Job Announcement: Co-Executive Director
The California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA) aims to hire the first of two Co-Executive Directors by the Fall of 2022. Once the first Co-Executive Director is hired, they will serve as the Interim Executive Director until the other Co-Executive Director is hired and will have a role in the hiring of the second Co-Executive Director. CEJA also welcomes two applicants with a prior history of collaboration who want to apply together as Co-Executive Directors.
The Organization
The California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA) is a statewide coalition of grassroots, community-based organizations that works to achieve environmental justice by advancing state level policy solutions. We unite the powerful local organizing of our members in the communities most impacted by pollution and environmental hazards—low-income communities and communities of color—to create comprehensive opportunities for change at a statewide level. We build the power of communities across California to advance policies that will alleviate poverty and pollution and protect the environment and our health. We have six core members and five partners across California. Collectively, we represent approximately 30,000 Asian American and Pacific Islanders, Latino, and African American residents in the San Francisco Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley, Central Coast, Los Angeles, Inland Valley and San Diego/Tijuana area. We combine organizing, movement-building, and strategic policy advocacy to grow a statewide movement for environmental health, economic and social justice.
About You
The ideal candidate will have an impassioned vision for social and environmental justice and a proven track record of movement-building. The ideal candidate will also have a grassroots and bottom-up mindset, and a deep commitment to anti-racism and systems change. You are an experienced organizational culture and organizational development practitioner who understands and models community, care, collaboration, mutual support, integrity, sustainability, and transparency – all built on racial and social justice principles. You have strong alignment across CEJA’s core members, partners and staff on purpose, vision, and guiding values. You have a knack for understanding complex systems, including internal systems and policy and political systems. You have fundraising and financial health expertise that can support CEJA as a growing organization. You are excited about change and have flexibility to adapt to emerging circumstances. You have deep respect and trust within the environmental and social justice movement and a strong network of relationships among elected officials, regulatory agencies, and allies.
The Opportunity
As the world transitions out of the pandemic, CEJA is uniquely situated to guide the environmental justice movement in a Just Transition. CEJA is in a period of tremendous change and growth. The Co-Executive Director will co-create a collective vision with their fellow Co-Executive Director and will provide leadership, motivation, and support to staff, Steering Committee, and members to achieve this vision. The Co-Executive Director will build the leadership team by hiring key director-level staff. The Co-Executive Director provides direction in developing and fulfilling the organization’s goals and objectives. The Co-Executive Director also represents the organization with key external players and plays an active role in developing and maintaining external relations with funders, CEJA’s member and partner organizations, and agencies at the local, state, and national levels.
SHARED ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES OF TWO CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
Public Leadership & Strategic Alliance Building
● Lead collaborative evolution of CEJA’s vision for environmental justice and Just Transition.
● Serve as a powerful, inspiring public voice and a key media spokesperson for that vision.
● Actively create and maintain strategic partnerships for CEJA, both within the environmental and climate justice movement and more broadly with labor and other social justice organizations.
● Represent CEJA’s vision and priorities in conferences, meetings and speaking engagements with elected officials and leaders of other organizations and movements.
Strategy, Program Development, Policy Advocacy & Political Coherence
● Oversee development and implementation of CEJA’s strategic plans.
● Contribute big picture vision to the ongoing development of CEJA’s policy and organizing strategies and ensure development and evaluation of annual work plans.
● Ensure political coherence and values-alignment across all of CEJA’s campaigns and programs.
● Guide coalition and organization-wide prioritization of goals to maximize impact and ensure a sustainable workload.
● Oversee policy advocacy efforts through alliance member collaboration with CEJA policy staff.
● Oversee CEJA Action (the c4 arm of the California Environmental Justice Alliance), including strategy, fundraising, and compliance with lobbying limits and other regulations.
Fund Development & Financial Management
● Oversight of fund development strategy and annual fundraising plan that aligns with CEJA’s principles and core values and results in sustainable funding necessary to carry out strategic priorities (in close collaboration with the Development Director).
● Cultivate and steward relationships with funders, individual and institutional donors; Serve as a visionary and inspiring voice to increase overall financial support for CEJA and our movement at large.
● Contribute to the development of fundraising materials, including appeals, proposals, and reports.
● Oversee development and management of organizational budgets.
● Liaison with fiscal sponsor (Environmental Health Coalition) for financial management, human resources and administrative management.
Steering Committee / Board Development
● Report to the Steering Committee to ensure strong governance, infrastructure, policies, and fiscal health.
● Plan and facilitate bi-monthly meetings with the Steering Committee; Actively engage the Steering Committee in strategic decision-making and bring concrete policy recommendations to the Steering Committee for approval.
● Facilitate Steering Committee’s transition to a Governing Board of Directors
● Facilitate trusting relationships between CEJA staff and the Steering Committee.
Staff & Organizational Management
● Ensure strong, transparent, equitable, and inclusive organizational systems for staff hiring, training and development, supervision and evaluation, and ongoing communication.
● Regularly convene, support and directly supervise a senior management team.
● Work with staff to set clear goals and objectives and ensure sufficient organizational resources and support to achieve outcomes.
● Model and create values-driven, collaborative organizational culture, where staff are valued for their contributions and supported in their development and wellbeing.
● Foster leadership development among staff, board, and community members.
● Ensure development and compliance with internal policies.
● Manage financial, legal, administrative, and other aspects of CEJA’s 501(c)(3) entity.
● Manage spin-off from fiscal sponsor to independent organization via development of financial, human resources and other necessary systems.
● Maintain and enforce a healthy work-life balance for self and staff; contribute strategic vision for prioritization of campaigns to uphold manageable organizational workload.
