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Chief Executive Officer

Chief Executive Officer

locationNashville, TN, USA
PublishedPublished: 3/20/2026
Full Time

Chief Executive Officer

Posting Description

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville (Habitat), established in 1985, provides homeownership opportunities to individuals and families with incomes below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) throughout Davidson County and four other counties in Middle Tennessee. Habitat homeowners seek stability and community through homeownership. To date, Habitat has constructed 1,073 homes, positively impacting 3,641 individuals, including 2,277 children, built in partnership with over 150,000 volunteers.

Habitat puts God’s love into action, bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope through the achievement of five continuing goals:
Extend opportunities for ownership of quality, affordable homes to families and individuals in our community
Empower homeowners for sustainable homeownership success
Engage volunteers, Board and donors through the Habitat experience
Enhance Habitat’s impact through meaningful partnerships and collaborations
Ensure sound governance and operating practices

In pursuit of these goals, Habitat operates a multi-faceted business model, including

  • Land acquisition and development
  • Homebuilding
  • Mortgage underwriting and servicing
  • Homeownership education
  • Philanthropy
  • Volunteer engagement
  • Social enterprise

Direct reports to the CEO are:
  • Chief Executive Administrative Officer
  • Chief Accounting and Finance Officer
  • Chief Construction Officer
  • Chief Homeowner Services Officer
  • Chief Philanthropy Officer
  • Chief Public Affairs and Communication Officer

Habitat employs 77 individuals and has well over a hundred years’ collective experience on its 10-member leadership team. Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville consistently ranks among the top 25 of nearly 1,000 affiliates nationwide, distinguished by its operational excellence and strong business model. The organization is widely recognized as one of the largest and most efficient, measured by homes built, families served, and operational scale.
To support its mission of affordable homeownership, Habitat seeks a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who is a seasoned strategist, as well as a mission-driven and visionary leader. He or she will function as Habitat’s outward face to the community, building relationships with corporate, faith, individual and foundation donors, volunteers, government agencies, and other stakeholders to sustain and advance the work of the organization.

Job Summary
The CEO will chart Habitat’s strategic direction, champion its ministry, and deliver operational excellence. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the CEO will lead a tenured leadership team, a robust network of volunteers and sponsors, and an expanding group of community partners. This role demands both visionary leadership and disciplined execution in recruiting, leading and integrating the work of experienced professionals.

Key Responsibilities
* Strategy & Leadership
* Set and execute a bold strategic vision for the organization.
* Plan strategically, addressing the agency’s opportunities and challenges, both short and long term.
* Serve as a trusted voice in the community.
* Encourage, inspire and lead the Board, leadership team, and staff based upon the work and impact of the ministry and what each contributes to fulfilling its mission and goals.
* Cultivate alignment among staff, volunteers, funders, and community leaders.

Organizational Culture & Team Development
* Foster a culture of service, trust and bringing people together within the organization and with the funders, volunteers, and homeowners served.
* Empower a high-performing, inclusive team culture.
* Provide emotionally intelligent leadership rooted in trust and accountability.
* Prioritize team development and mission alignment.

External Engagement & Fundraising
* Drive the funding of the Habitat ministry.
* Cultivate, prioritize and secure the organization’s funding sources and partnerships in conjunction with development staff.
* Proactively advocate among Habitat’s multiple constituencies for affordable housing.
* Engage with local community leaders and government entities.
* Actively engage as a leader in the community, in the relationships that impact the large gifts that help support the ministry, and with government entities involved with housing.
* Diversify revenue across grants, partnerships, earned income and individual giving.
* Communicate Habitat’s value and impact to Middle Tennessee stakeholders.

Operational & Fiscal Oversight
* Drive performance while ensuring financial health and mitigating risk.
* Oversee land acquisition, rezoning, land development, and home construction.
* Oversee financial guidance of the ministry creating a balance of risk mitigation, operational efficiency, and agency profitability.
* Direct balance sheet strategy to ensure the cash flow and change in net assets needed to support and soundly run the ministry while balancing asset allocation between cash, mortgages and owned facilities.
* Partner closely with the Board of Directors on governance and strategic priorities.
* Provide oversight and direction to leadership team members and facilitate collaboration in areas of overlap.

The Right Candidate
* The ideal candidate is a mission-driven visionary executive with a proven record of growing organizations at the intersection of innovation, impact, and community. He or she is strategic yet hands-on, pragmatic, and able to turn complexity into clarity and opportunities into results.
* 15+ years of relevant senior level leadership experience in complex project management, financial management, operations management and administration required, with real estate and finance background recommended.
* Experience working with nonprofits as a volunteer or board member highly recommended.
* Leader of leaders who empowers and develops department heads, fostering accountability, ownership, and high-performing teams.
* Experience working with boards and managing cross-functional teams.
* Exceptional communicator with the ability to engage effectively across both internal teams and external stakeholders.
* Proven track record in fundraising/growing a business – securing sustainable resources.
* Knowledge of affordable housing, community development, or related disciplines is a plus.
* Servant-leader style -- passion for serving people, with a strong commitment to the mission, values, and goals of Habitat’s ministry.
* Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in business or related field recommended.
* Resides in or is willing to relocate to Nashville/Middle Tennessee, TN for this on-site role.

Opportunity:
If you are interested in exploring this unique opportunity, please contact:
Krista Johnston
The Grant Partners, Vice President
Phone: 770-617-3197
krista@thegrantpartners.com

#LI-aff

About

Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry. The purpose and goal of Habitat for Humanity International is to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat invites people of all backgrounds, races and religions to build houses in partnership with families in need. HFHI has an Administrative Headquarters based in Atlanta, Georgia, an Operational Headquarters based in Americus, Georgia and Area Office bases of operations in Manila, Philippines for our Asia and the Pacific work, San Jose, Costa Rica for our Latin American and the Caribbean work, and Bratislava, Slovakia, for our Europe, the Middle East and Africa work.

HFHI is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to employ and assign the best qualified personnel for all our positions in a manner that does not unlawfully discriminate against any person because of race, color, religion, gender, marital status, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, veteran/reserve national guard status, or any other status or characteristic protected by law.

Function

US Affiliate

Auto req ID

10782BR

Position Category

Affiliate-Opportunity

Position Type

Affiliate

Geographic Location

North America

Location

Nashville, TN

Affiliate Name

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville