GreenLight Nashville Executive Director
The Kresge Foundation, Nashville, Tennessee, United States, 37247
Founded in Boston in 2004, GreenLight Fund addresses barriers to economic mobility for children, youth and families in high-poverty urban areas by creating local infrastructure and a consistent annual process to:
Identify critical needs and barriers for people experiencing poverty.
Import innovative, entrepreneurial programs that can have a significant, measurable impact.
Galvanize local support to help programs reach and sustain impact in the city.
In addition to funding, GreenLight Fund provides ongoing support to the organizations it brings to a city (portfolio organizations) through access to a national network of partners and city-specific relationships and knowledge, as well as expertise developed through GreenLight Fund’s experience in other cities, which helps ensure their success and impact.
Currently, in addition to the founding site in Boston, GreenLight Fund has sites in Atlanta, the Bay Area, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Charlotte, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Kansas City, Newark, Philadelphia, Miami and the Twin Cities. Since our founding, GreenLight has launched and supported 62 innovative organizations across these sites that reached 1.3M children and families last year.
Nashville is our next expansion city.
In 2026, GreenLight Fund is poised for continued growth, with a focus on deepening community impact, growing to new cities, building our learning capacity, building strategic partnerships, and centering equity in all that we do. To learn more about GreenLight Fund’s work, please visit http://greenlightfund.org/ .
The Opportunity GreenLight Fund is currently seeking a dynamic, passionate, and collaborative Executive Director to lead the launch and establishment of GreenLight Nashville. This entrepreneurial leader will build the GreenLight Nashville Selection Advisory Council and run the diligence and selection process which includes identifying highest priority needs, selecting portfolio organizations and supporting expanding organizations as they launch and grow. In addition, they will steward and secure funders and other resources to support GreenLight Nashville and its portfolio organizations and engage a wide variety of constituents in this work.
This is a fantastic opportunity for a results-oriented and inspiring leader to work autonomously to bring a proven model of growing high-performing nonprofits to Nashville and to engage individuals, funders, and companies to create meaningful community impact. Reporting to a Vice President, Site Success, the Executive Director will lead implementation of GreenLight’s Method of Impact in Nashville, partner with peers across the country to find and spread what works and support the national GreenLight network.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
Programmatic Leadership
Lead a community-wide Selection Advisory Council to advise on identifying Nashville’s high priority community needs and the vetting and selection of portfolio organizations that can powerfully address them.
Run an annual selection process to identify organizations with potential to have a significant impact on community needs, including conducting rigorous diligence and deep landscape analysis to understand organizations’ potential for impact and community fit.
Engage the voice of community members with lived experience navigating poverty in determining priority needs and solutions.
Serve as an active local board member for portfolio organizations.
Act as a strategic thought partner to and connector for local portfolio organization Executive Directors and boards on a broad range of strategic and operational issues.
External Relations and Fundraising
Represent GreenLight Nashville externally and cultivate a network of relationships with community leaders, entrepreneurs, the private-sector investor community, philanthropic partners, government officials, nonprofit and business leaders, and prospective partner organizations.
Actively steward GreenLight Nashville investors, secure event sponsorships, and lead all stages of the fundraising cycle.
Secure critical resources, financial and otherwise, for GreenLight Nashville and portfolio organizations, and actively and thoughtfully steward these relationships over time.
Create and manage events to launch new portfolio organizations in the community and build awareness of and support for portfolio organizations.
Candidate Profile The Nashville Executive Director will be an experienced, innovative, and collaborative leader with compelling presence and exceptional communication and relationship-building skills. While no one candidate will possess every quality outlined for this position, the successful candidate will bring many of the following professional qualifications and personal attributes:
Authentic passion for GreenLight’s mission and deep commitment to the Nashville community.
Proven commitment to bringing a racial equity lens to their work and deep understanding of how systems of oppression have affected communities experiencing poverty.
A successful track record in entrepreneurial environments holding positions of increasing complexity and responsibility.
Demonstrated experience developing effective working relationships with people from a wide array of backgrounds, leading groups and developing talent, all with a collegial and team-building approach that puts others at ease, engenders trust, and is grounded in community needs.
