Chief Executive Officer

POSITION SUMMARY:

Reports to: Board of Directors

Location: New York City (hybrid remote work policy; not fully remote)

Budget: ~$21 million annually

Team: 75+ professionals

Overview:

Girls Who Code seeks a mission-driven, visionary leader of leaders to guide the organization through its next chapter of innovation, growth, and impact. The Chief Executive Officer will be a creative, resilient, strategic change-agent and hands-on leader who builds on our strong foundation while positioning us for the rapidly evolving tech and social landscape beyond coding. They will also lead through uncertain times with nimbleness, structure, and the momentum to adapt and innovate.

The CEO will lead implementation of our recently adopted Strategic Plan—Five by Five—and evolve long-range plans consistent with our mission, vision, and values. They inherit a well-recognized, financially sound organization with approximately $21 million in annual revenue and strong net assets with a high-functioning executive team, diverse funders, and a fiercely loyal community of students, alumni, and educators.

External Advocacy

The CEO serves as chief spokesperson for Girls Who Code, representing the organization across private, public, and corporate sectors. As a visible and persuasive advocate, they will passionately articulate our mission, program offerings, and impact while strengthening relationships with partners, funders, policymakers, and the public.

As chief fundraiser with proven experience in corporate fundraising, the CEO will activate their network, secure major gifts, amplify the organization's voice, and position Girls Who Code as a thought leader in emerging technologies and diversity in tech.

Strategic Leadership

The CEO holds overall strategic and operational responsibility for staff, programs, expansion, and execution of our mission. They lead the Executive Leadership Team across fundraising, finance and administration, operations, programs, communications, data and evaluation, people and culture, and governance.

In partnership with the Board and leadership team, the CEO will develop annual and long-term goals, expand our high-quality programs while ensuring they evolve to meet community needs, and serve as a strong steward of financial resources. They will work closely with the Board to ensure sound governance, fiscal sustainability, and alignment of organizational priorities with our long-term vision.

Internal Leadership

The CEO is the culture-keeper—overseeing successful delivery of complex, high-quality programs and ensuring staff are supported in an organizational culture rooted in inclusivity, respect, collaboration, and accountability. As a hands-on leader of leaders, they will inspire teams, champion operational and financial excellence, and model the values that define Girls Who Code.

LEADER PROFILE:

The successful candidate will be an authentic, inclusive, and strategic executive who listens deeply, mobilizes resources, and empowers others. They will have demonstrated success assimilating into a new organization and leading through complex and uncertain times.

A passionate advocate, change-agent, relationship-builder, proven fundraiser and compelling storyteller, the ideal candidate will inspire external partners and funders to invest in our mission. They will be an engaged, mission-driven, courageous, curious, nimble, and approachable executive who fosters an environment of bravery, collaboration, inclusion, and activism.

Our ideal leader innovates and thinks big picture while staying connected to day-to-day operations, someone who values both rapid iteration and careful planning and genuinely believes in the power of inclusive technology to create positive change. All candidates will be evaluated against a discrete set of professional competencies deemed critical for success in this role.

This is an extraordinary opportunity for an inspirational, innovative, results-oriented leader of leaders to shape the future of a well-run organization with a strong brand at the forefront of closing the gender gap in technology.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Fundraising

• Lead fundraising efforts, including board involvement, personally cultivating and soliciting donors, and supervising development staff
• Generate and mobilize resources across corporate, foundation and public sectors
• Expand GWC's donor base through targeted investments and strategies, emphasizing corporate giving
• Grow revenue annually in consultation with the Executive Leadership Team and Board
• Develop innovative fundraising strategies to ensure financial stability

Organizational Leadership & Strategy

• Emphasize organizational leadership and strategy as essential drivers of Girls Who Code’s future
• Foster collaboration, contend with external threats and sustain alignment with the organization’s mission and communities served
• Establish goals and operational plans in collaboration with the Board, executive leaders and key stakeholders
• Lead development, implementation, and continuous improvement of programs that advance GWC's mission
• Partner with executive leaders to drive decisions around programs, fundraising, and investment
• Build bridges across teams, listen, synthesize perspectives, and clearly communicate the "why" behind decisions
• Cultivate a culture of curiosity, accountability, and action-orientation
• Develop and empower future leaders through coaching, feedback, and fostering smart risk-taking

Organizational Administration

• Develop a staffing structure that supports efficient program delivery and strategic goals
• Oversee day-to-day operations and ensure long-term operational success
• Foster a business-oriented, professional, results-driven environment
• Encourage cross-departmental collaboration and recognize positive contributions
• Ensure compliance with all legal requirements

Board Relations

• Inspire a culture of philanthropy
• Leverage Board insights to optimize impact through expanding revenue and innovative programming
• Welcome mission-aligned members with expertise in needed areas
• Facilitate Board's financial oversight and responsibility
• Present strategic options, seek counsel, and gain Board approval as needed

Communications & Public Relations

• Build positive relationships with partner organizations, policymakers, media, and others
• Passionately represent the organization at events, convenings, coalitions, committees, and public settings
• Promote GWC's impact and research to external audiences, positioning GWC as a thought leader in emerging technology education and diversity in tech
• Collaborate with Marketing and Communications team to inspire and persuade through storytelling

Financial Management

• Lead staff and board in developing realistic annual budgets
• Provide regular, timely financial statements comparing performance to budget and benchmarks
• Plan for adequate cash flow to cover operational needs
• Conduct multiyear financial analysis and engage the board in discussions centering financial stability and sustainability, including adequate operating reserves.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE:

• 10+ years of broad-based executive leadership experience, ideally as a nonprofit chief executive, nonprofit executive team leader, or executive team leader in the private technology sector with demonstrated commitment to sector change. Public sector or cross sector experience will also be viewed favorably.

• Expert fundraiser with proven success generating revenue (earned and contributed income); track record of securing major gifts from foundations, corporations, and individuals

• Change leadership: Specific examples of inspiring and leading successful organizational change and operationalizing strategies that drove growth

• Scaling expertise: Track record effectively evolving and scaling a performance- and outcome-based organization at the national level

• Program excellence: Unwavering commitment to quality programs and data-driven evaluation

• Management expertise: Excellence in organizational management with proven success setting and achieving strategic objectives and managing budgets

• Industry credibility: Expert in technology, education, community empowerment, or nonprofit leadership with credibility to lead internally and externally

• Media engagement: Experience effectively engaging with media and serving as a public voice for an advocacy organization

• Team development: Measurable results in hiring, mentoring, developing, leading, and retaining staff; building high-performance teams

• Board engagement: Past success effectively engaging with and developing a nonprofit Board of Directors

• Valued, not required: Experience with emerging technology education, evolving technology and AI, diversity and inclusion in technology sectors, and/or education and empowerment of girls, women, and nonbinary people

COMPENSATION:

• This is a full-time position with a salary range of $364,000 to $416,000 depending on experience and includes a comprehensive benefits package.