Executive Director

Reports to: Board Chair and Board of Directors

Salary: $90,000 - $100,000 /Annually

Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, PTO, Retirement (see benefits for full detail)

Hours: Full-time, Exempt, 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday with occasional evening or weekend responsibilities

Location: Salem, Oregon

About Us

Connections365 is a faith-based 501C3 nonprofit organization committed to supporting youth, adults, and families in need. Founded in 1989 and formerly known as the Christian Community Placement Center (CCPC), the organization is rooted in the Christian values of Faith, Hope, and Love and delivers services through three program areas: residential services, mental health counseling, and mentoring. Across all programs, Connections365 provides youth with case management, counseling, educational services, and skill-building, partnering with families, schools, caseworkers, churches, and other community agencies. The organization serves clients from all walks of life and is committed to non-discrimination in all of its practices.

Connections365 is at a meaningful moment in its history. Following the loss of its long-tenured Executive Director, whose decades of leadership shaped every aspect of the organization’s culture, programs, and relationships, the team is both grieving and hopeful. They are looking for a leader who will honor what has been built while guiding Connections365 through an important transition in leadership, programming, and funding, one that positions the organization for long-term sustainability and continued impact in the lives of youth and families.

About You

You are a seasoned nonprofit leader who knows how to guide mission-driven organizations through transition, change, and long-term growth. You bring the steadiness, warmth, and judgment needed to lead in a setting where trust, communication, and relational credibility matter deeply. You know that stepping into a longstanding, close-knit organization means listening before acting, and you bring the patience and humility to hold space for a grieving team while providing the clear, forward-looking leadership they need. You are not looking to come in and change everything. You are looking to understand what has been built, honor it, and help shape what comes next.

You have deep experience in fundraising, external relationship-building, and financial leadership. You know how to cultivate donors, steward funders, build community partnerships, and tell an organization's story in ways that grow support and strengthen visibility. You bring strong business and financial acumen, understanding nonprofit finance, operations, and compliance as tools for protecting and advancing mission. You have experience working closely with boards, providing clear accountability, and building the kind of governance culture that supports long-term organizational health. If the faith foundation that has shaped Connections365 resonates with your own values and approach to leadership, you will find an especially meaningful home here.

Position Summary

The Executive Director of Connections365 reports directly to the Board of Directors. The Executive Director carries responsibility for the full scope of organizational leadership, including overall strategy, fundraising, financial stewardship, internal operations, policy implementation, program oversight, staff supervision and evaluation, compliance, and board partnership. This position ensures that Connections365 remains mission-centered, financially disciplined, operationally sound, and well-positioned to serve youth and families in a changing human services landscape.

A central responsibility for this role is helping Connections365 strengthen long-term sustainability. This includes leading fundraising and community engagement efforts, stewarding key partnerships, guiding financial strategy, improving infrastructure and systems, and helping the Board and staff align around a realistic and sustainable path forward. The Executive Director directly supervises two (2) Program Directors, the Administrative Director, and the Comptroller, and serves as the primary external ambassador for the organization with funders, state agencies, community partners, and the broader Salem community.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

Organizational Leadership & Operations

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  Oversee day-to-day organizational operations to ensure high-quality service delivery, regulatory compliance, and effective internal coordination

• Lead strategic planning efforts in partnership with staff and board, ensuring disciplined execution aligned with organizational capacity, funding realities, and mission impact

• Oversee HR policies and practices to support ongoing staff development, performance management, and fair compensation

• Build strong internal delegation structures and communication systems to distribute leadership responsibility and empower staff to operate with clarity and confidence

• Assess and address key staffing gaps, including case management, HR support, and on-call supervisory coverage, in partnership with program directors

• Foster a collaborative, communicative, and mission-centered culture that supports staff alignment, professional development, morale, and retention

Fundraising, Development & Community Partnerships

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  Lead the organization's fundraising strategy in cultivating major gifts and building a diversified revenue base across individual donors, foundations, faith-based organizations, and corporate and community partners

• Serve as the organization's primary ambassador and storyteller with donors, churches, civic leaders, peer organizations, funders, and public agencies, building brand visibility and credibility

• Partner with the Board of Directors to activate board members as fundraising ambassadors and community connectors

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  Strengthen and expand partnerships with state agencies, peer organizations, advocacy networks, and community alliance

