Executive Director

In 2026, Found Her became an independent 501(c)(3). This is a founding moment, and weʼre looking for the leader who will carry it forward for generations of wāhine founders.

Type Full-time

Status At-will

Reports to the Hawaiʻi Found Her Board of Directors

The Role

The Executive Director is responsible for the overall leadership, operations, and sustainability of Hawaiʻi Found Her. The majority of the time will be spent fundraising and building community partnerships.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the ED ensures the organization enacts its mission, manages day-to-day program operations, builds and maintains a strong funding base, and serves as Found Herʼs primary external voice.

This is a hands-on leadership role. Found Her operates with a small, dedicated team, which means the ED is both strategic leader and active implementer.

Compensation is based on experience and starts at $120,000 per year, plus medical, dental, and 401(k) benefits.

Found Her is a culturally grounded organization. The right candidate doesnʼt just understand this mission intellectually, they embody it.

They operate with humility, center community over institution, and lead by bringing people in rather than directing from above. They are comfortable in a boardroom and in a community gathering. They take data seriously and use it to tell honest stories about impact.

Candidates must demonstrate an ability to build trust and credibility within the Native Hawaiian community, as evidenced by established relationships, cultural competency, and a track record of being accountable to and learning from indigenous communities.

This is a role for someone who is energized, not overwhelmed, by the challenge of building something lasting.

Key Responsibilities

01

Design and execute a fundraising strategy that maintains solvency and builds toward a six-month operating runway across grants, donors, sponsors, and partnerships.

Write or oversee grant proposals, ensure compliance, and steward existing funder relationships with care.

Identify and cultivate new funding aligned with Found Her’s mission, constituency, and program stage.

Work with the Board to engage donors and build a sustainable individual giving program.

02

Build and sustain relationships with funders, investors, mentors, and industry leaders who share Found Her’s values.

Serve as Found Her’s primary spokesperson and advocate for NHPIAA wāhine entrepreneurs locally, regionally, and nationally.

Collaborate with partners on research, policy advocacy, and efforts that uplift wāhine founders.

Cultivate an engaged alumna network supporting peer learning and capital-raising.

03

Lead strategic planning to advance Found Her’s accelerator programs and community engagement work.

Oversee cohort selection, curriculum design, and implementation for a culturally responsive, empowering experience.

Use data to demonstrate and communicate program impact to funders, partners, and the public.

Direct marketing, communications, and outreach; delegate execution to staff and contractors.

04

Manage day-to-day operations, budgets, and funder reporting.

Lead and support a small team; recruit and onboard new members as the organization grows.

Work closely with the Board, providing regular updates and engaging members in fundraising and governance.

Build organizational systems and documentation that support continuity, accountability, and long-term health.

Skills & Experience

Required

Proven fundraising track record across at least two of: foundation grants, government grants, individual donors, or corporate partnerships. Grant writing experience is required.

Organizational leadership experience: you have founded and operated a business yourself, OR…