Position Summary
Courage Reins improves the lives of individuals with physical, mental, and emotional challenges through equine-assisted services that promote healing, confidence, connection, and personal growth.
The Executive Director serves as the organization’s chief leader and ambassador, responsible for translating Courage Reins’ mission into measurable impact. This role partners closely with the Board of Directors to set strategy, strengthen programs, develop sustainable funding, steward resources, and build a healthy, high-performing culture for staff, volunteers, clients, families, donors, and community partners.
Organizational Values
We lift and embrace everyone.
We lead up and down.
We contribute courageously
We own it.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership and Mission Impact
Lead the development, execution, and ongoing refinement of Courage Reins’ strategic plan in partnership with the Board of Directors, ensuring priorities are mission-aligned, financially sustainable, and supported by clear goals, timelines, and accountability.
Champion program excellence and innovation in equine-assisted services, using data, client outcomes, participant feedback, and field best practices to improve quality, access, safety, and impact.
Fundraising, Community Engagement, and External Relations
Serve as a visible, credible spokesperson for Courage Reins, strengthening awareness of the mission and building trusted relationships with donors, foundations, corporate partners, civic leaders, referral partners, and the broader community.
Lead a diversified fundraising strategy that supports annual operations and long-term growth, including donor cultivation, grant strategy, sponsorships, special events, campaigns, and Board engagement in development efforts.
People, Culture, and Volunteer Leadership
Attract, develop, and retain a team of staff and volunteers by fostering a mission-centered culture where people understand priorities, receive meaningful feedback, and have opportunities to grow. Builds a culture of inclusion, accountability, emotional strength.
Lead and support the leadership team through clear expectations, coaching, effective communication, practical problem solving, and consistent follow-through on commitments.
Operational and Financial Stewardship
Oversee day-to-day operations, programs, facilities, equine-related services, compliance, risk management, budgeting, reporting, and resource allocation to ensure the organization operates safely, efficiently, ethically, and sustainably.
Ensure financial discipline and transparency by managing performance against Board-approved budgets, monitoring revenue and expense trends, strengthening forecasting, and providing timely, accurate reports to support informed decision-making.
Board Partnership and Governance
Partner with the Board Chair and Board of Directors to support strong governance, strategic alignment and communication, policy development, and appropriate Board engagement in fundraising, advocacy, and organizational priorities.
Prepare clear, timely Board updates that communicate progress against strategic goals, financial performance, fundraising results, program outcomes, risks, opportunities, and key decisions requiring Board input.
Qualifications and Attributes
· Mission-centered leader with strong commitment to Courage Reins’ purpose, values, clients, families, volunteers, and community impact.
· Demonstrated nonprofit, mission-driven, or comparable executive leadership experience, including strategy, operations, financial stewardship, people leadership, and Board relations.
· Proven ability to build relationships and generate support through fundraising, donor engagement, grant strategy, partnerships, sponsorships, or community advocacy.
· Ability to lead teams with clarity, empathy, accountability, and resilience while supporting an inclusive and emotionally healthy workplace.
· Solid financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, performance reporting, and responsible resource allocation.
· Excellent communicator who can tailor messages for the Board, staff, volunteers, donors, partners, clients, families, and the public.
· Comfortable using data, technology, and operational systems to improve decisions, track outcomes, and support organizational growth.
· Creative, organized, collaborative, and solutions-oriented, with the judgment to balance strategic vision with practical execution.
· Experience with equine-assisted services, behavioral health, disability services, therapeutic recreation, education, human services, or a related field is preferred.
Pay: $130,000.00 - $160,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- How many years of leadership experience do you have in the non profit industry?
Work Location: In person