• Assess and pursue programmatic growth opportunities aligned with community need, organizational capacity, and sustainable funding

• Pursue grant opportunities aligned with organizational priorities, overseeing proposal development and funder stewardship

Board Governance & Leadership

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  Partner closely with the Board of Directors to support strong governance, strategic alignment, and organizational accountability

• Provide the Board with regular, clear, and decision-ready information related to finances, operations, compliance, risk, and strategic direction

• Collaborate and support the Board in strengthening committee work, fundraising engagement, goal setting, executive evaluation, and long-term planning

• Maintain healthy boundaries between governance and operations while building a strong and collaborative board-executive partnership

Financial & Business Leadership

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  Provide strong financial oversight and business leadership, including management of the annual budget, monthly financial reporting, and long-term financial planning

• Monitor funding streams, including government contracts, insurance reimbursements, and philanthropic revenue, to ensure financial solvency and sustainability

• Partner with the Comptroller and board finance committee to ensure accurate, timely financial reporting and compliance with all audit and regulatory requirements

• Make disciplined decisions about staffing, program scope, contracts, facilities, and resource allocation grounded in financial reality and mission alignment

• Oversee responsible stewardship and maintenance of the organization's physical campus, equipment, vehicles, and assets

Program Oversight, Compliance & Systems Navigation

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  Maintain executive oversight of compliance with all applicable state and federal regulations, including accreditation and OAR standards for licensing, contractual, documentation, and regulatory requirements governing residential and mental health programs serving youth

• Support program directors in maintaining high-quality, mission-aligned, and sustainable services across behavioral residential services, mental health, and mentoring

• Stay informed of changes in Oregon regulations, current trends, policy shifts, and funding in health, human services, and youth-serving sectors, particularly as federal and state funding landscapes continue to evolve

• Maintain and strengthen productive relationships with DHS, OYA, mental health systems, and other youth-serving partners

• Monitor agency records, personnel documentation, and operational practices meet applicable requirements and sound nonprofit standards

Minimum Qualifications

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  Advanced degree in social work, counseling, psychology, nonprofit leadership, public administration, business, or a related field, or a combination of education and executive experience that demonstrates strong readiness for the role

• Experience in nonprofit human services, behavioral health, youth services, residential care, or related settings

• 5 years of senior nonprofit leadership experience with direct responsibility for organizational operations, team leadership, and strategic decision-makin

• 5 years' experience with budgeting, financial analysis, reporting, operational decision-making, and long-range planning

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  3 years' experience in fundraising and revenue development, including stewarding donor, grant, philanthropic, institutional, public funding, or corporate relationships

• Proven experience maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders and working effectively in partnership with nonprofit boards

• Knowledge of the requirements for providing care and treatment appropriate to the agency's programs, and ability to maintain records on children and families, personnel, and the agency in accordance with applicable regulations

• Familiarity of various treatment approaches, staff development, treatment planning, case management, and the use of community resources

• Valid Oregon driver's license, current auto insurance, and a driving record that meets agency insurability requirements

• Ability to successfully complete a background investigation, including criminal history check, employment verification, education verification, and reference checks

Preferred Qualifications

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  Experience within Oregon systems connected to mental health, DHS, OYA, or related youth-serving networks, including knowledge of OARs governing residential and mental health programs

• Existing relationships with Salem-area funders, community organizations, and state agency partners

• Experience with mental health billing, insurance panels, and outpatient clinic operations

• Familiarity with contract-based nonprofit funding and the challenges of contracts, earned revenue, grants, and philanthropy

• Alignment with or respect for the faith-based values and mission that have grounded Connections365 since its founding

Benefits

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  100% Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance (employee only)

• 2 weeks Paid Time Off

• 12 days Sick Leave

• 9 Paid Holidays

• 403b Retirement Plan with 3% employer match

How to Apply

Nonprofit Professionals Now (NPN) is pleased to support Connections365 in filling this key leadership position.

All applications must include a resume and a cover letter describing your interest and relevant leadership experience. Once materials are submitted, NPN staff will review as part of the hiring process.

Application Deadline: May 10, 2026

Connections365 is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from candidates with a broad range of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. The organization believes that each team member makes a significant contribution to our success, and this job description is designed to outline primary duties, qualifications, and job scope, but not limit the incumbent or the organization to just the work identified.