Chief Executive Officer

THE OPPORTUNITY
Headwaters Foundation

(Headwaters) is dedicated to working side-by-side with Western Montanans to improve the health of our communities.
With the active involvement of families in shaping solutions to Western Montanas most pressing health challenges, we work to power community-driven approaches that proactively address upstream issues affecting community health and well-being.
Based in Missoula, Headwaters was formed in 2017 to steward community resources that were transitioned into an endowment after the sale of Western Montanas Community Medical Center hospital.
Governed by an eleven-member Board of Trustees, Headwaters is one of the largest health-related foundations in Montana, with assets of $120 million and annual grantmaking in Western Montana of about $5 million.
In 2022, we proudly opened Confluence Center, a hub for nonprofit events and community gatherings on the ground floor of our downtown Missoula headquarters.
Headwaters has become a proud leader in the growing Trust-Based Philanthropy movement, an approach that flips the script on conventional philanthropy by advancing equity, sharing power, and building mutually accountable relationships.
The Headwaters team recently introduced a new

ten-year strategic framework

, doubling down on our commitment to community empowerment and equity.
We seek an inspirational leader to help us propel this transformative agenda forward.
Working Side-by-Side with Western Montanans
Serving the fifteen westernmost counties of Montana, Headwaters reach encompasses the population centers of Missoula, Kalispell, Helena, and Butte, along with numerous small towns, rural communities, and the Flathead Reservation, the ancestral home of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT).
Headwaters journey began with listening.
Our team embarked on what we now call our 600 cups of coffee tour to engage with neighbors across the region to understand the health issues they face.
What emerged was a resounding call to action to direct resources to benefit children, families, and Native American communities, go upstream to address the root causes of problems, and foster collaboration between organizations and across sectors.
Headwaters believes deeply in listening, building trusting relationships, and targeting investments to improve health.
We partner with organizations dedicated to dismantling barriers to well-being alongside those who face them most, to ensure that every Western Montanan, regardless of age, race, identity, or income level, has the opportunity to thrive.
THE POSITION
Working alongside the Board of Trustees, the incoming

Chief Executive Officer

has a unique and exciting opportunity to position an established, young, and growing organization for continued success as we pursue ambitious plans to more than double our grantmaking over the next ten years.
The supportive, respectful, and mission-driven Board of Trustees is comprised of professionals who bring a range of expertise and perspectives on the upstream factors that contribute to the health of the communities that Headwaters serves.
The CEO will collaborate with the Board of Trustees to set organizational strategy and vision, work with staff and the community to co-create an implementation plan for the ten-year strategic framework, ensure strong and transparent governance, engage the community, promote an inclusive and transparent organizational culture, and represent the organization locally and nationally.
The CEO will have the opportunity to shape the Foundations brand and image in the region, serving as the primary representative of our vision, mission, and impact.
In this capacity, the CEO will build and foster impactful relationships and partnerships with other organizations in the region.
They will seek out and orchestrate opportunities for collaboration with and between service providers in Western Montana communities and with other grant-making organizations in the state, to unify efforts and leverage resources in a values-aligned way.
Missoula, Montana
Headwaters Foundations headquarters are nestled in downtown Missoula, Montana, a vibrant city of 77,000 residents.
An important health, commercial, and cultural hub for the region and home to the University of Montana, Missoula offers a blend of urban amenities and natural beauty.
Missoula is well-known for its dynamic arts and cultural scene, entrepreneurial spirit, and breathtaking landscapes.
Situated at the confluence of three rivers and between Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks, Missoula has unparalleled recreational opportunities for hiking, camping, kayaking, fishing, and more.
Missoula has been listed as one of the greatest places to live in America, and Montana has been named one of the ten happiest states.
Missoula hums with energy, hosting an array of cultural and community events throughout the year.
From weekly farmers markets to a monthly downtown art walk, an incredible amphitheater that attracts major names in music, as well as film and literary festivals, great breweries, and more there is always something exciting happening in Missoula.
KEY PRIORITIES
Engage with the Community
It will be crucial for the CEO to engage authentically and deeply with communities throughout the service area and the state, with the grantees who serve them, and with policymakers who represent these communities in state government.
The new CEO will be tasked with building bridges across diverse populations representing the different geographic, racial, socioeconomic, and gender identities that make up the state, and who represent the full spectrum of political views.
As Headwaters embarks on a new strategic framework that will position us to take up firm policy positions and continue to advance our important work to improve the social determinants of health, the CEO will need to find common ground and build alliances without sacrificing the organizations principles or undermining our values.
Provide Strategic Vision and Leadership
Stepping into leadership during an important period of transition and opportunity as the organization embarks on a new ten-year strategic framework, the new CEO will chart a path as we grow our grantmaking, lean into our public profile on key issues relevant to the health and wellness of Western Montanans, and explore innovative ways to further deepen and amplify the trust-based philanthropy approach.
The incoming CEO will recognize and honor the intense and sophisticated work that has brought the organization to this point and will bring vision, flexibility, and creativity to ensure that this momentum continues to grow thoughtfully and strategically.
They will work with staff, the board, and the community to develop an inspiring and effective roadmap to implement the ten-year strategic framework and will guide critical conversations when emerging events and circumstances invite recalibration of our approach.
They will also guide our approach to evaluation as we enter the second decade of our trust-based approach to grantmaking.
Cultivate a Cohesive, Engaged, Impactful Team
The staff at Headwaters is without question our greatest asset.
Since its inception, Headwaters has prided itself on recruiting, retaining, and developing a talented staff that is deeply engaged in the community and committed to the mission of the organization.