Chief Executive Officer

Job Description

Location: Fully remote with expected travel
Salary: $250,000

About NPQ: Our Vision and Mission

Nonprofit Quarterly (NPQ) is an independent nonprofit media organization that equips nonprofit leaders, workers, and funders to gather insights, challenge dominant narratives, and drive change in the nonprofit sector and the systems that shape it.

Our journalism is bold, never passive. Contributors interrogate how power, race, and equity shape outcomes, and centering the practitioners, organizers, and movement leaders doing the work. We’re both a convener and a catalyst for shared sense making—a place where ideas get tested, tensions get surfaced, and insight becomes something you actually can use.

We exist for people who refuse to take the nonprofit sector at face value — and who know that improving organizations and transforming systems aren’t separable goals. We want you to feel less alone in the hard work, and more equipped to do it.

Our mission is to advance conversations and practice in civil society, as manifested in nonprofits, social movements, and philanthropy. We envision an active democracy grounded in racial equity, human rights, and economic justice, one built by a nonprofit sector that has the stories, the analysis, the solidarity, and the nerve to make it real.

The Opportunity

NPQ is seeking a Chief Executive Officer who can lead at the intersection of journalism, social impact and sector influence.

The successful NPQ CEO is a leader who can:

• Think like a media publisher and operator
• Fundraise like a sector leader
• Lead people through complexity with clarity and care
• Articulate a compelling vision for where nonprofit media, and NPQ specifically, must go next

The CEO will steward NPQ’s evolution as a trusted, equity-centered media institution while building the financial and organizational infrastructure needed to sustain and grow its influence.

What You’ll Do

Refine Vision & Shape the Future

• Affirm a clear, bold direction for NPQ’s next chapter—editorially, organizationally, and financially
• Situate NPQ within the broader media and nonprofit ecosystem: What does the sector need, and what is NPQ uniquely positioned to deliver?
• Lead with both urgency and discipline in a rapidly shifting environment

Lead Revenue & Sustainability

• Serve as NPQ’s chief fundraiser and relationship builder, partnering closely with leadership to shape and execute a cohesive revenue strategy 
• Build and deepen relationships with philanthropy, major donors, and partners
• Develop a diversified revenue model that sustains editorial independence and long-term growth

Bridge Editorial and Business

• Partner closely with editorial leadership to ensure alignment between content, audience, and revenue strategy
• Understand and respect the distinct roles of journalism and business—while ensuring they work in concert
• Establish clear mechanisms for alignment across editorial, audience, and revenue functions, with defined roles, shared goals, and regular points of collaboration
• Champion the integrity, relevance, and impact of NPQ’s journalism

People & Culture

• Lead a deeply committed team with transparency and trust
• Create clarity in an environment that can otherwise feel ambiguous or diffuse
• Build systems and operating norms for feedback and decision-making that are inclusive and enable action
• Be a steady and responsive listener

Navigate Complexity with Clarity

• Lead through sector-wide challenges, organizational change, and internal tensions with resilience
• Bring a clear leadership philosophy: when to listen, when to decide, and how to move forward
• Reduce noise, create alignment, and help the organization stay focused on what matters most
• Translate strategic priorities into clear goals, success metrics, and operating rhythms that guide decision-making and track progress across the organization

Board Management 

• Build a strong, trust-based relationship with the Board of Directors
• Engage the Board as strategic partners while maintaining clear roles and boundaries
• Bring a thoughtful approach to governance, communication, and accountability

Serve as an External Voice

• Represent NPQ as a leading voice in nonprofit, philanthropic, and media spaces
• Build relationships that extend NPQ’s reach, relevance, and influence
• Speak with credibility, conviction, and nuance about the challenges facing the sector
• Balance a strong external presence with disciplined internal leadership, ensuring the organization operates effectively and sustainably as its influence grows

Who You Are

A Fundraiser at Your Core
You have led fundraising efforts and are comfortable being the face of an organization to funders and partners. You understand what it takes to build sustainable revenue, and you do it with authenticity and purpose.

Fluent in Media and Mission
You understand how media organizations work editorially and operationally, and how that intersects with nonprofit models. You can navigate the tension between mission, content and business without compromising any one of them.

A Leader in Uncertain Times
You have led through complexity — organizationally, politically, or within a field in flux. You bring steadiness, perspective and the ability to move forward even when conditions are unclear.

People-Centered and Values-Driven
You lead with empathy and integrity. You know how to bring people along, especially in environments where perspectives differ, and stakes feel high. You care deeply about equity not just as a value, but as a practice. You ensure equity is reflected not only in values, but in day-to-day practices, including hiring, performance management, decision-making, and resource allocation.

Clear and Decisive
You have a defined leadership philosophy. You know how to gather input, but you are not governed by it. You make decisions, communicate them clearly, and help others align around them.

A Thoughtful Board Partner
You have experience working with boards and understand how to make that relationship productive and strategic. You bring clarity, transparency, and a strong point of view on governance.

Why This Role Matters

NPQ sits at a critical intersection: journalism, philanthropy, thought leadership and social change. The next CEO will not only lead an organization — they will help shape how the nonprofit sector understands itself, responds to challenge, and moves toward a more just future.

Compensation and Benefits  

The expected base annual salary for this position is $250,000. We are committed to providing fair and equitable compensation that reflects each team member’s contributions, experience, and expertise. All qualified candidates will be considered for this position, and final compensation will be based on qualifications, skills, and experience.

We believe in fostering a balanced, supportive work environment where our team can thrive. We provide a generous benefits package designed to support both your personal and professional well-being. Our offerings include:

• Flexible time off
• Holidays
• Paid parental leave
• 403(b)-retirement plan with employer contribution
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
• Annual learning and development opportunities to support your growth

Application Materials 

URL Media is leading the search for this position. To apply, please submit your materials via URL Media. For questions, nominations or to request accommodations for the hiring process, please email talent@url-media.com.

Cover Letter/Intro Letter

Rather than a traditional cover letter, we invite you to respond to the prompts below. We are less interested in a restatement of your resume and more interested in how you think, lead, and make meaning of this moment. Please keep your response to each question to 500 words or less.

NPQ sits at the intersection of journalism, philanthropy, and social change during a period of significant disruption.

1. Point of View: What role should NPQ play in shaping the nonprofit and philanthropic sector over the next 3–5 years—and where do you believe it must evolve to meet this moment?
2. Leadership in Practice: Describe a time you led through complexity or uncertainty. How did you make decisions, align stakeholders, and what did it reveal about your leadership?

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