Chief Executive Officer

World Savvy, a national nonprofit reimagining education to prepare young people for a changing world, seeks an experienced, mission-driven leader to serve as its next Chief Executive Officer (CEO). This is an exciting opportunity for a proven executive committed to improving K-12 education to build on nearly 25 years of impact to lead World Savvy as it enters its next chapter.

World Savvy works to transform an outdated K–12 system built for another era by partnering with schools and districts to empower educators and leaders to embed global competence in teaching, school culture, and policy. Since its founding in 2002, World Savvy has reached nearly 1 million students and over 7,400 educators across 45 states and 32 countries. Through professional development, individual coaching, and engaging resources, World Savvy provides administrators and educators with the support they need to embed global competence into all aspects of their school community.

In 2027, World Savvy will mark 25 years of preparing young people to thrive in a changing world. This milestone is an opportunity to help define what readiness means for the next generation. The incoming CEO will build upon World Savvy’s history of impact to lead the organization through a new phase of growth and impact. Specifically, the CEO will serve as a strategic and visionary leader to sharpen the identity of World Savvy; grow, expand, and expertly steward World Savvy's financial resources; lead and develop a talented and committed staff; cultivate and maintain a strong internal organizational culture; deepen cross-sector relationships; and position the organization as a trusted national voice. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer will oversee an annual operating budget of about $4 million and lead a team of about 20 employees, including three direct reports—the Chief Operating and Finance Officer, the Chief Program Officer, and the Chief Growth Officer.

The ideal candidate is an optimistic and accomplished nonprofit executive with a deep understanding of education sector challenges, trends, and emerging opportunities, the credibility to work alongside K-12 education leaders, and an understanding of how change occurs within complex education systems. They will also bring a demonstrated ability to identify and cultivate new organizational funding sources and experience leading an organization through revenue diversification strategies to position it for sustainability and growth. The ideal candidate will also bring a record of building relationships and collaborative partnerships to drive impact and growth; a record of developing, nurturing, and retaining strong teams; experiencing fostering an inclusive culture that translates an organization’s values into everyday actions; experience collaborating with and effectively managing a board; and a personal belief in World Savvy’s mission of reimagining education to ensure young people have the global competence and durable skills needed to thrive.

The starting salary range for this position is $240,000 to $260,000. World Savvy provides a comprehensive benefits package, including comprehensive medical, dental, and vision, 401 (k) with match, partially paid parental leave, flexible PTO, 15 paid office closures, cell phone and internet compensation, professional development, and paid sabbatical after five years of employment. World Savvy is a hybrid workplace with principal offices in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN area, and employees around the United States.  

World Savvy has engaged Isaacson, Miller for this recruitment effort. Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be sent below.

Keight Tucker Kennedy is leading this search with Janette Martinez and Alexis Scott.

World Savvy is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. Equal Employment Opportunity has been, and will continue to be, a fundamental principle at World Savvy, where employment is based upon personal capabilities and qualifications without regard to: age; ancestry; color; creed; domestic violence victim status; gender, gender identity or expression (including transgender status); genetic information; marital status; medical condition; military and veteran status; national origin; physical or mental disability; political affiliation; protected medical leaves (requesting or approved for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act or the California Family Rights Act); race (including traits that are historically associated with race, such as hair texture and protective hairstyles, including braids, locks, and twists); religion; sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions); sexual orientation; status with regard to public assistance; or any other protected categories under applicable federal, state and local law in which World Savvy operates.