Homeward Pet Adoption Center - Executive Director

Position Profile

Title: Executive Director

Reports to: Board of Directors

2025 Annual Budget: ~$2.5M

Total FTE: 24.7 (29 head count)

The Opportunity

Homeward Pet is seeking a passionate leader who relishes the challenge to serve as our next Executive Director and guide us through an exciting period of change. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced, innovative, and inspiring change agent to step into a well-established, highly respected, 35-year-old nonprofit organization at a pivotal moment and lead it through the next chapter of meaningful evolution and growth. If you have a passion for animals and their welfare and possess the leadership skills to help Homeward Pet flourish and thrive into the future, we want to talk to you.

The Organization

Mission: Homeward Pet Adoption Center is a private, nonprofit animal shelter that transforms the lives of cats and dogs in need through compassionate medical care, positive behavior training, and successful adoption while building a more humane community through outreach and education.  

Vision: A community where every cat and dog has a safe, caring home.

Values

• Compassion: Treat all animals and people with respect and empathy
• Integrity: Act thoughtfully and communicate truthfully and transparently
• Commitment: Ensure the well-being of animals is central to every decision
• Collaboration: Foster an energetic and diverse community dedicated to animal welfare

The Position

Homeward Pet Adoption Center (Homeward Pet) is seeking an experienced and relational Executive Director (ED) who is passionate about our mission and able to lead the organization with excellence.  Accountable to, and in partnership with the Board of Directors, the ED will have overall strategic and operational responsibility for staff, programs, philanthropy, finances, and execution of the mission. Specific areas of accountability include leadership and management, board relations, fundraising and communications, strategic planning and execution, budgeting, program management, and community and stakeholder relations.  This includes public relations and serving as a liaison to the community, civic organizations and other animal welfare groups.

The ideal candidate will have a strategic mindset to lead future work, aligning the board, staff, volunteers, donors, and community partners under one vision. The ED will have proven experience transforming and diversifying funding, extending and stewarding organizational partnerships and relationships, increasing visibility, leading and mentoring staff, and supporting volunteers.

Leadership Imperatives

• Grow Homeward Pet into a fundraising powerhouse by partnering with the development team and board leaders to expand the donor base and secure the philanthropic support needed for long-term financial stability.
• Transform organizational culture by adopting improved structures, resources and practices to ensure program excellence, improve staff retention and boost morale.
• Cultivate an animal welfare Dream Team with your VIPs (Very Important Pet-supporters) by building meaningful, trust-based relationships with major donors, institutional funders, community groups, municipal officials, shelter staff, and key volunteers who have been championing Homeward Pet's mission.
• Orchestrate a strategic planning process that brings together board, staff, volunteers, and other stakeholders to create a shared vision and roadmap for Homeward Pet's future, including facilities improvements and a potential capital campaign.

Leadership Abilities
Candidates will be evaluated on the full range of their lived and learned experience, professional background, volunteer experience, and direct and transferable skills. Homeward Pet is seeking candidates with a compelling combination of demonstrated successes and skills in some, or all, of the following areas:

• Passion for the mission of Homeward Pet: Transforming the lives of cats and dogs in need through compassionate medical care, positive behavior training, and successful adoption while building a more humane community through outreach and education.
• Experience serving as an Executive Director, Deputy Director, CEO, COO, CAO, CFO, or similar role(s), or as a senior staff member of an organization, division, or department of comparable size.
• Broad understanding of all aspects of running nonprofit organizations (e.g., Human Resources, Marketing, Board Relations, Strategic Planning, Fund Development, Facilities, Budgeting, Financial Management, Program Management).
• Proven success in leading significant growth in philanthropic programs by raising money from foundations, individuals, corporations, and other sources. Comfortable interacting with high-net-worth individuals.

Cultivating operational excellence & change management

• Fostering a positive work environment that enables employees to perform at their highest potential.
• Establishing shared goals, clear and realistic expectations, and promoting collaboration across teams.
• Leading through change with sensitivity, clear vision, excellent communication, and emotional and social intelligence.
• Building and sustaining a team-based organizational culture that prioritizes staff development and professional growth.
• Translating high-level organizational priorities into actionable initiatives that drive organizational success.
• Communicating openly, honestly, and transparently, fostering trust and clarity within the organization.
• Modeling open, transparent, timely internal communications and supportive leadership.
• Implementing and maintaining best practices for financial management and reporting.
• Engaging with and being present, visible, approachable, and accessible for staff and volunteers.

Community engagement & external relations

• Developing and presenting compelling organizational narratives that effectively communicate mission, programs, and services.
• Expanding organizational awareness and visibility within local communities and with the general public.
• Serving as the face and voice of the organization.
• Advocating for animal protection and care.

Fundraising & donor relations

• Building and sustaining relationships with individuals, foundations, and corporations to secure funding.
• Developing and implementing major donor strategies.
• Cultivating and maintaining key donor relationships.

Volunteer relations

• Engaging with and stewarding volunteers who are integral to the mission.
• Building systems for volunteer feedback, recognition, and integration.
• Understanding how volunteer morale impacts public perception and internal culture.

Critical skills & characteristics

• Capital campaign execution
• History of leading successful fundraising programs
• Compassion and empathy
• Active listening
• Unquestionable ethics and integrity
• Data driven decision making and storytelling
• Proven ability to lead teams through change
• Modeling accountability
• Effective conflict resolution

Total Compensation & Benefits

The annual salary range for this position is $140,000 - $180,000 DOE

Homeward Pet Adoption Center is committed to supporting all employees through competitive salary and benefits, a commitment to equity and inclusion, and training and professional development opportunities.

The benefits package includes:

• Medical, Dental and Vision coverage (Homeward Pet pays a generous monthly amount towards these benefits)
• Pet insurance
• ADD Insurance
• EAP
• Generous PTO starting at 24 days per year for the first 5 years of service in addition to eight (8) paid holidays

To Be Considered 

The position is open until filled with a priority deadline of October 3, 2025, although we highly encourage applying as soon as possible. Cover letters (two pages or less) addressed to the ED Search Committee and a resume can be submitted to Valtas.

You may direct questions to Ed Rogan at ed@valtasgroup.com or Amy Burton at amy@valtasgroup.com

Salary : $140,000 - $180,000