Executive Director - Hesed House

Hesed House is a comprehensive resource center that provides shelter, services, and pathways to stability for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Located in Aurora, Illinois, Hesed House is recognized as the second largest homeless shelter in the state, serving more than one thousand people each year. On any given night, approximately six hundred individuals are either sheltered or housed through Hesed House programs.

The organization has operated for more than forty-five years and remains grounded in the belief that every person deserves dignity, support, and the opportunity to build a better future.

Hesed House uses a campus model to address the complexities of homelessness through a broad continuum of care. The campus consists of multiple buildings where individuals and families can access immediate shelter, supportive housing, basic needs, and on-site connective services that address barriers to long term housing and stability. Program offerings include family and adult shelters, on-site and community-based housing programs, housing navigation, employment assistance, homeless prevention services, life-skill development, financial support, and referrals to community partners.

By bringing essential services together in one location, Hesed House reduces barriers, builds trust, and helps participants progress toward sustainable independence.

Partnership and community engagement are central to the Hesed House approach. The organization collaborates with local governments, human service providers, healthcare organizations, schools, congregations, volunteers (more than 7,500 annually), and civic groups to create a coordinated response to homelessness. Hesed House acts as a connector between people in need and systems that can support them, creating solutions that are tailored, efficient, and humane.

The staff work closely with each participant to identify personal goals, connect them to resources, and provide ongoing support as they move from crisis toward long term housing.

Hesed House continues to evolve to meet the rising demand for services and the changing realities of homelessness in the region. The organization is committed to advancing housing stability through prevention programs, shelter, and supportive housing that honors individual circumstances and dignity.

For more information, visit: hesedhouse.org

Hesed House is seeking an experienced, operationally savvy leader to serve as its next Executive Director. This individual will join the organization at a critical juncture, taking the helm of an institution with strong community roots and significant assets, while continuing to implement best in class procedures to sustain its vital mission. The incoming Executive Director will focus heavily on supporting external relations while driving strong outcomes through intentional partnership with staff, leveraging a culture of collaboration and accountability.

Following a period of transition, this leader will look with fresh eyes at the entire organizational structure, establishing strict standard operating procedures and optimizing Hesed House’s approach to serving those in its care. Driven by a deep personal commitment to the mission, the Executive Director will ground every strategic decision in the well‑being of the individuals in Hesed House’s care.

This leader will model genuine empathy and understanding across all of their interactions, ensuring the organization remains an environment focused on restoration.

The Executive Director will serve as a vital strategic partner to the Board of Directors, working intentionally to increase board engagement and advance board development. Externally, the leader must possess the public presence and gravitas required to navigate municipal partnerships and manage public relations effectively. Financially, the Executive Director will inherit a healthy organization operating a budget of just over $13 million, and a staff of roughly 80 team members.

Priorities for the next leader will include a need to collaborate closely with the finance department to evaluate asset allocation while aggressively…