Chief Executive Officer

What You'll Do

FUSE is seeking a bold, innovative, and values-driven Chief Executive Officer to lead our organization into its next chapter, doubling our annual budget from $10M to $20M. Working with our dedicated team, government clients, and philanthropic partners, the CEO will drive significant growth in the coming years, charting our course as we continue to broaden our funder base and develop major investment opportunities at both the local and national levels.

This is an extraordinary opportunity for a visionary leader who believes in the potential of local governments to deliver results for communities.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Strategic Leadership

• Set and drive organizational strategy, enabling FUSE to continue its growth trajectory, expanding the universe of cities and counties along with the set of issue areas in which FUSE Fellows are engaged.
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to key stakeholders (e.g., mayors, philanthropists, think tanks, national associations), providing advice, insights, and lessons learned from ongoing fellowship projects in cities throughout the country.
• Anticipate and respond to dynamics in the funding landscape to ensure we are positioned to create and capitalize on emerging opportunities.
• Lead a robust philanthropic partnerships function that stewards major investments from some of the nation's leading foundations, enabling us to build on existing multi-year partnerships while broadening the community of funders who support our work.
• Guide the continuous refinement and expansion of FUSE's executive fellowship model to create more impactful, inclusive, responsive public systems.

Team and Organizational Leadership

• Set organizational culture, embodying FUSE's human-centric and collaborative approach to management.
• Manage the organization's Leadership Team, overseeing an overall team of thirty staff members working remotely.
• Ensure that staff members have the resources, skills, and infrastructure necessary to thrive in their roles.
• Work closely with the Board of Directors to ensure strong governance and provide all information necessary for the Board to function properly and make informed decisions.

External Partnerships

• Oversee strategies to bolster revenue streams, co-creating new avenues for leading philanthropies to partner with local governments in service to their geographic and issue-based priorities.
• Support the development of earned revenue strategies related to fee-for-service contracts with government clients, which currently account for 30% of total revenue.
• Serve as the leading external voice representing FUSE's work nationally, speaking at national conferences and writing for publication about how local governments are driving systemic change in America.
• Identify, pursue, and strengthen strategic relationships with think tanks and associations (e.g., current partners such as Brookings, the Urban Institute, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the National League of Cities).

Who You'll Work With

You will report to FUSE's Board of Directors.

You will direct and work closely with FUSE's leadership team, composed of four Vice Presidents (Philanthropic Partnerships, Government Partnerships, Fellow Recruitment, Program & Evaluation) and an interim Chief Finance & Operating Officer.

• A minimum of 15 years of executive leadership experience (CEO, Executive Director, or divisional leadership) in a high-impact, national nonprofit, government, or similar field related to civic innovation.
• A genuine passion for and belief in local government to deliver exceptional outcomes for its constituents.
• A track record of platforming exceptional leaders and belief in their ability to drive societal change.
• Demonstrable track record of successfully cultivating, stewarding, and diversifying significant revenue streams from major philanthropic institutions, government partners, and/or fee-for-service contracts.
• Alignment with FUSE's core values of Impact, Innovation, Diversity & Inclusion, Collaboration, and Resilience.
• Sophisticated familiarity with local governments and demonstrated experience in leading initiatives focused on policy change, systems improvement, or public sector innovation.
• Proven success in developing and translating a bold strategic vision into actionable plans, driving implementation, and using data to monitor progress and maximize organizational impact.
• Exceptional external leadership, communication, and public speaking skills, with the capacity to serve as the national, visible spokesperson for the organization and effectively advocate for FUSE's mission across diverse political and media contexts.
• Experience building, managing, and mentoring senior leaders on high-performing teams, including diverse and geographically distributed colleagues, fostering a culture of accountability and belonging.
• Strong financial acumen, including experience overseeing complex budgets, managing resource allocation, and ensuring organizational sustainability.

Location: FUSE is a fully virtual organization and this position can be based remotely from anywhere in the United States.

Travel: We anticipate significant travel (up to 50% time) for this role to attend meetings with funders and government partners in cities throughout the country, national conferences, Board meetings, and team retreats. The CEO will have total flexibility and autonomy over travel frequency and destinations.

FUSE is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply for this position.