Open Positions
Thank you for your interest in joining the team at the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion!
Current Openings:
Executive Director
The Center for Mindful Self-Compassion
Location: Remote
Reports to: Board of Directors
Status: 35 hours per week
About The Center for Mindful Self-Compassion
The Center for Mindful Self-Compassion (CMSC), founded by the two leading Self-Compassion Pioneers Chris Germer and Kristin Neff, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to alleviating human suffering and improving the collective well-being of the planet through the practice of self-compassion. CMSC provides training, resources, and community for people around the world who want to learn, practice, and teach mindful self-compassion.
CMSC envisions a world in which self-compassion is accessible to diverse populations and supported by an equitable, inclusive, and caring global community. Through high-quality programs grounded in scientific research and established teaching methods, CMSC supports learners, teachers, and partners in bringing self-compassion into individual lives, communities, and systems including healthcare, education, business, government, and beyond.
The Opportunity
CMSC is seeking a visionary, grounded, and relational Executive Director to lead the organization into its next chapter. This is an opportunity for a mission-driven leader to guide a respected global nonprofit at the intersection of contemplative practice, education, community building, and social impact.
Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director is responsible for overall organizational leadership, strategy, operations, financial stewardship, fundraising, and team development. The Executive Director will serve as a key ambassador for CMSC, strengthening partnerships, growing visibility and revenue, and ensuring the organization remains aligned with its mission, values, and global community.
The Executive Director will bring a deep belief in the transformative power of mindful self-compassion and a genuine passion for the Center’s programs, which offer a scientifically grounded, deeply human pathway for personal and collective well-being. This leader will hold a broad, international perspective—understanding the global landscape of evidence-based mindfulness and compassion programs, their standards and evolving challenges—and will help position CMSC as a leading voice in the field worldwide.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic and Mission Leadership
- Collaborate with the Board of Directors to shape and implement CMSC’s strategic direction.
- Translate mission and vision into clear priorities, goals, and measurable outcomes.
- Identify opportunities for growth, innovation, and greater impact across programs, partnerships, and audiences.
- Ensure CMSC remains responsive and relevant to the evolving needs of its global community.
Fundraising and External Relations
- Lead and execute a diversified fundraising strategy that includes individual donors, foundations, partnerships, and other revenue streams.
- Personally cultivate a portfolio of high-capacity donors.
- Build a culture of philanthropy across the organization and support Board participation in fundraising.
- Strengthen and expand relationships with donors, partners, teachers, and community stakeholders.
- Serve as a compelling public representative and spokesperson for CMSC and its mission.
Organizational Leadership and Team Development
- Lead the day-to-day operations of the organization with clarity, compassion, and accountability.
- Build, mentor, and support a high-performing staff team and healthy organizational culture.
- Foster a culture of diversity, trust, transparency, collaboration, and continuous learning.
- Strengthen systems, processes, and cross-functional coordination to support organizational effectiveness and sustainability.
Board Partnership, Collaboration, and Governance
- Maintain a strong and collaborative relationship with the Board of Directors.
- Keep the Board informed of strategy, performance, opportunities, and emerging risks.
- Support effective governance by providing timely updates, analysis, and recommendations.
- Collaborate with Board leadership to deepen Board engagement in strategy, fundraising, and stewardship.
Financial and Operational Stewardship
- Oversee and execute budgeting, financial planning, reporting, and organizational resource allocation.
- Ensure strong fiscal management, internal controls, compliance, and risk oversight.
- Work with staff and the Board to align financial decisions with mission and strategic priorities.
- Support long-term sustainability through thoughtful planning and responsible cost management.
Equity, Inclusion, and Global Community Engagement
- Champion diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging across leadership, operations, and programs.
- Support CMSC’s role as a multicultural global community in which each person matters and everyone belongs.
- Strengthen relationships across CMSC’s worldwide network of teachers, partners, and participants.
Help advance collaboration across cultures, perspectives, and lived experiences.
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is a strategic and emotionally intelligent nonprofit leader who combines strong executive skills with a deep commitment to human well-being, inclusion, and community. They are equally comfortable leading internal operations, partnering with a Board, raising funds, supporting staff, and representing the organization externally.
They bring a genuine passion for mindful self-compassion and a strong belief in its value as a scientifically grounded and transformative practice. Ideally, they have personal contemplative experience and a demonstrated commitment to making mindfulness and self-compassion accessible to diverse populations worldwide.
They also bring an international perspective, with awareness of the broader ecosystem of evidence-based mindfulness and compassion programs, including their standards, cultural contexts, and emerging opportunities and challenges.
In addition, they demonstrate sound judgment, strong communication skills, and the ability to lead with both effectiveness and heart.
Qualifications
- Significant senior leadership experience within a nonprofit organization, including experience with fundraising, governance, and organizational leadership.
- Strong fundraising experience, including high-capacity donor cultivation, institutional funding, and partnership development.
- Demonstrated success in strategic planning, organizational leadership, and people management.
- Experience working with a Board of Directors and understanding nonprofit governance.
- Financial acumen, including oversight and execution of budgets, reports, and financial planning.
- Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
- Experience with distributed teams, international communities, or globally oriented programs is strongly preferred.
- Familiarity with mindfulness, self-compassion, contemplative education, mental health, or aligned mission-based work is a plus.
- Personal experience with contemplative practice (e.g., mindfulness, compassion-based approaches) and a strong alignment with the mission and values of CMSC is highly desirable.
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required; advanced degree welcomed.
Compensation and Benefits
The salary for this position is USD 112,000 annually, commensurate with experience, based on a 35-hour workweek. CMSC also offers a healthcare stipend, paid time off, and professional development benefits
Work Location
This role is remote. Some evening meetings and occasional travel may be required to support Board engagement, partnerships, and organizational events.
To Apply
Please submit:
- Resume
- Cover Letter
Applications should be sent to jobs@centerformsc.org
Applications will be reviewed beginning June 23, 2026, and accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Equal Opportunity Statement
CMSC is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable law.