Executive Director
Overview
Intersect MBO is the member-based organization that underpins Cardano’s decentralized governance. Formed to ensure that the Cardano ecosystem remains community-led and self-sustaining, Intersect acts as both a convenor and enabler - connecting developers, Delegated Representatives (DReps), project teams, and members to shape the blockchain’s future collectively.
Through its committees, working groups, and open membership model, Intersect develops governance frameworks, coordinates ecosystem initiatives, and supports transparency across technical, strategic, and financial domains. Intersect operates independently of IOG, EMURGO, and the Cardano Foundation, while collaborating closely with them to deliver on Cardano’s long-term vision.
At its core, Intersect is about community governance in action, giving the people who build and use Cardano the power to guide its direction.
The Role
As the decentralized landscape continues to evolve, we seek an executive director (ED) who embodies the principles of transparency, decentralization, and inclusive community stewardship
This is not a traditional executive role: the executive director of Intersect is first and foremost a facilitator and enabler of community-driven progress. We are looking for a candidate with strong leadership and operational acumen, paired with an unwavering commitment to open governance, Web3 values, and collaborative ecosystem-building. The ideal candidate will possess experience leading diverse, distributed teams and be capable of driving measurable outcomes in a highly transparent and community-oriented environment.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership & Community Engagement
Champion Intersect's mission by developing and implementing a member-aligned strategy.
Serve as a public-facing leader of Intersect, present at community forums, governance discussions, and global ecosystem events.
Foster a culture of transparency, accountability, and open dialogue within the Intersect and the community.
Collaborate with independent consortiums, governance coalitions, and other MBOs active in the Cardano blockchain ecosystem.
Act as a neutral facilitator of governance decisions, prioritising the voices of Intersect members, committees, and stakeholders involved with Cardano Governance.
Operational Management
Oversee day-to-day operations and execution of strategic initiatives across working groups and core programs in partnership with membership committees and Intersect staff.
Work closely with the director of operations and head of people and culture to ensure organizational systems, resourcing, and culture enable effective delivery and alignment with Intersect’s strategic goals.
Develop and implement scalable, decentralized systems and processes to improve transparency and organizational responsiveness.
Maintain risk, legal, compliance, and financial oversight in accordance with best practices and member expectations.
Governance and Stakeholder Relations
Build trusted relationships with Intersect members, technical and strategic committees, and ecosystem entities such as Cardano Foundation, IOG, EMURGO, and others.
Work closely with the Board to implement member resolutions, develop new governance tools, and refine the organizational structure.
Ensure committee charters are respected and facilitate cross-committee coordination without overstepping the legal authority of the board.
Inspire and recruit stakeholders from the Cardano community to join the organization and contribute to it.
People & Culture
Build, mentor, and retain a globally distributed executive team and operational staff.
Promote diverse viewpoints, individual empowerment, and cultural intelligence across the organization.
Foster a culture of service, collaboration, and decentralization, consistent with community values.
Finance & Resource Management
Ensure fiscal responsibility in managing the MBO budget and resource allocation.
Lead transparent budgeting and reporting processes in collaboration with the Board.
Explore ecosystem-aligned funding opportunities and partnership development.
Measuring Success
The executive director’s performance will be guided by transparent and measurable outcomes. A public-facing dashboard will track quarterly goals and organizational progress, supporting community visibility and accountability. The executive director will participate in quarterly performance reviews with the Board and provide regular updates to the community through scheduled calls. The role carries a two-year renewable term, subject to review by both the Board and the community, and begins with a structured ninety-day probation period to ensure mutual alignment and success
Qualifications & Attributes
Minimum Requirements
Demonstrated senior leadership experience in decentralized systems, non-governmental organizations, foundations, or member-based entities, with a proven track record of leading complex initiatives, teams, or organizations in mission-driven environments.
Strong track record of operational delivery, organizational leadership, and working with complex, multi-stakeholder communities.
Demonstrated alignment with Web3 values, decentralization principles, and community-led governance.
Proven ability to work in transparent, high-accountability environments.
Outstanding interpersonal, communication, and facilitation skills across distributed, diverse teams.
Strategic planning experience with a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities of MBO structures.
Preferred Attributes
Expertise in conflict resolution, community management, and grassroots engagement strategies.
Prior leadership or governance experience in a nonprofit network, or digital cooperative.
Familiarity with the Cardano blockchain ecosystem or experience participating in blockchain governance ecosystems.
Experience working across cultures, geographies, and with emerging market communities.
Comfortable balancing legal, fiduciary, and mission-aligned responsibilities within a decentralized structure.
Compensation & Benefits
Intersect offers a competitive compensation package benchmarked against global nonprofit and Web3 leadership roles. As a growing scale-up, we are in the process of evolving our benefits offering to ensure it reflects our community-first values and global workforce.
This is a remote-first position with significant community engagement and travel, offering opportunities to represent Intersect across global events, governance forums, and ecosystem collaborations.
Intersect is an equal-opportunity organization. We value diversity of thought, identity, experience, and culture and are committed to building a leadership team that reflects the decentralized community we serve.
Selection Process
Intersect’s executive director will be selected through a transparent, community-engaged process which involves the following stages:
Open applications and nominations window which closes October 24, 2025.
Application and nomination shortlisting by Intersect’s Head of People & Culture
Member and DRep polling, with anonymised candidate profiles and candidate video - scheduled to take place Monday October 27, 2025 to Friday October 31, 2025.
Thirty minute ‘Pre-Panel Context Call’ via Google Meets with Intersects' head of people & director of operations (information share purposes - not an assessment call)
Ninety minute Panel interview via Google Meets and final Board selection
Please note: Profiles of shortlisted candidates (in redacted form) along with a candidate submitted video will be shared with Members and DReps during the polling phase. For transparency, the full hiring process can be accessed within Intersect’s public knowledge base here.
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