Executive Director

Introduction

The Junior League of Richmond (JLR) is currently hiring an Executive Director to provide visionary leadership and manage the daily operations of the League’s key functions. In partnership with the JLR Board of Directors, the Executive Director will be responsible for planning and implementing JLR strategies, managing operations and staff, and providing support and structure to the organization. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of pursuing and attaining operational excellence within nonprofit organizations, managing the financial health of an organization, and sustaining a marketing and fundraising plan. The Executive Director will bring forward thinking action, teamwork, and collaboration, while honoring the JLR’s 100-year history of advancing women's leadership for meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration, and training.

About the Junior League of Richmond

Founded in 1926, the Junior League of Richmond is a nonprofit organization of women whose mission is to advance women’s leadership for meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration, and training. Our membership comprises over 550 women in the Greater Richmond area who engage in service projects, professional and leadership training, and networking events throughout the year. Our signature fundraising events are Touch a Truck, Book & Author, and Giving Week. The Junior League of Richmond (JLR) also operates a store in Carytown called The Clothes Rack that generates funds for JLR community programs and membership training. The Clothes Rack’s sales are made possible entirely by the generous donations of clothing, household items, and furnishings from our members, our sustainers, and the community at large. Our staff includes two employees at our JLR Headquarters office and twelve employees at The Clothes Rack.

During our 2025-2026 fiscal year, we are celebrating our Centennial year. We have events and programs planned for our members, sustainers, and community partners to celebrate this amazing milestone and prepare our league for the next 100 years. The signature event of our Centennial Celebration will be our Centennial Gala on January 24, 2026 at Main Street Station.

Position Overview

The Executive Director is the senior leader responsible for the successful management, administration, and strategic advancement of JLR. In collaboration with the Board of Directors, the ED will lead operations, financial management, fundraising, marketing and communications, and strategy development and implementation. This role requires a dynamic, mission-driven leader who brings a combination of nonprofit expertise, strategic thinking, and exceptional interpersonal skills. Specific responsibilities include:

Operational and Human Resources Management – 40%

General Operations

• Lead day-to-day operations of JLR, including membership services, marketing, communications, event management, and administrative functions, to ensure efficient and effective programs and services
• Manage vendors, creating preferred vendor list and managing relationships and expectations
• Drive continuous improvement in operational processes, policies and practices
• Lead and support JLR thrift store operations, assisting with marketing, budgets, staffing, and volunteer opportunities
• Assure effective new member and new leadership onboarding processes, including organization of leadership retreats and learning events
• Assure strong support levels to all members and retired members, providing information, guidance and direction
• Ensure the delivery of high-quality services, programs, and events that add value to members and advance the mission
• Engage in special projects as directed by the Board
• Manages physical upkeep of JLR’s offices and thrift store, which includes managing vendor services that support maintenance and resolving necessary repairs for each location

Human Resources

• Hire, train, and coach small staff of 2 full-time and several part-time associates to high performance, offering regular coaching and feedback
• Collaborate with the executive board and HR committee to implement performance metrics/key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure progress of staff
• Manage employee benefits plans, and audit monthly invoices for accuracy
• Work with insurance brokers, providing census information as requested and
• Enroll and onboard all employees with role clarity, policies, required paperwork and benefits information and process any status or benefits changes
• Manage employee SIMPLE IRA, implementation and administration
• Develop strong work culture, respond to employee relations and performance issues, handling performance improvement conversations or conflict situations

Financial Management – 20%

• Develop and manage annual budgets, financial forecasts, and financial reporting to ensure fiscal responsibility and sustainability
• Identify opportunities for revenue generation, cost-saving initiatives, and investment strategies to optimize financial performance and support long-term growth
• Provides financial guidance to Vice Presidents, Directors, and Committee Leaders with monthly and on-demand reports and real-time information
• Maintains compliance with all federal, state, and local tax requirements, communicating important tax and IRS developments
• Manage day-to-day accounting operations and cash flow, with the partnership of outside CPA firm; provide CPA firm with draft statements, footnotes, tax forms, and supporting documentation

Strategic Leadership and Board Relationship – 20%

• Collaborate with the Board and key stakeholders to implement strategic plans, objectives, and policies
• Stay abreast of community needs, regulatory changes, and best practices to guide decision-making and enhance the membership, services and community impact of The Junior League of Richmond
• Provide a marketing and advertising plan to enhance JLR’s visibility, programs and events
• Lead organizational development of the organization, including helping new board members onboard into roles, and ensure staff development
• Prepare for board meetings, committees, and task forces, providing guidance and support to board members in governance matters, strategic decision-making, and adherence to bylaws and policies.
• Create strategies to recruit new members, market the Junior League of Richmond through various mediums, and create value propositions for membership

Fundraising – 20%

• Collaborate with Board and Fund Development Committee to create an annual fundraising plan with goals and to create a campaign and giving strategy
• Attend and lead overall fundraising activities, while creating guidance and support for all committee fundraising events
• Produce and regularly update financial reporting for fundraising events, campaigns, sponsorships, and individual gifts
• Develop and implement an annual donor cultivation and engagement plan in partnership with the Vice President of Fund Development and Fund Development Committee Leaders
• Create and strengthen sponsorship opportunities for JLR events and community programs
• Meet or exceed annual fundraising goals in partnership with the Vice President of Fund Development and the Fund Development Committees

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred, or the equivalent in substantial, relevant work experience
• Minimum of 8 years of successful experience with considerable knowledge of the nonprofit sector, preferably in a membership organization
• Demonstrated ability to lead a nonprofit organization with strong general administrative, organizational, management, partnership-building skills
• Ability to conceptualize, co-create and implement organizational growth and membership goals
• Able to implement measurable strategies and concrete actions that advance the mission
• Considerable people management skills and human resources management experience
• Exceptional interpersonal skills: proven success in building strong and productive work teams and ability to motivate and inspire others to achieve goals
• Possess relevant accounting and financial knowledge, including budgeting, managing expenses, tax exemption status and financial oversight
• General fundraising experience and the ability to relate comfortably with a variety of funding sources
• Experience with annual giving, capital campaigns, and planned giving
• Strong technology skills, including social media, accounting software, and member databases
• Strong volunteer and event-planning background a plus

Job Details

Reports To: JLR Board of Directors

Schedule: Full Time; 40 hours per week required.

Location: Onsite/In-Person

Exempt/Non-Exempt: Exempt

People Management: Will directly supervise three team members.

Compensation: Commensurate with experience.

Benefits: Health insurance reimbursement, dental insurance, retirement

plan with company match, paid holidays, Paid Time Off (PTO), short-term and long-term disability, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA).

How to Apply

To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume to this job posting. Within the cover letter, you should include your salary requirements. This job posting will close no later than September 30, 2025.

Start Date

The ideal Executive Director candidate will be available to start work in October 2025.

The Junior League of Richmond is an Equal Opportunity Employer.