Overview:
ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW
Special Olympics Alabama (SOAL) is a dynamic, mission-driven 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to empowering children and adults with intellectual disabilities, of all ages and abilities, through the power of year-round sports training and competition, complementary non-sports programming, and community engagement, all at no cost to the athlete.
As the Alabama affiliate of the global Special Olympics movement, which serves 4.7 million athletes in 207 countries and jurisdictions, SOAL leverages the transformative power of sport to empower participants to build physical fitness, courage, confidence, and skills that serve them on and off the playing field. The Special Olympics movement champions inclusion and respect, ensuring that athletes of all abilities are welcomed, supported, and celebrated.
Founded in 1970, Special Olympics Alabama has grown into a statewide Program offering a broad range of Olympic-type individual and team sports, as well as Special Olympics Unified Sports, which brings together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities as teammates. Through local competitions, state championships, volunteer programs, and community partnerships, SOAL creates life-enhancing experiences that extend beyond the playing field, fostering confidence, leadership, and inclusion for more than 11,000 registered athletes and thousands of volunteers across Alabama.
At the core of its impact is a dedicated network of coaches, Unified partners, families, and supporters who contribute time, expertise, and passion to enrich the lives of Special Olympics athletes. Volunteers serve in roles from coaching and event leadership to advocacy and fundraising, underscoring the collaborative spirit that drives the organization’s success. SOAL’s next CEO will be critical in continuing to increase the organizations’ reach, quality, operations, and sustainability. Experienced, strong, and visionary leadership is essential to advancing SOAL’s mission and building an even more inclusive future for Alabamans.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Special Olympics Alabama (SOAL) serves as the organization’s chief executive, lead fundraiser, and public ambassador, providing trusted leadership during a pivotal period of organizational strengthening and growth. Reporting directly to the Board of Directors, the CEO is responsible for overseeing all operational, administrative, financial, and programmatic aspects of the organization while advancing quality, scale, and long-term sustainability. In close partnership with the Board, the CEO sets strategic direction, supports effective governance, and ensures SOAL’s mission is conducted with integrity, accountability, and measurable statewide impact.
This role calls for an experienced, resilient, and values-driven leader who is energized by the challenge of comprehensive organizational advancement. The CEO will be expected to thoughtfully assess, rebuild, and realign core systems, structures, and practices, bringing clarity, discipline, and momentum to an organization that requires sustained, hands-on leadership. Success in this role demands endurance, follow-through, and a willingness to engage in the deliberate work of building strong foundations over time, while leading with transparency, authenticity, and ethical stewardship.
As SOAL’s primary relationship builder and most visible representative, the CEO leads all fundraising and resource development efforts, cultivating and stewarding meaningful relationships with donors, sponsors, foundations, government entities, and community partners across Alabama. Operating within a lean staffing model, the CEO provides day-to-day leadership of operations, fiscal management, compliance, and infrastructure, while building the capacity, systems, culture, and partnerships needed to support future growth. The CEO also ensures the quality, consistency, and expansion of SOAL’s sports and non-sports programming statewide, serving as a trusted advocate for athletes, families, volunteers, schools, and community leaders. This role is ideally suited for a relational, mission-driven executive with a proactive, solutions-focused approach, and is motivated by the opportunity to meaningfully shape the next chapter of Special Olympics Alabama.
Responsibilities:
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Leadership & Board Partnership
- Lead and manage the CEO–Board relationship with an elevated level of sophistication, drawing on strong prior experience in nonprofit governance and board building and development to ensure an engaged, effective, and accountable Board.
- Serve as the primary partner to the Board of Directors, working closely with the Board to set, advance, and execute SOAL’s strategic vision, priorities, and long-term growth plan.
- Support the ongoing strengthening of the Board by facilitating strategic governance practices, supporting recruitment, onboarding, and development of directors, and helping the Board operate at a strategic rather than operational level.
- Provide clear, timely, and transparent communication to the Board regarding organizational performance, programs, financial health, risks, and key initiatives.
- Identify emerging opportunities and challenges and recommend thoughtful, data-informed strategies to enhance organizational impact, sustainability, and statewide reach.
Fundraising & Resource Development
- Lead all fundraising and resource development efforts, including individual giving, corporate partnerships, grants, and signature events.
- Build, steward, and expand relationships with donors, foundations, sponsors, community partners, and statewide stakeholders.
- Advance diversified revenue strategies aligned with SOAL’s strategic and programmatic goals.
- Represent SOAL publicly to elevate visibility, strengthen the organization’s brand, and increase awareness and philanthropic and community support.
Organizational Management & Operations
- Provide day-to-day leadership and oversight of SOAL operations within a lean staffing model.
- Supervise and support staff, contractors, and volunteers, fostering accountability, engagement, and organizational effectiveness.
- Assess and evolve operational infrastructure, including staffing, systems, and future office or facility needs.
- Ensure compliance with nonprofit regulations, Special Olympics International (SOI) standards, and internal policies.
Financial Stewardship
- Develop, manage, and monitor the annual budget in collaboration with the Board.
- Ensure sound financial controls, accurate reporting, and responsible stewardship of all organizational resources.
- Oversee audits, financial reviews, regulatory filings, and long-term financial planning to support sustainability and growth.
Program Oversight & Statewide Impact
- Provide leadership and oversight for SOAL programs, ensuring equitable access to high-quality sports competitions, non-sports programming, and initiatives statewide.
- As part of a global federated model, the CEO ensures the organization is operating in compliance with all Special Olympics, Inc. rules, standards, and requirements.
