A guide to common nonprofit job titles, from executive director to program coordinator and volunteer manager, how small and larger nonprofits are structured, and the pay and classification rules that still apply.
A nonprofit is governed by a board of directors, which hires and oversees the top staff leader. Below that leader, staff are usually organized around four functions: programs (the mission work), development (fundraising), operations and finance, and communications. A small community organization may have an executive director, one program coordinator and a part-time bookkeeper, plus volunteers. A large one may have hundreds of staff and several layers of management. Job titles signal where a role sits; consistent titles make organizational charts, pay structures and hiring easier.
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| Title | What the role usually does |
|---|---|
| Executive director / president / CEO | Leads the organization, reports to the board, sets strategy, manages senior staff and is the main public face |
| Deputy director / chief operating officer | Runs day-to-day operations and often oversees programs and administration |
| Chief financial officer / finance director | Manages budgets, accounting, audits, financial reporting and compliance |
| Chief development officer / development director | Leads fundraising strategy: major gifts, grants, events and donor relations |
| Chief program officer / program director | Oversees the delivery and quality of the organization’s programs |
Title checklist complete.
See how EZTime supports nonprofit coordinators who schedule staff and volunteers.
Board members are usually volunteers, not employees. Common board titles include chair (or president), vice chair, treasurer and secretary, each with duties set by the bylaws. Some organizations also have committee chairs for finance, governance or fundraising. Keep board and staff titles distinct, so it is clear who governs and who manages.
| Size | Typical titles |
|---|---|
| Very small (1–5 staff) | Executive director, program coordinator, part-time bookkeeper or operations assistant, volunteer coordinator (often combined) |
| Small to mid-sized (6–30 staff) | Executive director, development director, program manager(s), program coordinators, finance manager, communications coordinator, volunteer coordinator |
| Large (30+ staff) | CEO, COO, CFO, chief development officer, program directors, department managers, HR, IT, site supervisors |
Avoid title inflation. Giving a coordinator a director title can confuse partners, distort pay comparisons and make it harder to add real directors later.
A simple title ladder keeps things clear as you grow. Many nonprofits use a pattern such as assistant or associate, then coordinator, then manager, then director, then chief or vice president, with each level carrying a defined scope of responsibility and pay range. Decide what each level means in your organization, for example that a manager supervises staff or owns a budget and a coordinator does not, and apply it across departments.
When you write a job description, include the title, who the role reports to, main responsibilities, required skills, schedule including evenings or weekends for events and programs, whether the role is exempt or non-exempt and the pay range where required by state or local pay transparency laws. Clear descriptions help with recruiting, grant budgets and fair pay decisions.
Nonprofits often ask whether paid staff can help out as volunteers. The DOL answers clearly:
So a paid program coordinator who stays late to run the same program as a ‘volunteer’ is working, and non-exempt staff must be paid for it. The same coordinator volunteering at a weekend fundraising gala, doing something unrelated to their job, is a different question. Titles and job descriptions help draw that line.
Nonprofit status does not change basic employment law for paid staff. Key points:
Nonprofits often need to track hours for payroll, for grant reporting that requires time allocated to specific programs and for volunteer records. Hourly staff time should be recorded accurately, and time spent on each program or grant should be tagged if funders require it. EZTime records clock-ins by app, web or kiosk, tags hours to jobs or programs and schedules staff across sites. See EZTime for nonprofits.
The top staff role is usually the executive director, president or CEO, who reports to the board of directors. The board chair leads the board, which governs the organization.
A program manager usually has responsibility for a program’s results, staff and budget. A program coordinator usually handles logistics, scheduling and participant communication, often reporting to the manager.
Often yes. Many nonprofit employees are covered by federal and state wage and hour laws, and non-exempt employees must be paid overtime. Exempt status depends on salary and duties, not the title or the organization’s tax status.
Generally not to do the same type of work they are paid for. They can usually volunteer for different, charitable activities, but get advice before setting up such arrangements.
A development director leads fundraising: building donor relationships, managing grants, running campaigns and events and working with the executive director and board to meet fundraising goals.
Usually just the title. Both are the top staff leader reporting to the board. Larger nonprofits often use CEO, smaller ones executive director. What matters is that the board defines the role’s authority in writing.
Common entry points are program assistant, development assistant, volunteer coordinator, communications assistant and case aide roles. Many people also enter through AmeriCorps service, internships or part-time program roles.
As soon as you have hourly staff, two jobs take more time than most owners expect: recording hours accurately and building a schedule everyone can see. Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), employers must keep accurate records of hours worked and pay non-exempt employees overtime for hours over 40 in a workweek, and some states add daily overtime or meal-break rules. This is general information, not legal advice.
EZTime covers all three with a time clock app, employee scheduling and payroll-ready exports, from $2 per employee per month. See pricing and start a 14-day trial.
EZTime tags hours by job or program, which helps nonprofits keep staff and volunteer time separate for grant and payroll reports.