Executive Director- Green Umbrella

Nonprofit HR • Cincinnati, OH

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

Green Umbrella is a regional climate collaborative working to advance environmental sustainability, equity, and community well-being across Greater Cincinnati and as a recognized national leader in sustainability and climate solutions. Through partnerships with nonprofits, government, businesses, and community leaders, Green Umbrella leads collective impact initiatives that address complex challenges across energy, transportation, food systems, and climate resilience. The organization operates at the intersection of strategy and action, convening stakeholders, aligning efforts, and driving measurable progress toward shared goals. Green Umbrella is known for its values-driven culture, commitment to equity and justice, and ability to bring diverse partners together to create meaningful change. As the organization continues to grow its impact, it is entering a critical phase focused on executing its strategic priorities, strengthening financial sustainability, and deepening its influence across the regional climate ecosystem.

The Executive Director serves as the strategic and operational leader of Green Umbrella, responsible for advancing the organization’s mission, executing its strategic plan, and ensuring long-term sustainability. This role comes at a pivotal moment for the organization. With a strong strategic foundation, a highly engaged and values-driven team, and a respected position within the regional climate ecosystem, Green Umbrella is well-positioned to deepen its impact and influence.

In partnership with the Board, the Executive Director will be responsible for making clear, timely decisions about organizational priorities. This role requires a thoughtful balance of internal leadership and external engagement, with particular emphasis on leading fundraising strategy, strengthening financial sustainability and elevating the organization’s voice across the climate and sustainability landscape.

The Executive Director will lead internally by providing clarity, accountability, and support to staff, while maintaining the collaborative, people-centered culture that defines Green Umbrella. Externally, this leader will serve as a visible and credible representative, building strong relationships with funders, partners, policymakers, and the broader community.

This is an opportunity to lead a high-impact, mission-driven organization at a moment of execution and growth, building on a strong foundation to drive meaningful results, expand influence, and shape the future of climate collaboration.

Requirements

• A minimum of five (5) years of management experience across nonprofit, corporate, public, or mission-aligned organizations, with demonstrated leadership at a senior level; experience in sustainability, climate, environmental justice, or related fields preferred.
• Experience leading, recruiting, managing and developing staff.
• Experience in fund development across multiple revenue streams and grants.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across sectors, jurisdictions, and organizations.
• Experience representing an organization to the public and elected officials.

Nice To Haves

• Proven experience in climate and environmental justice, sustainability.
• Dynamic public speaking presence.
• Comfort working with diverse populations.
• Experience growing mission-aligned organizational revenue and sustaining that growth.
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting and analyzing financial reports.
• Well-networked in the Greater Cincinnati community.
• Possess exemplary interpersonal, oral and writing skills.
• Strong ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with stakeholders.
• Passion for the mission of Green Umbrella.
• Self-directed and strong organizational skills.
• Experience leading in complex, cross-sector, or collective impact environments.
• Experience setting organizational priorities and leading through capacity constraints.
• Experience building and maintaining high-trust relationships across staff, board, and external stakeholders.
• Experience leading organizations through periods of transition, growth, or stabilization.

Responsibilities

• Lead and foster a values-driven workplace where staff are encouraged to lead from their strengths, show up authentically, operate in alignment with Green Umbrella’s equity commitments, including advancing racial equity in climate and environmental work, collaborate deeply, and give and receive meaningful feedback regularly.
• Preserve the organization’s collaborative, human-centered culture while reinforcing clear expectations, accountability, and role clarity.
• Lead, coach, and develop direct reports, ensuring they are effectively supporting and developing their own teams.
• Build leadership capacity across the organization and support continuity planning.
• Maintain regular visibility and engagement with staff across all levels of the organization, ensuring accessibility beyond direct reports and fostering strong internal relationships.
• Oversee an equitable and values-aligned people management approach, including hiring, onboarding, compensation, performance evaluation, and staff development.
• Establish and reinforce clear performance expectations, feedback practices, and accountability systems that support staff success and organizational effectiveness.
• Strengthen internal systems, workflows, and processes to support organizational clarity, efficiency, and scalability.
• Lead the organization’s financial stewardship and long-term sustainability, ensuring resources are aligned with strategic priorities and operational realities.
• Develop and maintain annual operating budgets, multi-year strategic planning budgets.
• Oversee financial operations including audits (when applicable), financial reporting, accounting policies, internal controls and compliance.
• Lead revenue diversification and fundraising strategy in alignment with organizational priorities.
• Cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors, funders, and strategic philanthropic partners.
• Oversee grant development and reporting efforts and ensure appropriate execution of grant deliverables and use of restricted funds.
• Cultivate and maintain trusted relationships with key philanthropic, member, and community stakeholders.
• Serve as a visible external leader and partner closely with development staff to advance fundraising goals.
• Ensure compliance with grant policies and procedures.
• Recommend, administer, and interpret policies/ procedures for the safe and sustainable operation of Green Umbrella.
• Ensure that staff are documenting and enacting policies and procedures for the safe, sustainable and efficient operation of Green Umbrella.
• Serve as the organizational signatory for contracts and engage legal counsel as needed.
• Lead execution of Green Umbrella’s strategic plan, ensuring clear priorities, measurable outcomes, and alignment across all programmatic areas.
• Partner with Directors to translate strategy into actionable workplans and track progress towards goals.
• Establish clear priorities and decision-making frameworks, including defining what work will be taken on based on capacity and strategic alignment, and communicating those decisions effectively across the organization.
• Establish systems to evaluate program effectiveness, including resource needs, and ensure accountability for results.
• Assess ideas for new opportunities for collaboration, growth, or staffed work through the lens of strategic alignment, organizational capacity, and long-term sustainability.
• Serve as a visible and credible representative of Green Umbrella with community leaders, elected officials, funders, and strategic partners.
• Shape and advance Green Umbrella’s strategic position within the regional climate ecosystem and as a national leader in climate and sustainability, identifying opportunities to expand influence, partnerships, and impact.
• Represent the organization in media, public forums, and policy related settings, advancing Green Umbrella’s visibility, influence, and credibility in the regional climate field.
• Amplify Green Umbrella’s collaborative success, along with those of our members and the region.
• Communicate complex climate, equity, and community issues in clear, compelling ways to a variety of audiences.
• Serve as the primary liaison to the Board of Directors, keeping members informed on organizational progress, risks, and strategic decisions; participate actively in board and committee meetings; prepare reports; offer strategic counsel.
• Support board governance by clarifying roles, strengthening policies and bylaws, and assisting in the recruitment and orientation of new members, and engaging board members as ambassadors and contributors to the organization’s success.
• Advance the Strategic Plan through execution, monitoring, and transparent reporting on progress.
• Partner with the Board and staff to assess and refine, while focusing on implementation.
• In partnership with the Board, shape and evolve the organization’s long-term vision, ensuring alignment with emerging opportunities, risks, and community needs.
• Engage the Board as active strategic partners and ambassadors, supporting their involvement with external engagement, and organizational growth.
• Ensure strong alignment across programmatic, operational, development, and external functions.
• Navigate organizational risk, uncertainty, and external challenges with sound judgment and steady leadership.
• Guide the organization through change in a way that maintains trust, reinforces values, and supports staff through transition.
• Identify opportunities for organizational growth, innovation, and increased impact over time.

Benefits

• The Executive Director, in partnership with the Board, will have the opportunity to assess and evolve organizational policies, including work structure and scheduling, to best support long-term sustainability and impact.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees