The Organization

The Congress of Neighboring Communities (CONNECT) brings together municipalities across Allegheny County to identify common public-policy challenges and collaboratively innovate and implement solutions that work across municipal boundaries.

CONNECT is a regional civic network dedicated to fostering collaboration, strengthening civic infrastructure, and advancing systems-level solutions across Southwestern Pennsylvania. Established in 2009 to address the lack of a formal structure for dialogue and coordination among the communities that collectively form the region’s economic and political core, CONNECT’s work focuses on strengthening the capacity of municipalities through convening, shared learning opportunities, technical assistance, and coordinated initiatives.

Today, the organization convenes a broad network that includes member governments, nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, academic institutions, businesses, and community leaders. Through this network, CONNECT facilitates dialogue, shares best practices, and supports collaborative initiatives that translate ideas into tangible public impact.

As of 2024, CONNECT supported 2,481 services for communities participating in the LEAD Program, including legal assistance, workforce development support, treatment referrals, and other critical services. CONNECT also provided 475 hours of direct grant-writing assistance to municipalities, helping secure $1.7 million in funding for public projects. In addition, the organization collaborated with more than 80 partners across government, nonprofit, and private sectors to deliver programming, training, and technical assistance to its members.

For more information, please visit: https://connectgovs.org/

The Opportunity

CONNECT seeks a collaborative and systems-oriented Executive Director who can steward what has been built while guiding the organization toward expanded impact, sustainability, and regional leadership.

The Executive Director of CONNECT serves as the organization’s chief strategist and steward, responsible for advancing its mission and strengthening organizational health. The Executive Director will guide strategic direction while cultivating the relationships that make CONNECT’s work possible, including municipal governments, nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, academic institutions, businesses, and community leaders. As the public-facing leader of CONNECT, the Executive Director will convene diverse stakeholders, build trust across sectors and jurisdictions, and ensure that CONNECT remains a respected and effective civic network dedicated to addressing complex regional challenges.

Reporting to a Board of Directors (19 members), the Executive Director will shape CONNECT’s future in close partnership with eight staff, organizational members, and regional stakeholders, maintaining a highly collaborative approach to shaping strategy and achieving outcomes. The role requires the ability to balance visionary leadership with practical management – overseeing budgets, staff development, program implementation, and organizational sustainability.

The Executive Director will be primarily responsible for the following:

Leadership & Management

Assures CONNECT effectively achieves its mission by providing leadership and innovation. This includes day-to-day operations, strategic planning, fiscal oversight, and fundraising.
Aligns internal operations with CONNECT’s values and external commitments.
Manages the Staff with transparency, clarity, and respect, creating a professional and positive. workplace.
Creates a culture of support, collaboration, engagement, and growth, including creating opportunities for team-building, individual professional growth, and organizational development.
Engages employees in strategic discussions and empowers them to work autonomously.

Strategy & Vision

In collaboration with the Staff, Board, and community stakeholders, creates and oversees the implementation of a strategic plan and vision – to include short- and long-term objectives, practical action, and a comprehensive plan for marketing and fundraising strategies to support CONNECT’s goals.
Translates complex civic challenges into clear priorities, frameworks, and pathways for collective action.
Leads the development and advancement of regional initiatives authorized by CONNECT’s membership.

Network Leadership & Convenings

Acts as a trusted convener of cross-sector and intergovernmental leaders.
Cultivates and stewards relationships with member municipalities, partners, funders, and stakeholders.
Oversees the design and execution of high impact convenings, including working groups, summits, legislative sessions, and networking events.
Strengthens the connective tissue of the network: trust, alignment, shared purpose, and follow-through.

Fundraising & External Relations

Oversees all fundraising strategy, developing and overseeing a diversified revenue model, including grants, contracts, sponsorships, dues, and earned revenue.
Stewards relationships with current philanthropic partners while identifying and cultivating potential opportunities for advancement and diversification in resource development.
Ensures CONNECT’s work and impact are communicated clearly to members, partners, funders, and the public.
Serves as the key external voice and storyteller of CONNECT, raising the region’s awareness of and engagement in CONNECT’s work and enhances the organization’s visibility, credibility, and influence.

Board Relations

Develops, maintains, and supports a high-performing and passionate Board of Directors.
Provides ongoing education to the Board of Directors on emerging issues and unmet needs.
Generates and tracks metrics that monitor the organization’s performance with transparency and critical objectives. Provides leadership in developing the organizational, program, and financial plans with the Board and carries out plans and policies authorized by the Board.

The Candidate

CONNECT seeks a collaborative and strategic leader with a demonstrated ability to bring diverse stakeholders together to solve complex regional challenges. The successful candidate will be comfortable convening leaders across government, nonprofit, academic, philanthropic, and private sectors, and will have a track record of building trust, facilitating productive dialogue, and translating big-picture ideas into practical initiatives that deliver measurable impact.

Committed to the mission and impact of CONNECT, the successful Executive Director will believe deeply in the power of collaboration and is committed to strengthening civic infrastructure and improving outcomes for communities across the region.

All candidates should have exceptional and proven nonprofit/public management, leadership, relationship management, and resource development experience, as well as possess a combination of the following skills and attributes:

Passion for and commitment to CONNECT’s mission and vision.
Educational background and work experience aligned with the requirements of the position.
Past success working collaboratively with partners, including but not limited to philanthropic leaders, like-minded organizational partners, and a Board of Directors.
Deep understanding of network leadership, collective impact, and cross-sector collaboration.
Strong strategic thinking paired with operational and financial discipline.
A successful record of accomplishment with fundraising from diverse sources.
Demonstrated success in creating and promoting a diverse, inclusive, and respectful workplace environment. A working style that is transparent, encouraging, and collaborative.
Strong knowledge of how marketing, communications, and public relations can further fundraising efforts and a track record of using these tools to improve and optimize these efforts.
Experience and confidence with public speaking before a wide range of professionals and community audiences.
Ability to hold vision without ego and authority without hierarchy.
High level of interpersonal and communication skills, with a track record of building strong relationships with a diverse group of individuals at all levels. Can build consensus for ideas and can be effective in navigating sensitive topics internally and externally.

Performance Objectives

In the near term, the new Executive Director will continue to deliver outstanding outcomes while successfully addressing the following in the first 6-12 months:

Become immersed in the programs and people of CONNECT. Complete initial evaluation of all current program and fundraising partners in order to gain understanding of current relationships, to build trust, and to foster momentum.
Work cooperatively with the Board to delineate and clearly articulate CONNECT’s strategic direction through a strategic planning process.
Position CONNECT as a continued anchor of regional collaboration and systems change.

Compensation & Workplace Environment

This position offers a competitive salary range of $120,000 - $130,000 and a progressive benefits package. The Executive Director will work full-time with a hybrid schedule.

How to Apply

CONNECT has retained Nonprofit Talent to assist with this important organizational change process. Specific questions related to the position may be emailed to Michelle Pagano Heck, President, at Michelle@NonprofitTalent.com. Please direct all inquiries related to this position to Nonprofit Talent, and do not contact CONNECT.

APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY 5PM ON APRIL 10, 2026

About Nonprofit Talent

Nonprofit Talent is a boutique executive search firm with a deep understanding of the nuanced cultural and financial landscape of the nonprofit and philanthropic community. We know the organizations and the people that commit to the sector. Our candidates, through regional and targeted national recruitment, frequently come from the same communities as our clients. We firmly believe in uplifting the extraordinary talent of our region in addition to seeking out new and vibrant talent through national networks.

Congress of Neighboring Communities

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