VP, Council Governance

Girl Scouts of the USA • ,

7d • $137,000 - $225,000 • Remote

About The Position

Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) is a mission-driven leadership development organization for girls that works with 111 local councils and USA Girl Scouts Overseas to deliver the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. The Experience community works with councils, GSUSA teams, and partners to create welcoming, accessible, and relevant experiences for girls and families and to support effective collaboration across the Movement.

The Vice President, Council Governance owns and leads the national governance operating model for GSUSA’s federation of councils. In partnership with councils and GSUSA leaders, the role stewards shared governance processes, standards, tools, and experiences that support council effectiveness while respecting local leadership and context. The position leads council health tracking, chartering, credentialing, and alignment, translating shared expectations into practical guidance, resources, and opportunities for continuous improvement. It also coordinates support, promotes shared learning, advances council capability and accountability, and facilitates viability reviews and organizational transition pathways when needed.

The role leads national processes for council quality, credentialing, sustainability, strategic alliances, and mergers. It develops frameworks, tools, dashboards, review methodologies, and implementation resources; partners across governance, finance, legal, and operational functions; and guides councils through exploration, approval, implementation, and integration while protecting mission continuity and the experience of girls and volunteers. The position directly supervises and provides strategic leadership to the Council Governance team.

This is a full-time remote position. Workdays are Monday through Friday, with East Coast hours strongly preferred. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required, and travel is up to 15%.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (BA, BS, BBA, etc.) from a four-year college or university, or equivalent.
• At least 12 years of demonstrated experience with deep knowledge of nonprofit governance, organizational standards, chartering or accreditation, and enterprise risk management.
• Demonstrated expertise assessing organizational health across financial, governance, membership, and operational indicators; developing evidence-based standards and review methodologies; and guiding complex remediation, transition, or organizational change efforts.
• Working knowledge of due diligence, mergers, strategic alliances, and board-level governance processes.
• Strategic systems thinking.
• Executive presence.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Facilitation and consensus-building skills.
• Ability to influence across functions without direct authority.
• Project and change leadership skills.
• Risk identification and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage sensitive, complex matters with diplomacy, objectivity, and accountability.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and collaborative work-management tools.
• Advanced ability to design and manage assessment frameworks, scorecards, dashboards, decision tools, implementation plans, and executive-level reports.
• Strong analytical skills, including synthesizing financial, operational, governance, and membership data into clear findings and recommendations.

Nice To Haves

• Experience leading communications for a federated, chapter-based, franchise, membership, or similarly networked organization.
• Experience in youth development, education, advocacy, or mission-driven work focused on girls and women.
• Experience supporting communications for documentary, entertainment, technology platform, or comparable high-visibility partnerships.
• Experience launching national research, reports, or thought leadership as public-facing moments.
• Experience in consumer product or food and beverage communications, particularly in relation to large-scale seasonal or cause-driven campaigns.
• Experience working alongside volunteer leaders, community-based organizations, or local market stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Own and steward the governance operating model for GSUSA’s federation of councils, aligning national processes and experiences while respecting local leadership and context.
• Establish and maintain shared standards, roles, governance forums, tools, and consistent ways of working across councils.
• Lead the annual charter review and renewal process; maintain charter criteria, guidance, documentation requirements, and review timelines.
• Partner with Council Partnerships, Legal, Finance, the Board Office, and council leaders to develop charter recommendations and coordinate support.
• Help councils understand and uphold Blue Book provisions and governance requirements through guidance and practical resources.
• Prepare Movement-wide insights on council health, chartering, and alignment for executive and board review.
• Design and implement council quality and credentialing frameworks, standards, evidence guides, review cycles, and assessment practices.
• Develop self-assessment tools, dashboards, progress reporting, feedback loops, and peer-learning opportunities for councils.
• Identify credentialing and recognition opportunities and connect councils with relevant external standards, resources, and learning opportunities.
• Establish and steward an ongoing council health approach; track financial, governance, membership, and operational indicators.
• Develop shared dashboards, sustainability tools, and regular reporting on council health and future outlook.
• Partner with councils and internal teams on tailored support, capability-building strategies, and achievable action plans.
• Facilitate viability reviews when deeper support is needed and work with councils to identify a path forward.
• Serve as the national process lead for strategic alliances and mergers; maintain playbooks, tools, decision frameworks, and implementation resources.
• Facilitate cross-functional due diligence and partner with councils to assess readiness, plan transitions, and address conditions for success.
• Guide councils through alliance or merger exploration, approval, implementation, and integration while protecting mission continuity, local relationships, and the experience of girls and volunteers.
• Provide direct supervision and strategic leadership to the Council Governance team, setting priorities, fostering accountability, coaching team members, and supporting continuous learning and collaboration.

Benefits

• 20+ days of paid time off, 2 floating holidays, and 9 workplace holidays per year.
• Paid year-end office closure between Christmas and New Year’s.
• Medical and behavioral health coverage with individual and family plan options, including wellness, hospitalization, and fertility assistance; GSUSA partially subsidizes premium costs.
• Dental and vision coverage.
• Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts, including Health, Dependent Care, and Limited FSA options for those with Health Savings Accounts.
• Company-paid life insurance.
• Flexible work arrangements.
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Short- and long-term disability for salary continuation.
• Health and wellness classes and activities throughout the year.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive