Executive Director

Executive Director

Location: Houston, Texas.

Overview

The next Executive Director will lead the Houston‑Galveston Area Council (H‑GAC), stewarding public funding and guiding a multi‑program regional enterprise across the 13‑county region.

Responsibilities

• Articulate and advance a bold regional vision that reflects the distinct geographic, economic, and demographic needs of the region, building consensus among elected officials, partner agencies, and community stakeholders.
• Strengthen regional collaboration by leveraging partnerships with urban, suburban, and rural leaders to advance cohesive policy implementation that benefits the entire region.
• Lead collaborative solutions to complex regional challenges—including transportation, workforce development, and early childhood education—by working in close partnership with the governing boards of H‑GAC’s subsidiary entities, alongside state and federal agencies and local governments, to develop and implement forward‑looking, regionally aligned strategies.
• Empower and align the executive leadership team to effectively implement board‑adopted policies, cultivate innovation, and deliver high‑performing programs.
• Drive organizational excellence and operational efficiency, ensuring resources are strategically aligned to maximize impact in workforce development and early childhood education initiatives across the 13‑county region.
• Serve as chief steward of public trust, ensuring transparency, accountability, and strong fiduciary oversight in collaboration with subsidiary boards.
• Champion best‑in‑the‑nation programming, positioning H‑GAC as a national model in regional planning, workforce development, and intergovernmental coordination.

Regional governance leadership

The Executive Director supports governance bodies composed of elected officials and senior public leaders, creating decision‑ready clarity on options, tradeoffs, and implementation implications.

Enterprise operational leadership

H‑GAC’s effectiveness depends on how quickly it can move from intention to execution. The Executive Director sets cadence, establishes expectations, removes bottlenecks, tightens workflows, and holds leaders accountable for cycle time, service responsiveness, and measurable impact.

External leadership and partnerships

The Executive Director is the face of H‑GAC in the region and beyond, building durable partnerships with local, state, and federal entities, positioning the organization for strategic funding opportunities, and ensuring the organization’s communications reinforce credibility and trust.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Regional Planning, Business Administration, Political Science, or a closely related field.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible executive management experience in a public‑sector, intergovernmental, private, or nonprofit organization of comparable complexity.
• Proven record of managing large, multidisciplinary teams and budgets.
• Significant experience working with boards composed of elected officials and facilitating decision‑making in a public context.

Preferred

• Master’s degree or other advanced degree in a related discipline.
• Executive experience in a Council of Governments, MPO, or similar regional agency.
• Experience in the Houston‑Galveston region or similarly large, fast‑evolving metropolitan regions.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary regional initiatives, strategic planning, and grant administration.
• Demonstrated experience leading digital transformation or major technology initiatives in complex organizations.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should apply via the link.

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