This job is closed
Applications are no longer available for this announcement. Explore current related opportunities below.
Job description
CHIC is looking for its next Chief Executive Officer — only the second leader in the organization's history. This is a rare opportunity to steward a founder transition with care: to build on a visionary founder's legacy while bringing fresh energy, structure, and sustainability to a trusted, community-rooted institution's next era.
Description
About CHIC
CHIC is a Black-led nonprofit dedicated to strengthening women, girls, families, and communities. Rooted in the belief that Black women and girls can build generational legacies of health and wealth, CHIC delivers culturally relevant, whole-family supports that help break intergenerational cycles of poverty and violence, and intervenes in systems — education, workforce, and criminal justice — that too often fail communities. Learn more at chicdenver.org.
The Opportunity
With a team of up to 10 employees and contractors and an annual operating budget of approximately $1.7 million, CHIC is well positioned for a thoughtful leadership transition. The CEO holds overall strategic and operational responsibility for CHIC's staff, programs, finances, fundraising, and mission execution — leading across five core areas: organizational strategy, people leadership, board governance, fiscal and operational management, and fundraising and revenue development.
What You'll Do
Strategic Leadership & Founder Transition
Lead the organization through a multi-year strategic planning and implementation process that strengthens programs, revenue, operations, talent, and community impact
Steward an intentional founder transition, honoring CHIC's history and founding vision while institutionalizing knowledge, relationships, and practices
Serve as a visible, credible ambassador for CHIC across Denver, Colorado, and the broader nonprofit and philanthropic landscape
Board Governance & Partnership
Partner with the Board of Directors to advance CHIC's mission, strategy, financial health, and governance practices
Provide the Board with timely, transparent, decision-ready reporting on finances, programs, risks, and performance
Build a trusting, candid working relationship with the Board Chair and committees to support sound, timely decisions
Serve as CHIC's lead fundraiser and chief relationship-builder with foundations, individual donors, corporate partners, and public agencies
Develop and execute a diversified revenue strategy that expands major gifts, institutional grants, individual giving, and earned revenue
Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors and institutional funders, including transitioning founder-held relationships with intention
People Leadership & Organizational Culture
Lead, support, and develop a team of up to 10 employees and contractors through clear expectations and strong management systems
Build a healthy, healing-centered, high-accountability workplace culture rooted in trust, collaboration, and mission alignment
Guide staff through the leadership transition with steadiness, openness, and consistent communication
Fiscal & Operational Management
Oversee CHIC's approximately $1.7M annual budget in partnership with the finance team and Board of Directors
Ensure sound financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, cash-flow management, and internal controls
Strengthen operational infrastructure, including HR, technology, grants management, and compliance
What We're Looking For
BS/BA degree or equivalent experience in nonprofit management, public administration, social work, education, business, law, public policy, or a related field
Significant senior leadership experience (ED, C-suite, or equivalent) in a nonprofit, public-sector, philanthropic, social enterprise, or mission-aligned organization of comparable size and complexity
Demonstrated experience leading an organization, division, or major department with a budget comparable to CHIC's $1.7M
Proven fundraising success, including donor cultivation, grant writing, proposal development, and revenue strategy
Track record of securing and managing institutional grants, public funding, corporate sponsorships, or major gifts
Experience developing and implementing strategic plans, especially during periods of growth, transition, or financial uncertainty
Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and resource allocation
Demonstrated commitment to racial equity, gender justice, healing-centered practice, and community-led work
Experience working with or in communities directly impacted by poverty, violence, educational inequity, workforce barriers, or systemic racism
Excellent communication skills, including public speaking, writing, storytelling, and facilitation
Ability to partner effectively with a Board of Directors and support strong governance practices
High emotional intelligence, sound judgment, integrity, and the ability to lead with both accountability and care
Preferred Experience
Experience leading a minority-led, community-based, or culturally specific organization
Experience succeeding a founder or long-tenured leader, or leading through significant leadership transition
Existing relationships in Colorado philanthropy, education, workforce development, criminal justice reform, re-entry, or youth development
Experience building new revenue streams or restructuring funding strategies during uncertain financial conditions
Knowledge of trauma-informed, healing-centered, culturally responsive, or restorative approaches
Advanced degree or equivalent experience in a related field
Who We're Looking For
CHIC seeks a leader who is:
Strategic and future-focused — able to see around corners and guide the organization through complexity
Fundraising-oriented — comfortable asking for resources and building authentic, long-term donor relationships
Community-rooted — with deep respect for the wisdom and lived experience of the community CHIC serves
Operationally strong — able to turn vision into systems, decisions, budgets, and results
Courageous and adaptive — able to make hard decisions while staying grounded in mission and values
Collaborative, humble, and relational — able to build trust across staff, Board, funders, and community
Steady under pressure, especially in moments of financial, political, or organizational uncertainty
A thoughtful successor — able to honor a founder's legacy without being bound by it
Health and dental insurance
Paid time off and holidays
401(k) match
Sabbatical leave after 3 years of service
CHIC is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who bring deep commitment to CHIC's mission, including candidates with lived experience, community-rooted leadership experience, and experience working alongside Black women, girls, and families. CHIC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by law.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Worksite address
denver, CO, 80285, US
Who can apply
Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.