual planning, and organizational learning and growth. This includes owning the mission, values, and culture and translating these into operational priorities; ensuring alignment across editorial, development, and operations; and fostering a healthy, equitable, and collaborative organization.

2. Fundraising & External Relations

The ED develops and executes a comprehensive fundraising strategy across institutional philanthropy, major donors, individual donors, and earned revenue partnerships. This includes cultivating funder relationships, stewarding grants, representing EHRP publicly, and strengthening partnerships that advance mission and impact.

3. Financial Management & Compliance

The ED oversees budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and compliance. This includes maintaining strong internal controls, managing (or delegating management of) finance vendors, ensuring audit readiness, and partnering with the Board Treasurer to uphold transparency and accountability appropriate for a ~$1M nonprofit newsroom.

4. Operations, Systems & Organizational Infrastructure

The ED ensures that EHRP’s operational systems — HR, finance, compliance, IT, data security/privacy, vendor management, and administrative workflows — are robust, efficient, and aligned with organizational needs. This includes overseeing (or delegating oversight of) external vendors and, as the organization evolves, managing or hiring internal operations staff as appropriate. The board will determine the appropriate operational staffing model in consultation with the incoming ED.

5. Governance & Board Relations

The ED is the sole EHRP employee that reports to the Board of Directors, and the ED serves as the primary liaison to the Board, providing timely reporting on organizational health, finances, risks, and opportunities. The ED supports board development, governance best practices, and strategic decision‑making, ensuring the board has the information needed to fulfill its fiduciary responsibilities.

6. Cross-Functional Leadership with Editorial Team

The ED partners with the editorial team to ensure organizational strategy, resources, and systems support editorial excellence. The ED upholds editorial independence while enabling cross-functional planning around commissioning, partnerships, and impact.

Authority

• Independent:

  • Organizational strategy and annual planning

  • Budget oversight, financial management, and final key vendor selection

  • Fundraising strategy

  • Hiring, supervision, and performance management of direct reports

  • Operational systems, policies, and workflows

  • External representation of EHRP

• Shared / Consultative:

  • Cross‑functional planning with editorial leadership

  • Strategic partnerships involving editorial collaboration

  • Organizational culture and internal communications

  • Donor cultivation

  • Major grant proposals and narrative framing

  • Implementation of decisions and priorities impacted by budgetary plans

  • Oversight of the annual financial audit process, including coordination with accounting vendors and auditors and collaboration with the Board Treasurer and/or Audit Committee.

• Approval Required:

  • Board‑level decisions (e.g., annual budget, major financial commitments, governance changes)

  • Significant shifts in organizational structure

  • Long‑term strategic plans or transformational initiatives

  • Annual audited financial statements and acceptance of the audit (Board approval required).

Outcomes and Goals

• A financially stable and sustainable organization with diversified revenue streams

• Strong, mission‑aligned relationships with funders and partners

• Reliable, efficient operational systems delivered through a combination of vendors and internal capacity

• Clear, transparent governance practices and strong board engagement

• A healthy, equitable organizational culture grounded in EHRP’s values

• Editorial leadership empowered with the resources and conditions needed for excellence.

Internal Collaboration & Coordination

All employees report either directly or indirectly to the ED. The ED works closely with the editorial and operational teams to ensure alignment between editorial priorities and organizational strategy. The ED collaborates with operations, finance, and development vendors or staff to maintain organizational stability. Coordination with the Board occurs through regular reporting, quarterly meetings, and ongoing communication with the Board Chair and Treasurer.

• Key collaborators: Editorial Director, Executive Editor, Associate Editor, operations/finance vendors, development staff/contractors

• Areas of shared responsibility: Partnerships, grant narratives, organizational culture, cross‑functional planning

• Coordination cadence: Weekly or biweekly leadership check‑ins; monthly financial reviews; quarterly board meetings

Key Priorities

• Strengthen organizational infrastructure and operational reliability

• Ensure financial sustainability and revenue diversification

• Support editorial leadership and uphold editorial independence

• Advance mission‑aligned partnerships and external visibility

• Ensure the work complies with the mission and advances the brand of EHRP

• Maintain a healthy, equitable, and transparent organizational culture

Metrics of Success

• Outcomes: Fundraising performance; financial stability; operational reliability; partnership growth; organizational resilience

• Collaboration: Effective cross‑functional leadership; strong board relations; clear communication with editorial leadership

• Culture: Staff retention; equitable practices; strong morale; alignment with mission, values, ethics, and worldview

• Impact: Strengthened public understanding of economic hardship; increased visibility and reach of EHRP’s journalism.

Qualifications, Skills & Strengths Required

• 5-7 years of progressively senior leadership

• Experience in nonprofit,or adjacent mission‑driven sectors

• Demonstrated success in fundraising, including foundation relations and major donor cultivation

• Strong financial management skills, including budgeting, forecasting, compliance, and audit oversight

• Experience leading teams, managing staff, and building healthy organizational culture

• Ability to partner effectively with editorial leadership and uphold editorial independence

• Experience with organizational systems, HR, operations, and risk management

• Excellent communication, relationship‑building, and public‑facing skills

• Deep commitment to EHRP’s mission, values, ethics, and worldview

Preferred qualifications, skills & strengths

• Prior Executive Director or C‑suite experience

• Experience leading a nonprofit newsroom or at a media organization

• Familiarity with commissioning models, editorial partnerships, or narrative‑change ecosystems

• Experience guiding organizations through transition or growth phases

• Knowledge of nonprofit governance and board relations

• Experience with philanthropic landscapes related to journalism, inequality, or economic justice

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: $135,000-$170,000 per year, depending on experience.

• Benefits: EHRP covers 100% of our employees’ health, vision, and dental insurance coverage, as well as life insurance and disability.

Notes on Role Boundaries

EHRP currently relies on external vendors for development, accounting, HR, and legal. The ED is responsible for ensuring operational excellence but is not expected to personally execute all operational tasks. The board will determine, in collaboration with the incoming ED, whether additional internal operational capacity (e.g., Operations Manager, COO, or coordinator‑level support) is appropriate. The ED is the organization’s chief executive and operational leader, not an editorial decision‑maker; editorial independence is upheld by the Editorial Director and Executive Editor.