Chief Executive Officer

Chief Executive Officer

Location Houston, TX 77098 Date Posted October 23, 2026 Job ID 15601 Employment Type Retained (Confidential)

Scion Executive Search has been retained to lead the search for a Chief Executive Officer on behalf of Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council (GSSJC), one of the largest councils in the Girl Scout Movement. Serving girls and families across Southeast Texas, GSSJC is dedicated to building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.

Following more than three decades of respected executive leadership, the Council seeks an accomplished, mission-driven executive to guide its next chapter. This on-site, Houston-based position is an opportunity to build on a strong institutional foundation while strengthening membership, expanding philanthropy, and advancing the Council's long-term organizational and financial sustainability.

ABOUT GIRL SCOUTS OF SAN JACINTO COUNCIL:

Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council serves girls and families across a geographically and demographically diverse region of Southeast Texas. Through STEM education, entrepreneurship, outdoor adventure, and community service, the Council equips girls with the confidence, skills, and connections to become leaders in their communities and beyond. In addition to a strong volunteer-led model where girls are guided by trained adults, its longstanding staff-led outreach programming brings these experiences to girls who might otherwise face barriers to participation.

Supported by dedicated staff, an extensive volunteer network, donors, and community partners, GSSJC combines deeply rooted local relationships with the reach and resources of the national Girl Scout Movement. Its camps, outdoor experiences, and broader property portfolio provide meaningful opportunities for girls to explore their interests, develop independence, and build lasting connections.

Grounded in disciplined financial stewardship and an engaged Board of Directors, GSSJC is poised for its next chapter of leadership and growth. The incoming CEO will build on this foundation by strengthening membership recruitment and retention, expanding philanthropic support, and guiding strategic investments in the people, programs, and properties that sustain the Council's mission.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The Chief Executive Officer will serve as the strategic and operational leader of Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council and the chief steward of its mission and the broader Girl Scout Movement, reporting to the Council President and Board Chair. In partnership with the Board and executive leadership team, the CEO will assess and advance the Council's strategic direction, translating priorities into measurable progress in membership, philanthropy, organizational effectiveness, and financial sustainability.

The incoming CEO will lead a thoughtful executive transition, building independent relationships with staff, volunteers, donors, board members, and community partners while retaining institutional knowledge and sustaining organizational momentum. Success will require listening carefully, understanding the Council's strengths, and exercising sound judgment about where continuity, investment, or change will best serve girls and families.

Central priorities include expanding major gifts and corporate partnerships; strengthening girl recruitment, retention, and access; developing executive talent and succession plans; and advancing decisions about the Council's operating model, headquarters, camps, and broader property portfolio. The CEO will connect these priorities through disciplined planning, clear accountability, and a sustained focus on mission impact.

As the Council's primary ambassador, the CEO will cultivate relationships across Houston's philanthropic, corporate, and community sectors while representing GSSJC within the national Girl Scout Movement. The ideal leader will bring warmth, humility, and executive presence, paired with the confidence to make difficult decisions and deliver results.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategic Leadership & Organizational Vision

• Assess, refine, and execute the Council's strategic plan in partnership with the Board, aligning organizational capacity and resources with clear priorities and measurable outcomes.
• Establish a shared direction across the Board, executive leadership team, and staff, translating long-term goals into actionable plans and organizational accountability.
• Guide a thoughtful leadership transition that retains institutional knowledge, strengthens stakeholder confidence, and creates space for new ideas and continued improvement.
• Use financial, membership, program, and operational insights to evaluate progress, identify emerging opportunities, and adapt organizational priorities.

Board Partnership, Governance & Movement Leadership

• Build a trusted, collaborative partnership with the Board of Directors, supporting effective governance, strategic alignment, and fiduciary oversight.
• Equip the Board with timely financial reporting, performance insights, and clearly framed options to support informed decisions.
• Draw on board members' expertise and community relationships while maintaining clear governance boundaries and executive accountability.
• Represent GSSJC within Girl Scouts of the USA and among sister councils, contributing to Movement priorities while advocating for the needs of the Council and the communities it serves.
• Navigate diverse stakeholder perspectives and regional sensitivities with diplomacy, sound judgment, and a consistent commitment to the Girl Scout mission.

Fundraising, Revenue Generation & External Leadership

• Lead a comprehensive fundraising strategy that expands major gifts, planned giving, corporate partnerships, grants, and other philanthropic support.
• Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors and corporate partners, ensuring thoughtful relationship transitions and building a sustained pipeline of support.
• Partner with development leadership and the Board to strengthen fundraising capacity, communicate a compelling case for investment, and establish clear goals and accountability.
• Diversify revenue and grow durable philanthropic support while sustaining effective existing revenue programs and their contribution to the Girl Scout experience.
• Serve as the Council's primary ambassador, strengthening community relationships, elevating public awareness, and connecting the Council's mission and outcomes to regional priorities.

