Executive Director

Title: Executive Director
Location: Hybrid between office, community sites, and virtually from home (must be based in the Twin Cities)
Status: Full-time, exempt
Salary: $110,000-$140,000 depending on qualifications
Benefits: Health insurance (100% of premium covered for employee), life insurance, short-term disability insurance; approx. 134 hours annual paid time off and up to 48 hours Earned Safe & Sick Time annually; 10 paid holidays; and regular employer-paid training opportunities. Employee-paid vision, dental, long-term disability, supplemental life, and spouse/dependent health insurance coverage are available.
Hours: 40 hours/week; Monday-Friday typically 8:30AM-5:00PM; evening and weekend hours anticipated frequently for board meetings and community outreach
Reports to: Board of Directors

The Karen Organization of Minnesota (KOM) is seeking applications for the Executive Director (ED) position. This non-profit ED position is a tremendous opportunity for a dynamic leader seeking to guide and serve a successful community-led organization serving the Karen diaspora and other refugee groups in the Twin Cities of Minnesota.

The expected compensation for this role is in the $110,000 – $140,000 range. Actual base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may be adjusted based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, and experience. This is a full-time salaried, exempt position. Benefits include insurance (health, short term disability, and life) and paid time off. KOM does not offer a retirement plan at this time.

Application Process: Interested candidates should submit a resume, cover letter, and three professional references to Humanresources02@mnkaren.org by August 1, 2025. Position will remain open until filled. For any questions regarding the position or application process and when submitting applications please email to the same email address.

About KOM:

The Karen Organization of Minnesota (KOM) was formed by Karen community leaders in 2008 to fill in the service gaps for the refugee/immigrant population from Burma (Myanmar). In earlier years, KOM focused on meeting resettlement needs for newly arrived refugees from Burma. Over the past 15 years, this BIPOC-led organization has expanded to address more long-term needs of the Karen community and to serve broader populations arriving in the Twin Cities.

Our work for and with the Karen community is concentrated in Ramsey County where most of the estimated 20,000 refugees from Burma reside. Our office is located on Rice Street near Highway 36 in Roseville, at the intersection of southeastern Roseville, Saint Paul’s North End, and Saint Paul’s East Side, where most refugees from Burma in Minnesota live. This is part of a region identified as the largest contiguous Area of Concentrated Poverty (ACP) in the metro (Metropolitan Council, “Areas of Concentrated Poverty by Census Tract, 2011-2015”).

KOM has an annual operating budget of $4.2 million funded by federal, state, and county government contracts; foundation grants; service fees; special events; and individual and organizational contributions.

Our core program areas include Youth Afterschool and Summer programs; Community Health (preventive education & youth chemical dependency case management); Social Services (case management and service navigation); and Employment Services (includes job placement, credentialed training, and financial coaching & education). Walk-in services are open two days a week and on other days by appointment to assist community members with financial assistance applications, housing, immigration referrals, health insurance and other unmet needs. 2023 and 2024 data indicate approximately 2,000 clients per year received services.

KOM has a broader reach than our direct clients. Our social media audiences, regional collaboration and resettlement partnerships impact many more stakeholders throughout Minnesota. KOM receives frequent requests for technical assistance and advocacy from the entire US Karen diaspora and the entities seeking to support them.

About the Role:

For the past ten years KOM has utilized a Co-Executive director model which has served the organization well. The Board of Directors are open to continuing this model but would also prefer to explore a more conventional Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer model. We will entertain applications for both a Co-Executive and singular Executive Director. If applying as a Co-Executive Director pair, your cover letter should clearly state how you propose to cover Human Resources and Financial Management functions in addition to the Executive Director functions listed below.

