Executive Director

Description

COVENANT HEALTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

Location: Pensacola, Florida I On-Site Employment: Full-Time, Exempt Reports to: Board of Directors

Covenant Health and Community Services is a private grantmaking foundation focused on improving health and well-being across generations in Northwest Florida. Initial priorities include aging, behavioral health, and access to care.

The Executive Director will serve as the Foundation's chief executive and principal partner to the Board during a formative stage of development. This leader will help shape strategy, build the operating model and grantmaking approach, and position Covenant for lasting community impact.

This opportunity is suited for an accomplished executive who can turn community needs into focused funding priorities, build an efficient organization, steward significant resources, and lead with credibility and sound judgment.

Board Partnership & Governance

• Serve as the Board's principal executive partner and trusted advisor on strategy, grantmaking, financial stewardship, governance, risk, and long-term sustainability.
• Maintain clear, timely communication with the Board and its committees. Translate Board direction into annual priorities, budgets, grantmaking goals, and measurable results, while bringing forward thoughtful recommendations on key opportunities and risks.

• Set and lead organizational strategy and operations in alignment with Covenant's mission, community priorities, and Board direction.
• Build and evolve the Foundation's operating model, putting in place the right structure, people, technology, advisors, policies, and systems to execute strategy effectively.

• Establish and oversee the Foundation's grantmaking framework, with strong due diligence, effective monitoring, clear outcomes, and funding decisions aligned with Board priorities.
• Present qualified funding recommendations to the appropriate Board committee while preserving the Board's final approval authority. Evaluate portfolio performance and refine grantmaking strategy based on results and community impact.

• Develop annual operating and grantmaking budgets for Board approval. Monitor performance and maintain appropriate internal controls, delegated authority, segregation of duties, and risk-management practices.
• Provide executive oversight of the Foundation's finances, investment administration, liquidity planning, audits, regulatory filings, internal controls, and private-foundation compliance, including Form 990-PF. Work closely with the Board and external financial, legal, audit, tax, and investment advisors.

Covenant Health and Community Services l Executive Director. Private Foundation

Community Leadership & External Relations

• Serve as Covenant's principal executive representative and visible ambassador. Build trusted relationships across the nonprofit, healthcare, education, civic, government, business, and philanthropic communities.
• Stay closely informed about regional health needs and identify opportunities for collaboration or aligned funding. Communicate Covenant's priorities and impact while protecting confidential information and the Foundation's independence, credibility, and reputation.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• Executive Leadership: 10+ years of progressive leadership experience, including 5+ years in a senior executive role leading strategy, operations, financial performance, people, and Board relationships.
• Education: Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and executive leadership experience.
• Financial & Grantmaking Stewardship: Experience overseeing significant budgets and multi-million-dollar grantmaking, funding programs, community investments, or comparable resource-allocation decisions.
• Governance & Organizational Leadership: Experience partnering with Boards on governance, risk, and compliance while overseeing organizational systems.
• Executive Presence: Sound judgment and strong communication skills, with the ability to represent the Foundation credibly with community and professional stakeholders.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Organizational Build: Experience launching, building, restructuring, or transitioning an organization.
• Sector & Regional Knowledge: Experience in healthcare, community health, philanthropy, or a related sector, with knowledge of Northwest Florida's nonprofit,…