Description

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The LEAH (Leaders through Education, Action, and Hope) Project seeks a visionary, entrepreneurial, and relationship-driven leader to serve as its next Executive Director. At a pivotal moment in the program's evolution, the Executive Director will be responsible for leading LEAH into its next chapter of growth, sustainability, and impact.

Founded in memory of Leah Deni, a youth worker with a passion for science, the LEAH Project promotes the power of youth—especially Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), first-generation, and historically underrepresented youth—to diversify science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Through paid internships, college and career readiness programming, mentoring, and youth leadership opportunities, LEAH equips young people with the skills, confidence, networks, and experiences needed to thrive in STEM education and careers.

Over the past two decades, LEAH has served more than 1,000 high school students and 7,000 elementary school students across Greater Boston. Today, the program supports more than 150 high school and college-aged youth annually and has achieved exceptional outcomes, including a 99% high school graduation rate and 95% college enrollment rate among participants.

The Executive Director will inherit a highly respected program with a strong and experienced team, longstanding partnerships across Boston's STEM ecosystem, a dedicated Advisory Board, and a solid foundation for future growth. Following a period of successful stabilization and strategic planning, LEAH is well-positioned to expand its impact, diversify its revenue streams, and explore emerging opportunities in sectors such as climate resilience, clean energy and life sciences.

Reporting to HRiA’s Managing Director of Capacity Building Assistance, the Executive Director will lead and manage an annual operating budget of approximately $1.2 million and drive efforts to diversify and grow LEAH’s revenue toward a sustainable future operating budget exceeding $2M+.

The ideal candidate is a proven fundraiser and strategic leader who is energized by youth development, passionate about educational and economic opportunity, and excited to build the partnerships, visibility, and resources necessary to help LEAH thrive for the next generation of young people.

The LEAH Project seeks a leader who can inspire confidence, build meaningful relationships, secure resources, and champion opportunities for young people. The ideal candidate is equally comfortable meeting with a major donor, collaborating with a corporate partner, mentoring a staff member, engaging an Advisory Board member, or celebrating the accomplishments of a young person discovering their future.

ABOUT HEALTH RESOURCES IN ACTION

The LEAH Project is a program of Health Resources in Action (HRiA), a national nonprofit organization working to improve and reimagine public health by transforming the policies, systems, and practices that improve health and advance equity.

Since joining HRiA in 2013, LEAH has benefited from the organization's strong infrastructure, financial stewardship, and commitment to creating opportunities for communities that have historically been excluded from educational and economic advancement.

As a program of HRiA, LEAH benefits from the infrastructure and shared services of a larger nonprofit organization, including finance, human resources, legal, IT, and other administrative functions. This structure allows the Executive Director to focus primarily on strategy, fundraising, organizational leadership, partnerships, and program oversight while working closely with HRiA colleagues who provide operational and administrative support.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The next Executive Director will have the opportunity to lead a highly respected program at a moment of possibility and growth.

Over the past year, LEAH has undergone a period of strategic stabilization and planning in response to shifts in the funding landscape. Building upon a strong foundation of programmatic excellence, exceptional youth outcomes, committed staff, and longstanding partnerships, LEAH is now poised to expand its reach and influence.

The Executive Director will build upon LEAH's strong foundation to lead the organization's next phase of growth, sustainability, and impact. This role requires a strategic and externally focused leader who can expand fundraising efforts, deepen partnerships, strengthen LEAH's visibility and influence, and ensure continued excellence in youth programming. Key responsibilities include:

Fundraising and External Leadership

• Develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising and revenue growth strategy designed to diversify and grow LEAH's revenue base, positioning the program for a future operating budget exceeding $2 million annually.
• Build, manage, and personally cultivate a portfolio of major donors, corporate partners, foundations, and public-sector funders.
• In collaboration with LEAH’s grant writing consultant, prospect and pursue foundation, government, and corporate funding opportunities, and oversee grant-related cultivation, stewardship, reporting and compliance requirements across a diverse funding portfolio.
• Build and lead a robust individual giving program, including donor identification and cultivation, annual giving, major gifts, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Expand corporate partnerships, sponsorships, and philanthropic investment, particularly within life sciences, climate resilience, clean energy, environmental sustainability, and related industries.
• Identify and pursue new and emerging revenue opportunities beyond LEAH’s existing funding streams that advance strategic priorities and long-term sustainability.
• Partner with HRiA leadership, consultants, and Advisory Board members to cultivate philanthropic support.
• Oversee donor communications, stewardship activities, fundraising events, and external messaging.
• Serve as LEAH's chief ambassador with donors, funders, community leaders, and strategic partners.
• Serve as a thought leader and visible advocate in Greater Boston, New England, and nationally on topics including youth development, STEM education, workforce development and racial equity.
• Increase LEAH's visibility through speaking engagements, conferences, media opportunities, and strategic partnerships.

Strategic Leadership and Organizational Growth

• Develop and implement LEAH's strategic vision and long-term growth strategy.
• Establish programmatic goals, priorities, and performance measures.
• Lead the development and ongoing management of LEAH’s approximately $1.2 million annual operating budget in partnership with HRiA’s finance and budget staff, including revenue and expense forecasting, monitoring performance against budget, and making strategic financial decisions to support LEAH’s priorities and long-term sustainability.
• Identify opportunities for innovation, expansion, and increased impact.
• Lead, develop, and inspire a team of approximately six professionals, directly supervising senior staff and consultants while fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous learning, and shared leadership.
• Foster a healthy, inclusive, collaborative, and mission-driven team culture.
• Ensure LEAH's continued commitment to racial equity and positive youth development principles.
• Contribute leadership across HRiA and collaborate with colleagues throughout the organization.

