Executive Director

Executive Director
Institute for Humane Education (IHE)

Remote (occasional travel) | Full-time | $85,000 to $100,000 annually

 

About the Institute

 

The Institute for Humane Education (IHE) exists because the challenges we face, from climate change and ecosystem destruction to social injustice and the suffering of trillions of animals, are deeply interconnected and must be addressed systemically.

 

Founded on the belief that education is the root system underlying all societal systems, IHE offers resources, professional learning, and K-12 programs that prepare educators and leaders to bring solutionary thinking into schools, organizations, and communities around the world, as well as the only graduate programs in comprehensive humane education in the US, offered through an affiliation with Antioch University.

Our work bridges the well-being of people, animals, and the natural world, because a truly humane future depends on all three thriving together.

 

Position Overview

 

The Institute for Humane Education (IHE) is seeking an inspirational and caring leader with proven fundraising success to serve as its Executive Director (ED). The ED works with the President and Board of Directors to establish IHE's strategic direction and lead the organization's efforts to operationalize and scale its mission of educating people to create a world in which all humans, animals, and nature can thrive.

 

The ED serves as the organization's advancement leader, responsible for building a financially healthy organization, including donor and revenue development, overseeing organizational operations, supervising select personnel, and working with the Treasurer and President to draft the annual budget. This is a remote position that will involve occasional travel.

 

Primary Responsibilities

 

• Strategic Leadership: Provide visionary leadership in developing and implementing IHE's strategic plans and priorities in partnership with the President and Board of Directors, evaluating progress and reporting outcomes regularly.

• Fundraising and Advancement: Serve as IHE's chief fundraiser, with the ongoing support of the President and Resource Development Committee, developing and executing a comprehensive multi-year fundraising strategy encompassing major gifts, annual giving, planned giving, grants, corporate partnerships, and earned revenue streams. Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of major donors and prospects; oversee donor acknowledgment and recognition systems; and establish fundraising metrics and KPIs to track and report progress.

• Board Partnership and Governance: Partner with the President and Board Chair to support effective governance, Board development, and member recruitment; and ensure members are engaged, informed, and empowered as mission ambassadors and fundraisers.

• Financial Oversight: Maintain fiscally responsible policies and practices; collaborate with the President, Treasurer, Finance Committee, and Director of Operations on annual budgets; and ensure the organization's long-term financial sustainability.

• Organizational Culture and Community: Foster cohesion, shared purpose, and connection across staff, Board, faculty, students, alumni, donors, and partners; model IHE's values of compassion, integrity, and solutionary thinking in all aspects of organizational life.

• Personnel and Administration: Recruit, supervise, and support select staff; oversee hiring of contractors and consultants; ensure job descriptions, personnel policies, and performance assessments are current and effective; manage key institutional agreements and partnerships in collaboration with the Director of Operations.

• Marketing and Outreach: Collaborate with the Manager of Marketing and Communications to provide strategic direction for IHE's marketing, communications, and public relations efforts, ensuring all external-facing presence reflects the organization's brand, mission, and strategic priorities.

• Program Oversight and Development: Collaborate with program leaders on the strategic direction, budget, and review of graduate and K-12 offerings; oversee feasibility assessment and development of new solutionary programs, including the Cafeteria Transformation Project and Solutionary Micro-credential Program.

 

Qualifications and Experience

 

Required

 

• Demonstrated commitment to IHE's mission and values, including a genuine passion for and knowledge of humane education, human rights, animal protection, and ecological sustainability, and clear alignment of actions with values.

• Minimum of five years of senior leadership experience, ideally in the nonprofit or foundation sector but potentially in the for-profit sector with significant nonprofit/foundation board service. Track record of organizational growth and mission impact.

• Proven high-level fundraising success, preferably for five years or more, including experience personally cultivating and closing major gifts and managing a donor portfolio; demonstrated ability to plan and meet or exceed fundraising goals; experience developing and executing multi-year fundraising strategies across diverse revenue streams (major gifts, foundation and corporate grants, annual giving, campaigns, and program revenue).

• Strong financial acumen, including experience developing and managing organizational budgets.

• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills; ability to inspire and engage diverse audiences.

• Experience supervising staff and building effective, inclusive, mission-aligned teams.

• Collaborative leadership style with the ability to work effectively with a Board of Directors, senior staff, and external partners.

 

Preferred

 

• Advanced degree in education, communications, operational systems, nonprofit management, humane education, sustainability, public policy, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

 

Compensation and Benefits

 

Salary range: $85,000 to $100,000, commensurate with experience. IHE anticipates increasing compensation once the ED is successful at advancing the mission and achieving goals.

 

• Health insurance stipend.

• Unlimited paid time off.

• Contribution of 2% of annual salary to an IRA.

• Remote work.

 

Application Procedures

 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning November 1, 2026 until the position is filled. The start date for the position is flexible, ideally on or before April 15, 2027.

 

• Applicants submit their full name, email address, phone number, and resume through IHE's online application form.

• Applicants also provide short answers (maximum 300 words each, written without the use of AI) to the following questions: 1) Motivation: What draws you to this role?; 2) Leadership: If a senior management staff member as well as a person new to your team were to describe you as a leader, what would they each say, and what examples would they give to describe your impact and approach?; 3) Fundraising: Please describe your successes and challenges as a fundraiser, including amounts raised over specific time frames.; 4) Management: Please provide examples of how you've helped support team members to utilize and rely on their best skills for success as well as meet challenges in areas in which they need to grow.; 5) AI: How have you used AI ethically and effectively to advance impact and increase efficiencies in organizations you've led?; 6) Compensation Agreement: Please confirm the posted salary range of $85,000 to $100,000, with the possibility of an increase if goals are met, works for you.; and 7) Closing Question: Why are you the right person for this job? What would you like to be able to say you achieved at IHE five years from now?

 

Please note: Given the number of applications anticipated, IHE will reach out only to those candidates selected for further consideration. We are grateful to all those who apply.