Executive Director, EMERGE Connecticut

OPPORTUNITY

EMERGE Connecticut (EMERGE) invites a justice-focused, impact-oriented leader to serve as its next Executive Director (ED) and guide the organization into its next era of growth and impact.

A financially strong, mission-centered social enterprise, EMERGE supports formerly incarcerated people in rebuilding their lives, reconnecting with their families, and contributing to their communities. Through its proven programs, trauma-informed culture, and measurable success, EMERGE has become a respected leader in reentry and workforce development—changing lives and challenging stigma every day.

The next ED will inherit a powerful foundation: a trusted reputation, deeply committed and effective staff, and strong community partnerships. This is a rare opportunity to sustain a proven model at a pivotal moment of growth, taking the helm as the organization expands from its successful New Haven base to a new Bridgeport site, and shaping a lasting legacy of hope, equity, and opportunity.

ORGANIZATION

Founded in 2011 amid the Great Recession and record incarceration rates, EMERGE was built on a simple but radical belief: that every person deserves a chance to work, heal, and belong. The organization’s dual-service model—paid transitional employment paired with trauma-informed support—helps participants break cycles of recidivism, reclaim their lives, and strengthen their families and communities.

Through its Transitional Employment Program, participants work 24 hours each week earning competitive wages in fields such as construction, demolition, landscaping, green infrastructure, urban forestry, stormwater management, and property maintenance. These real-world experiences teach marketable skills and foster a sense of pride and accomplishment.

During the remaining 16 hours, participants engage in transformative programming that centers healing and personal growth—addressing trauma, building financial empowerment, strengthening parenting skills, and supporting education and career readiness.

The outcomes speak volumes: only 12% of EMERGE participants return to prison within two years (compared to over one-third nationally and almost one-half state-wide), and up to 70% transition to full-time employment—with 82% still working a year later.

With an annual operating budget of $2 million, EMERGE maintains strong fiscal health, earning one-third of its revenue through its own commercial activity. Its 18 long-tenured staff members describe the culture as safe, restorative, and supportive—a place where both staff and participants thrive. A growing Board of dedicated members brings deep commitment and governance strength.

Headquartered in New Haven, EMERGE is poised to open its second location in Bridgeport before November, extending its reach and deepening its impact across Connecticut.

THE ROLE

The next Executive Director will facilitate a smooth transition from the current ED of six years and work closely with the Board of Directors to lead and oversee EMERGE’s fiscal, administrative, operational, and program functions in partnership with a devoted, motivated, and highly effective team. The ED also serves as EMERGE’s public face—building relationships with funders, partners, and community stakeholders, elevating the organization’s visibility, and advancing its mission and impact. Priorities for the next ED include both immediate and long-range objectives that strengthen EMERGE’s growth and sustainability.

PRIORITIES

Organizational Management

Strong organizational management is essential. The ED will support and develop staff, address workload pressures, and balance empathy with structure—leading a people-centered organization with clarity, accountability, empathy, and care.

Culture and Relationship Building

The ED must begin by listening, learning, and earning trust. EMERGE’s trauma-informed, peer-led culture is central to its success. The new leader will strengthen staff morale, attend to emotional well-being, and develop second-line leadership to ensure stability and shared ownership.

Fundraising and Sustainability

Financial stability is an urgent focus. The next ED will diversify and grow revenue, lead relationship-based fundraising, and build staff and board capacity for financial management. Sustaining EMERGE’s social enterprise and mission programs will require balancing innovation with fiscal resilience.

Operational Systems and Structures

A top priority is to fully utilize and strengthen internal systems—HR, IT, finance, and communications—to match EMERGE’s growth. The ED will improve consistency, planning, and coordination between sites, ensuring efficient operations and clear accountability.

Strategic Planning

An early priority will be to launch a strategic planning process to clarify direction, integrate operations and communications, and ensure Bridgeport sustainability. The ED will promote coordination and foresight, maintaining mission integrity while managing growth and making disciplined choices about new opportunities.

Public Relations, Communications, and Visibility

The next Executive Director will raise EMERGE’s public profile by serving as the organization’s visible leader and storyteller. They will amplify EMERGE’s reputation with funders, policymakers, and community partners, and ensure consistent, intentional messaging. Strengthening branding, storytelling, and community presence—through media, events, and partnerships—will help expand visibility from local to statewide to national recognition.

Advocacy and Systems Change

The new leader will deepen EMERGE’s advocacy voice, linking its direct service results to policy change. This includes empowering alumni and credible messengers, engaging with policymakers, and connecting data and storytelling to advance reentry and justice reform statewide.

Communications

The next ED will improve transparency and internal communication, ensuring staff feel informed and connected, while sharpening EMERGE’s external storytelling and advocacy voice to strengthen trust and visibility with key partners.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director provides overall leadership, strategic direction, administration, and organizational management to ensure that EMERGE fulfills its mission: supporting formerly incarcerated individuals in rebuilding their lives, reconnecting with their families and communities, and breaking cycles of incarceration.

