[Hiring] Chief of Staff to the CEO @Partners for Rural Impact

Role Description

The Chief of Staff to PRI’s Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer is a senior-level position within PRI that expands the CEO’s capacity while offering close exposure to enterprise leadership, Board stewardship, organizational narrative, and the executive decision-making required to lead a growing national nonprofit. Reporting directly to the CEO, the Chief of Staff serves as a trusted partner who helps translate the CEO’s vision, priorities, and fast-moving thinking into clear decisions, sequenced action, strong preparation, and disciplined follow-through.

This role may be especially compelling for someone with rural roots or a deep commitment to rural communities who is ready to apply their skills at greater scale. The position leads and operates toward PRI’s result: all rural young people on a path to economic mobility from cradle to career.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead the Office of the CEO by managing the flow of priorities, information, decisions, preparation, and follow-through needed to support the CEO’s leadership.
• Translate the CEO’s vision, priorities, and fast-moving thinking into sequenced work with clear owners, timelines, decision points, and next steps.
• Supervise the CEO’s project and communications support function and coordinate closely with the CEO’s administrative support function.
• Serve as an alignment point between the Office of the CEO, the Managing Executive Vice President, and leaders reporting directly to the CEO.
• Prepare the CEO for Board work, speaking engagements, funder and partner interactions, convenings, relationship stewardship, and other priority commitments.
• Lead the CEO’s executive communications and writing, including speeches, presentations, correspondence, talking points, thought leadership, Board communications, and strategic documents.
• Use AI tools thoughtfully and effectively to extend the capacity of the Office of the CEO.
• Lead enterprise brand and message integration on behalf of the CEO ensuring PRI presents a clear, consistent, and compelling identity across audiences.
• Shape and maintain enterprise messaging, talking points, strategic narratives, and executive communications that reflect PRI’s mission, Plan 2030, and For Rural, With Rural approach.
• Review and guide major external-facing materials, program sub-brands, co-branding, channel priorities, and message decisions.
• Work with the CEO to set media relations strategy and support readiness for crisis and reputational-risk communications.
• Lead the Board governance and stewardship system on behalf of the CEO.
• Manage Board calendars, agendas, materials, meeting preparation, follow-up, and documentation of Board actions and commitments.
• Serve as staff liaison to Board committee chairs, supporting committee work plans, agendas, materials, decision preparation, and follow-through.
• Prepare Board communications and materials that are clear, strategic, timely, and aligned with the CEO’s priorities and PRI’s long-term direction.
• Other roles/duties will be assigned as necessary to assist and support in the attainment of PRI’s mission.

Position Location & Schedule

• This position is designated as a remote/home-office position.
• Requires regular collaboration with team members working across multiple states and time zones.
• Work schedule requires a high degree of flexibility and adaptability.
• Regular regional and national travel is required to support CEO priorities, Board activities, major external commitments, and key organizational events.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Organizational Leadership, Communications, Education, Nonprofit Management, or a related field required.
• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Organizational Leadership, Communications, Education, Nonprofit Management, or a related field preferred.
• 8+ years of progressively responsible professional experience, including significant responsibility for supporting senior leaders, executive priorities, organizational communications, governance, operations, or strategy.
• Demonstrated experience serving as a trusted partner to a senior executive, CEO, founder, or executive leadership team.
• Experience translating fast-moving ideas, priorities, and opportunities into structured, executable work.
• Experience leading a small team, coordinating cross-functional work, or managing work through others in a complex, fast-paced environment.
• Experience shaping organizational brand, messaging, executive communications, or narrative.
• Demonstrated experience using AI tools to extend executive capacity.
• Experience working with or supporting rural communities is preferred.

Requirements

• Exceptional executive judgment, discretion, diplomacy, and political savvy.
• Strong emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to move easily between strategy and execution.
• Excellent writing, editing, and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational discipline and follow-through.
• Ability to anticipate emerging needs and prepare concise recommendations.
• Commitment to PRI’s For Rural, With Rural approach.

Benefits

• Remote/home-office arrangements are subject to organizational approval and applicable PRI policies.
• Regular regional and national travel may involve working in a variety of environments.