Founding Executive Director

THE FAIRFIELD FUND

Founding Executive Director

Location: Remote with light travel, East Coast preferred

Salary: $185,000-$225,000

Reports to: Board of Directors

ABOUT THE FAIRFIELD FUND

The Fairfield Fund is building an impact-driven philanthropic organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families living with Usher Syndrome. The Fairfield Fund aims to become the leading impact-driven philanthropic organization within the Usher Syndrome community, and the largest provider of independent, non-governmental funding for Usher Syndrome related support in the United States. Our mission is to accelerate development of treatment for vision loss resulting from Usher Syndrome, and to improve the lives of every person and family struggling with the disease today.

Founded by the Lamberth Family in 2025, after two of their three children were diagnosed with Usher 1B, The Fairfield Fund was established to support both the daily lives of those living with the disease, and future treatments to slow, stop, and reverse the impact of progressive vision loss in Usher Syndrome patients.

Within its inaugural year, the organization raised over $1 million dollars, has become a trusted funding and strategic partner within the Usher Syndrome community, has succeeded in bringing together donors, nonprofit organizations, researchers, advocates, and other stakeholders to direct resources toward high-impact opportunities and demonstrate measurable results.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Fairfield Fund seeks its first professional Executive Director, tasked with translating early momentum and an ambitious vision into a sustainable, nationally recognized organization. This leader will combine entrepreneurial energy, business discipline, and a deep commitment to mission and impact.

Working closely with the founders and Board of Directors, the Executive Director will develop and execute the organization’s strategy, strengthen its fundraising approach, build effective operating practices, cultivate strategic partnerships, and establish a framework for measuring and communicating impact.

The founders will remain active in vision-setting, fundraising support, and external advocacy, while the Executive Director will independently lead day-to-day execution, organizational growth, and effectiveness.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic and Organizational Leadership

• Partner with the founders and board to translate the organization’s vision into clear priorities, measurable goals, and actionable plans.
• Lead the development and execution of a three-year strategic plan encompassing organizational positioning, fundraising, grantmaking, partnerships, and impact.
• Establish clear roles, decision-making practices, and accountability across the founders, board, staff, consultants, and volunteers.
• Identify and prioritize the resources, capabilities, and investments required for sustainable growth.
• Balance entrepreneurial agility with disciplined execution and sound financial judgment.

Impact, Grantmaking, and Storytelling

• Develop a framework for measuring how The Fairfield Fund’s investments improve outcomes for individuals and families living with Usher Syndrome.
• Establish consistent practices for grant selection, administration, documentation, and grantee reporting.
• Partner with grantees and other stakeholders to collect meaningful quantitative and qualitative data.
• Use evidence to strengthen grantmaking decisions, organizational strategy, fundraising, and stakeholder confidence.
• Translate complex information into clear, compelling stories through reports, presentations, donor communications, newsletters, and digital content.

Fundraising and External Engagement

• Partner with the founders and board to develop and implement an ambitious, growth-oriented fundraising strategy that expands the donor base beyond founders’ networks.
• Clarify the roles of founders, board members, staff, volunteers, and external partners in meeting fundraising goals.
• Strengthen donor engagement by connecting The Fairfield Fund’s mission and demonstrated impact to compelling opportunities for support.
• Help shape fundraising events and other donor-engagement strategies to maximize their reach and effectiveness.
• Serve as a visible and compelling ambassador for The Fairfield Fund with donors, partners, grantees, and the broader community.

Operations and Organizational Infrastructure

• Build practical, scalable processes that support the organization’s current needs and future growth.
• Evaluate and strengthen workflows, templates, documentation, reporting cadences, and technology platforms.
• Ensure the organization effectively uses its donor management platform and other available tools.
• Provide founders, board members, donors, grantees, and partners with clear, accurate, and timely information.
• Create the necessary structure and consistency without introducing unnecessary bureaucracy.

Partnerships and People Leadership

• Develop trusted relationships with nonprofit organizations, researchers, advocates, funders, community leaders, and other stakeholders.
• Lead and coordinate staff, volunteers, committees, consultants, and cross-functional partners.
• Establish clear expectations and hold others accountable for delivering high-quality work.
• Assess future staffing needs and build a collaborative, high-performing team as the organization grows.

QUALIFICATIONS

The strongest candidates will bring many of the following:

• A track record of building or significantly strengthening an organization, department, function, or major initiative.
• Experience developing and executing a multi-year strategy with measurable goals and aligned resources.
• Significant leadership experience in a nonprofit, philanthropic, social-impact, advocacy, start-up, or similarly mission-driven environment preferred.
• Demonstrated success partnering with founders, CEOs, boards, or other visionary leaders.
• A builder by nature, comfortable translating vision into organizational priorities.
• Ability to both set and execute strategy.
• Demonstrated fundraising, development, revenue-growth, or investment-raising experience.
• Experience creating clarity, structure, and results in an ambiguous or resource-constrained environment.
• Experience building practical operational processes, documentation, workflows, and reporting practices.
• Success cultivating strategic partnerships and influencing individuals outside of one’s direct authority.
• Experience measuring organizational or programmatic impact and translating results into compelling stories.
• Strong financial judgment and experience making thoughtful resource-allocation decisions.
• Exceptional written, verbal, interpersonal, and external communication skills.
• A sustained commitment to mission-driven work and measurable impact.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The salary range for the Founding Executive Director position is $185,000–$225,000 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications. The Fairfield Fund also offers a comprehensive benefits package.

TO APPLY

To apply, please email a copy of your resume and cover letter to hiring@fairfieldfund.org.