Advisory Board Leadership

• Serve as the primary liaison to LEAH's Advisory Board.
• Partner with Advisory Board leadership to strengthen and strategically expand Board membership.
• Recruit members whose expertise, influence, lived experience, and networks align with LEAH's mission and future growth goals.
• Build a culture of engagement, ambassadorship, advocacy, and philanthropy among Advisory Board members.
• Leverage Board relationships to increase fundraising opportunities, partnerships, visibility, and strategic connections.

Program Leadership and Impact
While the Executive Director's primary focus will be fundraising and strategic leadership, they will remain closely connected to LEAH's youth, staff, and programs. Responsibilities include:

• Provide strategic oversight and support to a strong program team responsible for day-to-day implementation.
• Ensure continued excellence in program quality, participant experience, and youth outcomes.
• Develop and steward executive-level relationships with corporate, philanthropic, academic, government, and community leaders that advance LEAH's strategic priorities, expand opportunities for youth, and strengthen organizational sustainability.
• Use evaluation findings, youth outcomes, and participant stories to strengthen fundraising, communications, and strategic decision-making.
• Attend key youth events, internship showcases, celebrations, and partner meetings.
• Support exploration of new youth pathways and partnerships related to climate resilience, clean energy, and STEM workforce development.
• Champion a positive youth development approach that centers youth voice, leadership, belonging, and opportunity.

Requirements

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will bring many of the following qualifications:

• Ten or more years of progressive leadership experience in nonprofit management, philanthropy, development, external affairs, education, workforce development, youth development, or related fields.
• Demonstrated success in securing significant philanthropic investments from foundations, corporations, government agencies, and individual donors in support of youth development, education, workforce development, STEM, college access, career readiness or related initiatives.
• Experience developing and implementing fundraising strategies that resulted in measurable revenue growth and increased organizational sustainability.
• Demonstrated experience cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors and leadership-level gifts.
• Experience building and managing corporate partnerships and sponsorships.
• At least seven to ten years of progressively responsible leadership and management experience, including supervision and development of staff, consultants, budgets, and organizational priorities, with a collaborative leadership style and a willingness to both provide and receive feedback.
• Strong understanding of youth development, education, workforce development, STEM pathways, or related fields.
• Interest in and enthusiasm for emerging workforce sectors including climate resilience, clean energy, and STEM innovation.
• Demonstrated experience developing and managing organizational or program budgets, including financial forecasting, revenue planning, and monitoring financial performance.
• Exceptional relationship-building, communication, and storytelling abilities.
• Experience serving as an ambassador, spokesperson, or thought leader for an organization, initiative, or field.
• Commitment to racial equity and demonstrated ability to integrate equity into leadership, fundraising, and organizational decision-making.
• Existing relationships within Greater Boston's education, STEM, workforce development, philanthropic, and community sectors strongly preferred, including experience partnering with schools, research institutions, employers, and community-based organizations.
• A sense of humor, humility, adaptability, and optimism, with the ability to build trust and foster strong relationships across diverse stakeholders.
• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree or equivalent leadership experience welcomed. Equivalent combinations of education and experience will be considered.
• Candidates whose lived experiences reflect those of the communities served by LEAH are strongly encouraged to apply.

LOCATION, COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

This is a full-time, exempt position with a salary range of $140K - $150K, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

The Executive Director is expected to maintain a strong presence within the LEAH community and Greater Boston ecosystem. New England residency is strongly preferred, with an expectation of regular in-person engagement in Boston with staff, youth, partners, and program activities, including attendance at key LEAH events and programming.

While HRiA supports flexible and hybrid work arrangements, this role requires frequent in-person relationship building, partnership development, fundraising, and community engagement throughout Greater Boston.

Typical work hours are Monday through Friday; however, this position requires flexibility to attend occasional evening and weekend events, meetings, and program activities.

HRiA offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package, including a 35-hour work week; employer-funded health, dental, and life insurance; a retirement plan with employer contributions; short-term disability insurance; generous paid time off beginning at four weeks annually; paid sick time; an office closure between Christmas and New Year's Day; and flexible work schedules.

TO APPLY

More information about The LEAH Project may be found here. More information about HRiA can be found here.

This search is being led by Tamar Datan and Jessi Davison of GDSI Leadership. Due to the pace of this search, candidates are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Candidates may submit their cover letter, outlining their interest and qualifications, along with their resume, via GDSI’s applicant portal.

The search will follow, based on performance, a structured five-stage hiring process which includes a phone screen, two group interviews including a performance exercise, a program visit and final interview with the CEO and Vice President.

HRiA is actively seeking to build a diverse and experienced staff. The organization encourages multiple perspectives and experiences, supports a multicultural environment, and strives to hire and retain a diverse work force that reflects the populations we work with and the communities where we work. Diversity is a core value of HRiA resulting in culturally competent services, materials, resources, and programs. Our hiring and business practices appreciate the strengths offered through different backgrounds.

HRiA is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer and is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information.