People Leadership, Culture & Organizational Effectiveness

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing executive leadership team, establishing clear expectations, effective delegation, and accountability for results.
• Sustain the Council's inclusive, relationship-centered culture while strengthening management practices, cross-functional collaboration, and organizational effectiveness.
• Assess executive responsibilities, organizational structure, and leadership capacity to ensure the Council is equipped to meet current and future needs.
• Develop succession plans for critical leadership roles, supporting knowledge transfer, professional growth, and a strong internal talent pipeline.
• Address performance challenges and difficult personnel decisions with clarity, fairness, and professionalism.

Membership Growth, Programs & Mission Impact

• Advance data-informed strategies for girl recruitment, engagement, and retention, with particular attention to adolescent girls and communities facing barriers to participation.
• Evaluate participation trends, girl and family feedback, volunteer capacity, and marketing effectiveness to strengthen program relevance and expand community reach.
• Support innovative and accessible participation models that respond to the changing interests and needs of girls, families, and communities.
• Strengthen volunteer recruitment, development, recognition, and retention, ensuring volunteers have the support and resources to deliver a rewarding Girl Scout experience.
• Elevate awareness of the Council's full range of programs and outcomes, including STEM, entrepreneurship, outdoor education, leadership development, and community service.

Financial Stewardship, Operations & Asset Management

• Oversee multi-year financial planning, operating performance, investments, and long-term financial sustainability, aligning recurring revenue, expenses, and mission commitments.
• Use forecasting, scenario analysis, and performance reporting to evaluate financial risks, guide resource allocation, and support informed decisions.
• Guide a long-term property strategy that evaluates utilization, maintenance needs, capital investment, financial sustainability, and mission value across headquarters, camps, and other facilities.
• Advance headquarters and broader capital planning decisions in partnership with the Board, drawing on appropriate financial, operational, and technical expertise.
• Ensure effective oversight of enterprise risk, girl safety, camp and facility risk, emergency preparedness, and business continuity.
• Strengthen operational systems and infrastructure across finance, human resources, technology, and performance management to support effective service delivery and organizational accountability.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Substantial progressive leadership experience, including senior executive responsibility for organizational strategy, operations, financial performance, and team leadership at a comparable level of complexity.
• Demonstrated success translating strategic priorities into measurable organizational growth, stronger financial sustainability, and mission impact.
• Proven fundraising expertise, including personally cultivating, soliciting, and securing major gifts and developing meaningful donor and corporate relationships.
• Strong financial and operational acumen, with experience overseeing complex budgets, multi-year planning, capital investments, and organizational assets.
• Experience partnering effectively with an engaged Board of Directors, supporting sound governance, and aligning stakeholders around consequential decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to develop executive teams, strengthen management accountability, and lead organizational change with respect for institutional knowledge and established relationships.
• Experience improving participation, engagement, retention, or community reach within nonprofit, youth-serving, membership-based, volunteer-driven, or similarly complex organizations.
• Ability to build credibility within the Girl Scout Movement and navigate the relationship between national priorities and local community needs. Prior Girl Scout experience is valued.
• Familiarity with the greater Houston region and its philanthropic and community landscape is advantageous.
• Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant leadership experience; advanced degree preferred.

Leadership Profile

• A relationship-centered executive who builds trust through listening, consistent follow-through, openness to feedback, and sound judgment.
• A strategic thinker who connects ambitious goals with disciplined execution, clear priorities, and measurable results.
• A confident, humble leader who respects institutional strengths while making necessary decisions and advancing meaningful improvements.
• An effective communicator who can engage girls, families, volunteers, staff, donors, board members, and national stakeholders with credibility and warmth.
• A collaborative and decisive people leader who combines empathy with clear expectations and accountability.
• A committed advocate for girls and young women who demonstrates authentic alignment with the Girl Scout Promise and Law and the Council's Sisterhood and Belonging Statement.

APPLICATIONS AND NOMINATIONS:

Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council (GSSJC) has retained the services of Scion Executive Search, a national executive search firm specializing in recruiting for mission-driven organizations, to assist in conducting this important search. For immediate consideration, please apply with your resume and cover letter, formatted in Microsoft Word, via: https://scionexecutivesearch.com/job/15601

Please address applications to:

Sydney Burnham (she/her/hers)

Director of Executive Recruitment

Scion Executive Search

Review of applications, nominations, and expressions of interest will begin immediately and continue on a confidential basis until an appointment is made.

ABOUT OUR FIRM:

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