President & CEO - Kathy's House

Spano Pratt•Wauwatosa, WI

15h•Onsite

About The Position

Kathy's House is a nonprofit hospital guest house that provides lodging and a supportive environment to families who are facing personal illness or the serious illness of a loved one. It is the only hospital guest house in southeastern Wisconsin serving guests of all ages receiving care at any area hospital. Kathy's House serves over 1,500 guests annually, many traveling more than 50 miles for specialized care, often for cancer, transplants, or heart conditions. As a nonprofit, it relies on philanthropy to ensure no family is turned away due to inability to pay. Operating since 2001, the current facility, built after a $12 million capital campaign, features 38 private rooms and communal spaces, functioning 24/7/365. The organization aims to be a national model in hospital guest housing and operates at or near capacity with consistent demand. The next President & CEO will build on this foundation to expand access, strengthen partnerships, and ensure that every family in need can find a place at Kathy's House. The President & CEO provides strategic leadership and ensures a positive culture, reporting to the board of directors. This role is responsible for the overall management of all functions, including guest services, safety, business development, fundraising, marketing, communications, finance, HR, and facilities. Key focuses include ensuring quality of service, a safe and welcoming environment, and fiscal solvency. The role also involves mentoring staff, acting as the primary ambassador, and fostering collaborations with various stakeholders.

Requirements

5 or more years of nonprofit experience in a strategic leadership role overseeing fundraising, programs, facilities, and staff.
Experience creating organizational vision.
Experience cultivating board and donor relations.
Demonstrated financial acumen.
Experience leading within the nonprofit sector, preferably within a healthcare setting or with a vulnerable population.
Experience charting a clear vision and course with measurable progress to goals.
Experience delivering programs in a facility, ensuring needs and high standards are met to support the mission.
Experience in fundraising; comfortable soliciting sponsorships, donors and stewarding gifts.
Experience in budgeting and financial stewardship.
Experience building relationships, partnerships, and mutually beneficial alliances in and outside the community.
Experience working with nonprofit governance boards, as well as knowledge of governance practices.
Emotional Intelligence & People Leadership: Leads with empathy and inspiration while fostering accountability and healthy culture.
Creates trust, psychological safety, and open dialogue.
Manages through transitions and builds alignment.
Retains, motivates, and develops strong staff.
Leads crisis management efforts by remaining calm under pressure, responding decisively to emergent situations, and ensuring clear, timely communication to maintain safety and operational continuity.
Strategic Leadership & Execution: Ability to set a clear vision and translate it into actionable, measurable results.
Drives expansion (“how to grow”) while protecting mission quality.
Executes strategic plan effectively.
Balances long-term vision with operational realities.
Relationship Building & Influence: Exceptional ability to build trust and influence across stakeholders.
Engages board, staff, partners, and community.
Strengthens key partnerships (e.g., Froedtert/ThedaCare).
Builds credibility quickly and authentically.
Fundraising & Financial Acumen: Ability to secure resources and align finances with growth strategy.
Leads fundraising (especially major gifts from individual donors and partners).
Connects mission impact to compelling funding narratives.
Ensures financial sustainability during expansion.
Communication & Visibility: Clear, compelling communicator who is highly visible internally and externally.
Articulates vision, strategy, and impact.
Active listener and persuasive storyteller.
Serves as a strong public-facing ambassador.

Responsibilities

Advocate passionately for Kathy's House mission within the community and serve as the primary spokesperson.
Ensure the organization continues to promote the mission of Kathy’s House to provide superior services and programs in a welcoming, inclusive and safe environment for its guests.
Execute guest and provider surveys to measure the satisfaction level of the programs and services offered by Kathy’s House.
Use guest and provider input to explore and potentially develop new service options that support patient and caregiver wellness and growth for Kathy’s House.
Broaden and deepen partner mission awareness and community commitment by leveraging area events and participation in various local, state, regional and/or national associations and committees.
Build and lead a high-performing team that aligns with the mission, values, and organizational priorities of Kathy’s House.
Foster a culture of engagement, collaboration, and excellence that attracts and retains the very best talent and volunteers.
Effectively recruit, develop, and retain team members who achieve performance goals and advance organizational objectives. Lead succession planning efforts to anticipate and align talent and staffing needs.
Lead the recruitment and engagement of corporate, community, and healthcare partners to support Kathy’s House. Serve as the face of Kathy’s House in the community, building awareness around Kathy’s House name.
Lead major funding initiatives to secure and retain diverse revenue streams with a focus on establishing credibility, trust, and innovative leadership.
Ensure front-of-mind awareness through consistent communications with current and new healthcare providers.
Oversee the general operations of Kathy’s House to include staffing, guest services, property maintenance, safety and security, business contracts, IT, and accounting functions.
Assist in the day-to-day operations of Kathy’s House as needed and maintain relationships and interaction with guests.
Develop, manage, and oversee the organizational budget; ensure and accurately report on financial sustainability through disciplined budgeting, management, forecasting, and resource allocation.
Oversee funder reporting to ensure accurate messaging, tracking to goals, and timely submission to meet requirements.
Monitor hospitality and non-profit industry developments to mitigate risks and capitalize on strategic opportunities.
Provide strategic and operational oversight of a 24/7 healthcare/hospitality environment.
Partner with the Board to ensure strong governance and alignment to mission.
Recruit, engage, and develop a high-performing Board that reflects the strategic partnerships and leadership attributes needed to scale and sustain Kathy's House impact.
Collaborate with the Board Chair, prepare and lead highly effective board meetings to advance strategic discussion and decision-making.
Lead the execution of a visionary, data-informed strategic plan that aligns with Kathy’s House needs and priorities.
Cultivate a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement across the organization.