Job description

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (M/F)

June 18, 2026

Some organizations are like institutions, while others are more like commitments. The Arc-en-Ciel Foundation falls into the second category.

Founded in 1981 in Montbéliard as a Foundation Recognized as a Public Benefit Organization, it was created through the merger of three Protestant associations in the Pays de Montbéliard—that industrious and unassuming region between the Vosges and the Jura—where people have always preferred action over words. For more than forty years, it has consistently supported vulnerable people, deeply rooted in the values of the social and solidarity economy.

Today, it is a company with 1,500 employees, a budget of 100 million euros, four complementary divisions—elderly care (5 nursing homes, one assisted-living facility), healthcare (3 SMR facilities), medical-educational and disability services (DITEP, MAS, DAM), and home care (home care services, respite care platform)—and a reputation built not on marketing, but on the reality of the work it has accomplished.

What sets the Arc-en-Ciel Foundation apart in the medical-social sector is a deeply participatory management culture, embodied at every level of the organizational hierarchy. Here, the strength of the collective is not just a stated ideal—it is a daily reality, vibrant, fragile like all living things, and precious for that very reason.

The Foundation is about to turn a new page. Not to erase what has been written, but to continue the story—with a different voice, a fresh perspective, and renewed energy.

This handoff comes at a specific moment in the organization’s history: a time when it has grown rapidly, regained its footing, and is now looking ahead with the desire to go further without losing what makes it unique.

Maintaining Balance in a World Under Strain

The medical-social sector operates in a structurally fragile financial environment. Pricing constraints, cost pressures, and dependence on public funding create a landscape that calls for vigilance—not as a defensive stance, but as a navigational discipline. Leading the Arc-en-Ciel Foundation means facing this reality with clarity, without ever accepting it as inevitable. For there is an alternative to retreat: that of the social entrepreneur who refuses to simply endure, devises new, virtuous business models, forges alliances with the corporate world, and taps into unprecedented sources of funding. Rigor and boldness are not opposites—they feed off one another.

Engage all key stakeholders in a smooth transition

You don’t change a house that works by tearing it down. You expand it, light it differently, and add new windows. That is exactly the spirit of this mission: to embark on a collective and participatory transformation that respects the human dynamics and existing culture, driven by all stakeholders—management teams, frontline professionals, volunteers, and board members. Change without rushing. Innovate without compromising.

Reinventing Our Offerings to Meet Tomorrow's Needs

Older adults age in different ways, disability is viewed differently, and home care is being reinvented. The future Chief Executive Officer will be expected to demonstrate the ability to devise new solutions to these changing realities—to make innovation not just a buzzword, but a practice deeply embedded in the daily lives of staff and service users.

Promoting the Employer Brand

In a sector where recruiting and retaining staff has become a matter of survival, the Arc-en-Ciel Foundation possesses a rare asset: a unique work culture based on trust, empowerment, and purpose. This asset deserves to be both showcased and preserved—told through stories, brought to life, and shared far beyond the region.

Reporting to the Chair of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer chairs the Executive Committee and leads a multidisciplinary and experienced management team, with a focus on continuous collaborative development. The CEO’s roadmap is structured around five interrelated pillars.

Strategy and Institutional Governance

He or she leads the Foundation’s initiatives in close collaboration with the Board of Directors, helps shape a new governance framework that incorporates all stakeholders, and represents the Foundation in regional and national umbrella organizations and in discussions with regulatory authorities.

Economic Management and Entrepreneurial Development

He or she ensures the organization’s financial stability and actively develops new revenue models—such as corporate sponsorship, business partnerships, and diversification of offerings—to set the Foundation on a path of economic vitality and sustainability.

Transformation and Innovation in the Product Offering

He or she drives the evolution of offerings and practices, oversees digital and information systems policy, and creates the conditions for a transformation that is viewed as a collective opportunity rather than an imposed constraint.

"Liberated Management" and Organizational Culture

He or she embodies and fosters a culture based on trust, delegation, and accountability—a “liberated management” approach, in the true sense of the term, that turns every professional into a committed contributor rather than a mere follower.

Employer Branding and Regional Impact

He or she develops and implements an ambitious strategy to enhance the organization’s appeal, making the Arc-en-Ciel Foundation a recognized leader in the sector and throughout the region, capable of attracting talented individuals who share its values.

The Arc-en-Ciel Foundation isn't looking for someone to just maintain the house. It's looking for someone to help it grow—without changing its character.

The ideal candidate is a leader of conviction, whose experience in the medical-social sector, the healthcare sector, or the social and solidarity economy is substantial enough to lend credibility to relationships with regulatory bodies and teams, yet flexible enough to view the sector with a fresh perspective. It is precisely this perspective—both grounded and open-minded—that will enable them to identify opportunities for innovation where others would see only constraints.

His or her management style is participatory—not because it conforms to a model, but out of deep conviction. He or she believes in the strength of the collective, knows how to create the conditions for shared intelligence, and takes responsibility for the decisions that fall to him or her without needing to impose them. What the Foundation has built is rare and fragile: a committed leadership team, a culture of dialogue at all levels, and a sincere commitment to the mission. All of this must be protected—and earned.

He or she combines the rigor of a manager with the boldness of a social entrepreneur who devises the solutions of tomorrow. Their commitment to the values of the social and solidarity economy is sincere and evident—in an environment where healthcare professionals, service users, and institutional partners immediately recognize it, there is no room for pretense.

Finally, a genuine expansion into northern Franche-Comté is expected. The Pays de Montbéliard and the Belfort region offer a unique quality of life—nature, industrial and cultural heritage, high-quality services, and access to the TGV—for those who see this as an opportunity rather than a compromise. It is a region that, like the Foundation, prefers action over appearances.

Position based in Belfort-Montbéliard—candidates living as far away as Besançon or Colmar may be considered.

Contact: gburlot@your-voice.fr