CEJA CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR QUALIFICATIONS
We seek a dynamic, visionary leader with deep commitment to social and environmental justice and exceptional people-skills to lead our coalition. Below are the ideal qualifications for both Co-Executive Directors:
● Passion for CEJA’s vision and mission; Strong alignment with CEJA’s commitment to center frontline communities in efforts to transform policy.
● Minimum of 5 years of experience in an executive or director-level leadership role in a relevant sector (eg: nonprofit organization, coalition, or public agency); Coalition-building experience strongly desired.
● Deep commitment and experience in environmental and social justice work; Robust network of relationships in our movement.
● Commitment to anti-racism and experience in addressing racial equity.
● Proven fundraising track record and fund development acumen; Comfort and enthusiasm regarding the Co-Executive Director’s role as chief fundraiser; Knowledge of relevant foundations, 501c3 funding streams, and individual donor fundraising desirable.
● Charismatic relationship-builder; Ability to listen and work effectively with diverse groups, from community residents to elected officials and donors/foundations.
● A critical thinker with a cutting edge, big-picture analysis of the issues in which CEJA plays a statewide and national leadership role. Ability to frame issues of environmental justice with an intersectional lens that compels diverse engagement in our movement.
● Excellent public speaking and written communication skills; Ability to engage with media; Demonstrated understanding of how to frame environmental justice issues for diverse audiences.
● Strategic planning and program development competency; Commitment and experience developing strategy collaboratively with grassroots constituents and in partnership across organizations.
● Management experience (staff supervision, finances, program effectiveness); experience in building or growing an organization desirable.
● Highly emotionally intelligent, collaborative, team-building leadership and management style that delegates and holds people accountable and develops the leadership of others. Openly invites and engages a variety of opinions and perspectives and can also make decisions.
● Commitment to fostering an organizational culture with strong feminist values and where staff well-being is prioritized and kindness, collaboration, learning, creativity, humor, and inclusive decision-making are all highly valued.
● Excited to run and represent a people-of-color-led staff and coalition.
● A strategic and creative problem-solver who can resolve conflicts and build a positive organizational culture.
● Is open and receptive to constructive feedback and growth.
● Experience in growing organizational budgets to increase resources and capacity.
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE
● Lived or first-hand experience directly with environmental or social injustices.
● A strategic and innovative leader who can build leadership within the organization.
● Ability to effectively collaborate with individuals affiliated with public, private, and nonprofit organizations, as well as, current and future funding agencies.
● Experience with overseeing the organizational spin off from a fiscal sponsor and into a 501(c)3 organization.
● Experience with 501(c)4 organizational development and management.
● Interest in and experience with nontraditional and innovative nonprofit structures.
ACCOUNTABILITY: The Co-Executive Director is directly accountable to CEJA’s Steering Committee, composed of the Executive Directors of six core member organizations. CEJA is fiscally sponsored by the Environmental Health Coalition, a core member of CEJA. The Co-Executive Director will be hired as an EHC employee.
SALARY RANGE: $107,000 – $122,000 annually
BENEFITS: CEJA believes in helping to provide a good work-life balance for its employees and offers a competitive benefits package inclusive of:
- Excellent Orientation Program
- Generous Vacation and paid holiday benefits
- Fully paid 2-week winter holiday
- Sabbatical opportunity
- Health, Dental, Vision and Chiropractic Insurance · Personal and Wellness Leave
- Long Term Care Insurance
- 401(k) Retirement Plan
- Professional Development Opportunities
LOCATION, ACCESSIBILITY, AND WORKING CONDITIONS
CEJA is a statewide organization with offices based in Oakland, Los Angeles, and Sacramento, and normally uses a hybrid in-person and remote work model. During the pandemic, this position is a virtual position. As CEJA transitions back into the office, this position will be based out of one of the CEJA offices. This position will require applicants to work on a computer daily for long periods of time, and collaborate with colleagues and coalition partners through Zoom, email, and other digital platforms. CEJA will provide a computer and other equipment needed to fulfill basic job responsibilities. After the pandemic, this position will require applicants to travel for fund development, speaking engagements, and other external roles.
COVID-19 VACCINATION-BOOSTER/TESTING
EHC requires all personnel to maintain up-to-date vaccinations and obtain any supplemental booster shots, if available and not medically contraindicated or have an approved exemption. We require personnel to certify that they have obtained the necessary immunizations and maintain a copy of that certification, which must be provided at our request. If an employee does not receive vaccinations/boosters and receives an exemption from this policy, they will be required to obtain regular and appropriate testing to certify non-infection.
POSITION CLOSE DATE: August 12, 2022
RESUME SUBMISSION PROCESS:
To apply for this position, please submit your resume, cover letter, three references and salary requirements to the Environmental Health Coalition at executivesearch@caleja.org by August 12, 2022. Please put “CEJA-Co-Executive Director-2022” followed by a dash and your last name, first name into the subject line of your email. No phone calls, please.
MISSION: The California Environmental Justice Alliance is a statewide, community-led alliance that works to achieve environmental justice by advancing policy solutions. We unite the powerful local organizing of our members in the communities most impacted by environmental hazards – low-income communities and communities of color to create comprehensive opportunities for change at a statewide level. We build the power of communities across California to create policies that will alleviate poverty and pollution. Together, we are growing the statewide movement for environmental health and social justice.
EHC IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: EHC provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. We believe in the value of a diverse workforce and we do not discriminate against anyone. If you require reasonable accommodation during the application process or in employment, please indicate such needs in your cover letter. EEO/AD.