Experience and relationships in the Nashville philanthropic, nonprofit and/or business sectors, as well as knowledge of the critical social issues affecting low-income residents in the area.
Familiarity with nonprofit and/or philanthropy sectors, ideally with knowledge of the social innovation world and results-oriented, evidence-based program design; passion for and demonstrated commitment to social entrepreneurship and social change.
Strong analytical skills and experience with due diligence and/or grant-making processes.
Superb verbal and written communication skills and the ability to represent GreenLight Nashville and portfolio organizations in a professional, engaging and dynamic manner.
A track record of securing financial resources from a variety of sources, building awareness of and support for important endeavors, and successfully cultivating and stewarding donors over time.
Experience building and managing pipelines, especially with donors and/or programs.
Creative, collaborative, entrepreneurial, and action-oriented with an eagerness to roll up one’s sleeves and work hands-on to grow organizations.
Bachelor’s degree is strongly preferred but not required.
Compensation and Benefits The salary for this position is $145,000. The compensation package includes:
Health insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield (80% paid by GreenLight)
Dental and Vision insurance through Guardian (80% paid by GreenLight
Full coverage of all mental health visits through Blue Cross Blue Shield
Safe Harbor 401k: GreenLight will match 100% of the first 3% of salary and 50% of the next 2%
Short and long-term disability and life insurance fully paid by GreenLight
11 company-wide holiday closings and 3 floating holidays
Generous PTO and parental leave
Up to $75 per month of cell phone reimbursement
Up to $100 per month of WiFi reimbursement
Up to $1,500 per year for professional development
Access to Holisticly (40 Holisticly credits per month)
Candidates must be based in Nashville. This position offers flexibility to work from home or hybrid with the expectation of in-person engagements, including meetings, events, and travel.
Greenlight Fund is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBT applicants.
Contact DSG | Koya has been exclusively retained for this engagement, which is being led by Cassie Scarano. To apply, please submit a compelling cover letter and resume by filling out our Talent Profile no later than March 27, 2026. All inquiries are strictly confidential.
DSG | Koya 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 NPSIsearchoperations@dsgco.com. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.
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Identify critical needs and barriers for people experiencing poverty.
Import innovative, entrepreneurial programs that can have a significant, measurable impact.
Galvanize local support to help programs reach and sustain impact in the city.
In addition to funding, GreenLight Fund provides ongoing support to the organizations it brings to a city (portfolio organizations) through access to a national network of partners and city-specific relationships and knowledge, as well as expertise developed through GreenLight Fund’s experience in other cities, which helps ensure their success and impact.
Currently, in addition to the founding site in Boston, GreenLight Fund has sites in Atlanta, the Bay Area, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Charlotte, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Kansas City, Newark, Philadelphia, Miami and the Twin Cities. Since our founding, GreenLight has launched and supported 62 innovative organizations across these sites that reached 1.3M children and families last year.
Nashville is our next expansion city.
In 2026, GreenLight Fund is poised for continued growth, with a focus on deepening community impact, growing to new cities, building our learning capacity, building strategic partnerships, and centering equity in all that we do. To learn more about GreenLight Fund’s work, please visit http://greenlightfund.org/ .
The Opportunity GreenLight Fund is currently seeking a dynamic, passionate, and collaborative Executive Director to lead the launch and establishment of GreenLight Nashville. This entrepreneurial leader will build the GreenLight Nashville Selection Advisory Council and run the diligence and selection process which includes identifying highest priority needs, selecting portfolio organizations and supporting expanding organizations as they launch and grow. In addition, they will steward and secure funders and other resources to support GreenLight Nashville and its portfolio organizations and engage a wide variety of constituents in this work.
This is a fantastic opportunity for a results-oriented and inspiring leader to work autonomously to bring a proven model of growing high-performing nonprofits to Nashville and to engage individuals, funders, and companies to create meaningful community impact. Reporting to a Vice President, Site Success, the Executive Director will lead implementation of GreenLight’s Method of Impact in Nashville, partner with peers across the country to find and spread what works and support the national GreenLight network.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
Programmatic Leadership
Lead a community-wide Selection Advisory Council to advise on identifying Nashville’s high priority community needs and the vetting and selection of portfolio organizations that can powerfully address them.
