Cooper House - Executive Director

About the role

The Executive Director leads Cooper House, a Seattle-based organization focused on early childhood development, infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH), and family support. The role oversees organizational leadership, operations, fundraising, external relations, and strategic planning.

Responsibilities

• Oversee organizational leadership, operations, fundraising, external relations, and strategic planning
• Ensure Cooper House’s mission, culture, and clinical integrity remain at the center of all decisions
• Guide Cooper House through a landmark transition to nonprofit status
• Build the infrastructure, funding, and visibility needed to expand care to more children and their families
• Shape the future of Cooper House at a moment of significant possibility
• Lead through change with steadiness, clarity, and compassion
• Translate complex ideas into clear and actionable direction
• Communicate clearly and inspire others around a shared vision for children and families
• Support high-performing teams and cultivate a healthy organizational culture
• Balance mission, people, and business realities while making thoughtful, timely, and informed decisions

Requirements

The ideal candidate will bring a compelling combination of attributes including:

• Demonstrated success leading organizational growth, transition, or transformation within nonprofit or mission-driven environment
• A deep alignment with Cooper House’s mission and a belief in the transformative power of relationship-based care for very young children and their families
• A collaborative and emotionally intelligent leadership style grounded in humility, trust-building, and transparency
• Strong strategic planning, operational, and financial management skills
• Proven fundraising and external relationship-building experience
• Experience leading through change with steadiness, clarity, and compassion
• A commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and culturally responsive practice
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to translate complex ideas into clear and actionable direction
• Effective public speaking - able to be the face and voice of the organization
• A reflective stance and genuine curiosity about learning from staff, families, and community partners
• The ability to balance mission, people, and business realities while making thoughtful, timely, and informed decisions

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have:

• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field
• At least 10 years of experience in a leadership role within a nonprofit or mission-driven organization
• Experience in fundraising and external relationship-building
• Experience leading through change with steadiness, clarity, and compassion
• A commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and culturally responsive practice
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to translate complex ideas into clear and actionable direction
• Effective public speaking - able to be the face and voice of the organization
• A reflective stance and genuine curiosity about learning from staff, families, and community partners
• The ability to balance mission, people, and business realities while making thoughtful, timely, and informed decisions

Skills

The ideal candidate will possess:

• Strategic planning and operational management skills
• Financial management expertise
• Strong fundraising and external relationship-building abilities
• Leadership and team-building capabilities
• Ability to navigate complexity, ambiguity, and evolving organizational needs
• Public speaking and communication skills
• Cultural responsiveness and inclusivity

Benefits

Cooper House offers:

• Competitive salary range of $190,000 - $220,000, annually, DOE
• Frequent and regular in-person presence with staff, donors, and partners
• Full-time salaried position
• Flexible schedule with occasional travel required
• Opportunity to lead an organization with a strong reputation, dedicated staff, and a clear sense of purpose

Pay

$190,000 - $220,000, annually, DOE

Schedule

Full-time salaried position with flexibility for evenings and weekends, occasional travel required