Executive Director

Favor INC; Wethersfield (CT); On-site; USD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

Employee discounts

Health insurance

Paid time off

Flexible schedule

Parental leave

Training & development

Vision insurance

Job summary

FAVOR, Inc. seeks an Executive Director to lead a mission-driven nonprofit serving families of children with special mental, emotional, and behavioral health needs in Connecticut.

The ED will strengthen operations, support staff, and ensure high-quality services while guiding the organization through growth and transition. Reporting to the Board, this leader will build systems, enhance financial health, cultivate partnerships with state agencies and funders, and foster a transparent,

Qualifications

• Demonstrated leadership experience in a nonprofit or human services organization.
• Strong financial management experience, including budgeting, reporting, and grant oversight.
• Proven ability to lead and develop teams, improve morale, and manage through change or transition.
• Experience building or improving organizational systems and operations.
• Track record of working with external partners, funders, and public systems.
• Experience working with or supporting a Board of Directors.
• Demonstrated understanding of the needs of families navigating behavioral health, mental health, or neurodiversity; lived experience is valued but not required.

Responsibilities

• Lead, support, and develop a dedicated staff team, fostering a positive, professional, and accountable work environment.
• Establish clear roles, expectations, and consistent supervision practices
• Set appropriate boundaries while maintaining a supportive, mission-driven environment
• Promote clear, consistent internal communication across staff
• Build and implement clear systems, processes, and workflows to improve consistency and effectiveness
• Strengthen internal infrastructure, including HR, administration, and program operations
• Ensure clear decision-making processes and organization accountability
• Ensure strong financial management, including budgeting, reporting, and compliance with grant and government funding requirements
• Oversee accurate tracking and use of funds, strengthening transparency and accountability
• Partner with finance staff and the Board to maintain fiscal health and sustainability
• Build and maintain strong relationships with state agencies, funders, and community partners
• Represent FAVOR with credibility and professionalism in external settings
• Navigate complex systems and advocate effectively for families and the organization
• Support and expand fundraising efforts, including grants and other funding opportunities
• Help diversify revenue sources over time to strengthen long-term sustainability
• Work closely with the Board of Directors to strengthen governance practices and engagement
• Support the Board in fundraising, strategic planning, and organizational oversight
• Clarify roles and responsibilities between Board and staff

Skills

Leadership

Financial management

Team development

Board governance

Fundraising

External partnerships

Strategic planning

Nonprofit management

Job description

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Employee discounts
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Flexible schedule
• Parental leave
• Training & development
• Vision insurance

About the Organization

FAVOR, Inc. supports, educates, and advocates for families of children with special mental, emotional, and behavioral health challenges and/or developmental and intellectual disabilities. Founded in 2002, FAVOR was established to address the need for leadership, coordination, advocacy, and support among family-led organizations across Connecticut. Its mission is to empower families to effectively advocate for their children and access family-driven, culturally responsive services that improve child outcomes and family well-being.

FAVOR also serves as Connecticut’s state chapter of the National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health.

FAVOR delivers its work through several core programs:

• Family Peer Support Specialists (FPSS): Peer advocates who work directly with caregivers, helping them navigate schools, courts, and service systems while building their confidence and advocacy skills
• Family Systems Managers (FSM): Staff who guide families in strengthening their ability to engage in systems and influence decisions affecting their children
• FAVOR Learning and Leadership Academy: A training initiative that supports families, staff, and community partners, including certification for peer support specialists

The organization operates with an annual budget of approximately $2.2 million and a staff of 25 employees. Funding is currently highly concentrated in government contracts, with the Department of Children and Families representing most of the revenue. This is a unique opportunity for a leader who is energized by both mission impact and organizational building; someone who can honor FAVOR's strengths while helping the organization grow into a more structured, sustainable, and cohesive future.

Position Summary

The Executive Director (ED) serves as the chief leader of FAVOR, responsible for strengthening internal operations, supporting staff, and ensuring the organization delivers high-quality, mission driven services. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the ED will guide FAVOR through an important period of transition - building strong systems, reinforcing a healthy organizational culture, and ensuring financial and operational integrity.

This role requires a leader who can balance empathy with accountability, build trust across stakeholders, and bring structure and clarity to a growing and evolving organization.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership and Culture

• Lead, support, and develop a dedicated staff team, fostering a positive, professional, and accountable work environment
• Establish clear roles, expectations, and consistent supervision practices
• Set appropriate boundaries while maintaining a supportive, mission-driven environment
• Promote clear, consistent internal communication across staff

Operations and Financial Management

• Build and implement clear systems, processes, and workflows to improve consistency and effectiveness
• Strengthen internal infrastructure, including HR, administration, and program operations
• Ensure clear decision-making processes and organization accountability
• Ensure strong financial management, including budgeting, reporting, and compliance with grant and government funding requirements
• Oversee accurate tracking and use of funds, strengthening transparency and accountability
• Partner with finance staff and the Board to maintain fiscal health and sustainability

Partnerships and External Relations

• Build and maintain strong relationships with state agencies, funders, and community partners
• Represent FAVOR with credibility and professionalism in external settings
• Navigate complex systems and advocate effectively for families and the organization

Fund Development

• Support and expand fundraising efforts, including grants and other funding opportunities
• Help diversify revenue sources over time to strengthen long-term sustainability

Board Partnership and Governance

• Work closely with the Board of Directors to strengthen governance practices and engagement
• Support the Board in fundraising, strategic planning, and organizational oversight
• Clarify roles and responsibilities between Board and staff

Qualifications and Experience

• Demonstrated leadership experience in a nonprofit or human services organization
• Strong financial management experience, including budgeting, reporting, and grant oversight
• Proven ability to lead and develop teams, improve morale, and manage through change or transition
• Experience building or improving organizational systems and operations
• Track record of working with external partners, funders, and public systems
• Experience working with or supporting a Board of Directors
• Demonstrated understanding of the needs of families navigating behavioral health, mental health, or neurodiversity; lived experience is valued but not required.

Leadership Profile

• Steady, experienced leadership with the ability to navigate complexity and lead through transition
• A commitment to transparency and trust‑building, with clear and consistent communication
• A structured, systems‑oriented mindset that brings clarity and organization to the work
• The ability to balance empathy with accountability, supporting staff while setting clear expectations

  Compensation

  Salary range: $100,000-$120,000, commensurate with experience.

  Benefits Include:

  • Comprehensive health, dental, and supplemental insurance options
  • Disability and life insurance coverage
  • Generous paid time off and 13 paid holidays
  • Paid bereavement, jury duty, and voting leave
  • 403(b) retirement plan
  • Supportive and mission-driven work environment

  Timeline:

  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Candidates who apply by August 21, 2026, will receive priority consideration. Position open until filled.

  Equal Opportunity Statement

  FAVOR is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability or handicap, sex, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. Our management team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities and general treatment during employment.