Executive Director at Calyx Foundation

Note - this position is for an Executive Director at the Calyx Foundation ; CL Strategic, a consulting firm, is facilitating the hiring process.

Join our team to help serve Washington residents by increasing access to healthcare, employment, and stable housing.

About the Calyx Foundation

The Calyx Foundation is a nonprofit public charity located in Bellingham, Washington and founded in August 2025. Our mission is to serve the people of Washington state by increasing access to treatment, mental health services, and medical care; improving individuals' economic independence by preparing them for work and connecting them to employment; and expanding access to stable housing statewide. The Foundation’s approach is to pair permanent homes with voluntary, high-touch supports that help tenants stay housed, become healthier, and progress toward education and work.

We are in the early stages of developing Safeharbor Village, our flagship permanent supportive housing project in Whatcom County that unifies all three mission pillars on a single, thoughtfully designed campus. The project pairs permanently affordable cottages with voluntary onsite services to stabilize households experiencing or at imminent risk of homelessness, including people living with disabling behavioral health or physical conditions. In Safeharbor Village, the Foundation acts as mission-driven developer and long-term owner-steward, partnering with qualified service providers to deliver voluntary, integrated supports that help residents remain housed and thrive.

Position Summary

The Calyx Foundation is seeking a visionary and entrepreneurial Executive Director to lead our organization through its inaugural phase and into a future of sustainable growth. Founded in August 2025, the Foundation is at a critical startup juncture, requiring a leader who thrives in early-stage environments and possesses the risk-taking spirit necessary to build an organization from the ground up.

The Executive Director will be the primary architect of our strategic path, ensuring the successful development of Safeharbor Village—our flagship project. This role demands a dynamic, highly relational, and empathetic leader who can effectively move the organization’s mission forward by building strong partnerships across multiple sectors, developing a diverse fundraising strategy, and maintaining effective operational and financial oversight. Candidates must have a practical understanding of how to navigate the systems of housing, healthcare, and workforce development while building genuine trust with those we serve. As a leader, you will be responsible for creating a supportive environment for our justice-impacted employees and ensuring our programs effectively address the real-world systemic barriers faced by our community.

Essential Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership and Vision

• Lead all fundraising efforts by developing and executing a diverse fundraising strategy and cultivating strong relationships with donors, sponsors, and community partners
• Design and execute a multi-year, mission-aligned strategic plan, in collaboration with staff and the Board of Directors
• Guide the organization through short-term change and long-term transformation with empathy and adaptability
• Build and maintain meaningful partnerships with housing authorities and providers, health care systems, and organizations and other service providers to help individuals returning to the community establish a reliable support system
• Represent the Foundation at public events, fundraisers, and community gatherings to advocate for its core mission
• Foster a values-driven environment that prioritizes clarity, accountability, and healthy communication at all levels of the organization
• Initially manage 3 direct reports (up to 5 over the next year), responsible for different functions of the organization

Operational + Financial Oversight

• Maintain oversight of the organization’s financial health and lead all budgeting activities to ensure effective fiscal responsibility and risk management, in partnership with the Board of Directors
• Ensure operational excellence in organizational systems, tools, technology, and facilities, to support a high-functioning work environment
• Oversee adherence to all nonprofit compliance regulations at the local, state, and national levels
• Implement organizational policies, structures, and staffing needs to support sustainability and effectiveness
• Foster a collaborative and inclusive work environment where staff and volunteers feel heard, supported, and are held to clear standards of accountability
• Establish clear performance metrics and productivity goals to guide staff in managing workloads effectively
• Provide coaching, mentorship, and timely feedback to staff to support their professional growth

Board Relations & Governance

• Partner with the Board of Directors to ensure transparent governance, effective volunteer engagement, and strong strategic alignment
• Engage and inspire the Board to actively participate in fundraising, strategy, and ambassadorship
• Provide clear, consistent, and timely communication and actionable reports on operations, financial management, and strategic opportunities for board oversight and decision making
• Recommend and implement policies and procedures that align with legal compliance, industry best practices, and support the organization’s long-term growth

Programmatic Oversight

• Oversee all programming to ensure that programming remains inclusive, relevant, and mission-aligned
• Collaborate with the Assistant Executive Director to align programming with organizational goals
• Understand and support the breadth of the Calyx Foundation’s programming, including recovery-focused programs, support services, classes, and events
• Champion and advocate for criminal justice reform and reentry efforts

Required Qualifications

• Must either reside in Whatcom County, Washington or have deep knowledge of the community and area
• Demonstrated success in fundraising, donor cultivation, and development strategy
• Experience in strategic planning and leading an organization through early-stage growth or transitions
• Knowledge of financial regulations, nonprofit compliance, and budgeting
• Demonstrated track record of cross-system engagement and collaboration, from community members to institutional funders
• Proven experience in nonprofit executive leadership (two years minimum)
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, or a related field of study

Preferred Qualifications

• Clear communicator with the ability to represent the Foundation effectively in diverse settings
• Experience in staff supervision, performance management, and team development
• Skilled in conflict resolution, decision-making, and fostering an inclusive workplace
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with strong interpersonal effectiveness
• Collaborative leadership style with ability to partner effectively with the Board of Directors
• Ability to oversee and coordinate organizational systems and operations and experience building organizational infrastructure (policies, systems, operations) in a previous role
• Deep appreciation for public safety and improving outcomes for individuals reentering society
• Familiarity with individuals transitioning from active-duty service to civilian life as a veteran
• Understanding of governance best practices and nonprofit board dynamics
• Commitment to ethical leadership, transparency, and collaborative decision-making
• Fluency in leading racial equality initiatives and building inclusive teams

The Calyx Foundation’s benefits package includes:

• Health and dental insurance
• Retirement plan
• Tax deferred annuity plan
• 12 paid holidays per year
• 10 days of paid vacation and 3 personal leave days per year