Summary
Description
NOCO Humane seeks a strategic, collaborative, and community-rooted Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead the organization into its next era following the planned transition of its long-serving and widely respected leader. This moment of continuity and change offers an opportunity to build upon a strong foundation of operational excellence, trusted community partnerships, and recent regional expansion. The CEO will provide visionary and operational leadership as NOCO Humane advances its presence in Weld County, opens a third adoption facility, and leads a major capital campaign to build a new, state-of-the-art shelter. With compassion, professionalism, and Socially Conscious Sheltering at the core, the CEO will unify stakeholders—from dedicated staff and volunteers to donors, municipalities, and the public—around a shared commitment to sustainable, high-quality animal welfare services.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is the executive leader of NOCO Humane, serving as the head of vision, strategy and execution, and is responsible for advancing its mission to further compassionate, safe, and responsible relationships between animals and people. The CEO oversees all aspects of the organization’s strategic, financial, operational, and cultural health. They ensure the values of open admission and Socially Conscious Sheltering are upheld while strengthening public trust, driving innovation, and delivering impact to advance the organization and its reputation as a leader in animal welfare.
As NOCO Humane continues to grow and expand its regional presence across multiple jurisdictions, the CEO will lead this evolution with strategic foresight, community-rooted leadership, financial planning and operational excellence. They will set the long-term vision and create the conditions for success by empowering a high-performing executive team, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and aligning people, systems, and resources to mission-driven goals. The new CEO serves as the organization’s chief strategist, culture champion, and external ambassador—ensuring sustainable impact through change leadership, thoughtful governance, and intentional investment in talent and infrastructure. At times, the CEO may also need to roll up their sleeves to help teams deliver results. The new CEO is both someone who brings inspiration and direction, and who can dive into the work alongside staff as needed.
Reporting to the Board of Directors, the CEO directly supervises the Chief Financial & Administrative Officer (CFAO, oversees finance and human resources), Director of Animal Protection & Control, Director of Development & Community Relations (oversees fundraising, marketing, communications, humane education, and volunteer engagement), Director of Operations (oversees shelter management, including behavior, enrichment, foster and transfer, veterinary services, and facilities & maintenance), and the Administrative Assistant.
Select Responsibilities
- Establishes and leads the organization’s multi-year strategic plan in partnership with the Board and identifies internal and external shifts requiring revisiting the organization’s strategy.
- Provides guidance and strategic direction to the senior leadership team, and champions growth in leadership autonomy and cross functional excellence. Advocates a values-based culture grounded in inclusion, collaboration, safety, and service.
- Provides strategic and operational oversight of all core program areas, including sheltering, animal protection and control, veterinary services, and community outreach. Ensures consistent application of service standards and policies across locations by supporting senior leaders in using data, outcomes, and community input to adapt and evolve programs.
- Shapes the strategic direction of operations across multiple sites, ensuring alignment in processes, staffing, communication, and service delivery. Oversees the successful long-term integration and performance of new locations through high-level planning, cross-functional coordination, and stakeholder engagement.
- Leads strategic partnerships with municipal and county agencies to support service delivery, funding, and advocacy initiatives. Builds and sustains strong relationships with government officials and agency leaders to advance shared priorities and advocacy efforts.
Select Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree (preferably in nonprofit management, business administration, public administration, animal science, or a related field) or equivalent work experience required; an advanced degree is a plus.
- Minimum of eight (8) years of senior management experience in the nonprofit or government sector (preferably in animal welfare) is required.
- A track record of successful fundraising and development skills, proven strategic planning abilities, and successful financial budgeting and management is required.
- Previous nonprofit CEO/Executive Director or Deputy Director experience is desired.
- Experience working with a Board of Directors is preferred.
- Gravitas and emotional intelligence, with the presence to inspire trust, engage public sector leaders, and create followership across diverse audiences.
Benefits & Salary
Offerings include medical, life, vision, dental, and supplemental accident insurance. Matching 403(b) retirement plan, paid time off, employee assistance programs, 9 holidays, continuing education opportunities, discount programs and more. Our salary range is $170,000 to $210,000.
Application Details
Pearl Street Collective, the search firm with purpose, has been exclusively retained for this engagement. To apply or view full position description, visit https://www.pearlstreetcollective.com/positions/noco-ceo
