Lead a Mission That Is Changing the Lives of Young People

Lead the Next Chapter of PEER Kindness

Montrose, Colorado | $90,000–$110,000

In 2015, after losing their daughter Caitlyn to suicide following years of bullying, Todd and Maya Haynes faced a choice: allow grief to define the rest of their story, or transform that grief into action.

They chose action.

Together with family members, volunteers, educators, and community leaders, they created PEER Kindness—a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that young people feel safe, seen, valued, and supported.

What began as a response to tragedy has grown into a movement centered on kindness, empathy, respect, and belonging.

Today, PEER Kindness partners with schools, families, businesses, youth organizations, and community leaders to reduce bullying and create cultures where young people can thrive. Our work is guided by the PEER stance: Positive, Encouraging, Empathetic, and Respectful.

Now, we're looking for the leader who will help write the next chapter.

The Opportunity

PEER Kindness is at an exciting point in its journey.

We have built a strong reputation, meaningful community partnerships, impactful programs, and a dedicated base of supporters. We are financially stable, mission-focused, and deeply connected to the community we serve.

At the same time, we are entering a period of growth.

In addition to our direct-service work supporting youth and families, we are developing "PK in a Box", an innovative train-the-trainer certification model designed to equip educators, youth-serving organizations, and community leaders with practical tools for creating safer, kinder environments. What began in Montrose has the potential to expand throughout Colorado and beyond.

This role offers a rare opportunity to lead an organization with both a strong foundation and significant growth potential.

We are seeking an Executive Director who can honor the heart of this mission while helping build the infrastructure, partnerships, visibility, and sustainability needed to take PEER Kindness into its next phase of impact.

Who Thrives Here

This role is for a leader who enjoys building.

You understand how to grow organizations, develop relationships, inspire teams, and turn vision into action. You are equally comfortable meeting with a donor, collaborating with a board member, supporting a staff member, or representing an organization in the community.

You may come from nonprofit leadership, education, healthcare, community development, philanthropy, government, or another mission-driven field. What matters most is your ability to lead with purpose, build trust, and create lasting impact.

If you're excited by the opportunity to help shape the future of an organization that is changing the lives of young people, we'd love to hear from you.

What You'll Help Build

Financial Sustainability You'll deepen relationships with existing donors, expand funding opportunities, diversify revenue streams, and build a development strategy that supports both current programs and future growth.

Expanded Community Impact You'll ensure our existing programs continue to serve youth and families effectively while identifying opportunities to deepen and broaden our impact.

Scalable Innovation You'll guide the continued growth of PK in a Box and help position PEER Kindness as a recognized leader in creating safer, more supportive environments for young people.

Strong People and Teams You'll support and empower staff, volunteers, and board members while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning.

Organizational Capacity You'll strengthen systems, processes, and infrastructure to support a growing organization while preserving the values and culture that define PEER Kindness.

Community Leadership You'll serve as a visible ambassador for the organization, cultivating strong relationships with schools, businesses, funders, elected officials, community organizations, families, and youth.

Leadership Competencies

Exceptional leaders come from many backgrounds. While experience matters, the competencies below will be critical to success in this role.

Strategic Leadership You can see both the big picture and the path forward. You connect vision to action and help others understand where the organization is headed and why.

Fundraising & Resource Development You understand how to cultivate meaningful relationships that lead to investment. You can communicate impact, inspire support, and build sustainable funding strategies.

Relationship Building You build authentic connections with donors, staff, volunteers, board members, educators, families, community leaders, and partners.

Organizational Stewardship You appreciate that mission and management go hand in hand. You value accountability, sound financial management, compliance, and operational excellence.

Emotional Intelligence You lead with empathy, humility, self-awareness, and resilience. You communicate clearly, navigate challenges professionally, and build trust through consistency and integrity.

Talent Development You know how to support, coach, mentor, and challenge people to grow. You create environments where individuals and teams can do their best work.

Key Areas of Responsibility

While no two days look exactly the same, the Executive Director's primary areas of focus include:

Revenue Generation & Fund Development

• Lead fundraising efforts across individual donors, foundations, corporations, sponsors, and government funding sources
• Cultivate and steward donor relationships
• Oversee grant strategy, reporting, and compliance
• Develop annual fundraising plans and revenue goals
• Communicate organizational impact through meaningful data and storytelling

People & Program Leadership

• Provide leadership and oversight for programs and initiatives
• Ensure programs remain aligned with mission and community needs
• Recruit, develop, and support staff and volunteers
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and mission-driven culture
• Build partnerships that expand organizational impact

Organizational Leadership & Operations

• Partner with the Board of Directors to establish strategic priorities
• Ensure financial health, compliance, and organizational sustainability
• Develop and oversee annual budgets
• Strengthen systems and processes that support organizational growth
• Support governance, planning, and long-term organizational development

Experience That Will Help You Succeed

Rather than requiring a specific career path, we're looking for evidence that you have successfully led people, managed resources, built relationships, and achieved meaningful results.

Successful candidates will likely bring many of the following:

• Leadership experience in a nonprofit, educational, public sector, healthcare, philanthropic, or mission-driven organization
• Experience securing funding through grants, donor cultivation, sponsorships, or major gifts
• Budgeting and financial oversight responsibilities
• Staff leadership, supervision, and team development experience
• Strategic planning and organizational development experience
• Community engagement and partnership-building experience
• Strong communication and presentation skills
• Experience working with boards, advisory groups, or governing bodies

A bachelor's degree is preferred. Equivalent combinations of education, leadership experience, and demonstrated success will also be considered.

Spanish language proficiency is welcomed but not required.

Why Montrose?

Nestled on Colorado's Western Slope, Montrose offers a rare combination of meaningful community, exceptional quality of life, and access to some of the most spectacular outdoor recreation in the country.

This is a place where professional purpose and personal lifestyle can genuinely coexist.

Residents enjoy a welcoming community, excellent recreation opportunities, a growing regional economy, and easy access to destinations such as Telluride, Ouray, Ridgway, Moab, and the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

For leaders seeking both impact and balance, Montrose offers an exceptional place to call home.

A Final Thought

PEER Kindness exists because a family chose to turn unimaginable loss into purpose—and because a community chose to stand beside them.

The next Executive Director will inherit more than a position.

You will inherit a mission that matters, a legacy worth protecting, and an opportunity to help shape the lives of young people for years to come.

If that responsibility excites you, we'd love to hear from you.

Paid holidays and generous paid time off

Health coverage through Trailhead Clinics

Flexible work schedule

Hybrid flexibility when operationally appropriate

Professional development support

Spanish language proficiency is welcomed but not required.