Executive Director, Philadelphia Partnership for Nutrition and Health

About the United Way of Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey  

The region's first United Way was formed in 1921 as a community chest. In recent years, United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey (UWGPSNJ) has undergone a remarkable transformation. Moving beyond the confines of a traditional "community chest" approach, we have boldly embraced an initiative-based impact model in our pursuit to end poverty and expand opportunity for all. This shift has sparked a resurgence in our reputation, reigniting interest and trust in our organization's abilities. As UWGPSNJ continues to evolve, based on the needs of the community we serve, leading initiatives and bold partnerships that fuel solutions is at the forefront of our work.

UWGPSNJ creates at-scale, long-term solutions to strategically address our community’s most pressing needs in Pennsylvania's Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties, and New Jersey's Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, and Cumberland counties. Throughout this nine-county footprint, close to 650,000 residents live below the poverty line (U.S. Census, 2020). Moreover, studies show this crisis disproportionately impacts communities of color, who comprise most of the population we serve. To address this disparity, our organization invests more than $20 million each year into the community through various partner initiatives under the pillars of Early Learning, Career Pathways, Financial Empowerment, and Community Resiliency. These initiatives help more children read at grade-level, more people grow their financial assets, and more families increase their economic stability. Furthermore, UWGPSNJ powers special initiatives, including:

• The Promise, a first of its kind public private partnership with the City of Philadelphia, advances opportunity for low-income Philadelphians through a two-fold approach: Family Stability and Record Clearing. In the first three years of The Promise’s Family Stability program, United Way, through our network of more than 20 partners in Philadelphia, helped over 38,000 clients each year unlock more than $145 million in tax credits and benefits for which they were eligible. In addition, The Promise’s Record Clearing initiative resulted in a total of 3,122 people meeting with lawyers for free at our 56 record clearing clinics and community fairs. Additionally, 2,039 people were eligible to move forward with sealing, expungement, and/or pardon, which represents 65% of those served.
• The Center for Leadership Equity, which strives to advance racial equity in our region’s nonprofit sector and grant making institutions, through a centralized leadership hub functions as a conduit between Black nonprofit leaders, philanthropy, and communities.

About the Philadelphia Partnership for Nutrition and Health

The Philadelphia Partnership for Nutrition and Health (PPNH), established by former Merck CEO and Executive Chairman Ken Frazier and hosted by United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, brings together leaders from public, private, and nonprofit sectors with a shared commitment to building an equitable and sustainable foundation for health in Philadelphia. Through this cross-sector collaboration, PPNH advances affordable access to good and healthy food, working to reduce the effects of poverty, particularly in Black and Hispanic communities. 

Philadelphia's nutrition landscape requires both innovation and scale. The dynamic portfolio of initiatives reflects a balanced approach to learning from both proven interventions and promising innovations to uplift the community. Through the design, launch, and scaling of targeted initiatives, PPNH aims to:

• Increase access to healthy and nutritious food for low- and moderate-income families.
• Reduce the prevalence of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders including heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, and obesity.
• Support healthy workforce through good nutritional access and healthy lifestyle practices.

The Opportunity 

The Executive Director will lead PPNH with a hands-on, strategic approach, driving initiatives forward through strong interpersonal skills, disciplined project execution, and cross-sector collaboration. They will engage diverse stakeholders through effective relationship building while coordinating with partners across sectors to develop and advance initiatives. The Executive Director will actively shape and grow the initiative portfolio, ensuring both near-term progress and sustainable long-term impact across Philadelphia.

Overview of Essential Functions and Responsibilities: 

Operations

• Stand up and lead day-to-day operations of PPNH—building structure around initiatives, partnerships, and budget management from the ground up.
• Design and implement foundational systems and frameworks to drive operational efficiency and set the organization up for scalable growth.
• Collaborate closely with key partners (e.g., United Way, McKinsey) to align efforts, fill gaps, and build momentum where infrastructure is still emerging.
• Create tools and processes to track progress and impact, recognizing that current systems are limited or in development.
• Craft and deliver strategic updates that bring clarity to complexity—translating early-stage progress into milestones and opportunities for investment and learning.

Stakeholder Engagement & Management

• Cultivate and maintain relationships with cross-sector partners, including government, community organizations, healthcare providers, businesses, and philanthropy.
• Serve as a convenor to align efforts and drive collective impact across the coalition.
• Ensure stakeholder needs are addressed while maintaining alignment with PPNH’s mission.
• Develop & lead a comprehensive communications strategy to engage stakeholders and enhance public visibility.

