What are the responsibilities and job description for the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - HOUSTON position at Bottom Line?
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Houston, TX
Who We Are and What We Believe:
For over twenty years, Bottom Line has been dedicated to promoting educational equity by ensuring that all individuals with the drive and potential for a quality college education can access it. Particularly for students from low-income, first-generation backgrounds facing systemic challenges, Bottom Line's advisors serve as steadfast allies, guiding them through college selection, supporting them through their degree pursuits, and facilitating successful career launches.
On average, graduates of Bottom Line achieve nearly double the income of their family in their initial post-college employment, a testament to the organization's profound impact that extends beyond individuals to families and entire communities. As pioneers in college support with a focus on graduation rates, Bottom Line effectively narrows the substantial gap between first-generation, low-income students and their more affluent peers.
Established in 1997 in Massachusetts, Bottom Line has steadily grown to assist thousands of aspiring degree holders from disadvantaged backgrounds on their journey to higher education. Presently, they serve over 8,000 students across four regions.
Bottom Line seeks to expand its impact in a radical way: to annually support 20,000 students in their educational journeys by 2030. To realize this ambitious vision, Bottom Line will deepen investment in Chicago, New York, Massachusetts, Ohio, Detroit and will continue expansion to new regions — including Houston.
Opportunity for Feedback:
The Founding Executive Director role is an exciting opportunity for a leader interested in having a transformative impact on Bottom Line’s reach in Houston- a city with both significant student need and robust philanthropic potential. Reporting directly to the Chief Regional Officer, the Executive Director will build the regional presence from the ground up, establishing an office, hiring and developing a team, forging partnerships across the education ecosystem, and raising the philanthropic capital required to sustain and scale the work. This leader will have a collaborative and relational mindset that allows them to be equally comfortable being the local face of Bottom Line and engaging with a wide variety of stakeholders, including students, staff, donors, and the external community. The Executive Director is also a member of Bottom Line’s Senior Leadership Team, which sets overall organizational strategy, representing the needs of the Houston area and developing and driving the strategy to implement work regionally. This is an ideal opportunity for a proven leader and fundraiser who is motivated to deliver incredible outcomes for students in Houston.
What You Will Do:
Strategic Leadership:
- In partnership with Bottom Line leadership, establish a clear and strategic growth plan for Houston aligned to national goals and program model.
- Translate vision into actionable milestones, particularly around student recruitment, program delivery, and fundraising.
- Work closely with the national program team to adapt Bottom Line’s model to Houston’s local context with the highest level of fidelity.
- Collaborate with the Chief Regional Officer and regional advisors to formulate the annual budget and craft a 3-year operational blueprint, aligning resources with the region's mission and enduring objectives.
- Build and maintain strong relationships across Bottom Line’s matrixed national organization, serving as an effective collaborator and advocate for Houston.
Fundraising & External Engagement:
- Spearhead fundraising efforts and act as the primary advocate for Bottom Line Houston, crafting and implementing a fundraising strategy to meet both short-term and long-term regional objectives.
- Build a robust portfolio of local funders, with emphasis on cultivating and closing relationships with individuals, foundations, and corporations.
- Elevate Bottom Line’s visibility in Houston, positioning the organization as a leading voice in college access and persistence.
- Establish, develop, and engage a Regional Advisory Board that will support fundraising and partnership efforts.
- Build strong partnerships with K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and peer nonprofit organizations, positioning Bottom Line as a collaborative and credible partner in the field.
People & Culture:
- Hire, develop, and retain a diverse founding team, including program, development, and operations staff.
- Ensure program outcomes are met, including student recruitment, advisor caseload management, and student success milestones.
- Provide strong leadership for a team of early-career advisors, fostering professional growth, accountability, and alignment to program goals.
- Build a positive, inclusive, and mission-driven culture that inspires staff to achieve ambitious outcomes.
- Ensure staff retention and engagement, particularly during the formative years of the region.
- Advocate for and bolster the organization’s foundational principles, policies, and dedication to racial equity, actively steering the organization towards a more anti-racist and multicultural stance.
Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without advanced notice.
Professional Qualifications:
- Possession of a Bachelor’s degree and legal work authorization.
- Proven track record of effectively leading and overseeing a high-performing organization, business unit, or team, particularly during periods of rapid growth and transition.
- Deep dedication to partnering with underserved students, guiding them towards suitable college options and supporting their journey to successful career launch.
- Demonstrated capability in formulating strategic direction amidst uncertainty and driving substantial organizational expansion.
- Execution-oriented mindset; unafraid of new challenges and eager to dive in and chart the path forward in the face of challenges and ambiguity.
- Established history of initiating, nurturing, and managing relationships with key stakeholders, including staff, corporations, foundations, high schools, and higher education institutions.
- Experience in revenue generation, preferably through personalized fundraising efforts.
- Experience operating in a matrixed organization or multi-site nonprofit environment preferred.
- Proficiency in managing business and financial operations, as well as adept utilization of technological tools essential for organizational success.
- Demonstrated commitment to Bottom Line’s Mission, Vision, and Core Values
Personal Characteristics:
All employees are expected to demonstrate continued growth within our seven core competencies. Competencies provide Bottom Line with a way to define, in behavioral terms, what it is that people need to do to produce the results that the organization desires, in a way that is in keeping with its culture. Bottom Line defines a competency as a cluster of related knowledge, skills and attitudes that affects a major part of one’s job that correlates with performance on the job, that can be measured against well-accepted standards, and that can be improved via training and development.
- Relationships: Identifies opportunities and takes action to build and maintain meaningful and collaborative connections with various stakeholders.
- Results: Produces quality outcomes; compiles and analyzes data to drive future plans; uses creative solutions.
- Communication: Effectively articulates information in a clear, concise and timely manner to a wide range of stakeholders.
- Inclusiveness: Creates and maintains an environment that respects and values the identities and cultures of all colleagues and students we serve.
- Talent Development: Actively contributes to the hiring, development, retention, and promotion of a highly effective team.
- Agility: Demonstrates adaptability and openness to shifting priorities, needs of stakeholders, and organizational changes.
- Planning: Effectively and efficiently uses resources (people, time, materials, technology) in order to create, meet, and assess both strategic and task-oriented goals.
At Bottom Line, we have a strong commitment to Community & Belonging. We aim to attract qualified candidates who hold these same values, and help us further recognize and celebrate the diversity among us.
How To Apply/Application Deadline:
All applications must be submitted via Bottom Line’s Career Page.
Please share your resume and cover letter.
The application deadline is January 2, 2026.
Start Date:
February/March 2026
Compensation:
$165,000 – 190,000
Benefits:
Learn about our benefits here.
Salary : $165,000 - $190,000