Executive director with 18 years in nonprofit leadership, heading a $14M community health and family services organization with 140 staff. Doubled revenue in six years, diversified funding to 40% private sources and expanded services to two new counties. Brings board partnership, financial stewardship, strategic planning and credibility with funders and public partners.
Experience
Executive Director, Heartwood Family Health Alliance (Kansas City, MO)
Jul 2019 – Present
Lead a 140-person organization with a $14M budget, reporting to a 17-member board
Doubled annual revenue from $7M to $14M and raised private funding from 22% to 40% of the total
Expanded home visiting and behavioral health services into 2 new counties, serving 9,000 people a year
Deputy Director, Prairie Youth and Family Services (Topeka, KS)
Feb 2013 – Jun 2019
Oversaw programs, HR and finance for a $6M agency with 70 staff
Led a merger with a smaller agency that added $1.5M in contracts and kept 100% of client services
Program Director, Prairie Youth and Family Services (Topeka, KS)
May 2008 – Jan 2013
Directed foster care and family preservation programs serving 400 children a year
Education
Master of Public Administration, University of Kansas (Aug 2006 – May 2008)
B.S. Family Studies and Human Services, Kansas State University (Aug 2002 – May 2006)
Finance: budgets, reserves policy, audit oversight, government contracts
Fundraising: major donors, foundations, capital campaigns, public funding
How to write a Executive Director resume
A strong Executive Director resume shows the people and communities you served, the programs and funding you built, and the outcomes you can document for clients, funders and boards. Show the organization you ran (team size, budget, revenue) and the business results you are accountable for.
Sections, in order
Summary
Experience
Skills
Education
Certifications
Length: Two pages are common for leadership roles; keep the first page strong enough to stand alone.
Summary: Lead with your leadership scope and the business outcomes you are known for.
Skills to feature
Case management
Trauma-informed care
Program design and evaluation
Grant writing and reporting
Fundraising and donor stewardship
Volunteer management
Budget management
Community partnerships
Nonprofit CRM and case systems (Salesforce, Raiser's Edge, Apricot)
Bilingual and culturally responsive communication
Example bullet points
Managed a caseload of 28 families and moved 82% into stable housing within 90 days
Wrote 14 foundation and government proposals that raised $1.3M at a 64% win rate
Recruited and trained 220 volunteers who logged 9,500 hours, the equivalent of 4.5 full-time staff
Tips from recruiters
Put licenses and credentials (LMSW, LCSW, CADC, CFRE) with the issuing state near the top, because many roles screen for them first.
Quantify outcomes funders care about, such as housing placements, retention rates, dollars raised or cost per client, not just activities.
Name the populations, funding streams and systems you know, for example HUD CoC, HMIS, Medicaid billing or Raiser's Edge.
Recommended templates
Classic (ATS-friendly): Jake's-style LaTeX classic: small caps and hairline rules
Modern (ATS-friendly): Clean single column with accent headings and rules
Ivy (ATS-friendly): Harvard-style Times layout with centered headings
Executive Director resume FAQ
What should a Executive Director resume include?
A Executive Director resume should show the people and communities you served, the programs and funding you built, and the outcomes you can document for clients, funders and boards. Use these sections in this order: Summary, Experience, Skills, Education and Certifications. Show the organization you ran (team size, budget, revenue) and the business results you are accountable for.
What is the best resume template for a Executive Director?
Classic, Modern and Ivy work well for Executive Director roles. They are single-column with standard headings, so applicant tracking systems (ATS) parse them reliably.
How long should a Executive Director resume be?
Two pages are common for leadership roles; keep the first page strong enough to stand alone.
Which skills should a Executive Director put on a resume?
Prioritize the skills named in the job posting. Common ones for Executive Director roles are Case management, Trauma-informed care, Program design and evaluation, Grant writing and reporting, Fundraising and donor stewardship and Volunteer management.
How do I write strong Executive Director resume bullet points?
Start with an action verb, say what you did, and end with a measurable result such as clients served, caseload size and program outcomes. For example: "Managed a caseload of 28 families and moved 82% into stable housing within 90 days."