Executive Director

This position description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being
performed by people in this category. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all
responsibilities, duties and skills required of people in these positions.

Position Classification:
Employee

POSTION SUMMARY

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PDF

For over 50 years, Holden Village has operated as a remote Lutheran retreat center and community in the
wilderness of the Cascade Mountains of Washington state. A former copper mining village gifted to the
Lutheran church in the 1960s, Holden has offered year-round hospitality to all who join the bustling summer
community (300+ people) and/or the smaller winter community (70-150). Holden Village is rooted in the
Lutheran expression of the Christian faith and strives to be a place of ecumenical and interfaith
collaboration. By offering year-round hospitality to all who come to Holden, the Village seeks to serve the
wider church and God’s beloved world.

Holden is emerging from a period of heavy construction in connection with a mine remediation project
(2013-2016), a forest fire (2015), and the COVID pandemic (2020-2022) to grow back to full capacity for
education, worship, and recreation for people of all ages. Looking forward, the Board and the Executive
Directors will soon complete negotiations regarding another, less disruptive remediation project in the
valley, finalize construction of and programming for an exciting new Village Museum project, and engage in
a comprehensive Capital Campaign to support Holden into the future.

The Board of Directors of Holden Village hires, oversees, and supports the Executive Director(s), who is/are
expected to maintain a consistent presence in the Village and lead the community during this time of
complex ecological, ecumenical, and societal change. Leadership of the Village has consisted of 1-3
Executive Director(s) who, in turn, manage and lead a staff consisting primarily of long-term volunteers and
a core of employees. Staff size ranges from roughly 70 people in the winter months to 130 in the summer.
The position requires relationships with staff, guests, donors, the Church, synods, and partner organizations,
including the United States Forest Service (USFS), state and federal regulatory agencies, local Indigenous
tribes, Rio Tinto (the mining company responsible for the remediation), IMCO (the company contracted by
Rio Tinto to operate the remediation-related water treatment plant in Railroad Creek Valley), and other
companies subcontracted by Rio Tinto.

The Board seeks an Executive Director (or team of Directors) who, first and foremost, is/are deeply
committed to articulating and embodying the Mission, Vision, and Core Values of the Village. Leadership in
this setting requires great personal resilience; passion and connection to Holden and commitment to
Christian/Lutheran beliefs; an ability to strategically envision Holden’s place in the complex, changing world;
ongoing focus on ecological regeneration and sustainability; solid business acumen; commitment to
diversity, equity, and inclusion; ability to foster meaningful relationships with Rio Tinto, IMCO, the USFS, local
Indigenous tribes and other partner organizations; oversight of renewal and/or construction of buildings
and physical infrastructure; understanding the role of the Board and changes in the volunteer and
employment landscape of our constituency. The Board is open to receiving proposals for executive
leadership that mirror historic models and/or innovative approaches and team compositions to lead
Holden Village.

MAJOR FUNCTIONS

(principal duties and responsibilities; such as categories supported, staff size, volume managed, etc)

Overview:

The Executive Director(s) is/are responsible to the Board of Directors for nurturing and keeping the Mission,
Vision, and Values as the vital center of the life and work of Holden Village. The position includes:

  • Leadership of a unique Christian retreat center located in a remote alpine setting
    Curating a multi-generational year-round community that has tens of thousands of supporters
    worldwide.
  • Being guardian of a highly relational ethos that has existed for over 60 years, defined by hard work,
    worship and gathering, hilarity, faith, and shared experience.
  • Managing multiple strategic relationships that include the institutional church, schools, regional
    businesses, corporations, other nonprofits, the state of Washington, a particularly the USFS (which
    issues the permits that allow Holden to exist).

 

Leadership of a collaborative, welcoming community

  • Articulate and live out the Mission, Vision, and Values with all Villagers.
    Collaborate with the Board to implement the Strategic Plan.
  • Build and maintain relationships with all Villagers and community partners, such as the USFS, Rio Tinto,
    the Yakama Nation, and Chelan School District.
  • Leadership of a community of faith and practice; collaborate with the Village pastor and staff in
    framing the worship experience of the community, including a required daily Vespers service for all
    villagers.
  • Develop and oversee the design, execution, and evaluation of programs and education consistent with
    the ministry of Holden Village, including the Summer Teaching Programs.
  • Oversee capital campaign and fundraising, and develop other financial resources with Board approval
    and support.
  • Through staffing, programming, outreach, and training, ensure that Holden upholds a commitment to
    racial equity, social justice, accessibility, and inclusion of people from a wide diversity of communities,
    including racial, ethnic, religious, socioeconomic, gender, sexuality, and ability identities.

