Job Description

The Opportunity

Families Together, a nonprofit organization based in Raleigh, North Carolina, seeks a dynamic, mission-driven, and experienced leader to serve as its Executive Director. This is an exciting opportunity for a seasoned professional to succeed a respected long-time leader, build on a period of increased organizational stability, and guide Families Together’s expansion in response to increasing homelessness and housing insecurity in our community.

The ED will be strongly committed to the mission of Families Together and will drive the organization’s strategic vision. They will serve as a visible and compelling champion for Families Together, increasing awareness of the growing number of families experiencing housing instability across Wake County. Through strong community partnerships and engagement, the ED will leverage community and volunteer support to help Families Together expand its capacity, address the complex factors contributing to family homelessness, and identify opportunities to increase affordable housing options for the families it serves. The ED will lead efforts to triple the number of families it can serve through its emergency shelter while continuing to grow programs designed to strengthen long-term stability.

In partnership with a talented and passionate staff, the ED will oversee all aspects of the organization’s operations, including program development, fundraising, community outreach and advocacy, affordable housing services, and financial management of the organization’s approximately $2.5 million operating budget and nearly $4 million capital project budget. 

The organization has embarked on a capital campaign—Rebuilding Stronger—and the ED will play a key role in leading and executing the goals of the campaign. After a fire destroyed one of its shelter buildings in December 2024, Families Together decided to rebuild the shelter at increased capacity to better serve the community. The project will replace four lost units with 12 new emergency shelter units, thus expanding non-congregate shelter capacity in Wake County and strengthening capacity to move families from crisis to long-term stability.

The Organization

Established in 1980, Families Together has grown and evolved into a diverse, community-based nonprofit and one of the largest in the area solely dedicated to ending family homelessness. Families Together offers a distinctive approach to family homelessness by providing shelter that allows families to remain together as a household, rather than requiring parents, children, or other family members to separate based on age, gender, or family composition. The organization takes a hybrid strategic approach to a growing, complex problem by employing multiple housing and service models, developing and owning housing stock, and advocating with allied organizations to change policy and practice. Their fundamental belief is that every family deserves a home, and children should never have to wonder where they will sleep at night. By keeping families together during an already destabilizing period, Families Together provides not only safe housing, but also the stability and continuity families need to move forward toward permanent housing.

Families Together operates an emergency shelter and provides a range of pathways to permanent housing for families with children. A team of professional Mentor Advocates partners with families to support their journey to lasting stability through tailored, holistic support services including case management, financial empowerment, employment support, behavioral health support, and connections to community resources. In 2025, the organization served 825 people, including 540 children, across 268 families. 85 families secured a lease in their own name. Families Together also owns and manages a property portfolio of emergency shelter, transitional, and permanent rental housing.

The organization’s core values are Care, Trust, Advocacy, and Transformation. Staff and the Board seek to live out these values and embrace a leadership culture that prioritizes effective collaboration, open communication, professional growth, and the voices of people with lived experience in decision-making.

Families Together is led by an active and engaged Board of Directors of dedicated community volunteers, including executive leaders, small business owners, and community members. The organization employs 16 full-time and four part-time employees. A cadre of volunteers supplements this team.

Volunteers and Donors

A vibrant community of volunteers and donors helps make the feeling of home a reality for Families Together families. From church and corporate groups to motorcycle and book clubs, volunteers play an essential role in keeping the organization’s property, programs, and services thriving alongside its dedicated staff.

Volunteers and donors are integral to the success of Families Together. The ED will cultivate strong, meaningful, and lasting relationships with these partners, creating opportunities for engagement and ensuring that their support continues to grow alongside the organization and the families it serves.

You can learn more about Families Together on its website.

The Position

As the leader of Families Together, the ED will advance the organization’s mission and vision while providing strategic leadership for its growth, sustainability, and impact. The ED will serve as the chief spokesperson, public advocate, and ambassador, representing Families Together with authenticity and credibility and raising awareness of family homelessness and solutions. They will build strategic relationships with nonprofits, government agencies, business leaders, funders, and other community partners to expand the organization’s reach and impact.

The ED will lead efforts to strengthen and diversify the organization’s resource base and will work closely with the Board, staff, and community leaders to successfully execute the capital campaign and advance long-term growth strategies. They will serve as a strategic partner to the Board, supporting effective governance, Board development, and engagement.

Leading a team of approximately 20 staff members, the ED will foster a collaborative, accountable, and mission-driven culture while providing overall oversight of organizational operations and performance. The ED will directly supervise the Director of Finance and Administration, Director of Development and Communications, Housing and Family Services Director, and Property Strategy Manager, ensuring alignment and accountability across the organization.

