Executive Director for a Bold Take on Church Properties

Job Title: Executive Director (Part-Time)

Reports To: Board of Directors

Location: Chicago, IL (Hybrid)

Schedule: 20 hours/week

Compensation: $50,000/year

Start Date: September 2025

To boldly reimagine church properties towards innovation

Position Summary

The Executive Director is the chief strategist and operations lead of CPR. In this part-time (20 hours/week) role, the Executive Director will oversee the expansion of CPR’s property management and consulting services, manage staff and external contractors, and develop new partnerships that help congregations address deferred maintenance, pursue modernization, and fully utilize their buildings for mission and sustainability. The ideal candidate will be deeply familiar with church culture and property needs, have strong administrative and relational leadership skills, and possess a passion for revitalizing sacred spaces in ways that serve both the church and the city.

Key Responsibilities

Organizational Leadership & Strategy • Provide mission-aligned leadership and oversight of CPR's operations • Implement CPR’s strategic goals in collaboration with the Board of Directors • Represent CPR to churches, the Northern Illinois Conference, and external partners

Program & Staff Oversight • Manage and support CPR’s part-time Property Manager • Oversee property management contracts, vendor relationships, and service quality • Guide churches in creating sustainable property plans and usage strategies

Service Line Expansion • Develop and implement plans to expand CPR’s property management and consulting offerings • Create systems and processes that allow CPR’s work to scale across multiple church sites • Identify congregations that could benefit from CPR’s services and initiate outreach

Partnership & Building Utilization • Cultivate relationships with architects, contractors, funders, and mission-aligned organizations • Identify opportunities for shared use, leasing, or partnerships that enhance building utilization • Help churches catch up on deferred maintenance and develop modernization plans that support long-term sustainability

Finance & Administration • Monitor organizational budget, expenses, and income in collaboration with the Board Treasurer • Ensure compliance with contracts, leases, and fiscal reporting requirements • Contribute to fundraising, grant applications, and resource development as needed

Qualifications

Core Competencies • Visionary but practical leadership • Strategic and systems thinking • Clear communication and relational intelligence • Collaborative decision-making • Mission-aligned resourcefulness

Required • Strong leadership experience in a nonprofit, church, or property-focused setting • Understanding of church property challenges, including deferred maintenance and underutilization • Proven administrative and project management skills • Excellent interpersonal and communication abilities • Comfortable navigating conversations around finance, leases, and capital improvements

Preferred • Experience managing staff or contractors • Familiarity with church governance, especially within the United Methodist Church • Knowledge of the Chicagoland region, including its political environments, zoning processes, neighborhood dynamics, and government structures that impact real estate and nonprofit development • Background in facilities, construction, or consulting a plus