 

Staffing and Human Resource Management

  • Provide overall day-to-day management of the Village.
  • Hire and supervise all senior managers and the Village pastor, and oversee recruitment, hiring and
    training of year-round staff and seasonal volunteers (staffing models, like leadership teams, have
    varied over the years).
  • Community-crafting, making sure that volunteers and employees have the right jobs and find their
    work meaningful.
  • Nurture a sense of community and hospitality for all Villagers, inside and outside of Holden.
    Engage practices supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion on multiple levels.
  • Create a work culture of cooperation, supportive delegation, and empowerment.

 

Operations Management

  • Oversee the Village’s facilities and business operations, delegating and prioritizing a wide variety of
    critical tasks.
  • Oversee the care and maintenance of Holden’s physical infrastructure.

 

Financial Oversight

  • Develop and propose annual budgets for Board review and approval.
  • Oversee and be accountable for finances, including income, expenditures, external contracts, and all
    other financial matters.
  • Support ongoing fundraising, grant-writing, and the Advancement/Capital Campaign.

 

Public Relations

  • Serve as the spokesperson/spokespeople for the ministry of Holden Village, nationally and globally, to
    cultivate relationships with existing and potential guests, staff, faculty, donors, and partners.
    Oversee the writing, printing, and distribution of all of Holden’s promotional and informational
    materials.
  • Strong executive experience with nonprofit organization leadership and management (involving a wide
    span of organizational control), financial oversight, development, and Board governance.

 

Qualifications, Experience, and Skills

  • Have a living connection with a congregation in a denomination in full communion Evangelical
    Lutheran Church in America, a broadly ecumenical understanding of Christianity, and an ability to
    engage in faith-based learning in a variety of contexts.
  • Experience training and engaging others in both large and small groups.
  • Demonstrated commitment to and experience with organizational practices supporting diversity,
    equity, and inclusion, particularly related to racial justice.
  • Demonstrated experience with volunteer supervision, leadership development, and young adult
    formation.
  • Adaptive communication skills, including interviewing, coaching, and intercultural collaboration.
    Experience in recruiting, selecting, nurturing, supervising, and evaluating staff (especially full-time
    residential volunteers).
  • Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university (required); Masters degree preferred.
    Committed to full-time presence at Holden Village for up to 5 years.

 

Physical and Mental

  • Ability to live, work, and lead in a remote alpine community without fast or consistent access to in-
    person medical, dental, and behavioral health care.
  • Ability to live in a wilderness context, managing life in a community situated in a place that includes
    changes in elevation, lack of air conditioning in the summer, large amounts of accumulated snow in
    the wintertime, wildlife, and sometimes-inconsistent internet connectivity.
  • The ability and willingness to serve as a leader in emergency situations, including medical and
    behavioral health emergencies, fire emergencies, wildlife management, and evacuations.
  • Strong sense of self-care and sustainable work/life balance while living in a remote community with
    those you are leading.

 

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Compensation:

Depending on the team composition, the estimated annual salary range for each full-time individual in this
role is $60,000 – $72,000 with bonus-earning potential and is based on the desired experience range at the
time of this posting. Actual compensation will be dependent upon various factors, including, but not limited
to, the candidate’s relevant experience and qualifications.

Holden Village also offers the following benefits, per individual team member:

Medical, dental, and vision insurance in accordance with the Village’s general program for employees.
Life insurance benefits in accordance with the Village’s general program for employees.
The Village matches employee contributions to a SIMPLE IRA retirement plan up to 3%.
Forty-two (42) “out days” (ie. paid vacation days taken outside of the Village) per year.
Because of the unique nature of both living and working at Holden, the observation of traditional paid
holidays is not possible. Rather, the Village observes a monthly off-season (September through May)
tradition called “Stop Days” wherein all staff enjoy a shared day off from Village work obligations. These
days are scheduled by Village leadership.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PDF

Education

Holden Village is a community where your questions are valued and encouraged. Most programs led by visiting teaching faculty occur during the summer months. However, Holden also invites faculty to teach sessions for special events and retreats throughout the rest of the year.
Check out a list of the 2024 Summer Faculty.