Chief Executive Officer - Wilmington - LAMBERT & ASSOCIATES, LLC

Description

Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement (DANA)

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is the chief strategist, relationship builder, and organizational leader responsible for advancing the organization's mission, ensuring long-term financial sustainability and strengthening the nonprofit sector statewide. Reporting directly to the Board of Directors, the CEO works in close partnership with the Board and senior leadership team to execute the strategic plan while maintaining financial stability and operational excellence. The CEO will build strong relationships across the state while guiding affiliated entities and mission-aligned initiatives including the Delaware Nonprofit Action Network, a 501c4 supporting public policy initiatives, and Care for Good, a health insurance solution for DANA members. The CEO is responsible for ensuring DANA's leadership serves as a key resource to strengthen and expand the capacity and voice of DANA members, Alliance Partners, and the Delaware nonprofit sector.

Specific Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Board Partnership

• Partner with the Board to refine and execute a clear strategic vision aligned with the mission and values.
• Lead implementation of the multi-year strategic plan, ensuring measurable outcomes and alignment across programs and initiatives.
• Evaluate and prioritize initiatives to ensure sustainability and mission alignment.
• Identify emerging trends, risks, and opportunities impacting the nonprofit sector statewide.
• Develop clear metrics and accountability systems to track impact and financial performance.
• Balance growth ambitions with disciplined financial planning.
• Responsible in conjunction with DANA leadership team to develop board and board subcommittee agendas; prepare for Board review relevant reports.

External Relations, Communications & Advocacy

• Serve as the chief spokesperson and visible leader of the organization.
• Represent the interests of nonprofit organizations before legislators, regulatory agencies, philanthropy, and business leaders.
• Advance public policy initiatives that strengthen the nonprofit ecosystem.
• Maintain and deepen relationships with funders, major donors, and institutional partners.
• Build coalitions that advance sector-wide solutions.
• Ensure consistent, mission-aligned communications and brand integrity.
• Engage key stakeholders personally during leadership transitions or major organizational milestones.

Operations & Service Delivery

• Ensure excellence and innovation in consulting, capacity-building programs, accelerator initiatives, and shared services.
• Oversee evaluation and impact measurement systems.
• Assess competitive landscape and differentiate service offerings in a crowded consulting market.
• Ensure operational systems support program delivery efficiently and effectively.
• Align pricing and earned income strategies with financial sustainability goals.

Membership & Stakeholder Engagement

• Cultivate authentic relationships with nonprofit leaders statewide.
• Maintain and grow membership engagement and retention.
• Ensure value proposition remains strong amid changing funding conditions.
• Facilitate listening sessions and sector-wide dialogue.
• Strengthen trust across diverse nonprofit constituencies, including organizations of varying size, budget, and mission focus.
• Lead development of annual budgets and long-term financial models.
• Ensure diversified revenue streams, including membership, earned income, grants, and sponsorships.
• Serve as lead fundraiser, working closely with the Board.
• Ensure strong financial oversight, cash flow management, audit compliance, and grant reporting.
• Oversee risk management, insurance, contracts, and vendor relationships.
• Determine appropriate senior leadership structure (e.g., operations, finance, program leadership) to support organizational complexity.
• Build systems that reduce overreliance on CEO capacity for operational execution.

THE CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate is a mission-driven executive leader who combines strategic vision with operational expertise and financial acumen. The new CEO will understand the unique dynamics of statewide nonprofit ecosystems and can build credibility among diverse stakeholders. Having experienced transformation and growth via capacity building and earned income initiatives over the past ten years, DANA's new CEO will be equipped to manage the wide array of services offered to membership and maintain the financial sustainability of the organization.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years of senior leadership experience in nonprofit management, association leadership, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex budgets and ensuring financial sustainability.
• Experience working with a Board of Directors and governance structures.
• Strong understanding of public policy, advocacy, and sector advancement, preferably within Delaware.
• Experience leading teams through growth and organizational change.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with a variety of personalities and leadership styles.
• Able to thrive in a changing work environment and effectively manage competing demands and unexpected events.
• Emotionally mature with a good sense of humor and the warmth and sensitivity to work with diverse personalities and situations.
• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Partially remote; willingness to work in office on a regular basis in addition to traveling statewide and attending evening and weekend events as needed.

THE INSTITUTION

The Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement (DANA) is a statewide membership association dedicated to strengthening, advancing, and amplifying the voice of nonprofit organizations across Delaware. Established in 1986, the organization has evolved from a small membership association supporting nonprofits with group purchasing into a complex, multi-entity structure with diversified revenue streams, earned income strategies, and affiliated entities (including advocacy and insurance-related initiatives). Recognizing the broader needs of Delaware nonprofits, DANA stands today as a champion for advocacy and a resource hub for enhancing nonprofit operations. The organization provides:

• Board and employee recruitment and retention
• Board Governance and management training
• Cohort-based leadership development and accelerator programs
• Consulting and strategic planning services
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives
• Education, leadership development, and continuous learning
• Public policy, advocacy, and sector representation
• Shared services initiatives and collaborative solutions
• Strategic partnerships with philanthropy, government, and business

The organization now operates at a significantly expanded scale, serving a broad and diverse nonprofit membership ranging from small grassroots organizations to large, sophisticated institutions.