Executive Director

Executive Director

Parliament of the World’s Religions

 

How to Apply

 

To apply to this position, send an email with the subject line “Executive Director Application – Last Name, First Name” to hiring@parliamentofreligions.org. Attach the following documents as .pdf files:

 

• Required: Cover Letter (maximum 1 page)

• Required: Resume / C.V.

• Required: 2-3 writing samples (maximum 6 pages total) relevant to the job description or mission of the Parliament. Examples of relevant topics include interfaith collaboration, nonprofit leadership, issue advocacy, research, and/or grant proposals/reports.

• Optional: 1 media portfolio item where you have been quoted, interviewed, or otherwise publicly represented an organization

 

Competitive candidates will be advanced to successive rounds of interviews. For finalists we estimate there will be three rounds of interviews total. Any questions about the position or the process can be directed to hiring@parliamentofreligions.org.

 

Job Description

 

• Location: Remote (in the United States)

• Travel: 10-20% estimated

• Salary: $110,000 – $130,000 + benefits package

• Type: Full-time

• Start date: Summer 2026

 

The Parliament of the World’s Religions is seeking an Executive Director who shares our vision of a world where “People of all faiths and spiritual traditions matter, and interfaith collaboration drives the advancement of global peace, justice, and sustainability.” The ideal candidate will be ready to implement the Foundation Phase of our 2026-2030 Strategic Plan through effective leadership, operational savvy, robust fundraising, and values-aligned communications.

 

The Executive Director will work alongside our dedicated Board of Trustees to hire and manage skilled staff members. Together this team will be responsible for developing core online resources to catalyze and connect people of diverse faith and spiritual traditions, establishing a Global Youth Advisory Council, and planning for the next of our signature Global Convenings (including, but not limited to: align on site selection, build an effective platform for registration, and execute an announcement campaign that drives registrations).

 

The Executive Director reports to the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Parliament of the World’s Religions, and will undergo regular performance reviews by the board’s Human Resources Committee. Despite our storied legacy, our new strategic plan and current realities reflect an organization with startup-like conditions. In consultation with the Board Chair, the Executive Director will have meaningful discretion to determine which priorities are most critical to build quick success in the first year. (Accordingly, early performance reviews will take this prioritization into account rather than measuring against the full and ambitious list of responsibilities found below.)

 

For the right person, this is an excellent opportunity to advance the organization leading the world’s oldest and most storied global interfaith gathering into our next era as a forward-looking collaboration platform that unites people of diverse traditions and deep conviction to act on the critical issues of our time.

 

Responsibilities

 

1. Bring to life the Parliament of the World’s Religions’ mission and vision in all opportunities, decisions, and actions.

2. Oversee and evaluate progress towards the Parliament of the World’s Religions’ 2026-2030 Strategic Plan.

3. The Executive Director will set the organization on a path towards achieving key objectives of the Foundation Phase of the 2026-2030 Strategic Plan, which includes but not limited to: 1) Hosting 2-3 International Hybrid Convenings (approx. 1,000 attendees in-person and online) in diverse regions of the world; 2) Develop a plan, raise funds, negotiate competitive contracts, and roll out an announcement + early registration campaign for our next Global Convening (approx. 10,000 attendees) to be held no later than December 2029; 3) Pilot a Global Digital Interfaith Networking Hub using contemporary paradigms of online connections that can appeal to multiple generations and sustain our momentum between convenings; 4) Establish a Global Youth Advisory Council with representation from multiple countries and faith traditions. This council will be empowered to host an Annual Youth Interfaith Forum.

4. The Executive Director will advise the Board of Trustees in determining the optimal staffing and governance structure that sets the Parliament of the World’s Religions on a path towards continued growth and sustainability as outlined in the 2026-2030 Strategic Plan.

5. Lead the organization in nurturing current and new collaborative relationships and projects with other global religious organizations and impact partners aligned with our vision of global peace, justice, and sustainability.

6. Develop a pathway for the organization — building on recent progress towards financial stabilization — to achieve long-term financial resiliency. This includes refinement of our development program for major donors and foundations, cultivating a broad base of small and repeat donors, maintaining and identifying new streams of revenue, and implementing efficient operational systems that scale up without accruing exponential expenses.

