Interim Chief Executive Officer

Gofractional; Benton Harbor, Northern (MI, KY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Kinexus Group in Benton Harbor, MI seeks an Interim Chief Executive Officer to guide the enterprise through a mission-driven transformation, ensuring organizational health, integration, and impact while stewarding strategy, culture, and long-term sustainability.

You will lead Kinexus Group and its subsidiaries as a unified system, delivering bold solutions to workforce, economic, and community challenges in Southwest Michigan and beyond, focusing on governance, external relations, and financial

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; master's degree preferred.
• 10+ years managing people and leading diverse teams.
• Experience leading multi-stakeholder organizations or enterprises.
• Strong financial acumen and experience managing large budgets.
• Proven track record of strategic planning, policy engagement, and external advocacy.
• Ability to work effectively with Boards of Directors and senior leadership teams.
• Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to travel as needed (roughly 30%).

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and clarity of vision for Kinexus Group and alignment for all subsidiary entities.
• Supervise subsidiary CEOs in conjunction with the subsidiary board of directors' chair.
• Refine governance documents to reflect current structure and agreements.
• Champion organizational health, mission alignment, and strategic coherence.
• Lead development, communication, and execution of the long-term strategic plan.
• Ensure governance, compliance, and operational autonomy across subsidiaries.
• Represent Kinexus Group with government, funders, and partners; elevate the organization's voice.
• Oversee enterprise-wide strategy and integration; manage shared services agreements.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Board liaison

Communication

Public speaking

Relationship building

Governance

Advocacy

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Interim Chief Executive Officer

Location: Benton Harbor, MI

Duration: Up to six months

DESIRED OUTCOMES:

The Interim CEO of Kinexus Group is responsible for leading the enterprise toward its mission of creating transformative economic, workforce, and community impact across Southwest Michigan and beyond. The CEO ensures organizational Health, Integration, and Impact, and serves as the primary driver of the organization's strategy, external presence, culture, and long-term sustainability.

The Interim CEO leads Kinexus Group and its subsidiaries as a unified, innovative, and results-oriented system that delivers bold solutions to complex workforce, economic and community challenges.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Enterprise Leadership & Vision

• Provide strategic leadership and clarity of vision for Kinexus Group and alignment for all subsidiary entities.
• Supervises the subsidiary chief executives in conjunction and consultation with the subsidiary board of directors' chair of the board.
• Refine governance documents in partnership with the Kinexus Group Board of Directors and CEOB to reflect the current structure of the organization, including the interlocal agreement, bylaws, and other foundational documents.
• Champion organizational health, mission alignment, and strategic coherence across the enterprise.
• Lead development, communication, and execution of the long-term strategic plan.
• Ensure bold innovation and continuous improvement remain core to enterprise culture.

Board & Governance Engagement

• Serve as the primary liaison to the Kinexus Group Board of Directors and Chief Elected Officials Board ensuring transparency, accountability, and timely communication.
• Provide thought leadership to the Boards regarding strategy, risk, performance, and future opportunities.
• Ensure strong governance practices across subsidiaries and compliance with all legal, financial, and regulatory obligations, especially the legal separation between the subsidiaries and the parent organization.
• Ensure operational control to subsidiary leadership is implemented and followed within Kinexus Group board approved parameters, and that the subsidiary boards govern, and management teams operate
• Preserve alignment with Kinexus Group strategy while preserving subsidiary operational autonomy
• Serve on subsidiary boards representing Kinexus Group as the member or parent organization

External Relations, Advocacy & Partnerships

• Represent Kinexus Group with federal, state, and local governments; community leaders; industry partners; philanthropy; and the public and in conjunction and coordination with the chief executives of each subsidiary.
• Serve as the chief spokesperson and ambassador for the organization, elevating the enterprise's voice and influence.
• Build strong, trust-based relationships with funding agencies, policymakers, and partner organizations.
• Advocate for policies and investments that support workforce, community, and economic development.

Enterprise Strategy, Performance & Integration

• Oversee execution of enterprise-wide strategy, ensuring alignment across all subsidiaries.
• Ensure the implementation and adherence to the unique business model where the subsidiary boards have fiduciary, legal and operational autonomy within the Kinexus Group governance and operating model and approved parameters.
• Ensure transactions conducted between Kinexus Group and the subsidiaries are conducted as if between independent parties
• Ensure the implementation of a Management Service Agreement between Kinexus Group and the subsidiaries for shared services (i.e., Finance, HR, IT, Marketing, Risk Management and Facilities Management)
• Empower and support subsidiary leaders to manage operational performance while maintaining high-level accountability for outcomes.
• Ensure integration and collaboration between corporate support functions and subsidiary leadership.
• Ensures Kinexus Group Corporate team provide support for the operational needs of the subsidiaries and delivers on the education service provider contract expectations of the charter school (Bridge Academy).
• Evaluate opportunities for new initiatives, partnerships, acquisitions, or organizational growth.

Financial Stewardship & Resource Management

• Oversee long-term financial diversification and sustainability, and compliant stewardship of funds.
• Work closely with the CFO to safeguard financial health, assess risk, and support effective budgeting across the enterprise.
• Ensure stewardship of enterprise resources—time, people, and capital—maximizing impact per dollar invested.

Organizational Culture, Talent & Leadership Development

• Foster a culture grounded in Kinexus Group's Values: Bold, Inspirational, Entrepreneurial, Inclusive.
• Champion professional development, leadership succession, and organizational learning.
• Inspire a high-performing senior team that thrives on accountability, innovation, and collaboration.
• Promote inclusion, diversity, and equity across all areas of the enterprise.

Enterprise Impact & Community Outcomes

• Ensure Kinexus Group, specifically through the subsidiaries deliver aligned, measurable, systemic, and sustainable impact across workforce, economic, and community development.
• Drive the organization toward outcomes that improve the lives of individuals, strengthen the regional economy, and catalyze community transformation.
• Ensure robust data-driven evaluation, reporting, and performance management systems are in place.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor's degree (Master's Degree preferred)
• Minimum 10 years' experience managing people and leading diverse teams
• Experience in either the private, public or non-government organization sectors
• Demonstrated senior leadership experience in workforce, economic, community development, nonprofit, government, or related fields.
• Experience leading complex, multi-stakeholder organizations or enterprises with multiple business units.
• Strong financial acumen and experience managing large budgets and diverse revenue streams.
• Proven track record of strategic planning, policy engagement, and external advocacy.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with Boards of Directors and senior leadership teams.
• Exceptional communication, public speaking, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to manage diverse and geographically distributed teams
• Understanding of federal and state workforce development rules and regulations
• Prior knowledge of economic and workforce and community development
• Demonstrates integrity, strides for excellence and has experience of leading others to new levels of collaboration, accountability, effectiveness and operational optimization.
• Ability to influence outcomes and inspire others in complex, quickly changing environments

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM US:

• A robust onboarding experience to integrate you into our team.
• Team of Teams training in support of the organizational strategies.
• Job training and development to ensure you are established and growing in your role.
• Cross Operational Meetings with your peers.
• Be a part of transformational change in Michigan.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds at times
• Must be willing and able to travel approximately 30% of the time between Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Flexible & Open
• Competitive Salary & Benefits
• Opportunities for Growth