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Envision Consulting

Executive Director

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

Founded by David Kessler, Helping Hearts was created to address the critical gaps in grief support that private-sector models cannot fill, including volunteer mobilization, policy advocacy ...

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How much do grief jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 7, 2026, the average hourly pay for grief in the United States is $31.52, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $24.76 and $35.10 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Grief Counselor, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Grief Counselor, you need a background in psychology, counseling, or social work, often supported by a relevant degree and state licensure. Familiarity with therapeutic modalities, grief assessment tools, and electronic case management systems is typically required. Exceptional listening skills, empathy, and emotional resilience help individuals stand out in this role. These competencies are essential for providing effective support to clients coping with loss and guiding them through the grieving process.

What are grief counselors?

Grief counselors are trained professionals who help individuals cope with the emotional, mental, and physical responses to loss, such as the death of a loved one. They provide support, guidance, and therapeutic interventions to help people process their grief and find healthy ways to adjust to life after loss. Grief counselors may work in hospitals, hospices, mental health clinics, or private practice, and often tailor their approach to the unique needs of each client.

What is the difference between Grief vs Bereavement Counselor?

AspectGrief
DefinitionThe emotional response to loss or death
FocusEmotional processing of loss
Work EnvironmentPersonal, emotional, often private settings
Required CredentialsVaries; may include counseling certifications or psychology background

Grief refers to the emotional response experienced after a loss, while a Bereavement Counselor is a professional who provides support and guidance to individuals coping with loss. The counselor helps clients process their grief, offering therapy and resources. Although both involve understanding grief, the key difference is that grief is an emotional state, whereas a Bereavement Counselor is a role focused on assisting others through that emotional process.

What are some common challenges faced by grief counselors in supporting clients through bereavement?

Grief counselors often encounter the challenge of navigating a wide range of emotional responses, from deep sadness to anger or guilt, which can vary greatly between individuals. Building trust and rapport with clients who may initially be resistant to discussing their feelings is another common obstacle. Additionally, maintaining professional boundaries while providing empathetic support and managing one's own emotional well-being are essential for long-term success in this role. Collaboration with other healthcare professionals and family members is frequently necessary to ensure comprehensive support for clients.
More about Grief jobs
What cities are hiring for Grief jobs? Cities with the most Grief job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Grief jobs? The most popular types of Grief jobs are:
What states have the most Grief jobs? States with the most job openings for Grief jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Grief jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Grief jobs are:
Grief jobs near you
Infographic showing various Grief job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 69% Full Time, 23% Part Time, and 8% Contract. Highlights an 92% In-person, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $65,571 per year, or $31.5 per hour.
Executive Director

Executive Director

Envision Consulting

Los Angeles, CA • On-site

Full-time

Posted 21 days ago

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Job description

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

ABOUT HELPING HEARTS

Helping Hearts is a newly launched national nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring dignity and connection to those carrying unattended grief. Founded by David Kessler, Helping Hearts was created to address the critical gaps in grief support that private-sector models cannot fill, including volunteer mobilization, policy advocacy, conferences, scholarships, and community-based healing initiatives. Helping Hearts will focus on advocacy for grieving families, grief education and workforce development, volunteer training, community-building through conferences, scholarship programs, and direct grief support services.

Helping Hearts exists to restore dignity and connection to those carrying unattended grief by providing compassionate support, educating communities in grief care, and advocating for the rights of children and families affected by death. The organization envisions a compassionate world where every loss is honored, every griever is seen, and no heart heals alone.

Headquartered in Los Angeles (Studio City), Helping Hearts is designed to be a national organization with leadership based in Los Angeles.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Executive Director (ED) is the founding operational leader of Helping Hearts. Reporting to the Board of Directors and working in close partnership with Founder David Kessler, the ED will build the organization's infrastructure, operational systems, and early program strategy from the ground up. This is a rare opportunity to shape a national nonprofit at inception. The ED must be entrepreneurial, operationally strong, and comfortable creating organizational structures. The ED will establish policies, systems, governance practices, and staffing plans while collaborating with the Founder and Board to prioritize early program initiatives.

