Chief Executive Officer
About The Position
WRTP | BIG STEP is seeking an accomplished, strategic, collaborative, and mission-driven Chief Executive Officer to lead an organization with a fifty-year history of connecting employers, labor, education, government, philanthropy, and communities to expand access to family-supporting careers and strengthen Wisconsin's workforce. This is an opportunity for a leader who can build on a strong foundation while bringing clarity, alignment, and momentum to the organization's next chapter. Reporting to an engaged Board of Directors, the CEO will provide overall leadership for organizational strategy and execution, staff leadership, culture, and performance, financial stewardship, budgeting, and sustainability, fundraising, grants, foundations, and revenue development, board partnership and governance, employer, labor, education, government, philanthropic, and community relationships, and public representation and industry leadership. The CEO will be a highly visible ambassador for WRTP | BIG STEP, engaging regularly with staff, employers, labor leaders, funders, policymakers, government officials, community partners, and the public.
Requirements
- 5–7+ years of progressive executive leadership experience in a complex, mission-driven environment
- A record of leading people and organizations through change, growth, or transition
- Strong financial, budgeting, and organizational management skills
- Experience with fundraising, grants, foundations, government funding, or revenue development
- Experience working effectively with a Board of Directors
- Exceptional communication, public speaking, and relationship-building skills
- The ability to navigate diverse perspectives and build common ground across stakeholders
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and professional experience
Nice To Haves
- Advanced degree preferred
- Experience in workforce development, economic development, education, labor-management partnerships, skilled trades, manufacturing, public-sector workforce initiatives, philanthropy, or nonprofit leadership is strongly preferred
- Combines strategic thinking with practical execution
- Executive presence with humility
- Strong business judgment with a genuine passion for mission
Responsibilities
- Organizational strategy and execution
- Staff leadership, culture, and performance
- Financial stewardship, budgeting, and sustainability
- Fundraising, grants, foundations, and revenue development
- Board partnership and governance
- Employer, labor, education, government, philanthropic, and community relationships
- Public representation and industry leadership
Benefits
- Health, vision, dental, life, short-term and long-term disability insurance
- Paid time off
- Paid holidays
- Retirement contribution
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Executive
