Executive Director, Partners for Youth with Disabilities

Partners for Youth with Disabilities Seeks Executive Director

About Partners for Youth with Disabilities (PYD)

Founded in 1985, Partners for Youth with Disabilities (PYD) supports youth ages 12-30 with disabilities, including physical, intellectual, mental health, sensory, and learning disabilities, from Greater Boston and beyond. PYD’s mission is to empower and prepare youth with disabilities to reach their full potential as adults by providing a transformative continuum of mentoring programs, youth workforce development opportunities, and inclusion expertise.

PYD builds the skills and abilities of young people and increases the inclusivity of workplaces, organizations, and communities. The organization envisions a future where disabilities are embraced as part of the diversity that enriches our communities with equal opportunities for success and self-determination.

Since its founding, PYD has grown from one program serving nine youth to operating an array of award-winning programs, including mentoring, career readiness, and youth leadership. Each year, the organization supports more than 500 youth. Additionally, PYD has trained over 15,000 individuals from more than 600 organizations nationwide in inclusion best practices since 1985.

Headquartered in Boston, MA, PYD has a staff of 21 and an annual budget of approximately $ 2.5 million. The organization benefits from the engagement and oversight of a mission-driven Board of Directors that partners with the leadership team to ensure PYD’s continued growth and sustainability.

Opportunity Going Forward

As Partners for Youth with Disabilities (PYD) celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2025, the organization stands at a pivotal moment. Over the past four decades, PYD has empowered thousands of youth with disabilities through mentoring, career readiness programs, leadership training, and inclusion services.

Today, the demand for PYD’s services is greater than ever, as youth with disabilities face increasing uncertainty in public support. As a recognized expert in the field with an exceptional team, dedicated supporters, and a continuum of impactful programs, PYD is uniquely suited to respond to this moment.

PYD is seeking its next Executive Director to fulfill the vision of its current strategic plan by strengthening organizational operations, increasing programmatic impact, and enhancing financial sustainability. The next ED will be ready to harness the energy of a passionate and talented team, a decades-long track record of impact, and the opportunity to improve and expand programming to ensure PYD continues to thrive and deliver life-changing services for years to come.

Key priorities for the Executive Director include:

• Strengthen private fundraising operations and increase individual and corporate giving.
• Leverage and grow PYD’s multiple fee-for-service models to diversify revenue streams and expand impact. This includes bringing the LEARN platform, a pilot-stage, fee-for-service program that provides accessible online inclusion resources for educators and employers, to full market readiness.
• Integrate and strengthen a continuum of programs that deliver on PYD’s mission to prepare youth for success in adulthood
• Bolster community partnerships to increase accessibility and program enrollment among underserved populations.
• Continue to grow and diversify the board, with a focus on recruiting new members with fundraising and/or fiscal management experience
• Support staff professional development and growth
• Foster cross-program alignment and collaboration
• Amplify PYD’s brand and expertise

Profile of the Ideal Candidate

The next Executive Director of PYD will be a dynamic, mission-driven leader with the vision and skills to guide the organization through its next phase of growth. Ideal candidates will bring a combination of leadership experience, fundraising expertise, and a strong commitment to equity and inclusion for youth with disabilities.

Required qualifications for the position include:

• A compelling connection to PYD’s mission and work
• Demonstrated leadership experience in a management role, ideally with organization(s) in youth development, education, disability services, or related fields.
• A successful track record as a fundraiser, including oversight of individual, foundation, and corporate donors and revenue goals of $1m+; experience with fee-for-service models preferred.

It is expected that the next ED of PYD will have most of the following skills and experiences:

Innovative and Entrepreneurial Organizational Leader

• Forward-looking, creative thinker who can balance mission integrity with innovation and sustainability.
• Resilient and opportunistic, with a proven ability to manage organizations and/or teams through growth and change.
• Strong financial acumen, with the ability to manage budgets, prioritize resources, and ensure fiscal health.

Experienced People Manager and Culture Builder

• Approachable and visible leader who can connect authentically with staff, youth, partners, and board members.
• Collaborative leader who values the expertise of team members and incorporates it into key decisions.
• Transparent communicator who shares the “why” behind decisions.
• Proven track record as a successful manager who supports the professional development of their team members.

Compelling Fundraiser & External Representative

• Experience developing fee-for-service models and other entrepreneurial approaches to revenue growth.
• Strong marketing and communication skills, able to compellingly convey PYD’s mission and impact to diverse audiences.
• Confidence and effectiveness in cultivating high-level donor and corporate relationships, including making major financial asks.
• Skilled in board development and engagement, including recruitment of new members and strengthening governance.
• Comfort and skill in serving as the public face of an organization.

Schedule, Compensation, and Benefits

PYD offers work-from-home flexibility with in-office time that aims to create opportunities for meaningful interactions, strengthen staff connections, and encourage cross-program collaboration. PYD’s office at the Nonprofit Center in Boston is available five days a week. Barring inflexible external commitments, the ED will be in the office on Mondays (with all staff) and Tuesdays (with leadership/managers). She/He/They can work from the office or from home Wednesday-Friday. The ED is expected to travel around the Greater Boston area for funder meetings, events, and external commitments during and outside of typical work hours.

This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position with a starting annual salary range of $125,000 to $150,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications. PYD also offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance with a generous employer contribution, employer-paid Life and AD&D insurance, 401(k) retirement plan with 3% employer contribution, PTO, sick time, personal time, 14 holidays/year, and flexible work scheduling.

Application Process and Additional Information

At Partners for Youth with Disabilities, we are committed to equal opportunity and the diversity of our workforce and strongly encourage diverse applicants to apply. We strive to have our staff represent the full diversity of the youth and families we serve.

To Apply: Candidates must include a resume and a cover letter that describes how their qualifications and experience match the needs and mission of PYD. If taking the job would require a candidate to move to the Greater Boston area, s/he/they should mention why that is a good fit for them at this time. Applications will be accepted until the position has been filled. Upload required documents to: https://eostransitions.applicantpool.com/jobs/

Eos Transition Partners consultant Erin Cox is managing this search. All submissions are confidential, and any questions can be submitted to Erin at: ecox@eostransitions.com or erin@erinjcox.com.