The Executive Director role provides visionary leadership to advance the organization’s strategic direction, impact, presence in the local community, and national presence. The Executive Director oversees internal operations, financial management, fund development, and external partnerships while promoting the organization’s mission and preserving its values. The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors and works closely with staff at every level of the organization. This is a key point of transition for the Karen Organization of Minnesota after a season of steady growth. The next leader will play a pivotal role to build on the foundation of KOM while leading the organization into its next chapter as a nationally renowned organization serving the country’s largest Karen population.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Advocacy

• Provide visionary leadership and cultivate strategic partnerships to advance KOM’s mission and impact.
• Guide KOM’s long-term vision, strategy, and organizational direction in partnership with the Board and leadership team.
• Build coalitions and explore partnerships aligned with policy goals, grants, and social enterprise initiatives.
• Negotiate and maintain shared funding partnerships, including legacy relationships.
• Advocate for refugee communities in policy arenas at the local, state, and national levels.
• Cultivate relationships with top funders, including elected officials, major donors, and institutional partners.

External Relations & Community Engagement

• Serve as the primary ambassador for KOM, representing the organization publicly and building strong relationships with the broader community.
• Represent KOM as a national leader and advocate for the Karen people and other refugee communities.
• Serve as the main media spokesperson across platforms (TV, radio, print, online, podcasts).
• Engage with community leaders and partner organizations to build trust and foster collaboration.
• Attend community events, forums, and cultural activities to maintain visibility and relationships that may occur in the evenings or weekends.

Administration and Operations

• Oversee financial strategy: budgeting, reporting, forecasting.
• Manage organizational health: promote a legal compliance and insurance framework, and develop project management and risk management structures.

Board Management

• Partner with the board and board committees to advance KOM’s mission, strategic vision, values, and organizational impact.
• Prepare for board meetings every other month, and assist with board recruitment.

Fundraising

• Develop and oversee a comprehensive fundraising strategy, including grant writing, donor cultivation, and special events.
• Oversee grants management and compliance with funding requirements and reporting.

Team Leadership

• Foster strong organizational culture, communication, accountability, and integrity.
• Recruit, train, and supervise leadership staff (3 program directors, 1 development director, 1 office manager).
• Provide ongoing professional development opportunities for all staff.
• Coordinate human resources with leadership staff and consultants.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• A minimum of eight years of senior leadership or management experience in nonprofit or similar settings. Relevant post-secondary degree from an American or international education institution may substitute for years of experience.
• A demonstrated commitment to the success of immigrants or refugees, with strong ties to the Karen, Karenni, Mon, or Burmese people.
• Entrepreneurial and self-directed leader with experience in nonprofit operations or programs.
• Experience in developing and executing financial goals, including grant writing and fiscal compliance.
• Experience managing programs, including evaluation and contract management with both government funders and private foundations.
• Experience working with a Board of Directors and strategic planning.
• Residence in or relocation to the Twin Cities metro area is required for this role. While the position allows for some flexibility, the Executive Director must be embedded in the local community and present for in-person relationship building and representation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in refugee services.
• Fluency in Karen, Karenni, and/or Burmese languages.
• Direct experience working with Karen people or other refugees from Burma.
• Experience with planned giving, event planning, and corporate giving partnerships.
• Leadership of an ethnic community-based organization.
• Experience with capital campaigns, revenue-generating social enterprise, and/or facilities acquisition.
• Human Resources expertise and/or familiarity with employment law.

Required Competencies (Knowledge, Skills, & Behavior)

• Organizational management with the ability to turn ideas into action, and manage organizational growth with limited infrastructure.
• Visible and accessible leadership style, with the emotional intelligence and facilitation skills needed to engage and unify diverse member organizations, stakeholders, and partners.
• Effective written and verbal communication, including excellent public speaking skills.
• Strong, consistent communication skills to engage a nonprofit Board of Directors.
• Strategic thinker and systems-level thinker.

Application Process

Interested candidates should submit a resume, cover letter, and three professional references to Humanresources02@mnkaren.org by August 1, 2025. Position will remain open until filled. For any questions regarding the position or application process, please use the same email address.