Summary
Description
The Organization
At Tennyson Center for Children, our core values guide every interaction and decision. We are Joyful, Curious, Dependable, Authentic, and Compassionate. We are dedicated to providing trauma-informed care and creating inclusive spaces where children and families can thrive. We are seeking a visionary leader who shares this commitment to make a lasting impact on the lives of children across Colorado.
Tennyson Center for Children has served Colorado’s most neglected, abused, and traumatized children since 1904. We are known for our high standard of care across all our programs and services. These services include an accredited, Therapeutic K-12 School and Day Treatment Program with a 4:1 student-to-staff ratio on our campus and in-home and Community Programs in 12 counties across the state to provide preventive services and therapy to strengthen families with children aged 0 to adulthood.
At Tennyson, our goal is to keep families strong and keep them together. We provide an array of community services that aims to do exactly that by creating access to therapy, skills building, and resource connection. We offer support and therapy to kids and families across Colorado – and beyond.
The role
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) oversees and is accountable for all aspects of operations, fundraising, financial management, program development, and strategic planning. The CEO is the President of the Corporation, reports to the Board of Directors, and attends Board and committee meetings as a non-voting participant. The CEO manages the Chief Program Officer, the Chief Finance and Operations Officer, and the Chief Development Officer.
The CEO is a visionary leader who is action-oriented, entrepreneurial, adaptable, and who has an innovative approach to business planning, a passion for social impact, and the ability to foster collaboration among diverse donors, funders, community stakeholders, board members, staff and volunteers. This role requires the ability to run a stable and high functioning organization in a dynamic and autonomous environment, with a strong operating model at both the detail and big-picture levels. In addition to their operational responsibilities, the CEO will be a passionate leader who inspires others to engage with our mission. They will work closely with the Board of Directors to ensure that the organization is fulfilling its mission and serving its constituents effectively.
This is a full-time, in-person executive leadership role based at Tennyson’s Denver, Colorado campus. Regular, visible, on-site leadership in Denver is an essential function of the CEO position.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Leadership: Partner with the Board to execute a multi-year strategic plan, ensuring alignment across all departments and long-term sustainability.
- Financial Stewardship: Oversee the financial model and revenue mix, be accountable for budget performance, revenue forecasting, and timely corrective-action plans, and ensure accurate financial reporting and annual audits.
- Fundraising & Development: Serve as chief fundraiser and primary spokesperson, cultivating major donors, foundations, and institutional funders to build a culture of philanthropy.
- Operational Excellence: Ensure the delivery of safe, high-quality, data-driven programs while maintaining strict compliance with all licensing, accreditation, and regulatory standards (CDHS, CDE, BHA, COA).
- Team & Culture: Direct and mentor a senior leadership team; foster a diverse, accountable, and high-performing culture that prioritizes professional growth and trauma-informed practice.
- Community Advocacy: Serve as the key liaison with policymakers and state agencies, advocating for the resources and policies needed to support abused and neglected children and their families.
Minimum Qualifications
- Education: A Bachelor’s degree in a related field. Professional substitution: A minimum of five [5] years of leadership experience in child-serving or behavioral health organizations.
- Senior Management: A minimum of seven [7] years of executive-level experience managing personnel, supervision, and business development commensurate with an organization operating a $10 million budget.
- Fundraising: Demonstrated personal success in fundraising, and the ability to cultivate and sustain relationships with individual donors, foundations and institutional funders.
- Financial & System Stewardship: Demonstrated success evaluating, managing, and stabilizing complex financial and organizational systems to optimize efficiency and success.
- All candidates must have (or qualify to obtain) a current Colorado driver's license
- All positions require a pre-employment drug test, FBI fingerprint check, CBI criminal records check, child abuse registry check, motor vehicle record check, academic record verification, and reference checks
Preferred Qualifications
- Clinical & Program Models: Experience with, and commitment to, trauma-informed care and positive youth development models serving high-risk youth with complex needs.
- Regulatory & Funding Streams: Direct experience with government contracts, Medicaid, or other public funding (such as the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing), and in building programs sustained by blended public and private funding.
- Compliance Standards: Proven familiarity with licensing and accreditation standards, such as the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS), the Colorado Department of Education (CDE), the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration (BHA), and the Council on Accreditation (COA).
Salary and Benefits
The budgeted salary range for this position is $175,000 to $215,000 and will be commensurate with the experience level of the chosen candidate; Tennyson Center is open to further discussion based on the candidate's experience and skill set if necessary and would encourage all interested and qualified applicants to apply.
The CEO will be eligible for the following benefits:
- Medical, Dental, & Vision Insurance options
- Generous Paid Time Off
- 13 paid holidays
- Paid Mental Health days to regroup & recharge
- Retirement Plan with a match up to 4% of your annual salary
- Pet, Legal & Identity Theft insurance options
- HSA & FSA options
- Accident, Critical Illness, Disability & Hospital Indemnity insurance options
- Company paid Life Insurance & AD&D with options to purchase additional coverage
- Employee Assistance Program
- Employee Referral Bonus
- Professional Development Assistance
- Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more information, go to https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dhr/student-loan-forgiveness-programs
HOW TO APPLY
Interested candidates are invited to apply by applying through this LinkedIn posting or by submitting a current resume and a cover letter summarizing your relevant experience. Please email your application materials to Lise@cmtalentsolutions.com.
Tennyson Center is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer; we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We seek applicants of diverse backgrounds and prohibit discrimination based on race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, military status, conditions relating to pregnancy or childbearing, and/or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws.
