Chief Executive Officer

About HomeFront

HomeFront’s mission is to end homelessness in Central New Jersey by harnessing the caring, resources and expertise of the community. We lessen the immediate pain of homelessness and help families become self-sufficient. We work to give our clients the skills and opportunities to ensure adequate incomes, and we work to increase the availability of adequate, affordable housing. We help homeless families advocate for themselves individually and collectively.

Since its inception 25 years ago, HomeFront has worked to break the cycle of poverty and end homelessness in Central New Jersey, serving thousands of Mercer County families. In the past year alone, almost 14,000 heads of households walked through our front door looking for help.

Started by volunteers providing meals for families living in welfare motels, HomeFront has since developed a holistic array of services for clients who are either homeless or at high risk of becoming so. On any given night, we provide emergency shelter, transitional housing and permanent service-enriched housing to over 450 people, two-thirds of them children. Some of our many services include case management, homelessness prevention services (including back rent & utility assistance), emergency food, free clothing and household goods at our FreeStore, affordable housing searches, job placement and readiness skills.

Special programming for children includes our award-winning pre-school program, summer camp, after-school tutoring and other recreational, enriching and educational activities. We have established collaborations with congregations, corporations and organizations, who assist in our mission of returning families to independence.

HomeFront utilizes all segments of the community to accomplish its mission of providing comprehensive programs which enable formerly homeless families to become independent, contributing members of the community. More than 1,200 volunteers work with us each year to provide families with everything from food, goods and services to assistance in locating jobs and housing. Without these dedicated and caring volunteers, many of our programs, such as our week-night tutoring program and hot meals for motel families, would not be possible.

With a budget of $12 million, a talented Executive Team of six and a staff of 120, HomeFront is one of Mercer County’s most important community resources and is recognized for its exceptional commitment to changing lives.

For more information on HomeFront, please visit our website.

The Opportunity

HomeFront is looking for a caring and experienced CEO to lead the organization to achieve even greater levels of service to the communities of Central New Jersey. This is an opportunity for a visionary leader to build upon the founding values and long-standing track record of excellence and lead the organization into the future. The next HomeFront CEO will work closely with the Board and lead an established, mission-driven team towards a future of even greater impact.

HomeFront is seeking a strong yet compassionate leader who is mission-driven, committed to the founding vision and brings the business acumen required to lead a complex, multi-dimensional social services organization. The CEO will be a relationship builder who can cultivate strong partnerships with the Board, navigate the philanthropic and funding landscape to secure new sources of support, and continue driving excellence in HomeFront’s direct service space. Previous experience in a senior leadership role, knowledge of the social service sector and alignment with the culture and values of HomeFront will be critical success factors for the incoming CEO.

The CEO’s specific responsibilities include:  

• Provide operational leadership for all aspects of the organization, including financial oversight, staff oversight, portfolio management, resource development and external relations.
• Provide forward-looking strategic leadership to HomeFront, ensuring the organization continues to adapt and innovate to best meet the current and future needs of the community.
• Serve as a thought partner to the Board of Directors, collaborating to fulfill the mission and vision of the organization and maintaining effective lines of communication.
• Develop and steward ongoing relationships with a variety of donors including corporate, individual and government supporters in order to ensure the stability and expansion of the organization.
• Develop a strong external presence and relationships to cultivate and steward new opportunities for community partnerships, serving as a public voice of Homefront and positioning the organization as integral to engaged community partners.
• Lead and inspire the staff and foster a culture of transparency, commitment, and excellence both internally and externally.
• Ensure that sound financial management practices and accountability are maintained across the organization, including ensuring that all the complex local, state, and national funding and regulatory guidelines are effectively implemented and monitored.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will have the following professional and personal qualities, skills, and characteristics:

Commitment to the Community/Passion for the Mission

As the champion for HomeFront’s mission of treating all clients with dignity and respect, the CEO will bring a passion for improving local communities demonstrated by a commitment in their professional and/or personal life and an appreciation for the organization’s founding values. The CEO will understand the value of relationships and be equally comfortable interacting with a diverse range of stakeholders including the Board, staff, clients, funders, community partners, clients and others. In representing HomeFront, the CEO will confidently present the organization as an engaged community partner.

Strong Organizational Leadership

The CEO will be a proven leader with a track record of success in organizational management. As a thoughtful leader, they will bring a balanced hand in cultivating organizational culture and crafting strong administrative systems. They will be an experienced manager who engenders trust in the staff through a collaborative management style, helps them achieve their potential, and holds them accountable. With a deep understanding of leadership development, they will encourage and empower the team to take ownership of their individual workstreams and also work together to achieve greater results. They will be a leader of unquestioned integrity, ethics and values; someone who can be trusted without reservation.

Business Acumen and Strong Financial Management

The CEO will bring experience with strategic financial oversight and a comprehensive record of overseeing various functions of an organization. They will have proven experience in process management, budgeting, strategic forecasting and planning, and in overseeing financial, accounting, compliance and risk management of a complex organization. Experience in social services will be a strong plus. The CEO will also be skilled at presenting financial and operational information in a clear, concise fashion to a range of constituents.

External Ambassador and Fundraiser

The CEO will be an “Ambassador” for HomeFront, always looking for ways to promote the organization’s work and impact.  A warm, engaging communicator who brings a passion for articulating the values of the organization to the community, the CEO will have a genuine interest in connecting with clients and all supporters of HomeFront. The CEO will have exceptional listening and interpersonal skills with the ability to build and sustain strong support across a wide range of stakeholders, including donors, grantees, Board members, staff, elected officials and the larger community. The CEO will be comfortable asking for support and will be able to develop a powerful sense of shared purpose in others and motivate them to engage in the future of the organization. The CEO will enjoy sharing the value of working with HomeFront to achieve philanthropic goals with existing and potential donors, inspiring confidence and generating buy-in and support.

In addition, strong candidates may offer:

• Experience with Federal and New Jersey funding and programs
• Experience with Government officials and intermediaries
• Experience and network within the larger Central New Jersey area

Compensation & Benefits

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience.

Contact

Koya Partners, the executive search firm that specializes in mission-driven search, has been exclusively retained for this engagement. Please submit a compelling cover letter and resume to Erin Reedy here.

Koya Partners is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

HomeFront is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants.

About Koya Partners

Koya Partners, a part of Diversified Search Group, is a leading executive search and strategic advising firm dedicated to connecting exceptionally talented people with mission-driven clients. Our founding philosophy—The Right Person in the Right Place Can Change the World—guides our work as we partner with nonprofits & NGOs, institutions of higher education, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.

For more information about Koya Partners, visit www.koyapartners.com.