Executive Director

Executive Director – Environmental Justice Nonprofit (Cincinnati, Ohio)

Groundwork Ohio River Valley Background

Groundwork Ohio River Valley (GWORV) is where justice and the environment meet. Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, GWORV is the Cincinnati-area Trust of the national Groundwork USA network, a community-based environmental justice nonprofit pairing the nation’s largest youth green workforce with community priorities to impact policy and build power in neighborhoods carrying the weight of industrial legacy and climate change.

Through paid, neighborhood-based youth workforce development programs like our Green Team and Green Corps, we connect youth employment with hands-on environmental restoration, planting trees across Cincinnati’s most climate-vulnerable neighborhoods, and turning vacant lots, brownfields, and flood-prone streets into green infrastructure, community trails, and career pathways. Everything we do is shaped by the residents who live there. If you want nonprofit leadership work that changes both landscapes and lives, you’re in the right place.

Executive Director

Overview

GWORV is seeking candidates for the Executive Director (ED) position, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Given the dynamic nature of GWORV, this individual will be responsible for vision setting and fundraising strategy for the organization. The Executive Director will work closely with the Senior Program Director, Operations Director, Finance Manager, and Board of Directors to develop program goals, long-term strategy, and fundraising. They will report to the Board of Directors. This nonprofit executive leadership position oversees all programs, including youth workforce development and community climate resilience initiatives, with support from staff (approximately 10 year-round, full-time employees), the Board, and partners.

Groundwork thrives on partnerships, and building, maintaining, and nurturing relationships with local, regional, and national stakeholders is paramount to this role.

Why Now

GWORV is entering an exciting period of strategic growth. Like many nonprofits nationally, we recognize that today’s funding environment, with growing uncertainty around federal grants, calls for a more diversified approach. As part of our long-term vision, we’re building a funding model that broadens our base of individual donors and potential service based revenue opportunities alongside our strong foundation of institutional and government support. This work reflects deliberate, forward-thinking planning, positioning GWORV for long-term resilience and giving us more flexibility to invest in the neighborhoods and people we serve. The ED will play a central role in shaping this strategy, with success measured by a diversified, sustainable funding portfolio and a clear, confident plan for GWORV’s future.

Job Responsibilities and Duties

Strategic Management and Fundraising

• Set the strategic direction for GWORV, align that strategy with the Board and staff, and identify unique opportunities for the organization to develop new initiatives
• Oversee the development of a sustainable, diversified fundraising strategy, expanding individual giving and potential service based revenue alongside institutional funding, to grow the organization’s budget (currently $2 million) and attract unrestricted funds
• Lead implementation of the fundraising strategy, identifying appropriate funding opportunities and playing a key role in grant writing and donor stewardship

Community and Partnership Development

• Cultivate and manage diverse relationships with community members, community-based organizations, city agencies, elected officials at all levels of government, charitable foundations, and other funding sources
• Communicate with Groundwork USA and other Groundwork Trusts, local partners, and federal, state, county, and municipal agencies, including the National Park Service, US-EPA, NOAA, and the US Forest Service

Operational Oversight

• Oversee all budgeting efforts, including budget development, management, and financial reporting, in collaboration with key staff
• Work with staff to plan, implement, and evaluate program activities, and to document and communicate GWORV’s successes and results
• Manage and develop staff, including hiring, delegating appropriate responsibilities, team-building, coaching, and evaluation
• Uphold GWORV’s culture and values by fostering a positive, team-oriented environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Passion for GWORV’s mission and values around social and environmental justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion
• Strategic and visionary nonprofit leader with demonstrated success managing programs, teams, and organizational growth
• Demonstrated fundraising and financial acumen, including success developing and executing fundraising strategies across government, foundation, corporate, and individual donor sources; strong grant-writing skills; and experience with budget development, contract management, and funder reporting cycles
• Skilled relationship-builder and spokesperson, comfortable representing GWORV publicly and engaging a diverse range of partners, donors, and community members
• Effective, values-driven staff manager who fosters a positive team culture through respect, patience, and a sense of humor
• High level of cultural competency, with experience working in diverse settings and a track record of excellence in fast-paced  environments
• Previous experience in a mission-driven organization with programming related to environmental issues, nature conservantion, community development, youth development, education, and/or urban planning

Education & Experience: No specific degree is required — we place greater weight on demonstrated experience than on formal credentials. We’re seeking candidates with 5+ years of experience leading teams, managing budgets, and driving fundraising strategy within a nonprofit, government, or other mission-driven setting. A degree in a relevant field (nonprofit management, environmental studies, urban planning, or similar) is a plus, but it’s a candidate’s track record and capabilities that matter most to us. 

Employee Benefits Overview

• Full-time, exempt
• Starting annual salary: $70,000–$110,000 per year, based on experience
• Hybrid work environment (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in the Lower Price Hill, Cincinnati office). The nature of the work means some time may be spent outdoors throughout the year, with some evenings and weekends required.
• Immediate eligibility for employer-sponsored benefits for employees working at least 30 hours per week, including:
• Employer-sponsored health insurance, including an H.S.A. option
• Employer-sponsored dental and vision insurance
• SIMPLE IRA with 3% employer match
• $50,000 of employer-paid life insurance benefits
• 160 hours of paid time off per year, not including paid holidays

Local residents are strongly encouraged to apply. Groundwork is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an environment that welcomes and embraces diversity. Groundwork does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status. People of Color and those with other marginalized identities are strongly encouraged to apply.