7. Work with the Treasurer and the Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees to build an accurate budget that reflects all of our funding needs and guarantee our day-to-day finances have sufficient oversight.

8. Hire and manage staff. This includes building rubrics for regular performance reviews, implementing and enforcing basic human resources infrastructure and processes, and developing professional development strategies to support all staff (i.e. regardless of their status as full-time, part-time, or temporary/intern): 1) This includes the hiring, onboarding, and supervision of a Program Manager within the first four months. While this role is already partially funded, the Executive Director will work with the Development Committee of the Board of Trustees to reach out to major donors to instill confidence and subsequently fully fund this role before hiring; and 2) This includes the ongoing supervision of a Communications Associate, an already staffed part-time position.

9. Solicit and supervise contractors. This includes discernment and articulation of decision-making principles to systematically determine what types of organizational knowledge and other skills can be effectively outsourced to an outside contractor while maintaining organizational efficiency and resiliency.

10. In collaboration with a Communications Associate, oversee the translation of our core resources into multiple languages available online, including the identification of key languages, mobilization of community partners associated with that language, management of project staff, and building pathways for further multilingual engagement based on use of these translated core resources.

11. Guarantee organizational continuity through identifying and building capacity around critical functions related to information technology, accounting, legal compliance, human resources, board management, communications, etc.

12. Serve, alongside the Chair of the Board of Trustees, as a chief spokesperson for the Parliament of the World’s Religions.

13. Support the Board of Trustees in its governance and fiduciary responsibilities. This includes preparing agendas and materials for board meetings in coordination with the Chair, staffing board committees as needed, keeping trustees appropriately informed between meetings, supporting trustee recruitment and orientation efforts, and cultivating individual relationships with trustees beyond the Chair. The Executive Director should view the board as a strategic asset and work to deploy trustees’ diverse expertise, networks, and perspectives in service of the organization’s mission.

14. Travel, including but not limited to: 1) Board meetings (twice annually) and retreats (frequency determined at Chair’s discretion; 2) Staff retreats (frequency determined at Executive Director’s discretion); 3) Site selection visits (i.e. multiple locations, before site is selected); 4) Convening planning visits (i.e. multiple trips after site is selected); 5) All major convenings, both hybrid and entirely in-person; 6) In-person meetings with major donors and other key stakeholders; and 7) Strategically important gatherings where our presence is crucial for advancing our goals (when such representation cannot be delegated to a member of the Board of Trustees or to another staff member, etc.)

 

Qualifications

 

• 7+ years experience of leadership in civil society, nonprofits, faith-based networks and/or the social impact sector, either as paid staff and/or active board member.

• Experience with one or more of the following scenarios, plus a further willingness to learn from others who have experience with each of these: 1) Guiding an organization away from carrying persistent debts and towards developing an endowment and other revenue-generating assets; 2) International conference production experience with thousands of attendees; 3) Digital platform development experience with a positive return on investment (or, if desired outcomes were not financial, a similar KPI); nd 4) Interfaith collaboration leadership with measurable and lasting impact on a complex issue, especially if that issue relates to global peace, justice, and/or sustainability.

• Personal alignment with the five directives of the Parliament’s signature document Towards a Global Ethic.

• Demonstrated ability to raise money and build/maintain relationships with major donors and foundations.

• Experience hiring, managing, and developing a staff.

• Experience representing mission-driven organizations in both online spaces and in-person gatherings that demand sharp communication and interpersonal skills.

• Experience developing and managing organizational budgets, including cash flow management and financial reporting to a board.

• Understanding of the complexities of operating a nonprofit with a cyclical budget (i.e. higher revenue and expenses in convening years) and a distributed remote/hybrid staffing structure that includes international contractors.

• Basic knowledge of human resources, information technology, accounting, legal compliance, board management, and other operational necessities (required both to hire talented staff/contractors to perform these functions and to maintain organizational continuity in the interim).

• Knowledge of the responsibilities and needs of a board of directors for a nonprofit organization incorporated in the United States.

• Intercultural competence and a respect for the entire tapestry of religions across the world.

• Commitment to self-direct one’s own work with integrity and a positive attitude.