August 14th, 2025
SAFEchild
About the Organization
The Organization
SAFEchild is Wake County’s only non-profit child abuse prevention agency, providing direct services to children and families. The agency works to prevent and eliminate abuse by implementing three primary strategies: the SAFEchild Advocacy Center, the Funny Tummy Feelings school-based program, and group-based parenting programs. SAFEchild annually protects over 13,000 children and empowers more than 2,000 parents through education, support, and intervention programs, and these programs are provided at no cost to the family in need of support. On any given week, SAFEchild staff and volunteers will be in classrooms talking to our society’s youngest members, meeting with parents to provide support and information to prevent child abuse from ever occurring, and treating victims of abuse.
Founded in 1992 by the Junior League of Raleigh, SAFEchild is governed by a 25-member Board of Directors consisting of business and community leaders in Wake County. The agency is staffed by 29 full- and part-time professionals and administrative staff, as well as 200 dedicated volunteers assisting with important service delivery and resource development activities. Operations are supported by an annual budget of approximately $3.3 million, which is anticipated to grow thanks to a successful grants program, a growing year-round annual giving campaign, an investment portfolio, and increasing investments from major donors. The organization is strengthened by its healthy balance sheet, carrying over $3 million in cash assets, approximately $10 million in physical assets, and no debt.
SAFEchild recently moved into a new 20,000-square-foot home that unites all of its services and staff in one facility and provides meeting space for the community.
To learn more, visit SAFEchild’s website at https://safechildnc.org/
Job Description
The Position
SAFEchild is seeking an experienced leader with a broad set of executive-level skills to build on a strong organizational foundation. The next Executive Director will lead the overall administration and operations of the organization, manage a dedicated staff with compassion and empathy, steward fundraising efforts to support programs and increase sustainability, and shepherd the implementation of SAFEchild’s next strategic plan.
SAFEchild leaders are creating the next five-year strategic plan that will address the overarching issue of how and where SAFEchild can have the most impact. With the new facility completed nearly two years ago, leaders are now asking important questions about growth, programs, and services. The study, scheduled for completion later this fall, will provide a roadmap for the new Executive Director to address attendant implementation strategies affecting infrastructure, programs, services, staffing, and funding. Current topics underway address these core priorities:
Core Focus Areas
1. SAFEchild Advocacy Center
•Wake County’s only Child Advocacy Center works closely with healthcare professionals, Child Protective Services, law enforcement, and the court system.
2. Funny Tummy Feelings school-based program
•Offered in every Wake County public elementary school and several private schools.
3.Group-based Parenting Programs
•Offering simultaneous English-speaking and Spanish-speaking programs.
The Executive Director will report directly to the Board of Directors and manage a four-person senior leadership team composed of a Finance and Operations Director, Development Director, Program Director, and SAFEchild Advocacy Center Director. Partnering with the Board and senior team, the Executive Director will be responsible for executing all aspects of SAFEchild’s mission to ensure the long-term success of the organization. SAFEchild has nurtured and enjoys a superior reputation in the community, and the Executive Director plays a critical role as the face of SAFEchild to the community across multiple relationships—families served by SAFEchild, individual donors, volunteers, philanthropic foundations, partner agencies, and governmental entities.
Leading an impactful organization like SAFEchild at this inflection point in its history is an ideal opportunity for a leader intent on eliminating child abuse and impacting the future growth of the organization.