The Location

The City of Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina, home to several colleges and universities, and offers abundant arts, culture, and recreational opportunities. Fueled by an impressive mix of education, ingenuity, and collaboration, Raleigh and the surrounding “Research Triangle” region routinely rank among the nation’s best places to live, work, and play. Home to more than two million people, the Research Triangle Park has attracted hundreds of companies to the region, helping to make it the largest research park in the United States. Perfectly positioned midway between the coast and the Appalachian Mountains, the Triangle offers residents a beautiful place to call home. And while the region continues to grow and offer a superior quality of life, the cost of living remains reasonable relative to comparable cities. 

Core Responsibilities

The Executive Director will focus on the following areas:

Leadership

• Build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with community leaders, funders, government officials, nonprofit partners, and other stakeholders.
• Navigate difficult and sometimes competing conversations about funding, community needs, and safety with diplomacy, courage, and sound judgment, while advocating for Families Together and advancing solutions to family homelessness.
• Lead, empower, and develop the organization’s senior leadership team, comprised of the Director of Finance and Administration, Director of Development and Communications, and Housing and Family Services Director, while providing overall leadership for human resources and staff development.
• Maintain a strong, collaborative, and transparent partnership with the Board of Directors by providing timely, meaningful reports on financial performance, programs, organizational priorities, opportunities, and challenges to support informed governance and decision-making.
• Cultivate a strong organizational culture in which staff and volunteers are trusted and empowered to lead within their areas of expertise, recognized for their contributions, and supported through clear expectations, accountability, open communication, and opportunities for ongoing professional growth.
• Partner with the HR Committee and senior leadership to develop and maintain effective human resource policies, practices, and systems that promote accountability, consistency, employee engagement, safety and security, and organizational effectiveness.
• Ensure organizational compliance with applicable laws, regulations, contractual obligations, and reporting requirements.
• Promote sound governance and operational practices.
• Foster a supportive and collaborative work environment that encourages open communication, active listening, teamwork, and meaningful contributions from staff and volunteers across the organization.

External Relations

• Serve as a visible and compelling ambassador and storyteller for the organization, representing its mission, programs, and priorities at public events, conferences, community meetings, and other forums.
• Build awareness of the organization’s impact and strengthen its presence within the broader community through meaningful engagement, partnerships, and public-facing opportunities.
• Identify and cultivate opportunities for collaboration and strategic partnerships that enhance the organization’s reach, resources, and ability to serve the community.
• Work with the Continuum of Care, community leadership networks, and the Board to leverage high-impact collaborative opportunities, and advocate for and promote housing policies and initiatives at the local and state levels.
• In partnership with the Property Committee, lead the development and implementation of the rebuild and expansion of our emergency shelter units, ensure the efficient management of our existing property portfolio, and consider partnerships for additional sustainable affordable housing initiatives and projects, building effective partnerships with government agencies, private-sector organizations, and other community stakeholders.

Resource Development

• Build on a foundation of strong, effective relationship-building with a donor-centric approach.
• Guide an ambitious, comprehensive fundraising strategy that grows dependable, diverse funding streams, including the annual fund, major gifts, corporate partnerships, and private foundations, to ensure the organization’s long-term financial sustainability.
• Build and develop, in partnership with the Director of Development and Communications, a high-functioning Development and Communications team with the skills, expertise, and capacity necessary to support current operations, strengthen revenue generation, and position the organization for future growth.
• Provide strategic oversight of grant development and management to secure funding for the organization’s operations, programs, and services.
• Monitor government funding opportunities at the local, state, and federal levels and work with staff and partners to develop competitive proposals that expand and sustain organizational programs and services.
• Strengthen and diversify the organization’s funding base by expanding individual and major donor giving and identifying new opportunities for foundation support, corporate partnerships, government funding, and other revenue streams aligned with the organization’s mission.
• Demonstrated experience in leading a capital campaign, including developing campaign strategy, engaging campaign leadership, and securing lead gifts. 

