Chief Executive Officer

Chief Executive Officer

Interfaith Works

Status:
Full-time, exempt employee

Salary: $190,000 to $200,000

Location:

Rockville, MD

Reports to:

Board of Directors

Deadline:
Apply by mid-March for best consideration. Resume reviews begin immediately.

About Interfaith Works

Interfaith Works (IW) is a trusted, mission-driven nonprofit dedicated to helping neighbors in need achieve greater stability. Founded in 1972 by local faith communities as a coordinating body for temporary shelter and meals, IW was built on the belief that collaborative, community-based action is essential for ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to thrive. While not a religious organization, IW remains grounded in its founding values of compassion, inclusion, respect, empowerment, and social justice.

IW serves more than 35,000 residents of Montgomery County, MD, each year through a comprehensive continuum of services addressing both immediate crises and long-term stability. Its work spans four core program areas: emergency shelters and drop-in services; supportive and permanent housing; essential needs, such as food, clothing, and resource navigation; and vocational services that promote employment readiness. IW manages the Emergency Assistance Coalition, a countywide network that strengthens coordination, advocacy, and delivery of safety-net services.

These services are delivered using trauma-informed, client-centered, and dignity-affirming approaches.

With an annual operating budget of approximately $16.5 million, a staff of nearly 200, and significant government contract revenue, IW is one of Montgomery County's largest and most complex human services organizations. IW is widely regarded as a trusted partner by elected officials, government agencies, funders, faith communities, volunteers, and peer organizations. Learn more at https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..

Leadership Opportunity

IW seeks a strategic, empathetic, and experienced Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead the organization into its next chapter. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the CEO will steward IW's mission, values, and resources while providing compassionate leadership across the organization. The CEO will bring a commitment to equity, dignity, and social justice, with strong experience working on issues, programs, and policies related to homelessness, housing, community development, workforce development, and economic mobility.

The CEO supervises a seven-person leadership team, including a Chief of Staff, Director of Homeless Services, Director of Vocational Services, Director of Essential Needs, Director of Faith and Community Partnerships, Director of Finance, and Director of Development and Communications.

This is a pivotal moment for IW-demand for services remains high as residents face housing instability, rising costs of living, and ongoing economic uncertainty. The next CEO will be charged with navigating this complexity while strengthening organizational systems, advancing financial sustainability, and continuing to elevate IW's role in policy conversations that affect the communities it serves, while sustaining IW's impact.

Serving as IW's primary ambassador, the CEO will foster trusted relationships with staff, board members, government partners, funders, faith communities, and the broader public, while leading and supporting advocacy efforts that advance equitable housing, economic stability, and supportive services across Montgomery County-reinforcing IW's role as a respected and reliable partner for neighbors in need.

Strategy, Vision, and Leadership

• Provide steady, solutions-oriented leadership during times of change, balancing innovation with operational discipline.
• Serve as head of staff and foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing organizational culture grounded in trust, accountability, and shared purpose.
• Lead and support a high-performing leadership team, ensuring clear roles, accountability, collaboration, and professional development.
• Develop, implement, and refine a strategic plan that responds to community needs, aligns with IW's values, and positions the organization for long-term sustainability.
• Maintain transparent, timely, and productive communication with the Board.
• Support the Board's engagement in strategy, fundraising, and building relationships.

External Relations, Advocacy, and Fundraising

• Serve as the public face of IW, engaging and building relationships with elected officials, government agencies, funders, faith communities, partner organizations, and the broader public to advance the organization's mission.
• Serve as a leading advocate for policies and systems that promote housing stability, economic equity, and social justice in Montgomery County.
• Advance compelling and non-exploitative narratives that center the voices of those IW serves and elevate the organization's impact.
• With the Development team and Board, advance annual and long-term donor stewardship plans that cultivate support from major donors, individuals, foundations, and…