CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Metropolitan Family Service

Position Description

Position Title:         Chief Executive Officer

Location:                MFS Civic office

Reports To:             Chairperson of the MFS Board of Directors          

Dept/Program:      Administration                             FTE:    1.00 (40 hours/week)                                                                                 

Status:                     Exempt

Created:                  July 2025                                     Job Number: CEO0725

MFS Core Values & Organizational Culture

At Metropolitan Family Service (MFS), our commitment to equity and social justice is the foundation of all we do. We honor the lived experiences and strengths of the diverse communities we serve, and we embed Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) into every aspect of our programs, partnerships, and operations.

We believe:

• Every person brings wisdom, capacity, and value.
• Culturally responsive and community-centered practices are essential to advancing racial, social, economic, and climate justice.
• Collaboration—with program participants, peer organizations, funders, and volunteers—is the key to lasting impact.
• Continuous learning strengthens our ability to serve with integrity, respect, and innovation.
• Strong relationships and creative problem-solving build effective, prevention-focused services that empower individuals and families at every stage of life.

We are committed to culturally responsive practice, transparent leadership, and sustained community collaboration. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, MFS operates with integrity in all aspects of program delivery, resource development, and financial stewardship.

CEO Role Summary

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MFS is a strategic, collaborative, and visionary leader who drives the mission of the organization: helping people overcome barriers of poverty, inequity, and social isolation. In partnership with the Board of Directors, the CEO ensures that the agency fulfills its mission with excellence, equity, and efficiency.

Key leadership responsibilities include:

• Mission Leadership: Embedding MFS’s core values into strategic planning, program delivery, and community advocacy.
• Organizational Management: Overseeing all agency operations, supervising the Executive Team, and ensuring compliance with nonprofit regulations.
• Strategic Growth: Guiding long-term planning, organizational development, and innovation in response to community needs.
• Community & Donor Relations: Driving an aggressive and comprehensive resource development strategy as chief fundraiser. Representing MFS to external audiences, building strong partnerships, and securing increased and diversified funding.
• Culture Building: Fostering a workplace rooted in equity, inclusion, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

The CEO honors MFS’s 75-year legacy as a trusted human services leader in Oregon, while advancing bold, future-focused strategies that uplift families and strengthen communities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Community Relations and Advocacy

The CEO serves as the primary ambassador of MFS, representing the organization across diverse platforms and audiences. They build strong relationships with government, private, and community partners to increase visibility, revenue, and collaborative impact. This includes:

• Representing MFS on public boards and coalitions
• Advancing advocacy efforts that elevate participant voice and community needs
• Pursuing partnerships that enhance program reach, quality, and effectiveness

Fundraising and External Engagement

MFS is at a critical inflection point with loss of government funding that has dramatically accelerated. The CEO drives a comprehensive resource development strategy, in collaboration with the board and development team, to lead the organization through this transition and toward long-term sustainability. This includes:

• Serving as the organization’s chief fundraiser, taking an active, outward-facing role in cultivating and stewarding relationships with major donors, institutional funders, foundations, and corporate partners.
• Driving a significant expansion of fundraising capacity, cultivating and stewarding relationships with a focus on securing diversified revenue through grants, multi-year donor commitments, high-impact campaigns, corporate partnerships, and signature fundraising events.
• Positioning the organization competitively for major funding opportunities —including government RFPs, foundation initiatives, and corporate partnerships—through compelling storytelling and strategic relationship-building.
• Building a strong culture of philanthropy across the organization, engaging staff, Board, and stakeholders in understanding and supporting resource development.

Strategic Communications

In partnership with leadership, the CEO builds a clear and transparent communications strategy. They:

• Ensure consistent messaging that reflects MFS values and priorities
• Engage staff and volunteers in open, two-way communication and actively seeks feedback
• Promote culturally responsive, equity-informed narratives across platforms
• Serve as a compelling public speaker to internal and external audiences
• Foster transparent communication that breaks down silos to ensure seamless collaboration and information sharing

Strategic Vision and Impact- As the organization’s visionary leader, the CEO drives long-term impact by:

• Co-leading strategic planning processes with leadership and Board
• Translating goals into measurable outcomes that respond to community needs and embedding strategic goals into daily operations
• Championing innovation and culturally responsive service models
• Ensuring sound fiscal management, diversified funding, and organizational compliance to sustain MFS's long-term impact