Organizational Leadership

• Serve as the public face and chief ambassador of EMERGE, representing the organization with authenticity and vision to staff, participants (“Crew Members”), partners, funders, and the broader community.
• Lead transparent, values-driven communication across all levels of the organization. Support staff through change and challenge while maintaining focus on mission and results.
• Encourage full and effective use of EMERGE’s existing systems and infrastructure; assess operational needs to ensure the organization can scale sustainably without overburdening staff.
• Lead growth and development of EMERGE’s second location, thoughtfully managing expansion from startup to long-term stability.
• Monitor state and national trends in reentry, workforce development, and justice reform; adapt EMERGE’s strategy and programs to remain responsive and relevant.
• Ensure the continued excellence and impact of current programs while fostering innovation to meet evolving community needs.
• Strengthen financial sustainability by diversifying funding streams and cultivating a culture of philanthropy across staff and board. Build strong relationships with funders and explore new opportunities for earned income, grants, and private giving.

Staff Leadership

• Provide leadership and direct supervision of five senior level staff members: Director of Organizational Development, Director of Training and Business Development, Bridgeport Site Director, Program Coordinator, and Controller.
• Inspire, support, and develop EMERGE’s director-level staff team through coaching, mentoring, and professional growth opportunities.
• Foster a workplace culture where staff feel trusted, valued, and empowered to lead.
• Promote trauma-informed, equity-based management practices that prioritize healing, collaboration, and accountability.

Board Governance & Engagement

• Partner with the Board to strengthen its structure, composition, and alignment with EMERGE’s mission and growth.
• Expand the Board’s size, diversity, and regional representation, including recruitment of members from Fairfield County and those with a range of professional skills.
• Guide the Board’s evolution from a working Board to one focused on strategy, governance, and fundraising.
• Facilitate opportunities for interactions between the Board and staff members for the purpose of increasing transparency, shared learning, and mutual respect.
• Engage the Board in strategic planning, fiscal oversight, and resource development to ensure long-term organizational health.
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IDEAL CANDIDATE

Candidates who meet many — though not all — of the qualifications are strongly encouraged to apply.

Skills & Experience

• Proven experience leading or managing a nonprofit organization, including partnership with a Board of Directors. Experience in the fields of mental health, workforce development, reentry, or social justice is ideal.
• Strong strategic and operational leadership skills, including experience guiding organizational change, setting priorities, and managing crises with calm and integrity.
• Demonstrated ability to inspire trust, motivate teams, and balance ambition with sustainability.
• Experience leading or contributing to a strategic planning process and translating vision into action in collaboration with Board and staff.
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to engage diverse audiences through storytelling, public speaking, and authentic listening.
• Solid financial and fundraising acumen, including experience managing budgets, interpreting financial statements, and cultivating donor and institutional funder relationships.
• Operational experience in areas such as HR, IT systems, facilities, and program management; ability to embed equity and trauma-informed practices into organizational systems.
• Strong understanding of building partnerships and securing funding from government agencies, foundations, and individual donors.

Personal Attributes

• Passionate commitment to second chances, human potential, and the healing power of community and meaningful work.
• Growth mindset with the ability to identify and pursue new opportunities.
• Resilient, nimble, and adaptable; able to lead with steadiness in dynamic environments.
• Compassionate yet accountable; leads with empathy while maintaining high standards and results.
• Authentic, grounded, and humble; committed to listening and learning from staff, participants, and community members.
• A “grounded visionary”—able to hold big-picture strategy while staying rooted in mission and day-to-day realities.
• Collaborative and decisive; builds consensus while taking thoughtful action.
• Deeply committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and to trauma-informed, culturally competent practices.
• Strong administrative and organizational skills, with attention to detail and follow-through.
• Knowledge of, or lived experience within, urban communities and issues affecting justice-impacted individuals.
• Lived experience as a justice-involved individual is welcomed and valued.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates can submit materials via the link at the top right of this page.

This search is being conducted in partnership with TSNE and consultant Mimi Brunelle. All submissions are confidential within the Search Committee and TSNE.

Applicants should include:

• A resume or profile summary outlining relevant experience and accomplishments.
• A cover letter expressing their interest and describing how their skills and experience align with EMERGE’s mission and priorities.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Early submission is encouraged. The position will remain open until the right candidate is identified. All applicants will receive acknowledgment, and those advancing in the process will be contacted directly.

Compensation and Work Environment

The Executive Director position is in-person, full-time and exempt, based in New Haven with regular travel to Bridgeport, Connecticut. Some evening and weekend hours, as well as limited travel for community engagement and conferences, are required.

• Salary range: approximately $90,000 – 105,000, commensurate with experience and within the organization’s annual budget.
• Benefits: A generous package including a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) funded at 8% of salary, competitive paid time off (PTO), retirement benefits available through MyCTSavings and professional development and executive coaching opportunities.

EMERGE is committed to fair-chance hiring practices and welcomes applications from individuals with lived experience of incarceration. Consistent with the mission to suppoet the successful reentry of formerly incarcerated people into the workforce and community, a criminal record is not an automatic barrier to employment.

As part of the hiring process, EMERGE conducts a comprehensive background review for finalists, which may include criminal history, driving record, and credit check where relevant to job responsibilities. Findings are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, considering the nature of the role, the relevance of any record to job duties, and evidence of rehabilitation and growth. In keeping with state law and organizational policy, EMERGE does not consider convictions related to arson or sexual offenses for employment. All other backgrounds will be considered with fairness and transparency, in alignment with our values of equity, inclusion, and second chances.

EMERGE prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, citizenship status, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic.