President - High Point Community Foundation

High Point Community Foundation (HPCF) seeks a strategic, grounded, and community-centered leader to serve as its next President, guiding the Foundation through a pivotal leadership transition and into its next chapter of institutional growth.

About the High Point Community Foundation

High Point Community Foundation is a place-based philanthropic organization dedicated to strengthening the High Point community by stewarding charitable assets, supporting local nonprofits, and connecting donors to causes that matter. The Foundation is widely respected for its integrity, accessibility, and long-standing relationships with donors, nonprofits, and civic leaders. HPCF operates with a high-touch donor model, manages a significant portfolio of donor-advised funds, and administers competitive grantmaking programs addressing community needs including education, literacy, housing, and economic mobility. The Foundation is entering a period of institutional evolution to ensure its practices, systems, and leadership model remain effective for future generations.

The President serves as the chief executive officer of the Foundation and reports to the 21-person Board of Trustees. The Foundation operates with a staff of 5 (including the President) and a $1.5 million annual operating budget, stewards $124 million in donor-advised funds, and awarded $572,200 in community impact grants in 2025.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership and Governance
  • Partner with the Board to clarify and advance a compelling strategic direction, translating shared priorities into clear goals, metrics, and phased execution.
  • Strengthen institution-supported systems to support long-term effectiveness while preserving trust and culture.
  • Establish clear governance rhythms, decision rights, and accountability structures.
• Financial Stewardship and Operational Modernization
  • Oversee budgets, financial reporting, compliance, and investment stewardship in partnership with staff, Trustees, and advisors.
  • Lead modernization of technology and systems (e.g., donor platforms, data, reporting) to improve donor experience, transparency, and internal efficiency.
  • Strengthen financial sophistication and long-term sustainability while remaining sensitive to legacy donor expectations.
• Donor Engagement and Philanthropic Growth
  • Preserve confidence and continuity among core and legacy donors during and after the transition.
  • Broaden the donor base by engaging younger and more diverse philanthropists and advisors.
  • Expand philanthropic tools beyond donor-advised funds, including initiative and purpose-driven funds, with careful pacing and clarity.
• Grantmaking, Community Impact, and Learning
  • Ensure grantmaking is fair, transparent, and aligned with clearly articulated community priorities.
  • Guide the evolution of grantmaking toward more strategic, outcome-oriented philanthropy.
  • Promote learning, evaluation, and communication of impact for donors, nonprofits, and the community.
• Community Presence and Partnership
  • Serve as a visible, trusted, and approachable presence across High Point’s civic, nonprofit, faith, business, and philanthropic sectors.
  • Build collaborative partnerships across sectors to address complex community challenges.
  • Navigate High Point’s diverse and dynamic relationship-based environment with respect, independence, and integrity.
• Organizational Leadership and Staff Development
  • Lead, coach, and empower a capable, mission-aligned staff team, ensuring clarity of roles, authority, expectations, and workflows.
  • Foster a culture of trust, clarity, learning, and follow-through while maintaining flexibility and respect for staff wellbeing.

Requirements

The ideal candidate will bring a strong alignment with the Foundation’s mission, vision, and core values, as well as:

• Senior executive leadership experience in philanthropy, nonprofit, or business; community foundation understanding desired.
• Strong financial acumen and comfort overseeing investments, budgets, and fiduciary responsibilities.
• Demonstrated success leading organizations through transition, modernization, and change.
• Deep understanding of community-based philanthropy and cross-sector collaboration.
• Demonstrated ability to develop, lead, and manage a high-performing team, setting clear goals, fostering professional growth, and building a positive organizational culture.
• Ability to honor legacy while confidently setting boundaries and making difficult decisions.
• Exceptional communication skills and a relational style with the ability to connect across generations and perspectives.
• Governance and board engagement experience.
• Familiarity with North Carolina or similar communities is a plus; deep High Point roots are beneficial but not required.
• A leadership style marked by integrity, humility, emotional intelligence, and follow-through.

Skills

• Strategic and pragmatic
• Approachable, grounded, and credible
• Decisive without ego
• Curious and committed to learning
• Comfortable leading in complexity and ambiguity
• Credibility and trustworthiness

Benefits

• Medical and dental insurance
• 401K match
• Paid time off

Pay

Salary begins in the $225,000 range, commensurate with experience.

About High Point

High Point is a close-knit city of approximately 115,000 residents in North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad region. Long known as the “Furniture Capital of the World,” the city has been actively evolving beyond its manufacturing roots into a more diversified economy that includes higher education, healthcare, logistics, entrepreneurship, and creative industries, while still retaining its global identity through the High Point Market. Home to High Point University and a growing network of nonprofit, business, and civic institutions, the community values leaders who are visible, pragmatic, and relationship-driven.