Executive Director

CISV (Children’s International Summer Villages) was founded in 1950 by Dr. Doris Twitchell Allen, a child psychologist who believed that lasting peace begins with children. Since the first Village program in Cincinnati in 1951, CISV has grown into a global federation operating in nearly 70 countries, with CISV USA serving as the largest national association in the world.

CISV USA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with 21 chapters across the United States. Our mission is simple and enduring: to educate and inspire action for a more just and peaceful world. We accomplish this through a portfolio of distinctive programs — including Village camps for 11-year-olds, Step Up leadership programs, Seminar Camps, Interchange family exchanges, and Mosaic community service projects — that bring together young people from diverse nations and cultures to build lasting friendships and develop the skills of global citizenship.

CISV USA operates within a federated structure: a national organization supports 21 locally governed chapters, each staffed almost entirely by volunteers. This model creates extraordinary reach and community depth, and it places a premium on coordination, relationships, and trust across all levels of the organization.

Position Summary

The Executive Director serves as the chief staff leader of CISV USA and is responsible for leading the organization’s operations, supporting its chapter‑based national structure, advancing strategic priorities set by the Board, and ensuring effective coordination among chapters, volunteers, committees, and the national office.

This role requires a leader who can operate effectively in a mission‑driven, volunteer‑rich environment and who can balance day‑to‑day management with organizational leadership, relationship‑building, and operational follow‑through. The Executive Director works in close partnership with the Board of Directors, chapter leaders, national committee leaders, and the CISV International Office.

The Executive Director attends meetings of the Board of Directors as a non‑voting participant and serves as a key partner in implementing board‑approved priorities and maintaining organizational continuity.

Organizational Context

CISV USA’s strength lies in the passion and dedication of its volunteer base. The national office is small, and the Executive Director plays a hands‑on role in organizational operations while also serving as a strategic partner to the Board. This balance of operational detail and organizational leadership is central to the role.

The Executive Director must be genuinely comfortable in an environment where most of the work happens through and with volunteers — not through direct staff authority. Success in this role requires the ability to influence, motivate, and coordinate across a distributed network of chapter leaders and national committee chairs, building trust and accountability without relying solely on hierarchical authority.

Core Responsibilities

1. Organizational Leadership and Operations

• Lead the day‑to‑day operations of CISV USA in alignment with board‑approved policies and priorities.
• Ensure the national office functions as an effective, responsive, and organized hub for communication, information, and support.
• Maintain effective operating systems, records, workflows, and administrative processes.
• Identify operational risks, gaps, and priorities, and bring forward solutions and recommendations.
• Support continuity across organizational functions during periods of change or transition.

2. Chapter and Volunteer Support

• Provide guidance, support, and responsive communication to chapters, volunteers, national committee chairs, and liaisons.
• Strengthen communication and coordination between the national organization and local chapters.
• Support chapter‑related processes, requirements, and follow‑up in partnership with relevant national leaders.
• Work with chapter development leadership and volunteers to identify chapter support needs and monitor follow‑through on action plans where appropriate.
• Foster a culture of service, responsiveness, and accountability across the national organization.

3. Board Partnership and Strategic Support

• Partner with the Board Chair and Board of Directors to support implementation of board‑approved priorities and strategic plans.
• Attend all Board meetings as a non‑voting participant and provide timely reporting, updates, and operational insight to support informed decision‑making.
• Prepare materials, analysis, and recommendations needed for effective board decision‑making.
• Support sound governance practices by maintaining appropriate role clarity between board and staff responsibilities.
• Track organizational follow‑through on Board decisions and commitments.

4. Program and National Operations Support

• Oversee and coordinate key national operational processes related to programs, chapter support, training, and annual organizational cycles.
• Manage program invitations, deadlines, and coordination with chapters and international systems.
• Ensure national operational support is in place for major annual activities, including conference planning, reporting cycles, and chapter‑related processes.
• Work with relevant national volunteers and staff to maintain consistent follow‑through on deadlines, forms, reports, and related organizational requirements.
• Support effective coordination with risk management, training, and program leadership functions.

5. International and External Relations

• Serve as the primary staff liaison with the CISV International Office on operational and organizational matters.
• Maintain awareness of relevant international requirements, timelines, communications, and updates, and ensure appropriate information is shared across CISV USA.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with peer organizations, partners, and other nonprofit or mission‑aligned networks as appropriate.
• Raise awareness of CISV USA and support the organization’s external visibility and credibility.

6. Fundraising and Resource Development

• Support and oversee fundraising and donor‑related efforts in coordination with staff, volunteers, and board leadership as appropriate.
• Help maintain donor and development operations, including coordination of donor stewardship and fundraising follow‑through.
• Contribute to resource development planning and execution consistent with organizational needs and capacity.

7. Staff Leadership and Management

• Supervise assigned staff and support their effectiveness, accountability, and professional growth.
• Clarify responsibilities, set expectations, and monitor performance for direct reports.
• Ensure staffing support is aligned with organizational priorities and operational needs.
• Foster a professional, mission‑aligned, collaborative work environment.

8. Financial, Compliance, and Administrative Oversight

• Support sound financial administration and internal coordination in partnership with the Treasurer, bookkeeper, finance volunteers, and external providers as applicable.
• Help ensure key filings, records, deadlines, and administrative obligations are maintained and tracked.
• Support organizational compliance, documentation, and risk awareness across relevant areas of operation.
• Maintain visibility into operational and administrative details sufficiently to ensure timely follow‑up and accountability, while appropriately delegating transactional work where possible.

Qualifications

Required

• Experience in nonprofit management, association management, membership organizations, or a similarly complex mission‑driven environment.
• Demonstrated ability to lead organizational operations with rigor, responsiveness, and good judgment.
• Proven experience working effectively with a board of directors and volunteer leaders — including navigating the board‑staff relationship with skill and clarity.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills, including the ability to communicate clearly and credibly with diverse audiences.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and follow through in a deadline‑driven environment.
• Experience building and sustaining relationships across diverse groups, perspectives, and geographies.
• High degree of discretion, sound judgment, and ability to handle sensitive organizational matters with professionalism.
• Strong comfort with technology, information systems, and digital communication tools used in nonprofit administration.
• An undergraduate degree from a four‑year accredited institution.

Preferred

• Experience working in a chapter‑based, federated, or volunteer‑driven organization — ideally with a distributed national or regional structure.
• Experience supporting board governance processes and fostering effective board‑staff collaboration.
• Background in fundraising, donor relations, or nonprofit resource development.
• Experience in program administration, event oversight, or national nonprofit operations.
• Familiarity with international organizations, intercultural programs, or youth‑serving nonprofits.
• A background in child psychology or experience working with children or organizations with a focus on childhood development.
• Experience working with or within organizations affiliated with global networks or international bodies.

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