Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association | President & Chief Executive Officer

ABOUT MIFA

In the wake of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination, an interracial, multicultural group of faith and community leaders united to confront the growing issues of poverty, hunger, and racism in Memphis. The product of their alliance was Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association, founded in September 1968. Today, MIFA continues that legacy by supporting the independence of vulnerable seniors and families in crisis through high-impact programs which reach 30,000 people in Memphis and Shelby County each year.
MIFA’s senior programs include Meals on Wheels and the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program. Housing stability programs include rent & mortgage assistance, the city’s Homeless Hotline for families, family shelter placement, and rapid rehousing.

For 58 years, MIFA has responded to changing community needs and become a trusted resource, both for neighbors seeking assistance and for foundation and government partners seeking an organization with the infrastructure to manage new mission-compatible programs. As Memphis and the broader nonprofit landscape face increasing complexity, MIFA stands at a pivotal moment. The new President & CEO will lead the organization into its next chapter, honoring a deeply respected legacy while positioning MIFA to lead more boldly and visibly in service of community well-being.
  
POSITION OVERVIEW

The President & CEO serves as MIFA’s chief executive, strategist, and public leader. This role calls for a vision-setting, relational, and strategic leader who can steward a strong, mission-driven organization into its next chapter.
In this capacity, the CEO will set direction, elevate expectations, catalyze growth, and lead change: helping the organization to think bigger, operate more effectively, and remain deeply relevant in a rapidly changing environment.

The CEO partners closely with the board of directors to translate MIFA’s mission and values into clear priorities, measurable outcomes, and sustained community trust.

This position directly supervises an experienced and highly capable senior leadership team, including the Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Human Resource Officer, Chief Development Officer, Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer, and Impact and Communications Director.
  
WHAT THIS MOMENT REQUIRES MIFA is seeking a leader who can:

• Honor and build upon a strong foundation while inspiring the organization to evolve
• Lead from the front - serving as a visible, trusted voice for MIFA in Memphis and the Mid-South
• Navigate complexity and change with steadiness, clarity, and courage
• Inspire a high-performing leadership team to continue to innovate and grow together
• Balance vision with execution, and compassion with accountability

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES Organizational Leadership & Strategy

• With input from the staff and board, set and articulate a compelling vision for MIFA’s next chapter, grounded in its founding purpose and responsive to current community needs.
• Translate broad strategic direction into focused priorities, operational clarity, and measurable impact.
• Lead the organization with intention - supporting staff through growth, adaptation, and new ways of working.
• Foster a culture of trust, shared leadership, learning, and accountability across the organization.
• Ensure MIFA runs with operational excellence, strong systems, and sound business practices.

Team Leadership

• Lead, support, and challenge a seasoned executive team, leveraging their expertise while encouraging new thinking and operating.
• Create alignment across departments and functions, ensuring collaboration rather than silos.
• Set clear expectations, decision-making norms, and performance standards for the leadership team.
• Balance respect for institutional knowledge with the need for innovation and evolution.

Board Partnership & Governance

• Serve as the primary partner to the board of directors, building a transparent, trusting, and high-functioning board–CEO relationship.
• Keep the board well-informed on organizational performance, risks, opportunities, and progress toward goals.
• Support the board in fulfilling its governance responsibilities, including strategy, oversight, and long-term sustainability.
• Work with existing board members to recruit new members reflective of the diversity and talent needed for the success of MIFA.
• Partner with the board chair to establish and achieve clear annual and multi-year expectations.

Fundraising, Financial Stewardship & Sustainability

• Champion the vision and impact of MIFA in a way that galvanizes support from the donor community.
• Serve as the key leader in fundraising and resource development, in close partnership with the Chief Development Officer and board.
• Cultivate and steward relationships with major donors, foundations, corporate and government partners, and civic leaders.
• Ensure long-term financial health through strong oversight of budgets, reserves, and financial planning in partnership with the CFO.
• Position MIFA as a compelling investment for funders who care deeply about community impact.

Community Leadership & Visibility

• Act as MIFA’s chief ambassador, representing the organization with credibility, enthusiasm, and conviction.
• Strengthen MIFA’s visibility and leadership among Memphis nonprofits, civic institutions, governmental bodies, and community partners.
• Build and sustain relationships that advance collaboration, service, and shared impact across the city.
• Lead through service, trust-building, and community connection.

  
IDEAL CANDIDATE SKILLS Leadership & Presence

• A steady, confident leadership presence that builds trust across staff, board, volunteers, and community.
• The ability to listen deeply, make thoughtful decisions, and communicate clearly.

Strategic & Operational Acumen

• Experience leading complex organizations or systems, ideally within the nonprofit, public, or community-serving sectors.
• Comfort moving between big-picture vision and operational execution.
• A strong understanding of how strategy, people, systems, and finances work together.

Change Leadership

• Demonstrated ability to lead organizations through periods of transition and growth.
• Skill in guiding established teams to evolve and innovate while sustaining morale and trust.

Relationship & Fundraising Strength

• A natural relationship-builder with strong emotional intelligence.
• Proven fundraising experience.
• Political and community acumen.

Values Alignment

• Deep alignment with MIFA’s mission, values, and founding spirit of unity and service.
• A leadership approach rooted in respect, inclusion, integrity, and community-centered impact.

  
Our mission: Supporting the independence of vulnerable seniors and families in crisis through high-impact programs.
Our vision: Uniting the community through service.
Our values: Welcome and respect all people. Act with integrity. Value individual initiative and ability. Serve individuals and the community as an act of faith. Balance humanitarian goals with sound business practices.


QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will bring a combination of leadership experience, relational strength, and operational savvy, including:

• Senior executive leadership experience, preferably in a nonprofit, public-sector, or community-centered organization of meaningful scale and complexity.
• Experience leading organizations with multi-million-dollar budgets, including responsibility for financial oversight, sustainability, and long-term planning.
• Demonstrated success working in close partnership with a governing board, including setting expectations, reporting progress, and supporting effective governance.
• Fundraising and external relations experience, with the ability to credibly lead and support major gift fundraising, institutional partnerships, and community-based resource development.
• Strong people and team leadership experience, including leading experienced, tenured teams and navigating change within established organizational cultures.
• Change management capability, with evidence of guiding organizations through growth, transition, or significant strategic shifts.
• Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to represent the organization publicly with clarity, enthusiasm, and confidence.
• High emotional intelligence and sound judgment, with the ability to build trust, listen deeply, and make thoughtful decisions in complex environments.
• Deep appreciation for community-centered work, with an understanding of how nonprofits operate within broader civic, political, and social systems.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or equivalent experience preferred.

  
BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION

MIFA’s comprehensive benefits package includes medical, health reimbursement accounts (HRA), flexible spending accounts (FSA), long-term disability (LTD), life insurance, vision, employee assistance program (EAP), 401k retirement plan, paid time off (PTO), paid holidays, and annual paid medical leave. Also available to full-time employees at their expense are dependent medical coverage, dental insurance, supplemental life insurance, and short-term disability insurance.

Salary Range: $160,000 - $200,000, commensurate with experience.

MIFA is an equal opportunity employer.
  
Location:  Memphis, Tennessee

TO APPLY

MIFA has retained the services of ThinkingAhead Executive Search.
Please forward nominations or submit your resume and expression of interest to: Chris Spagnola at [email protected] and Ryan Rasmussen at [email protected].

The position will remain open until it is filled, but applicants are highly encouraged to submit their materials as soon as possible to ensure full consideration.