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Employee Ownership Transition Navigator

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Target Position Date: August 2026
Reports to: Senior Director of Growth and Member Engagement
Classification: Regular Full-Time, Exempt (Temporary 12-month Grant-Funded Position) 
Position Term: This is a full-time, temporary position funded for an anticipated 12-month term. Employment is expected to conclude at the end of the funding period. Although the NCEO may post future employment opportunities for which the successful candidate may apply, continued employment beyond this temporary assignment is not anticipated or guaranteed. 
Location: United States-based remote position. A suitable home office is required, including a reliable laptop and internet access

The NCEO is seeking an Employee Ownership Transition Navigator to serve as a trusted guide for business owners exploring employee ownership as a succession strategy. This role combines relationship management, business development, education, and project coordination to help companies successfully navigate the early stages of an employee ownership transition.

The Navigator will work directly with business owners from their first inquiry through feasibility study and beyond, providing objective guidance across all major employee ownership models, including ESOPs, employee ownership trusts (EOTs), worker cooperatives, and direct ownership structures. The position also plays a key role in expanding the NCEO's impact by maintaining data on transition activity, identifying trends, contributing to research and case studies, and supporting marketing and outreach efforts.

The NCEO is a private nonprofit organization whose mission is to help employee ownership thrive. Founded in 1981, we have nearly 3,000 members and annual operating revenue exceeding $5 million. We continue to expand our programs, services, and impact across the employee ownership community.

Key job duties

Business Owner Guidance & Relationship Management

  • Serve as the primary point of contact for business owners exploring employee ownership, providing education, guidance, and ongoing support throughout the transition process.
  • Conduct discovery calls, assess readiness, and help companies navigate early-stage planning and feasibility.
  • Build trusted relationships by connecting companies with resources, peer organizations, and educational tools.

Pipeline Management & Program Development

  • Manage and maintain the employee ownership transition pipeline, ensuring accurate CRM data, progress tracking, and reporting.
  • Identify trends, barriers, and opportunities to strengthen NCEO programs, research, and member engagement.
  • Collaborate with Marketing and Editorial teams to develop case studies and document successful transitions.

Outreach & Field Leadership

  • Promote employee ownership through marketing initiatives, educational programming, conferences, webinars, and speaking engagements.
  • Collaborate across departments to expand awareness of employee ownership and deliver an exceptional experience for prospective business owners.

You could be a great fit for this role if you have:

  • Experience working directly with business owners, executives, or leadership teams.
  • Strong relationship-building and consultative communication skills.
  • The ability to manage multiple companies through complex, long-term processes while maintaining exceptional organization and follow-up.
  • Experience using CRM systems such as HubSpot, Salesforce, or similar platforms to manage pipelines and customer relationships.
  • Excellent presentation, facilitation, and public speaking skills.
  • Strong analytical skills with the ability to identify patterns, track outcomes, and make data-informed recommendations.
  • A collaborative mindset and the ability to work effectively across multiple teams.
  • Passion for employee ownership, business succession, economic development, or mission-driven work.

     

Education

  • A bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Communications, Economic Development, or a related field is a plus.

Required experience

Candidates should possess experience in one or more of the following areas:

  • Leadership at a company that completed an employee ownership transition.
  • Advisory experience with employee ownership, including ESOPs, Employee Ownership Trusts, worker cooperatives, or related fields.
  • Business succession planning.
  • Business brokerage, mergers and acquisitions, or transaction advisory.
  • Small business development or community economic development with direct experience serving business owners.

Additionally, successful candidates will have:

  • Experience managing relationships through consultative sales or advisory processes.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • Experience with CRM systems and pipeline management.
  • Ability to analyze data, maintain accurate records, and prepare reports.

Ideal candidates will also have:

  • Experience facilitating workshops or speaking at conferences.
  • Knowledge of multiple employee ownership models.
  • Marketing or business development experience.
  • Experience working in nonprofit, membership, association, or mission-driven organizations.
  • Familiarity with HubSpot and marketing automation platforms.
  • Experience collaborating across cross-functional teams.

Compensation and benefits

The compensation for this position consists of base pay and variable income pay.

Base salary: Approximately $112,000.

Variable Pay: The size of the variable pay is determined by the performance of the organization and cannot be guaranteed in advance; however, our target annual variable compensation is approximately $8,000–$10,000

Employees also receive generous benefits, including:

  • 100% employer-paid health insurance premiums
  • Automatic 3% employer contribution to a 401(k) plan after three months of employment
  • Home office stipend
  • Paid travel, lodging, meals, and related expenses while attending approved meetings and events, subject to organizational policy

The NCEO is committed to equal opportunity employment. We make decisions based on employee qualifications and performance, not personal characteristics or association with any category protected by law. The NCEO values a diverse workplace and strongly encourages women, people of color, LGBTQ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply.

To apply

Please send your resume and cover letter to the Senior Director of Growth and Member Engagement at navigator@nceo.org.