Northeast Community Fund

Executive Director / Chief Executive Officer

Northeast Community Fund (NECF)
Location: Decatur, Illinois (On-site)
Reports To: Board of Directors
Status: Full-Time, Exempt

Salary: $75,000 – $95,000

Benefits Package: Health reimbursement of $6,000, 20 days Paid Time Off (PTO) plus 3 personal days per calendar year

Position Summary

Northeast Community Fund (NECF) seeks a visionary and mission-driven Executive Director/CEO to lead one of Macon County's largest nonprofit social service organizations. Rooted in faith and community service, NECF provides food security, emergency assistance, housing stabilization, medical nutrition, clothing, furniture, home repair, and other essential services to vulnerable individuals and families throughout Macon County.

The Executive Director serves as the organization's chief executive officer, providing strategic leadership, financial stewardship, fundraising oversight, operational management, community engagement, and board partnership. This leader will guide NECF's continued growth, strengthen organizational sustainability, and advance innovative solutions that address food insecurity, health equity, and family stability.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Organizational Leadership

• Lead NECF's mission, vision, strategic planning, and long-term sustainability efforts.
• Develop and implement organizational goals, performance metrics, and growth strategies.
• Ensure operational excellence, accountability, and mission impact across all programs and services.
• Identify emerging community needs and develop innovative, scalable responses.

Board Governance & Executive Management

• Partner with the Board of Directors to support effective governance, strategic planning, and organizational oversight.
• Provide timely financial, operational, and impact reporting.
• Support board development, engagement, and succession planning initiatives.

Financial Stewardship & Fundraising

• Oversee a multi-million-dollar operating budget and ensure strong fiscal management.
• Lead revenue diversification through grants, major gifts, corporate partnerships, government funding, faith-based support, and community fundraising.
• Cultivate and steward key donors, foundations, and institutional relationships.
• Ensure compliance with all financial, grant, audit, and reporting requirements.

Program & Community Impact

• Oversee NECF's portfolio of food access, emergency assistance, housing stabilization, medical nutrition, and community support programs.
• Ensure services are delivered with dignity, accessibility, and measurable impact.
• Advance strategic partnerships that address social determinants of health and community well-being.

Staff Leadership & Organizational Culture

• Recruit, develop, and retain a high-performing team.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, compassion, and service.
• Strengthen leadership capacity, employee engagement, and volunteer involvement.

Community Relations & Advocacy

• Serve as NECF's primary spokesperson and public representative.
• Build partnerships across healthcare, government, business, education, faith, and nonprofit sectors.
• Advocate for policies and initiatives that strengthen food security, health equity, and community resilience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; Master’s degree preferred.
• Significant senior leadership experience in nonprofit, healthcare, social services, government, or other mission-driven organizations.
• Demonstrated success in strategic planning, financial management, fundraising, and organizational leadership.
• Experience working with boards of directors, grant funding, compliance, and complex budgets.
• Strong relationship-building, communication, and public speaking skills.
• Commitment to serving vulnerable populations with dignity, compassion, and accountability.

Preferred Experience

• Food security, housing stabilization, emergency assistance, or community-based social services.
• Build and develop healthcare partnerships and social determinants of health initiatives.
• Government grants, regulatory compliance, and audit oversight.
• Organizational growth, change management, and program development.
• Faith-based or community-rooted nonprofit leadership.

Leadership Profile

The successful candidate is a strategic leader, skilled fundraiser, effective operator, and trusted community ambassador. They will possess the vision to lead organizational growth while maintaining a deep commitment to NECF's mission and the individuals and families it serves.

This is an opportunity to lead a respected, high-impact organization dedicated to strengthening lives, improving community well-being, and creating lasting change throughout Macon County. Must live in Macon County and be able to build sustainable partnerships that lead to life changing initiatives for the community at large.