Program and Strategic Oversight

• Provide strategic leadership for the development, implementation, and continuous assessment of programs and services that advance the organization’s mission and effectively respond to the needs of families experiencing homelessness.
• Partner with staff and the Board of Directors to establish and oversee a comprehensive program impact framework, using clear metrics and KPIs to define, measure, and communicate long-term housing outcomes, program quality, and compliance.
• In collaboration with the Property Committee, lead the development of sustainable affordable housing initiatives and cultivate effective partnerships with government agencies, private-sector organizations, and other community stakeholders.
• Provide strategic oversight of the organization’s affordable housing portfolio, ensuring effective property maintenance, long-term financial sustainability, and responsible planning for future growth. Ensure housing decisions account for the full cost of development, operations, maintenance, and expansion.
• Lead the development and implementation of the organization’s strategic plan in partnership with senior leadership, the Board of Directors, and staff, ensuring alignment with the mission, vision, and evolving community needs.
• Establish clear organizational priorities and focus resources and efforts around key strategic areas, including Infrastructure and Operational Effectiveness, Program-Level Impact, Funding and Resource Growth Readiness, Affordable Housing Property Maintenance and Planned Growth, and People and Organizational Culture.

Financial Oversight

• Provide strategic oversight of the organization’s financial management, budgeting, financial planning, and fundraising efforts to ensure fiscal responsibility and long-term sustainability.
• Lead the development of the annual organizational budget and ensure compliance with audit and financial management best practices.
• Regularly review and communicate monthly financial performance; monitor grant contracts, reporting, and billing processes; and make informed financial decisions in partnership with staff and the Board

Required Skills, Attributes, and Qualifications

The Families Together ED must share a passion for ending homelessness and a commitment to the mission and the diverse clients they serve. In addition, they should possess a variety of attributes, including:

• Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience in a nonprofit organization, preferably in affordable housing, homelessness, human services, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success in organizational leadership, strategic planning, financial management, fund development, program strategy, and building strong external partnerships.
• Proven ability to develop and execute organizational strategy, establish measurable goals and key performance indicators, and use data to inform decision-making and organizational performance.
• Strong financial acumen, including experience interpreting nonprofit financial statements, overseeing budgets and financial performance, navigating government reimbursement cycles, and managing restricted funds.
• Demonstrated success in nonprofit fundraising, including personally cultivating and soliciting major gifts and securing six-figure grants from government, foundation, corporate, and other funding sources.
• Experience leading a capital campaign, including developing campaign strategy and securing leadership gifts, is strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of affordable housing development, including funding sources, financing mechanisms, policy, and advocacy, as well as familiarity with local, state, and federal government funding processes.
• Proven ability to lead a complex organization while balancing multiple programs, priorities, funding requirements, stakeholder needs, and changing circumstances.
• Strong relationship-building and communication skills, with the ability to cultivate productive relationships with donors, funders, community partners, government officials, and other stakeholders and compellingly tell the organization’s story.
• Proven ability to lead, develop, and empower experienced staff and volunteers through a collaborative leadership style characterized by trust, transparency, accountability, active listening, clear communication, and appropriate delegation.
• Experience partnering effectively with a Board of Directors and engaging board members in governance, strategy, organizational priorities, and fundraising.
• A humble, approachable, and empathetic leadership style, coupled with the confidence and executive presence to serve as a visible ambassador for the organization.
• Demonstrated commitment to serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness and other underserved communities with dignity and respect.
• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred. Ability to travel locally on a regular basis and drive personal and agency vehicles for work-related activities.

Compensation

Families Together is committed to attracting extraordinary leaders for this position through a compensation package that includes a competitive salary in the range of $140,000 – $150,000 and an employee benefits package that includes employer-subsidized health benefits, flexible spending accounts, generous paid time off, 11 paid holidays, and a 403(b)-retirement plan with a match of up to $1,500 annually.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Families Together (FT) is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity and does not discriminate in the terms, conditions, or privileges of employment on account of race, natural hair or hairstyles, ethnicity, creed, color, sex, pregnancy, marital or familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, or ancestry, National Guard or veteran status, religion, age, physical or mental disability or any other legally protected status. It is the policy of FT to employ the best-qualified people available for the position and tasks to be performed. In implementing this policy, FT maintains a strong policy of equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment. Our equal employment opportunity philosophy applies to all aspects of employment with FT, including recruiting, hiring, training, promotion, job benefits, pay, and dismissal. All opportunities at FT—including promotions to managerial and executive positions—are open to everyone based on merit and level of higher education. FT makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with physical or mental disabilities unless the provision of such accommodation creates an undue hardship to FT's operations. FT is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and welcoming workplace for all employees.

To Apply: Please send a cover letter and resume. Applications are requested by November 5, 2026, and will be accepted until the position is filled.

Questions: Send an email to FTsearch@mossandross.com

Families Together

908 Plainview Drive

Raleigh, NC 27610

https://familiestogethernc.org/