Community Relations & Advocacy
- Serve as the primary spokesperson and ambassador for Special Olympics Alabama.
- Build and strengthen relationships with schools, civic leaders, corporate partners, government agencies, and community organizations.
- Promote inclusion, awareness, and advocacy for individuals with intellectual disabilities across Alabama.
- Represent SOAL within the broader Special Olympics movement, collaborating with Special Olympics North America and Special Olympics International as appropriate.
Qualifications:
KEY COMPETENCIES
Trust-Centered Leadership & Ethical Stewardship
Demonstrated ability to restore, build, and sustain trust through ethical leadership, transparency, accountability, and exhibit consistent follow-through related to both leadership behavior and organizational stewardship.
- Operates with unquestioned integrity and sound ethical judgment
- Communicates openly, honestly, and consistently
- Demonstrates financial transparency and accountability
- Builds confidence through reliability, ownership, and follow-through
- Leads with a transformational mindset that rebuilds credibility and momentum
Strategic Vision & Organizational Renewal
The capacity to define a compelling, mission-aligned vision for SOAL and translate it into clear priorities, actionable strategies, and measurable outcomes that rebuild and grow the organization.
- Articulates a clear and inspiring future state grounded in mission and reality
- Sets and prioritizes strategies aligned with organizational capacity and growth goals
- Translates vision into actionable plans, measurable outcomes, and short-term wins
- Uses data, benchmarks, and best practices to inform decision-making
- Thrives in start-up or turnaround environments requiring endurance and hands-on leadership
Relational Leadership & Statewide Engagement
The ability to authentically engage, rebuild, and expand relationships across volunteers, partners, donors, schools, athletes, families, and community leaders statewide.
- Highly relational, approachable, and socially adept
- Trusted listener who values and incorporates stakeholder input
- Visible presence across communities, programs, and events
- Serves as a credible and trusted ambassador for SOAL’s mission and brand
- Skilled at partnership development and collaboration
Operational Excellence & Resource Development
The ability to manage SOAL as a disciplined, high-functioning nonprofit while building the financial, operational, and human infrastructure needed to sustain and expand impact.
- Strong nonprofit financial and operational acumen
- Experience building systems, processes, and teams
- Comfortable making financial asks and cultivating donors
- Understands fundraising as relationship-driven work
- Balances mission passion with execution discipline
Inclusive, Mission-Driven Change Leadership
The ability to lead change with empathy and inclusion while fostering accountability, belonging, and shared purpose in service of athletes and families.
- Deep commitment to inclusion, empowerment, and advocacy
- Empathetic and emotionally intelligent leadership style
- Respects institutional knowledge and lived experience
- Leads transformation without alienating long-tenured stakeholders
- Energized by active, mission-centered, and people-focused work
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or nonprofit leadership certification preferred.
- Minimum of 10 years of senior or executive-level leadership experience. Nonprofit senior leadership experience preferred.
- Prior experience leading or managing an organization, division, or department, with a budget of approximately $1M or greater, strongly preferred.
- Proven record of accomplishment in fundraising, revenue generation, and donor relations, including individual giving, corporate sponsorships, grants, and dedicated events.
- Knowledge of nonprofit governance and experience working effectively with and building a volunteer Board of Directors.
- Experience cultivating relationships with corporate partners, foundations, community leaders, and public-sector stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability to serve as the public face and primary spokesperson of an organization.
- Demonstrated proficiency in budgeting, financial oversight, forecasting, and stewardship of organizational resources.
- Experience developing and executing strategic plans that drive program growth and expand community impact.
- Experience managing and mobilizing volunteer workforces a plus.
- Commitment to the mission, values, and culture of the Special Olympics movement.
- Commitment to inclusion, diversity, and equity.
- Experience working with individuals with intellectual disabilities or other underrepresented populations is valued, though not required.
- Community-based program delivery and event management understanding.
- Willingness and ability to travel regularly, including evenings, weekends, and occasional overnights, in support of statewide programs, events, and relationships across Alabama, as well as regional, national, and international meetings; the role assumes access to reliable transportation and the ability to travel by automobile as needed.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
Compensation includes a salary range of $105,000 - $125,000.
Hybrid work environment. Health and dental insurance. Paid time off and holidays. Professional development opportunities. Support from Special Olympics International – North America. Work-related mileage and expense reimbursement.
LOCATION: HYBRID | ALABAMA
The SOAL CEO role offers a distinctive and highly attractive leadership opportunity through its statewide operating structure and multi-faceted future potential.
The position is designed to be hybrid. This model reflects the organization’s broad geographic reach and community-based focus. As such, the CEO is expected to work out in the community frequently.
The CEO will be entrusted with evaluating where a centralized office should be located moving forward and identifying the location that will best support athletes, volunteers, partners, and statewide growth.
Currently, SOAL has one full-time staff member located in Montgomery, Alabama, offering an existing operational presence in the state capital while still affording the new CEO the flexibility to design an organizational footprint that maximizes efficiency and accessibility. The Board views this as a powerful advantage of the role, an opportunity for an entrepreneurial, forward-thinking leader to build a modern and sustainable operating model that positions SOAL for long-term success.
The statewide nature of SOAL’s programs further enhances this opportunity. Signature events and programs underscore the importance of strong statewide presence, relationships, and engagement, offering the CEO a highly visible platform to elevate the brand and impact of Special Olympics Alabama.
NOMINATION & APPLICATION PROCESS
To be considered for this opportunity, please submit a cover letter and resume to:
Dave Gromacki, Search Consultant
[email protected]
Lindsey Kriete, Practice Director
[email protected] 