The ideal candidate is both a builder and a strategist, someone who thrives in startup environments, brings strong nonprofit governance and compliance expertise, and can translate vision into operational reality. The ED must demonstrate sensitivity to grief and loss while maintaining professional boundaries and leadership focus.

This role requires an external-facing leader capable of cultivating partnerships and strengthening philanthropic relationships. The ED must be comfortable supporting the development strategy and engaging aligned funders and collaborators in partnership with the Founder and Board.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Foundational Leadership & Organizational Build

  • Serve as the first full-time executive leader, building Helping Hearts' operational foundation from inception.
  • Establish organizational policies, procedures, governance systems, and compliance infrastructure.
  • Develop and implement a phased initial strategic plan aligned with the organization's mission and early growth goals.
  • Partner closely with the Founder and Board to clarify priorities, decision-making frameworks, and role boundaries.
  • Build initial staffing structure and oversee future hiring as growth allows.

Strategic Planning & Program Launch

  • Evaluate and prioritize early program offerings, including grief education, volunteer training, conferences, advocacy initiatives, and pilot direct support services.
  • Develop implementation timelines and operational plans for launch within the first six months.
  • Establish evaluation and quality assurance frameworks to inform scalability and long-term sustainability.
  • Explore feasibility and phased development of a grief support hotline.

Financial Management & Growth

  • Oversee financial management of initial funding and build multi-year financial projections.
  • Ensure strong fiscal controls, reporting systems, and nonprofit compliance.
  • Support development of diversified revenue streams in partnership with the Founder and Board.
  • Engage aligned institutional funders and philanthropic partners to support early program growth.

External Relations & Advocacy

  • Represent Helping Hearts as a credible national voice in grief care, advocacy, and community education.
  • Cultivate partnerships with schools, legal aid organizations, policymakers, and community-based organizations.
  • Advance key advocacy priorities, including equitable access to survivor benefits and systemic support for bereaved children.
  • Support development of honorary board engagement and public-facing visibility strategies.

Board & Founder Partnership

  • Maintain strong, transparent communication with the Board of Directors.
  • Partner with the Founder in aligning organizational vision, public positioning, and strategic priorities.
  • Prepare board materials, financial reports, and strategic updates.
  • Support board development, including recruitment of additional members.

QUALIFICATIONS

  • A minimum of seven to ten years of progressively responsible nonprofit leadership experience.
  • Demonstrated experience building or leading organizations, programs, or departments in early-stage or growth environments.
  • Strong knowledge of nonprofit governance, compliance, financial oversight, and infrastructure development.
  • Proven ability to establish systems, processes, and operational frameworks from inception.
  • Experience collaborating with founders or visionary leaders in mission-driven environments.
  • Demonstrated success in partnership development and external relationship management.
  • Fundraising experience is valued.
  • Sensitivity to grief and loss, with professional maturity.
  • Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in nonprofit management, public administration, social work, public policy, or related field preferred.
  • Los Angeles–based candidates strongly preferred; national candidates considered for exceptional fit.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The annual salary range for this position is $140,000 - $160,000. Benefits will be developed as part of the organization's infrastructure build and will reflect a commitment to sustainability and equity.

Helping Hearts is an equal opportunity employer committed to employment practices that are free of discrimination. All candidates for employment will be considered solely on the basis of merit, competence, and qualifications; consideration will not be influenced in any manner by an individual's race, color, religion, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability (physical or mental), medical condition (including AIDS/HIV status), or age.

Envision Consulting has been retained to conduct the search for the Executive Director of Helping Hearts.

Applicants needing accommodation for any part of the application process may contact Envision Consulting at 626.714.7577 to request and arrange for assistance.