Inclusive Culture and Staff Leadership

The CEO fosters a collaborative, inclusive, and equitable workplace, where all employees feel respected and supported. This includes:

• Supervising the Executive Team and ensuring quality leadership and accountability at all levels
• Promoting professional development and equitable advancement opportunities
• Upholding MFS’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) and ensuring policies and practices that reflect these values in action

Board Relations and Governance

Working closely with the Board of Directors, the CEO:

• Develops a strategic and engaged Board through recruitment and strong governance practices
• Communicates the agency’s needs and priorities through clear reports and dialogue
• Collaborates with the Board to evaluate and revise the organization’s policies

Financial and Operational Management

The CEO ensures sound financial stewardship by:

• Overseeing the development of accurate, timely budgets, forecasts, and reporting for financial health
• Ensuring a diversified and sustainable funding base
• Leading risk and crisis management efforts and maintaining strong systems of accountability and oversight
• Ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations and legal requirements

Core Leadership Competencies

The ideal candidate is a dynamic, people-centered leader with the ability to:

• Engage Others: Meaningfully involve diverse stakeholders in planning, decision making, and change processes.
• Foster Inclusion: Cultivate a welcoming, inclusive culture and apply power-sharing practices that reflect equity and organizational values.
• Drive Vision and Innovation: Think creatively, act as a thought leader, and lead teams through change with clarity and optimism.
• Communicate Effectively: Speak persuasively in public settings, facilitate difficult conversations, and navigate conflict constructively.
• Fundraise: Take an outward facing role leading comprehensive organizational fundraising efforts towards increased, sustainable, and diversified revenue streams.
• Build Strong Relationships: Develop and maintain collaborative partnerships internally and externally.
• Lead Organizationally: Understand nonprofit management, lead organizational development, and oversee financial and strategic operations.
• Advocate: Promote prevention-focused social service approaches.
• Operate with Agility: Stay poised under pressure, manage crises with urgency, and embrace evolving technologies.
• Empower Others: Recognize individual strengths, develop talent, and foster a culture of continuous learning.

Other Responsibilities

• Complies with Metropolitan Family Service policies and procedures as outlined in the Employee Handbook
• Fulfills other duties as assigned by the Chair of the Board of Directors

Education and Experience Required:

• MA, MS, or MSW in Social Services, Public Health, Management, or related field.
• Ten years of relevant, paid experience as a director or manager of a nonprofit organization. Equivalent experience will be given full consideration.
• Demonstrated experience leading resource development efforts including fundraising, donor cultivation, and institutional funding
• Knowledge of human services, community-based practice, and culturally responsive program delivery
• Comfort with technology, including Google Suite, Word, and Excel

Essential Knowledge and Skills

• Strong written and verbal communication across audiences and cultures
• Excellent strategic planning, time management, and organizational skills with a focus on outcomes
• Financial oversight and budgeting experience with budgets over $5M
• Strong supervising, coaching, and performance evaluation skills
• Experience working effectively in diverse, multicultural environments

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working effectively with a Board of Directors
• Familiarity with public sector funding, RFP processes, and government compliance
• Experience leading strategic communications and change management efforts
• Deep nonprofit sector knowledge including structure, policy, and legal compliance
• Ability to work effectively with technology, including Google Suite, Word, and Excel
• Physical capability to perform routine office tasks

Other Requirements:

Access to reliable transportation for local travel. If driving a personal vehicle must maintain a valid driver license for the state of residency, personal auto liability insurance coverage and a driving record permitting coverage under the agency auto liability policy.

MFS requires all employees and volunteers to complete a criminal background check.  We carefully review the results of background checks and consider circumstances for issues that arise in a background check during the hiring process.

Work Environment:

Hybrid with regular on-site presence is expected with some early morning, evening or weekend obligations.  Position requires ability to sit for extended periods as well as stand occasionally.  Position requires use of computer, telephone, copier, use of Google Suite products and may require accessing locations by use of stairs.

Metropolitan Family Service position descriptions are guidelines. They are not intended to identify every task that an employee will be asked to complete. They are intended as a general outline of the essential work responsibilities and qualifications of the position. 

Metropolitan Family Service is committed to building a diverse workforce. We strongly encourage candidates from communities of color, disability, LGBTQIA2S+ linguistically diverse populations, older adults and military veterans to consider application to our positions. MFS is an Equal Opportunity Employer