Executive Director
Northwest Cooperative Development Center (NWCDC)
Full-time | Pacific Northwest (Seattle / Olympia / Portland area. Hybrid or Remote Considered)
Compensation: $90,000 - $120,000 (Placement within this range depends on proven abilities and experiences)
Full health & dental Insurance (half cost for dependants)
3% retirement contribution regardless of employee match
10 paid floating holidays, 10 paid vacation days annually
The Executive Director will participate in an annual performance review with the Board of Directors. This review will assess organizational impact, leadership effectiveness, staff development, and progress toward revenue growth and long-term sustainability. Compensation and benefits will be reviewed as part of this process.
About NWCDC & The Opportunity
The Northwest Cooperative Development Center (NWCDC) is a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to strengthening cooperative enterprises and advancing a resilient, inclusive cooperative economy throughout the Pacific Northwest. NWCDC provides cooperative development services, technical assistance, education & training, and ecosystem-building support that centers shared ownership, democratic governance, and community benefit.
Over the past several years, NWCDC has experienced meaningful growth, expanding its programs, strengthening its team, and increasing its impact across the region. With a solid organizational foundation in place, NWCDC is entering its next phase of growth, focused on deepening its impact, strengthening internal systems, and expanding its leadership within the cooperative ecosystem.
As part of this evolution, NWCDC is conducting an open search for its next Executive Director. This search reflects NWCDC's commitment to transparency and equitable opportunity, and it's open to both internal and external candidates.
The Executive Director (ED) serves as NWCDC's chief executive and is responsible for advancing the organization's mission, strategy, and long-term sustainability. This role requires a highly capable organizational leader who can build strong systems, ensure accountability, and translate visions into clear, measurable outcomes, while working in collaboration with the staff and the Board of Directors.
While prior experience working in cooperatives is not required, a demonstrated commitment to cooperative values-such as democracy, equity, shared ownership, mutual accountability, and community benefit-is essential. The ED is expected to model, champion, and operationalize these values across all aspects of leadership and management.
Key Responsibilities
Mission, Strategy & Organizational Performance
Lead execution of Board-approved strategy and organizational goals
Align programs, operations, and partnerships with NWCDC's mission and cooperative purpose
Establish and track measurable performance outcomes
Use data, evaluation, and learning to inform strategic decision-making
Monitor trends in cooperative development and community wealth-building
Ensure NWCDC's work consistently strengthens cooperative enterprises and the broader cooperative ecosystem
Leadership, Team Management, & Organizational Culture
Supervise, coach, and support the staff and the Leadership Team
Establish clear expectations, priorities, and accountability systems rooted in cooperative values
Conduct regular performance evaluations and feedback cycles
Oversee hiring and organizational policies aligned with cooperative and equity-centered practices
Foster collaboration while maintaining clear decision-making authority
Address internal conflicts and personnel issues through fair, consistent, and documented processes
Strengthen systems for communication and foster a culture grounded in cooperative values, professional growth, transparency, equity, inclusion, mutual accountability
Financial Leadership & Sustainability
Lead budgeting, forecasting, and long-term financial planning
Ensure strong financial systems, reporting, and internal controls across the organization
Lead efforts to grow and diversify funding streams and fee-for-service revenues
Ensure compliance with grants, contracts, and regulatory requirements
Ongoing assessment of internal and external risks
Board Partnership & External Leadership
Serve as primary liaison to the Board of Directors
Provide clear reporting on organizational performance, opportunities, and risk
Represent NWCDC with funders, partners, policymakers, and cooperative networks
Act as a visible champion for cooperative values at regional and national levels
Required Qualifications
Minimum 5 years of leadership experience, including 2-3 years in a senior leadership role (e.g. leading a team of at least 5 to 10 workers, ideally 15 to 30)
Proven ability to lead organizations through growth, change, or increasing complexity
Proven ability to grow and diversity funding streams and fee-for-service revenues
Proven ability to create effective systems and metrics to guide work, track progress and improve outcomes over time
Proven ability to make sound decisions under uncertainty, and to follow through with accountability
Extensive experience with budgeting and organizational financial oversight
This is a remote-first position based in the Pacific Northwest. Candidates should reside in or be willing to relocate to Washington, Oregon, or Idaho with the ability to travel regularly throughout the region for meetings, partnerships, and events. Our office is in Olympia, WA.
Essential Commitment
Commitment to cooperative values, equity, inclusion, and community benefit
Commitment to integrate cooperative values into leadership practices, systems, and external relationships
Commitment to continually learn about cooperative models and support the cooperative economy and ecosystem through NWCDC's work
Preferred Experiences
Experience in cooperative development, governance and business models
Experience in community or economic development, or mission-driven organizations
Experience in contract management, CDFI management, land stewardship
Experience in public policy, legislative advocacy and government relations
Experience with participatory or democratic organizational models
What Success Looks Like
Within the first 12-18 months, the Executive Director will have:
Strengthened alignment between strategy, operations, and cooperative values
Improved systems of accountability and performance across the organization
Improved financial sustainability and planning capacity
Built a strong, trust-based partnership with the Board
Elevated NWCDC's visibility and leadership within the cooperative ecosystem
How to Apply
Submit the following documents in PDF form:
Cover Letter
Resume
Reference Sheet including: 3 professional references
Deadline for applications is June 1 ,2026