The Opportunity
Harm Reduction Sisters is entering an important period of organizational growth and leadership transition.
After years of visionary leadership under its founding Executive Director, the organization is preparing for its next chapter. Building on a strong foundation, the next Executive Director will help guide the organization through continued growth, evolving community needs, and a changing public health landscape.
At a time when harm reduction organizations are navigating shifting policy environments, funding uncertainty, and increasing public attention, the next Executive Director will build on Harm Reduction Sisters' trusted reputation while strengthening its voice, partnerships, and long-term sustainability.
The next Executive Director will join an evolving leadership team that reflects the organization's commitment to collaboration, shared leadership, and long-term sustainability.
This role is well suited for a leader who can honor the relationships, trust, and values that have shaped Harm Reduction Sisters while thoughtfully guiding its continued evolution with creativity and care.
View the full Executive Director Opportunity Profile:
https://harmreductionsisters.org/join-our-team
The Executive Director serves as the organization’s primary external leader and strategic partner, helping ensure Harm Reduction Sisters remains deeply rooted in community while advancing its mission, strengthening organizational sustainability, and supporting the leadership team responsible for carrying the work forward.
The Executive Director guides the organization’s mission, vision, and strategic direction in partnership with the Board of Directors, Director of Operations, and senior leadership team helping Harm Reduction Sisters continue to grow while remaining true to its values and the communities it serves.
In this role, the Executive Director will:
- Build and support a collaborative leadership team grounded in trust, transparency, shared responsibility, and harm reduction values.
- Lead organizational planning, decision-making, and thoughtful change while supporting a healthy culture, staff well-being, and shared leadership.
- Serve as a visible and trusted representative of Harm Reduction Sisters across community, public health, advocacy, philanthropic, and policy spaces.
- Cultivate meaningful and trusted partnerships with community members, Tribal Nations, Black communities, LGBTQ2S+ communities, rural communities, funders, public agencies, coalitions, and policymakers.
- Ensure the organization’s work remains informed by community needs, lived experience, and harm reduction principles, with particular attention to people and communities that experience stigma, discrimination, and barriers to care.
- Champion harm reduction through advocacy, education, public engagement, and systems change—helping reduce stigma and expand access to care.
- Partner with the Director of Operations, Board, and leadership team to advance fundraising, grant development, financial stewardship, and long-term sustainability.
- Navigate organizational growth, opportunities, and challenges with integrity, steadiness, and sound judgment.
What You'll Bring
We are seeking a thoughtful, grounded, and values-driven leader who builds trust, leads with care, communicates openly, and values shared leadership. The next Executive Director will recognize lived experience as essential expertise and understand that strong relationships with staff, the Board, community members, and partners are central to lasting organizational impact.
Successful candidates will often bring experience in many of the following areas:
- Leading teams, programs, or organizations in nonprofit, public health, harm reduction, grassroots, advocacy, or community-based settings.
- Guiding an organization through growth, leadership transition, organizational development, or other significant change.
- Building trusted, collaborative relationships with staff, community members, boards, funders, policymakers, Tribal Nations, public agencies, and community partners.
- Working authentically across diverse communities, including Black, LGBTQ2S+, Indigenous, and rural communities.
- Supporting organizational sustainability through fundraising, grant development and management, financial stewardship, and strategic planning.
- Navigating complex public health, policy, advocacy, or funding environments while maintaining strong relationships and organizational credibility.
- Knowledge of harm reduction principles, public health systems, drug policy, healthcare navigation, or related fields. This knowledge may come through professional, volunteer, academic, or lived experience.
- Bilingual or multilingual communication skills that reflect the communities HRS serves—including Ojibwe, Anishinaabemowin, or Spanish—are highly valued.
- Lived experience connected to the communities HRS serves is strongly valued.
We know there are many paths to leadership.
If this opportunity speaks to your experience, values, and commitment to harm reduction, we encourage you to apply even if you do not meet every qualification listed above.
Review the full Executive Director Opportunity Profile before applying:
https://harmreductionsisters.org/join-our-team
Application Process
Please submit your cover letter and resume through Indeed.
In your cover letter, we invite you to share:
- Your connection to harm reduction and community-centered care.
- What draws you to this leadership opportunity at Harm Reduction Sisters.
- How your leadership philosophy aligns with this moment in the harm reduction movement and the organization's journey.
Commitment to Equity & Lived Experience
Harm Reduction Sisters is committed to building a leadership team that reflects the communities we serve. We strongly encourage applications from people with lived experience related to substance use, sex work, housing instability, incarceration, and LGBTQ2S+ identities.
BIPOC candidates and individuals with lived experience in the communities we serve are strongly encouraged to apply.
Pay: $100,000.00 - $110,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Flexible schedule
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Professional development assistance
People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply
Work Location: In person
