Executive Director (PPF)

Headquartered in Santa Barbara with a second location in Santa Maria, California, Pacific Pride is the oldest and largest LGBTQ+ Center between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Initially established as a behavioral health counselling and referral center for gay men and lesbians, Pacific Pride currently provides a dynamic range of LGBTQ+ health, prevention, and social service programs to more than 10,000 people each year, representing the full diversity of Santa Barbara’s LGBTQ+ population. Today’s Pacific Pride is a vital and integral part of Santa Barbara’s diverse growing LGBTQ+ community and a trusted provider of high-quality, culturally competent services not available anywhere else in the county.

Through advocacy, outreach, education, and community events, Pacific Pride strives to advance LGBTQ+ social justice and to create a climate where all LGBTQ+ people feel safe and supported. Pacific Pride offers counseling and mental health services for individuals, couples, and families, as well as extensive programming for queer youth, elders, and families. Pacific Pride also provides direct Health and Prevention services, including HIV/Hepatitis C testing and education, PrEP education, opioid overdose prevention services, and the only syringe exchange program in Santa Barbara County.

All Pacific Pride’s programs and services are available to anyone in need and are provided with one clear goal: to build a community where everyone is treated with respect and full equality regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status. For more information on programs and services please visit

REPORTING

Reports to the Board of Directors. Oversees a full-time staff of nine, as well as part-time and counseling staff, interns, and volunteers.

THE POSITION:

The Executive Director will assume day-to-day operating and oversight responsibility for Pacific Pride Foundation, including Organizational Leadership, Resource Development, Community Building and Outreach, Financial Management, Staff Management, Program Management, and Board Relations. In partnership with the Board of Directors, the E.D. will oversee fundraising, development and refinement of service and advocacy programs, budgeting and financial planning, contract and grant compliance, and staffing/recruitment.

This position requires a compassionate and visionary leader with the skills and experience to lead Pacific Pride to new levels of growth, visibility, and impact. A primary accountability of the new E.D. will be to implement a new, three-year strategic plan that aims to establish Pacific Pride as the recognized leader on LGBTQ+ and HIV prevention issues in Santa Barbara County. She/He/They will lead Pacific Pride with a particular focus on the following:

• Ensuring financial sustainability through growth and diversification of fundraising programs, capacity, and results
• Raising visibility, awareness, and understanding of Pacific Pride’s work and mission with all audiences
• Bringing vision and critical thinking to expanding and aligning programs to meet the needs of a diverse and evolving LGBTQ+ community in Santa Barbara County
• Expanding and strengthening relationships with constituents, partners, allied organizations, and volunteers
• Building a professional and supportive organization with continued commitment to diversity & inclusion at all levels

The E.D. will also function as a primary public representative of Pacific Pride and will work to expand relationships with constituents, volunteers, partners, allies, policy makers, and other allied justice movements to advance the organization’s mission.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Organizational Leadership

• Lead long-range visioning and planning in partnership with Board of Directors, engaging staff, volunteers, community, and other stakeholders in this work;
• Ensure that staff develop and implement annual work plans to advance the 2020-2023 strategic plan, carefully tracking data and reporting back on progress and challenges.
• Oversee the Development Director and assume primary responsibility for meeting and exceeding fundraising goals;
• With the Development Team, expand and maintain strong relationships with individual donors, government agencies, foundations, and businesses that support the work of Pacific Pride;
• Maintain strong relationships in support of government contracts and negotiate with other funding entities to prioritize allocations;
• Identify funding trends and prepare the organization for any shifts in the market.

Community Building and Outreach

• Serve as a public leader, representing the organization with all audiences while maintaining and building Pacific Pride’s community presence;
• Nurture and develop relationships with community leaders, including funders, government agencies, partner organizations, local businesses, and elected officials;
• Deepen and refine all aspects of communications to create a strong, consistent brand and raise the organization’s profile;
• Develop and maintain strong collaboration with partner organizations.
• Ensure sound financial practices and stewardship of the organization’s resources;
• Ensure effective budget development and management.

Staff Management

• Maintain a professional climate that supports staff in setting and achieving goals while attracting and retaining top-quality staff;
• Provide professional development opportunities for staff to learn new skills and enhance performance;
• Supervise the hiring, training, development, retention, and/or termination of staff and volunteers;
• Revise organization structure and job descriptions as necessary (and within budget parameters) to maximize capacity and impact;
• Advance an inclusive, performance-based culture that is collaborative, transparent, and respectful/affirming of all backgrounds and identities.