Strategic Leadership

• Partner with coalition leaders to refine and execute strategic roadmaps aligned with PPNH's vision.
• Identify opportunities and prioritize strategic initiatives to advance PPNH's mission.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of strategies, adjusting as needed to achieve desired outcomes.

Fundraising

• Partner with United Way’s development team to design and execute a comprehensive, sustainable fundraising strategy.
• Cultivate and steward relationships with individuals, foundations, and corporate donors.
• Support fundraising events, campaigns, and the preparation of grant proposals and reports to secure and maintain funding.

The ideal candidate will have the following professional and personal qualities, skills, and characteristics:

Mission Driven & Entrepreneurial 

The Executive Director will lead with a deep passion for PPNH’s mission to advance health equity through improved nutrition access. They will embody the spirit of an entrepreneur—purpose-led, bold, and willing to challenge the status quo. With a “start-up” mindset, they will foster a culture of innovation and action, encouraging teams and partners to think creatively and move swiftly toward solutions that can scale. This leader will be energized by big ideas and grounded in community impact, setting the tone for an ambitious, inclusive, and values-driven approach to solving one of Philadelphia’s most pressing public health challenges.

Strategic Operator & Fundraiser

A strategic thinker and disciplined executor, the Executive Director will oversee the day-to-day management of PPNH’s initiatives, operations, and budget. They will lead with a focus on measurable outcomes, building systems to monitor progress and adjust strategies for continuous improvement. At the same time, they will partner with United Way’s development team to build a strong and diversified fundraising engine, cultivating new donors and deepening relationships with existing funders. With a sharp eye for performance and sustainability, the Executive Director will align financial, programmatic, and organizational priorities to ensure long-term impact and operational excellence.

Collaborative Leader & Coalition Builder

As the convener of a diverse and dynamic coalition, the Executive Director will bring together stakeholders from across sectors—healthcare, nonprofit, academic, government, and business—into a cohesive and aligned effort. This leader will excel in building trust, navigating competing priorities, and finding common ground to drive shared impact. By maintaining open lines of communication and creating space for inclusive decision-making, they will ensure that PPNH remains a neutral, collaborative platform for innovation. Their ability to bridge gaps, manage complexity, and foster a sense of shared ownership will be essential to PPNH’s continued success.

Emotionally Intelligent & Humble

The Executive Director will lead with empathy, integrity, and a strong sense of self-awareness. They will balance confidence with humility—equally comfortable influencing high-level decision-makers and rolling up their sleeves to support the team. With high emotional intelligence, they will promote a workplace culture rooted in openness, psychological safety, and mutual respect. They will be attuned to the needs of both internal teams and external partners, building relationships that are both authentic and strategic. Their leadership will be marked by transparency, accountability, and a commitment to continuous learning and growth—for themselves, their team, and the organization.

Job Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:  

The ideal candidate will possess:

• Demonstrated commitment to health equity and systems-level change, with a passion for turning vision into tangible results that improve community well-being.
• 6-10 years of leadership experience driving high-impact programs within health, nonprofit, public policy, or mission-driven sectors—focused on implementation and execution.
• Proven ability to lead complex initiatives across multiple stakeholders, ensuring alignment, accountability, and momentum toward shared goals.
• Brings operational know-how and program management expertise to design, build, and scale initiatives that tackle food insecurity, public health challenges, and social determinants of health.
• Track record of fundraising and partnership development, working effectively across philanthropic, corporate, and public sectors to secure resources and drive outcomes.
• Strong communicator and relationship builder with high emotional intelligence, adept at navigating different levels of leadership and fostering collaboration.
• Familiarity with Philadelphia’s community landscape and political environment is a plus but not required.
• Bachelor’s degree

Compensation and Benefits

The starting salary for this role begins at $135,000 with potential up to $175,000 depending on experience and capacity for early impact. A comprehensive benefits package is included, featuring: medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, 403b k match, bonus and generous PTO.

Contact

DSG | Koya has been exclusively retained for this engagement, which is being led by Kim Dukes, Managing Director, and John Burnes, Managing Director. Express interest in this role by filling out our Talent Profile or emailing the search team directly at [email protected]. All inquiries and discussions are strictly confidential.

DSG | Koya is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

UWGPSNJ promotes a culture of inclusion and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected factor.