We're opening the search for our next Executive Director, marking an important milestone in the continued growth and evolution of the PHP Foundation.

After four years at the helm of the PHP Foundation, Roman Pronskiy will conclude his tenure as Executive Director in early 2026. Roman founded and helped build the Foundation from the ground up into a stable, well-run organization, expanded our team of core developers, and deepened collaboration across the PHP ecosystem. As his role at JetBrains grows, Roman has decided to focus his efforts there while continuing to support the PHP Foundation’s next chapter.

We’re immensely grateful for Roman’s vision and leadership, which shaped the foundation’s first years and set a strong course for the future. He will continue serving on the Board of Directors as JetBrains’ representative, providing continuity as JetBrains remains a platinum sponsor and steadfast supporter of PHP. Roman will work closely with the incoming Executive Director to make the transition smooth and complete.

The Board has formed a search committee consisting of two board members Sebastian Bergmann and Nils Adermann as well as two community representatives Lorna Jane Mitchell and Ben Ramsey. The search committee will manage the selection process and find a leader who can build on the Foundation's momentum and guide us through our next phase of growth.

What we're looking for:

• Strong leadership experience in open source communities
• Deep knowledge of the PHP ecosystem
• Excellent project management and communication skills
• Strategic thinking and a vision for the foundation's future
• Experience working with diverse stakeholders and sponsors

This is an opportunity to shape the future of one of the world's most widely-used programming languages and support the vibrant community that sustains it.

How you can help:

We need the PHP community's help in finding the right person for this role. If you know someone who would be an excellent Executive Director for the PHP Foundation, please encourage them to apply or reach out to us directly.

The full job description and application details can be found below.

For questions about the search process, please contact ed-search@thephp.foundation.

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Executive Director – The PHP Foundation

Position Type: Full-time or Part-time (if part-time, responsibility includes hiring necessary staff to fulfill the complete role)
Location: Remote, no visa opportunity
Reports To: Board of Directors
Term: 1 year, renewable subject to annual performance evaluation
Compensation: Total Compensation $90,000-$160,000 (Base: $90,000 - $105,000 USD / year, Performance based bonus up to $65,000 USD)

About The PHP Foundation

PHP is one of the world's most widely-used programming languages, powering millions of websites and applications. The PHP Foundation is a collective of people and organizations relying on the PHP language. Its mission is to ensure the long-term prosperity of the PHP language.

The PHP Foundation focuses on providing financial support and guidance to PHP language developers to support its goals of improving the language for its users, providing high-quality maintenance, and improving the PHP language project to retain current contributors and to integrate new contributors.

The PHP Foundation aims to promote the public image of the PHP language in the interest of retaining existing and gaining new users and contributors.

The PHP Foundation operates as a collective under the Open Source Collective, a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization based in the United States. The Executive Director role will be structured as a contractor position with this entity.

The Role

The Executive Director serves as the operational leader of the PHP Foundation, defining its strategic vision and translating it into reality while managing day-to-day operations and serving as the primary bridge between the Board, staff, community, and sponsors.

While the programming language PHP is over 30 years old, the PHP Foundation was only created in 2021. The Executive Director will be responsible for maturing the foundation’s internal structure and will play a crucial role in ensuring the foundation can effectively support this vital ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Develop strategic initiatives for the PHP Foundation and the PHP language in alignment with the foundation's mission and goals
• Annual presentation of new strategy and evaluation of previous year’s performance to the Board for approval
• Develop and implement marketing strategies to fulfill the foundation’s mission to promote the public image of the PHP language

Fundraising & Financial Oversight

• Responsible for fundraising to provide the budget for implementing proposed strategy
• Manage finances, budgets and fundraising
• Prepare quarterly operations summaries and financial statements

Operational Management

• Manage day-to-day operations, staff, including contracted PHP core developers
• Oversee hiring, performance management, and development of Foundation staff
• Ensure efficient execution of foundation programs and initiatives
• Provide regular updates at board meetings

Stakeholder Relations

• Represent the foundation externally and maintain relationships with sponsors, partners, and community stakeholders
• Serve as the public face of the foundation at conferences and community events

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated leadership experience in relevant organizations or communities
• Strong project management and organizational skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Financial management and budgeting experience
• Proven ability to work with diverse stakeholders and build consensus

Additional Experience We Value

• Experience in free and open source software communities
• Knowledge of the PHP ecosystem and its community dynamics
• Experience in fundraising or sponsor relations
• Network within the PHP community
• Experience managing remote teams
• Public speaking and presentation skills
• Previous experience in open source foundation governance
• Experience in or working with public relations or marketing

Compensation and Terms

• Contracting position with Open Source Collective 501(c)(6)
• Fully remote, no visa opportunities
• At full-time, base pay of $90,000 - $105,000 / year, invoiced monthly
• Annual performance based bonus up to $65,000 tied especially to fundraising goals
• Travel to a few community events per year required with expenses covered, additional travel encouraged if event organizers cover expenses
• Renewable annually based on performance and mutual agreement with Board of Directors

Selection Process

A search committee of Board members and community representatives is managing the candidate search and evaluation process. The process includes:

1. Application review and initial screening by the search committee
2. Interviews with the search committee
3. Committee presents top candidates to the full Board of Directors
4. Presentation of vision and strategy to the full Board
5. Final selection by full Board vote (2/3 majority required)

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until 2025-12-15.

How to Apply

Please fill in our Google form including:

• Cover letter describing your interest and relevant experience
• Resume/CV
• Brief vision statement (500-1000 words) addressing: your understanding of the foundation's current position, key opportunities and challenges you see for the foundation, and your approach to the role
• During the interview process we will ask you to provide at least 3 references who we can contact

Questions about the position or application process? Contact: ed-search@thephp.foundation.