Program Management

• Oversee and support program development, working collaboratively with Board and program leadership to encourage innovation and ensure effectiveness;
• Implement systems for program evaluation, monitoring, and continuous improvement;
• Ensure compliance with all government contracts and grant requirements.

Board Relations

• Motivate and guide the Board in fulfilling its governance role;
• Support development of strong Board recruitment, retention, training, and accountability efforts;
• Ensure that the Board is kept fully informed on the condition of the organization and important factors influencing it.

(NOTE: While no single candidate is likely to have equal expertise in all areas listed above, successful candidates will possess a compelling combination of strengths in many of them and the self-awareness and wisdom to hire or leverage existing resources in the area(s) where they lack personal mastery.)

CANDIDATE PROFILE

The new Executive Director will be an experienced, and motivational leader with a high level of emotional intelligence and professional maturity. They will have proven skills in fundraising and relationship management, as well as organization and team leadership. They will bring a collaborative and transparent management style and will model inclusion and teamwork as core values. They should also demonstrate a commitment to partner with, mentor, and support a team of dedicated nonprofit professionals.

Successful candidates will have a deep connection to Pacific Pride’s work and mission, and an appreciation of the unique needs and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community. They will be empathetic and people-centered and, at the same time, bring the professional skills, discipline, and rigor to lead the organization to new levels of growth and success. Appropriate professional history could include direct services, policy/advocacy, organizing, and/or capacity building – preferably in an LGBTQ+ or allied social justice movement. Regardless of background, candidates should have a track record of setting strategic vision and motivating staff, Board, volunteers, and external constituents of diverse backgrounds to work collaboratively toward shared goals.

Required Skills and Experience:

• Minimum of five years of successful senior leadership and management experience, including strong strategic planning, staff management, operations, and external relations skills;
• History of having led organizational growth while facilitating greater mission achievement;
• Successful track record of nonprofit revenue development encompassing individual, corporate, foundation, and special event fundraising;
• Excellent people and team management skills with proven ability to positively coach and mentor staff while also ensuring accountability for results and outcomes;
• Financial oversight and budget management experience in an organization of comparable size and complexity and with similar funding sources;
• Experience building and managing budgets while driving sound financial and policy decision making;
• Exceptional written, oral, and electronic communications skills;
• Demonstrated passion for and commitment to the LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS communities;
• Intersectional lens and ability to lead effectively across differences in age, sexual orientation, gender identity, racial and ethnic background, ability, and socioeconomic status.

Desired Skills and Experience

• Executive leadership of a nonprofit organization of similar or greater size and complexity to Pacific Pride;
• Experience working collaboratively and transparently with a Board of Directors or similar volunteer leadership group;
• Direct experience in the LGBTQ+ advocacy movement and/or HIV/AIDS services;
• Professional experience in a civil rights advocacy or multi-faceted social services environment;
• Demonstrated effectiveness at recruiting, engaging, and organizing volunteers;
• Existing knowledge of, or strong capacity for building connections with, regional donors, nonprofits, political partners, private foundations, and LGBTQ+ community.

Personal Characteristics

• Shares Pacific Pride’s core values of:

* Responsive to the expressed needs of the community

* Takes pride in excellence of program and service delivery

* Promotes accessibility for all members of the community

* Welcomes and nurtures mutually beneficial partnerships with other private and public sector organizations

* Stewards resources in a responsible manner

* Respects and supports staff, Board, volunteers, and constituents

• Ability to build bridges when working with diverse constituents, creates a sense of common purpose that transcends individual interests and identities;
• Warmth, integrity, transparency, and decisiveness;
• Willingness to genuinely encourage and facilitate dialogue around challenging issues;
• Strong presence with the ability to interact effectively with a variety of audiences;
• Ability to motivate and inspire others to support and participate in advancing the mission of Pacific Pride Foundation.

TO APPLY:

Inquiries, nominations, or applications (including a cover letter and resume) should be directed electronically and in confidence, to . We are pleased to answer any questions or supply further information.

Kevin Chase Executive Search Group has been retained to lead this recruitment effort on behalf of the Pacific Pride Foundation. Pacific Pride is an equal opportunity employer; a diverse workforce and inclusive culture are core values. Pacific Pride and Kevin Chase Executive Search Group encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.

All inquiries or referrals will be held in strict confidence.