Job  Board

Established in 1991 by Dr. Robert W. Deutsch, the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation is a private foundation committed to improving the lives of Baltimore residents and strengthening the vitality of the city’s neighborhoods. Guided by a deep belief in the power of philanthropy to create meaningful change, the Foundation has built a legacy of investing in people, ideas, and organizations that help communities thrive.

The Foundation seeks a strategic, creative, imaginative leader to guide a hyper-local and early investing philanthropic institution at an important moment of possibility and momentum. The next leader will be an individual who recognizes talent, seeks to invest early and take risks, and supports innovators and partners in achieving success. Building on a strong legacy, the President & CEO will guide strategy, oversee grantmaking, programs and operations, and help shape the Foundation’s next chapter of impact.

THE ROBERT W. DEUTSCH FOUNDATION

The Robert W. Deutsch Foundation has an endowment and assets of $147 million. It supports innovative people, programs, and organizations that expand opportunity, tackle challenges, and strengthen Baltimore. The Foundation combines strategic grantmaking with support for impactful ideas. Focused on Baltimore’s future, it values stewardship, partnership, and practical results, believing progress is achieved through empowering visionary leaders and community led solutions.

The Foundation was founded by Robert Deutsch and Florence Kadish Deutsch who believed in giving back to the community, supporting education, and helping others. Robert Deutsch, born in New York City in 1924, earned degrees in physics from MIT and UC Berkeley, married Florence Kadish in 1949, and moved to Baltimore in 1964. He founded General Physics Corporation in 1968, which would become the leading provider of training programs for nuclear power plant personnel. Robert Deutsch took risks and broke new ground in technology. He believed in supporting individuals and projects from the outset, generating ambitious concepts that could transform society. He dedicated himself to the education, training, and development of people, while championing creative approaches and solutions to challenging problems.

FOUNDATION FOCUS

The Robert W. Deutsch Foundation invests in innovative people, projects, and ideas that improve the quality of life in Baltimore. The Foundation takes a hyper-local approach, invests early, supports general operations and stays closely involved with its partners. The Foundation’s grantmaking and programmatic initiatives are rooted in arts & culture and community development. In 2025, the Foundation awarded 98 grants with a total investment of $4.8 million. In 2012, the Foundation founded the Baltimore Arts Realty Corporation (BARCO), a nonprofit real estate development corporation that supports Baltimore’s artists and creative innovators by providing safe, affordable and quality workspace. The Foundation created the Rubys Artist Awards and administers them annually.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The President & CEO will be responsible for leading the organization with creativity, curiosity, integrity, humility and a commitment to the Foundation’s mission and values. This individual will oversee all aspects of operations, grantmaking, partnerships, communications, and stewardship of financial and philanthropic resources, working collaboratively with the professional staff. Reporting directly to the Board of Directors, the President & CEO will be expected to execute the Foundation’s mission, provide recommendations on changes in strategic initiatives, prepare and manage the annual budget, and oversee a professional staff of 10 employees.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership & Vision

1. Collaborate with the Board to refine and execute a hyper-local strategic vision and direction for the Foundation through grantmaking and programmatic initiatives.
2. Develop the Foundation’s annual budgets for operations and grant awards in close consultation with the Board Chair and for final approval by the Board of Directors.
3. Collaboratively set annual goals and objectives for the professional staff that align with the Foundation’s strategic plan.
4. Serve as the lead ambassador for the Foundation.
5. Build and nurture relationships with grantees, partners, civic institutions and community leaders.
6. Represent the Foundation’s values, purpose, and priorities with authenticity and clarity.
7. Uphold Robert W. Deutsch’s philanthropic intent.
8. Sustain an organizational culture that possesses the courage to take risks, innovate and be nimble.

Management & Oversight

1. Oversee daily operations including grantmaking, finances and administration.
2. Manage, mentor and empower the staff and conduct annual reviews of their performance.
3. Promote professional development and leadership opportunities for the staff.
4. Cultivate and maintain an organizational culture of collaboration, mutual respect, and intellectual curiosity.
5. Ensure effective use of technology, systems, and workflows that support transparency, equity and impact.

Board Engagement

1. Serve as a key partner to the Board in governance, reporting, and strategic planning.
2. Provide timely and relevant information to guide Board decision-making.
3. Provide regular updates to the Board on the Foundation’s advancement towards its strategic vision and objectives.
4. Provide regular updates to the Board Chair on the President & CEO’s activities and the Foundation’s initiatives.
5. Work with the Board Chair to set agendas, develop recommendations for Board actions, and prepare materials for Board meetings.

Financial Stewardship

1. Oversee budget development and financial reporting.
2. Serve as ex-officio member of the investment committee.
3. Monitor the Foundation’s endowment in collaboration with the Board’s Treasurer, the Investment Committee and its investment advisors.
4. Ensure sound financial and legal practices aligned with the Foundation’s policies.

Communications & Community Presence

1. Represent the Foundation within the philanthropic community, cultivating relationships, promoting awareness of the Foundation’s initiatives, and identifying opportunities for collaboration.
2. Maintain a strong awareness and understanding of developments in Baltimore’s economic, cultural, political, and social arenas that may affect the Foundation’s projects and priorities.
3. Cultivate enthusiasm for the Foundation’s hyper-local mission, vision and initiatives.
4. Be an active listener and communicate consistently with a clear set of values.
5. Engage with stakeholders, partners, staff, and Board in an open, honest and respectful manner.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

The ideal candidate will bring a combination of the following skills, experiences, and attributes:

1. 5+ years of executive leadership in philanthropy, nonprofit, or social justice.
2. Demonstrated success in managing a purpose-driven organization of comparable scale and complexity.
3. Deep knowledge of and strong connections to Baltimore.
4. Demonstrated management, collaborative leadership, and team building skills.
5. Proven ability to make sound executive decisions and take responsibility for outcomes.
6. Strong relationship and trust building skills across diverse communities and stakeholders.
7. Strategic thinker with the ability to execute and learn from successes and challenges.
8. Intellectual curiosity and a willingness to take risks.
9. Open-minded, flexible and comfortable with uncertainty and ambiguity.
10. Familiarity with financial oversight, governance, and organizational development.
11. Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
12. Commitment to equity, inclusion, and ethical leadership.

COMPENSATION

Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience. Salary range between $215,000 and

$245,000. Benefits include health, dental and vision insurance and a retirement plan.

APPLICATION

Interested candidates should submit a resume and brief written responses to the following three questions below. Responses to all three questions should not exceed a total of two pages.

1. Your Why: Why are you interested in leading the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation and what in your professional life best prepares you to be the Foundation’s President and CEO?
2. Hyper-local Baltimore Focus: Identify one major challenge facing Baltimore in the next five years. Explain how you, as the Foundation’s chief executive, would seek to be part of the solution and would shape the Foundation’s grants programs to that end.
3. Approach to Giving: If you could make a significant personal gift to any Baltimore-based non-profit organization, which would you choose and why?

Please email your complete application and a statement certifying that you are providing your independent and original work product to rwdsearch@gmail.com by July 15, 2026.