Executive Director

Executive Director - Position Description Hours: Full-time Reports to: Board of Directors Location: Remote, open to candidates residing in the Greater Madison area, Wisconsin Annual Salary Range: $100,000 - $120,000 annual salary, dependent on experience. Benefits include a health care stipend and a matching IRA retirement plan. Position Summary The Executive Director provides strategic and operational leadership for Own It: Building Black Wealth, advancing its mission to increase generational wealth through homeownership for Black and brown families and addressing racial disparities in the real estate market. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director leads the organization's strategy, fundraising, partnerships, staff, financial sustainability, and overall operations while ensuring long-term organizational health and measurable community impact. About the Moment: Own It is in a season of growth — building the staff and systems infrastructure that will let the organization scale beyond what one founder-leader can carry alone. This is a chance to lead an organization with real traction: an Education Program, a Down Payment Grant Program, and an Ambassador network already in motion, all in service of closing the racial wealth gap through homeownership. The next Executive Director will inherit a strong vision and the mandate to operationalize and systematize what comes next. Who You Are: You lead with integrity and follow through on commitments: to the community you serve, to funders, and to the board. You think strategically about where Own It is headed while staying grounded in its mission of building generational wealth through homeownership for Black and brown families. You build real relationships—with community, partners, donors, and board members—and you know how to steward trust once you've earned it. Competencies & What You'll Own Fundraising, Integrity & Accountability - Lead Own It's overall fundraising strategy, including grant strategy, applications, reporting, and compliance. Cultivate and steward relationships with donors, funders, and sponsors. Report fundraising progress to the board with transparency and follow-through. Operate with the kind of accountability that builds long-term trust — with funders, staff, and the community. Board Partnership & Governance - Partner with the Board of Directors on strategic planning and organizational direction. Maintain clear boundaries between executive and board roles. Prepare board materials, agendas, and reports that give the board what it needs to govern well. Ensure compliance with 501(c)(3) requirements and lead with transparency in financial and organizational reporting. Community Partnership & Rootedness - Cultivate and expand relationships with education, housing, and community partners. Represent Own It in the community it serves — not just to funders and press, but to the families and neighborhoods the mission is built around. Build partnerships that reflect genuine rootedness in community, not just transactional outreach. Strategic & Mission Leadership - Lead strategic planning in partnership with the board. Ensure every major decision — programmatic, financial, operational — ties back to Own It's mission of increasing generational wealth through homeownership. Provide strategic oversight of the Education Program and Down Payment Grant Program, evaluating effectiveness and long-term impact. People-First Leadership & Reputation - Lead, coach, and manage staff and contractors with a people-first approach. Serve as Own It's primary spokesperson and public face, building relationships with press, partners, and the real estate and housing community. Protect and grow Own It's reputation as a trusted, high-integrity organization. Position Description