Philly BOLT, Executive Director

Edgility Search•Philadelphia, PA

4d•Onsite

About The Position

Philly BOLT (Build Our Lives Together) is a Philadelphia-based nonprofit founded in 2021. It invests in the leadership capacity of youth and adult residents in historically under-resourced Philadelphia neighborhoods, providing practical tools, relationships, and resources to strengthen community-led work. Its programs include the eight-month BOLT School for Grassroots Leadership and the BOLT Youth Leaders Fellowship, which supports Philadelphia public high school students through civic leadership, financial literacy, workforce development, and community action. Graduates of the School for Grassroots Leadership can mentor youth fellows, building intergenerational neighborhood leadership. The Executive Director will lead BOLT through its next phase of growth, strengthening its leadership development model and building the financial, organizational, and operational capacity needed for long-term sustainability. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will serve as chief fundraiser, lead and develop the team, cultivate partnerships across Philadelphia, and guide the transition from founder-led leadership while preserving BOLT’s community trust, culture, and mission. The organization aims to double its operating budget and expand youth programming into approximately one additional Philadelphia high school each year, while balancing growth with financial sustainability, organizational readiness, program quality, and fidelity to its community-centered approach. The Executive Director must reside in Philadelphia.

Requirements

Demonstrated experience with grassroots or community-led organizations or initiatives and commitment to elevating community voice and involving residents in decisions affecting their neighborhoods.
Strong knowledge of Philadelphia neighborhoods and its civic and nonprofit ecosystem, with local connections and ability to build partnerships across grassroots organizations, schools, philanthropy, and civic institutions.
Ability to set a clear vision, establish priorities, make strategic tradeoffs, and build organizational capacity for sustainable growth.
Demonstrated ability to lead fundraising strategy, cultivate philanthropic relationships, and secure resources for organizational priorities.
Demonstrated experience overseeing organizational budgets and financial performance, using financial information to guide decisions, manage resources, and assess risk.
Ability to build effective systems, structures, and operational practices that support accountability and sustainable growth.
Demonstrated experience managing, coaching, and developing teams with a humble, collaborative, mission-first approach.
Ability to establish clear expectations, foster accountability, celebrate contributions, and prioritize organizational impact over personal recognition.
Exceptional ability to build trust, communicate with diverse audiences, navigate difficult conversations, and cultivate strong relationships.
Proficiency with Google Workspace, including strong to advanced Google Sheets or comparable spreadsheet skills for organizing, analyzing, and using data to inform decisions.
Must reside in Philadelphia.
A bachelor’s degree and/or 7+ years of nonprofit executive experience.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading an organization or significant function through growth or change.
Success personally raising significant philanthropic revenue and building or expanding individual donor programs.
Existing relationships with Philadelphia-area funders.
Experience using fundraising and donor management platforms such as Bloomerang, Salesforce, or comparable systems.
Experience with QuickBooks or similar financial management software.
Senior leadership experience in a nonprofit, community-based, social-impact, education, or comparable mission-driven setting.
Experience working with youth and/or schools and partnering with a nonprofit Board.
Prior experience as an Executive Director or CEO is not required; demonstrated leadership capabilities, relevant experience, community relationships, and mission commitment are valued over traditional credentials.

Responsibilities

Champion BOLT’s mission and keep community expertise and voice central to organizational decisions.
Partner with the Board, staff, and stakeholders to establish strategic priorities and measurable goals for sustainable growth.
Lead the transition from founder-led leadership while protecting BOLT’s community-centered model, relationships, and culture.
Serve as chief fundraiser by developing and executing strategies to grow and diversify institutional, individual, corporate, and government revenue.
Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward funders; expand individual giving and build a strong donor pipeline.
Engage the Board in fundraising and strengthen systems and team capacity for long-term financial sustainability.
Oversee organizational financial health, including budgeting, forecasting, cash flow, and resource allocation.
Build systems, structures, accountability, clear roles, effective decision-making, and strong operational practices to support sustainable growth.
Use financial and operational data to guide strategy, monitor progress, and manage risk.
Build, coach, and retain a strong, mission-aligned team through clear expectations, delegation, performance management, and ongoing feedback.
Foster a collaborative and accountable culture that develops staff leadership, celebrates contributions, supports employee well-being, and promotes sustainable workloads.
Represent BOLT and build authentic relationships with grassroots leaders, schools, funders, and civic partners across Philadelphia.
Cultivate a collaborative relationship with the Board through effective communication, strategic alignment, and meaningful engagement in governance and organizational priorities.
Provide strategic oversight of youth and grassroots leadership programs, using community feedback and impact data to strengthen programming, demonstrate results, and preserve the intergenerational leadership model.
Establish trust with staff, Board members, community leaders, youth, funders, and partners and develop a shared vision for BOLT’s next chapter.
Create a fundraising strategy with clear revenue goals, deepen funder relationships, expand the individual donor pipeline, and plan for long-term development capacity.
Assess staffing and operational needs, clarify roles and accountability, strengthen management practices, and support a healthy, sustainable team culture.
Work with the Board and staff to define strategic priorities, measurable goals, and the financial and organizational conditions needed for responsible expansion.
Strengthen measurement of program outcomes, elevate community feedback, and build partnerships that support BOLT’s reach and impact.