Executive Director Cover Letter: Sample & Writing Guide

Everybody thinks running a company is easy until you put them up to it. Then, it all falls apart. That’s where you come in.

You’ve got what it takes to raise profits and lead with fearless resolve. But these are abstract qualities. An executive director cover letter, on the other hand, is very tangible.

It seems impossible to reconcile the two—but is it?

This guide will first show you an executive director cover letter example, as well as the best tips on how to write an executive director cover letter step-by-step.

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See our other related cover letter guides below:

• Executive Cover Letter Examples
• Marketing Manager Cover Letter Examples
• Project Manager Cover Letter Examples
• Manager Cover Letter Examples
• Operations Manager Cover Letter
• Executive Assistant Cover Letter Examples
• Office Manager Cover Letter Examples
• Business Cover Letter Examples
• Best Cover Letter Examples for Any Job

Executive Director Cover Letter Sample

Not too shabby. Keep reading to discover how to get yourself an executive director cover letter just like that.

Don’t have a resume ready just yet? Make sure to check out this guide, too: Executive Resume: How to Write + Examples

Executive Director Cover Letter Template

Here’s how to write an executive director cover letter:

1. Format Your Executive Director Cover Letter Properly

The temp worker wanders into the board’s office with a fresh batch of resumes and cover letters.

Yours is the first off the stack.

If you did it all wrong, they’ll forget about it before lunch break.

But if you know the best tips for writing a cover letter, you’ll remain in their memory for a long time:

• Plan to write three to four paragraphs. Keep in mind that the right length for a cover letter is under one page—even if you have 20+ years of experience in your field. 
• Use the right spacing on your cover letter to add white space: set line spacing to 1 or 1.15. The margins should be set to at 1 inch on each side.
• Your cover letter font choice is a key factor for the presentation of your cover letter, so pick something elegant that goes well with your resume font. 

Read more: How to Format a Cover Letter the Right Way

2. Create the Perfect Executive Director Cover Letter Header

You know exactly what a business-style letter header looks like, so this’ll be a walk in the park. 

Include a header on your cover letter, containing your contact information. Ideally, use the same header as on your resume for a customized, professional look. 

Next, provide the date and place of writing, followed by the recipient’s contact details. If possible, address the cover letter directly to the person who’ll read it—be it a hiring manager, a recruiter, or the company board. If you’re not sure, call the company and ask who the recipient should be. 

Pro Tip: Calling will also give you the one-of-a-kind opportunity to start dropping your name around, show the crucial quality of being a great communicator, and get remembered as the one candidate that cared. Wins all around.

3. Start the Executive Director Cover Letter on the Right Foot

How many executive-level employees are there currently in the US?

The national estimate lies around 200K.

Quite the competition.

Fortunately, people usually don’t quit these jobs. However, take into account the ravenous masses gunning for that sweet, sweet salary, and you may quickly realize—

There’s no room for error here.

Your executive cover letter has to impress from the very beginning, and this is how:

• Use a professional cover letter salutation to kick things off.
• The first sentence that comes immediately after should inform the reader which position you’re applying for and provide your years of experience.
• Then, the real hit—casuallybring up a key professional achievement that will have the board’s jaws and Rolexes drop to the floor in harmony.

Pro Tip: Trying to get a promotion to top-level exec in a company you’re already working for? See our article on writing an internal cover letter.

4. Emphasize Why You’re the Best Executive Director Candidate

Now that you’ve got the shark’s attention, time to reel him in with even tastier morsels:

• Boast about your biggest achievements.
• Use numbers to quantify those achievements and thus make them more meaningful.
• Generate more interest in your candidacy just as you would during your normal day-to-day: by tailoring your descriptions to the needs of your client, or in this case, the board.

Read more: How to Sell Yourself in a Cover Letter: Tips & Examples

5. Explain How the Company and You Could Achieve Greatness

The worst way to come off during the initial stages is as just a blind, deaf, and dumb exec seeking to fatten up his pockets. Instead, your cover letter needs to prove that you care about the company to which you’re applying and that you’re determined to help them achieve success. 

• If you know nothing about them, they won’t trust you or respond to your leadership skills. Search around the company’s website for things that seem important to them.
• Bring that up in the third paragraph of your cover letter to show engagement and interest.
• If you’re aware of any struggles or challenges in particular that the company has faced/is facing, elaborate on how your experience and transferable skills could prove useful as captain of the ship.

Read more: Short Cover Letter Examples for Various Roles

6. Learn How to End Your Cover Letter for Executive Directors the Right Way

Wrapping up is just as critical as starting.

We’ve left a great first impression, now let’s leave an even better last one:

• Make the company a promise, like raising profits, or increasing shareholder value. Using numbers should be a default tactic in your rule book by now, wink wink.
• Propose a time to schedule a meeting or phone call to talk about the details.

Read more: Examples of How to End a Cover Letter

7. Add Final Touches to Get a Perfect Cover Letter Finish

With that out of the way, time to practice putting an important skill in the life of an executive director:

Signing things!

• Repeat your full name one more time after courteously signing off with a simple “Sincerely”.
• Use your digital signature to double down on that debonair professionalism.
• Add your contact details to ensure they know how to reach you.

After that, it’s smooth sailing, so get yourself ready for that interview!

Read more: How to Follow Up on a Job Application

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Thanks for reading! What did you make of this executive director cover letter guide? Do you have any feedback or tips for our readers? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.

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