Kidz2Leaders is a faith-based nonprofit working to end generational incarceration. Through a 10-year continuum of programming, beginning at age eight and provided at no cost to families, we provide stability, opportunity, and a Christian community for children of incarcerated parents. Each year, we serve 800+ children and family members in the Atlanta Metro area through four ongoing program platforms, an effort that involves over 1,000 volunteers and a growing staff team. Our ministry has been preparing for regional expansion for the past 18 months and is launching a pilot of our Camp Hope program serving children from Alabama in Summer 2026, with plans to be fully operational in Birmingham in 2027.
This role is ideal for a leader with an entrepreneurial spirit who enjoys building new initiatives, developing community relationships, and helping establish a mission-driven organization in a new market.
The State Director will serve as K2L’s senior representative in Alabama and the primary leader responsible for building philanthropic support and strategic partnerships across the state. This will be the first local hire, and the establishment of this position follows 18 months of an Atlanta-based Expansion Director laying groundwork in Birmingham.
The primary focus of the role will be fundraising, partnership development, and local visibility, ensuring the organization has the financial and relational infrastructure necessary to support future program growth. This position requires a relationship-oriented leader who is comfortable engaging philanthropic, corporate, and civic networks.
While the State Director will serve as the primary local ambassador and leader for Kidz2Leaders in Alabama, program management and operations will be primarily based in Atlanta.
Key responsibilities of the State Director, Alabama include but are not limited to:
Fundraising and Development
- Work closely with the Atlanta-based development team to create fundraising strategies and campaigns that are sufficient to meet local budgetary goals
- Execute all local fundraising efforts, including the cultivation and stewardship of relationships with individual donors, foundations, and corporate partners
- Partner with the outgoing Expansion Director to successfully facilitate the transfer of existing relationships to the State Director, and continue to steward and strengthen this initial portfolio
- Develop and manage a local advisory board of 6–8 individuals who will provide guidance and support to the Alabama staff
Community and Partnership Development
- Establish Kidz2Leaders’s presence within Birmingham’s philanthropic, civic, and nonprofit communities through strategic community involvement
- Represent Kidz2Leaders at community meetings, events, and speaking engagements
- Build relationships with local leaders, influencers, and advocates to support the mission
- Develop key partnerships with churches, schools, and community organizations to create volunteer pipelines
- Support volunteer training and engagement in coordination with the Atlanta program team
Governance and Financial Reporting
- Manage the revenue and expense budgets for K2L Alabama
- Track and report progress on fundraising, partnerships, and community engagement
- Ensure appropriate record keeping via K2L’s CRMs and platforms
- Work with the Atlanta-based finance team to ensure financial reporting is accurate and timely
Collaboration and Programming
- Coordinate with the Atlanta program team to ensure smooth implementation of programming in Alabama
- Support logistics and local relationships that help programs operate effectively
- Maintain strong communication with the Atlanta team to pursue opportunities, address challenges, and communicate local insights
- Active participation in all Alabama-based programming
- Unquestioning and wholehearted alignment with the K2L Statement of Faith
- Minimum 8+ years of nonprofit or ministry leadership experience, either in a full-time or volunteer capacity
- Bachelor’s degree
- A strong background in fundraising, development, or sales
- Proven experience meaningfully starting and growing an initiative, team, program, or organization
- Experience with hiring and managing a small team of employees and volunteers
- A deep understanding of the Birmingham business and philanthropic communities, as well as an established local presence and professional network
Salary is $80,000 annually with a baseline 30-hour work week, Monday to Thursday, with some nights and weekends needed to fulfill responsibilities. Benefits include nearly eight weeks of paid leave, including vacation, sick leave, and holiday office closures, as well as a monthly benefits stipend intended to support individual insurance/medical costs.
Kidz2Leaders is both an equal opportunity employer and a Christian nonprofit religious organization. K2L makes employment decisions without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, sex, marital status, parental status, or disability of an otherwise-qualified individual. As a religious organization, K2L reserves the right to hire employees who affirm and support K2L's mission, Statement of Faith, and religious beliefs, which are central to our identity and daily operations.
This job posting is being managed by Forrest Johnson Recruiting on behalf of Kidz2Leaders.
Skills Required
- Unquestioning and wholehearted alignment with the K2L Statement of Faith
- Minimum 8+ years of nonprofit or ministry leadership experience (full-time or volunteer)
- Bachelor's degree
- Strong background in fundraising, development, or sales
- Proven experience starting and growing an initiative, team, program, or organization
- Experience hiring and managing a small team of employees and volunteers
- Deep understanding of Birmingham business and philanthropic communities with an established local network
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