Chief of Staff to the CEO

Partner for Rural Impact's (PRI) work began more than 30 years ago with a place-based partnership in Appalachian Kentucky, where we’ve shown demographics don’t have to determine destiny. Today, we partner with rural leaders and allies across the country to share that work and build local partnerships that put young people on a path to economic mobility.

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 requires someone who can move easily between strategy and execution, bringing structure and steadiness to a founder-led organization where ideas, opportunities, travel, and external commitments move quickly.

The Chief of Staff leads the Office of the CEO, provides day-to-day leadership for enterprise brand and message integration, and serves as a senior staff lead and relationship holder for Board governance and stewardship. The person who thrives in this role is highly organized, an excellent writer, comfortable with ambiguity, strong with people, fluent in using AI tools to extend capacity, and willing to do the work as often as they direct it.

This role may be especially compelling for someone with rural roots or a deep commitment to rural communities who has built strong strategy, writing, analytic, consulting, organizational leadership, or local outcome-focused experience and is ready to apply those skills at greater scale. PRI values leaders who bring different lived experiences, perspectives, geographies, and ways of knowing to the work. The role is well suited for someone who may want to lead an organization in the future, as well as someone who has learned that their strongest contribution is helping a senior leader and enterprise move with focus, clarity, and impact.

The position leads and operates toward PRI’s result: all rural young people on a path to economic mobility from cradle

to career.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each primary duty satisfactorily. The requirements of the position are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required, with regular and predictable attendance essential. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Office of the CEO Leadership
• Enterprise Brand and Message Integration
• Board Governance, Relations, and Stewardship

The above list is a summary of role functions. For additional details, please view the full job description here: Chief of Staff to the CEO Job Description

This position is designated as a remote/home-office position and requires the employee to maintain an appropriate workspace conducive to performing assigned responsibilities. The role involves regular collaboration with team members working across multiple states and time zones, requiring effective communication, coordination, and responsiveness across geographically dispersed teams.

Due to the nature of the position and its direct support of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the work schedule requires a high degree of flexibility and adaptability. While the position generally operates during regular business hours, work schedules and availability must accommodate the CEO's schedule, Board of Directors' activities, organizational priorities, and time-sensitive commitments. This may include early mornings, evenings, and occasional weekends, as business needs require.

Although day-to-day responsibilities are performed primarily remotely, the Chief of Staff is expected to participate in in-person engagements as organizational needs require. This may include accompanying the CEO or meeting in person to support strategic planning, preparation and coordination, Board activities, relationship stewardship, the Rural Summit, and other priority engagements.

Regular regional and national travel is required to support CEO priorities, Board activities, major external commitments, and key organizational events. Travel may involve frequent overnight stays and adjustments to regular work schedules.

Remote/home-office arrangements are subject to organizational approval and applicable PRI policies. Eligibility for remote work may be limited to states in which PRI is authorized to employ staff and may be subject to additional geographic or operational restrictions.

• 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 translating strategy into action through consulting, organizational leadership, executive support, or local or place-based work that advanced outcomes fo