Chief Executive Officer

Company Description

INvets is a statewide public-private partnership that connects Indiana employers with transitioning service members and veterans across the country. The organization serves as a centralized hub, helping employers access veteran talent while supporting veterans in finding meaningful civilian careers in Indiana. INvets focuses on building innovative solutions that strengthen collaboration between organizations and communities. By aligning workforce needs with veteran skills, INvets contributes to economic growth and community development throughout the state.

Role Description:

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) provides strategic, operational, financial, and mission-centered leadership for INvets. The CEO serves as the primary liaison to the Board of Directors and is responsible for advancing the organization’s mission, ensuring organizational sustainability, leading staff and operations, strengthening partnerships, securing resources, and driving measurable impact for veterans, transitioning service members, military spouses, and their families.

As the leader of a lean, mission-driven organization, the CEO serves as both a strategic visionary and hands-on executive. This role oversees organizational performance, financial stewardship, talent management, hiring, basic human resources oversight, stakeholder engagement, compliance, public accountability, and long-term growth.

• The CEO reports to the Chair of the Board of Directors and works closely with the Board to ensure strong governance, public trust, diversified funding, and mission success.

Essential Elements of the Position:

Strategic Leadership and Organizational Management

· Lead the development and execution of INvets’ strategic plan, ensuring alignment with the organization’s mission, values, funding environment, and long-term objectives.

· Provide leadership and oversight for programs, operations, partnerships, communications, staff performance, and organizational outcomes.

· Establish clear goals, performance measures, work plans, and accountability systems to ensure mission impact and operational excellence.

· Serve as the organization’s primary spokesperson and advocate with veterans, families, employers, community partners, funders, government leaders, and the public.

· Foster a culture of integrity, collaboration, innovation, stewardship, and service to veterans and their families.

· Ensure INvets remains responsive to the changing needs of transitioning service members, veterans, military spouses, Indiana employers, and communities.

Financial Stewardship, Funding, and Sustainability

· Oversee financial planning, budgeting, reporting, resource allocation, and cash flow management to support organizational stability and accountability.

· Manage public and private funding relationships, including state investment, grants, contracts, corporate support, foundation giving, and individual donors.

· Ensure compliance with grant, contract, donor, audit, Form 990, and public reporting requirements in partnership with finance staff, the Board Treasurer, and outside professional support as needed.

· Lead efforts to diversify revenue, strengthen fundraising capacity, and reduce overreliance on any single funding source.

· Partner with the Board to develop and implement strategies that support organizational growth, financial resilience, and long-term sustainability.

· Make disciplined resource decisions that align staffing, technology, travel, programming, and outreach with available funding and mission priorities.

Talent Leadership, Hiring, and Human Resources

· Recruit, hire, develop, and retain a high-performing team aligned with INvets’ mission, values, and operational goals.

· Lead onboarding, role clarity, supervision, coaching, performance management, employee relations, documentation, and offboarding practices.

· Oversee organizational structure, workforce planning, job responsibilities, and basic human resources practices to support compliance and operational effectiveness.

· Provide direct support and accountability for staff responsible for operations, finance, advancement, engagement, outreach, communications, technology, and program delivery.

· Use outside HR, legal, payroll, or compliance support when needed to ensure appropriate employment practices and risk management.

· Promote a healthy, professional, and mission-focused workplace culture where staff are supported, expectations are clear, and service to veterans remains central.

Board Relations and Governance

· Serve as the primary staff liaison to the Board of Directors and Executive Committee.

· Work closely with the Chair of the Board and Board leadership to set organizational direction and support strong, ethical, and transparent governance.

· Provide the Board with timely financial updates, program data, risk awareness, strategic recommendations, and performance reporting.

· Support the development and engagement of a strong Board that is connected to INvets’ mission, funding model, public accountability, and statewide impact.

· Partner with the Board to strengthen relationships with veterans, employers, state leaders, funders, community partners, and veteran-serving organizations.

· Ensure organizational policies, practices, and operations align with legal, ethical, governance, and mission standards.

Advancement, State Partnerships, and External Relations

· Lead fundraising, donor engagement, corporate partnerships, foundation relations, public awareness, and community engagement efforts.

· Build and maintain strategic relationships with Indiana employers, state officials, elected leaders, public agencies, community leaders, veteran-serving organizations, and funders.

· Represent INvets in conversations with state and local officials related to funding, impact, reporting, sustainability, workforce needs, and strategic direction.

· Communicate INvets’ value clearly, including its role in helping veterans and families transition to Indiana, supporting employer talent needs, and strengthening Indiana’s workforce and economy.

· Support employer partnerships that help veterans and military spouses connect their skills, experience, and goals to meaningful career opportunities in Indiana.

· Strengthen INvets’ brand and public messaging so veterans, families, employers, funders, and communities understand the organization’s mission and impact.

Program Impact, Operations, and Compliance

· Ensure programs and services are delivered with quality, consistency, integrity, and accountability.

· Strengthen systems to track veteran and family engagement, employer partnerships, relocation impact, hires, service delivery, financial performance, and return on investment.

· Use data and stories to communicate impact to the Board, funders, state partners, employers, and community stakeholders.

· Oversee organizational policies, operating procedures, technology systems, data reporting, records, and compliance practices.

· Advance partnerships and initiatives that help veterans and families access career guidance, relocation support, community resources, family supports, and long-term connections to Indiana.

Qualifications

· U.S. military experience preferred, including active-duty service, retired military status, or prior service as a U.S. veteran. Active-duty military experience is highly preferred.

· Some college, military education, professional military training, certifications, or equivalent leadership experience preferred.

· Relevant education and experience may be documented through college transcripts, Joint Services Transcript (JST), military education records, military awards, military certifications, professional certifications, or other related documentation.

· Military education, awards, certifications, and experience should connect to the responsibilities of the role, including leadership, operations, personnel management, communications, public affairs, workforce development, community engagement, finance, logistics, strategic planning, or organizational management.

· Demonstrated commitment to INvets’ mission of helping veterans and their families transition to civilian life, find meaningful careers, and thrive in Indiana communities.

· Strong understanding of veterans, transitioning service members, military spouses, and military-connected families.

· Proven leadership and management experience, including the ability to support staff, partners, volunteers, contractors, and stakeholders.

· Experience working with state officials, elected leaders, public agencies, government partners, or public-private partnerships preferred.

· Experience in workforce development, employment, career transition, nonprofit leadership, military service, veteran services, community engagement, fundraising, advancement, or a related field preferred.

· Knowledge of Indiana employers, workforce needs, community resources, and veteran support services preferred.

· Strong communication, public speaking, relationship-building, donor engagement, customer service, and interpersonal skills.

· Ability to manage multiple priorities, solve problems, build trust, and lead with professionalism, empathy, financial discipline, and sound judgment.

Leadership Attributes

· Veteran and family driven: Leads with respect for military service and a practical understanding of transition needs.

· Hands-on and accountable: Comfortable making decisions, solving problems, and stepping into operational work when needed.

· Financially disciplined: Understands public funding, private fundraising, compliance, and sustainability in a lean nonprofit environment.

· Relationship-centered: Builds trust with veterans, staff, employers, state officials, funders, communities, and the Board.

· Mission-focused: Keeps service quality, measurable impact, and Indiana’s veteran workforce outcomes at the center of the work.

Salary range is '$100,000 - $120,000 depending upon qualifications and experience.