Run an annual selection process to identify organizations with potential to have a significant impact on community needs, including conducting rigorous diligence and deep landscape analysis to understand organizations’ potential for impact and community fit.
Engage the voice of community members with lived experience navigating poverty in determining priority needs and solutions.
Serve as an active local board member for portfolio organizations.
Act as a strategic thought partner to and connector for local portfolio organization Executive Directors and boards on a broad range of strategic and operational issues.
External Relations and Fundraising
Represent GreenLight Nashville externally and cultivate a network of relationships with community leaders, entrepreneurs, the private-sector investor community, philanthropic partners, government officials, nonprofit and business leaders, and prospective partner organizations.
Actively steward GreenLight Nashville investors, secure event sponsorships, and lead all stages of the fundraising cycle.
Secure critical resources, financial and otherwise, for GreenLight Nashville and portfolio organizations, and actively and thoughtfully steward these relationships over time.
Create and manage events to launch new portfolio organizations in the community and build awareness of and support for portfolio organizations.
Candidate Profile The Nashville Executive Director will be an experienced, innovative, and collaborative leader with compelling presence and exceptional communication and relationship-building skills. While no one candidate will possess every quality outlined for this position, the successful candidate will bring many of the following professional qualifications and personal attributes:
Authentic passion for GreenLight’s mission and deep commitment to the Nashville community.
Proven commitment to bringing a racial equity lens to their work and deep understanding of how systems of oppression have affected communities experiencing poverty.
A successful track record in entrepreneurial environments holding positions of increasing complexity and responsibility.
Demonstrated experience developing effective working relationships with people from a wide array of backgrounds, leading groups and developing talent, all with a collegial and team-building approach that puts others at ease, engenders trust, and is grounded in community needs.
Experience and relationships in the Nashville philanthropic, nonprofit and/or business sectors, as well as knowledge of the critical social issues affecting low-income residents in the area.
Familiarity with nonprofit and/or philanthropy sectors, ideally with knowledge of the social innovation world and results-oriented, evidence-based program design; passion for and demonstrated commitment to social entrepreneurship and social change.
Strong analytical skills and experience with due diligence and/or grant-making processes.
Superb verbal and written communication skills and the ability to represent GreenLight Nashville and portfolio organizations in a professional, engaging and dynamic manner.
A track record of securing financial resources from a variety of sources, building awareness of and support for important endeavors, and successfully cultivating and stewarding donors over time.
Experience building and managing pipelines, especially with donors and/or programs.
Creative, collaborative, entrepreneurial, and action-oriented with an eagerness to roll up one’s sleeves and work hands-on to grow organizations.
Bachelor’s degree is strongly preferred but not required.
Compensation and Benefits The salary for this position is $145,000. The compensation package includes:
Health insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield (80% paid by GreenLight)
Dental and Vision insurance through Guardian (80% paid by GreenLight
Full coverage of all mental health visits through Blue Cross Blue Shield
Safe Harbor 401k: GreenLight will match 100% of the first 3% of salary and 50% of the next 2%
Short and long-term disability and life insurance fully paid by GreenLight
11 company-wide holiday closings and 3 floating holidays
Generous PTO and parental leave
Up to $75 per month of cell phone reimbursement
Up to $100 per month of WiFi reimbursement
Up to $1,500 per year for professional development
Access to Holisticly (40 Holisticly credits per month)
Candidates must be based in Nashville. This position offers flexibility to work from home or hybrid with the expectation of in-person engagements, including meetings, events, and travel.
Greenlight Fund is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBT applicants.
Contact DSG | Koya has been exclusively retained for this engagement, which is being led by Cassie Scarano. To apply, please submit a compelling cover letter and resume by filling out our Talent Profile no later than March 27, 2026. All inquiries are strictly confidential.
DSG | Koya 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 NPSIsearchoperations@dsgco.com. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.
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