Chief Program Officer

KEES has been exclusively retained by Concordia Place in its search for a Chief Program Officer. Concordia Place Chief Program Officer

Concordia Place seeks its first Chief Program Officer (CPO) to be a pivotal, executive role created to serve as the primary strategic partner to the CEO. This energetic leader will be the chief architect of Concordia Place’s mission delivery, responsible for translating the organizational vision into tangible, high-quality, and scalable program strategies. The CPO provides executive oversight for the entire multi-site, intergenerational program portfolio, including Early Childhood Education, the School-Age 365 program, Teen Leadership initiatives, and Home Visiting services. The successful candidate will be responsible for implementing plans that drive efficiency, innovation, and impact in alignment with Concordia Place’s mission to support children and families.

The CPO will be directly responsible for the daily leadership of the organization’s programs. Reporting to the President and CEO, the CPO will initially manage 4 direct reports, including the Vice President of Program Services, the Director of Quality Assurance, the Director of Teen Programs, and the Home Visitor Manager.  This leader will implement plans to both stabilize and capitalize on the current enterprise while ensuring that internal processes and programs are optimized in the first 12-18 months. The CPO will provide partnership and input to the CEO, while co-creating future paths of serving youth and the community with leadership at all levels of the organization that are rooted in best practices.

Some specific requirements include:

·        Proven track record of implementing successful plans that align with organizational strategic direction, leading to growth and impact.

·        Agility and nimbleness; quickly analyze input and make recommendations and decisions.

·        Strong analytic and strategic-thinking skills, with a demonstrated ability to create, implement, and monitor complex plans and then translate those plans into goals and concrete strategies.

·        Career track record that shows stability and growth with an organization and capacity to develop and nurture relationships, culminating in overall success.

·        Excellent communication, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills that will be leveraged to persuade peers, staff, and partners to accept new ideas and processes.

·        Find value, purpose, and opportunity in working for a faith-inspired organization; Concordia Place is a social service mission (aka SMO – social ministry organization) of Concordia Lutheran Church that serves everyone regardless of any religious beliefs or affiliation.

·        Minimum of 5 years of progressive leadership experience in managing comprehensive, multi-site social service, youth development, or educational programs, with at least four (4) years at a senior executive level (VP, Executive Director, or equivalent).

·        Given the diverse Chicago communities served by Concordia Place, bilingual proficiency (e.g., Spanish/ English) is preferred, but not required.

·        A master’s degree, or higher, is preferred in a relevant field such as Early Childhood Education (ECE), Educational Leadership, Business Administration, or a closely related field of study.

Compensation for the Chief Program Officer has been competitively benchmarked. The position offers a highly competitive salary range in the $140,000s, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Concordia Place promotes the hiring and employment of qualified individuals without regard to actual or  perceived race, color, creed, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry, religion, order of protection status, marital status, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, citizenship status, military status or unfavorable discharge from military service and all other grounds prohibited by federal, state, and local laws, regulation, and ordinances.  Concordia will also provide reasonable accommodation to the sincere religious beliefs and practices and/or known physical or mental limitations of any otherwise qualified team member or applicant for employment, unless the accommodation would impose undue hardship on our operations.

TO APPLY, PLEASE CLICK HERE: https://www.kees2success.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Opportunity-Guide-2025-Concordia-Place-Chief-Program-Officer.pdf 

To assure confidential tracking of all applicants, no applications will be accepted via email. ALL INQUIRIES WILL BE HELD IN STRICT CONFIDENCE.

This search is being managed by Heather Eddy, President and CEO, and Randi Blasutti, Project Manager of KEES. Questions may be addressed to rblasutti@kees2success.com 

KEES (formerly Alford Executive Search) is a nonprofit executive search firm that builds diverse teams and dynamic leaders in the nonprofit and public entity sectors. A woman owned and operated firm, KEES offers a full array of nonprofit consulting services including executive search, leadership development, interim staffing, and HR support. For more information, please visit www.kees2success.com.

Concordia Place, a Chicago multi-site nonprofit on  the north side, provides a range of educational and  enrichment programs for people of all ages, including early childhood education, after-school care, and teen leadership programs. With 4 Early Childhood centers across Chicago and a 5th in planning mode, a growing home visiting program, and a teen leadership program that provides opportunities for 173 youth, Concordia Place disrupts social inequities through access to top-quality education, enrichment, and hands-on experiences that include all children, teens, and families—together. By proactively addressing key social and economic needs, Concordia Place provides services that support well-being and maximize potential, helping communities thrive and remain vibrant. To learn more, visit https://concordiaplace.org/