Executive Director

Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation; Oakland (CA); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, vision coverage

403(b) retirement plan

Time off and holidays

Learning & development allowance

Dues & memberships

Job summary

Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation seeks an Executive Director to grow its impact across Oakland's 130+ city parks and expand equitable access to recreation and civic culture citywide. The role emphasizes fundraising leadership, community convening, and partnership with City staff, donors, and volunteers in a hybrid Oakland-based setting.

Salary ranges from $150,000 to $165,000 with a strong benefits package, including health/dental/vision, retirement, generous time off, and professional

Responsibilities

• Lead a lean, high-impact nonprofit to grow resources for Oakland's parks and civic culture.
• Cultivate major donors, partner with City departments, and engage volunteers and partners.

Job description

The Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation seeks a strategic, community-engaged Executive Director to grow its impact across Oakland's 130+ city parks and expand equitable access to recreation and civic culture citywide.

The Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation (OPRF) is entering its next chapter with deep community trust, a proven programmatic platform, and significant opportunities to grow the resources flowing into Oakland's parks. For more than four decades, OPRF and its predecessor organizations have kept Oakland's system of 130+ parks open, beautiful, and accessible, supporting fiscal sponsorship and back-office assistance for more than 25 community groups, advocacy for clean and well-funded parks, youth scholarships serving up to 600 children annually, and community stewardship and capital projects across the city. The incoming Executive Director will build this history and standing to secure the organization's next chapter of impact across parks, recreation, and civic culture citywide.

The ideal candidate is a credible fundraiser and trusted convener who is comfortable cultivating a major donor, partnering with a City department head, and standing in a park on a Saturday morning with a volunteer crew. This is an opportunity to lead a lean, high-impact organization with deep grassroots credibility and translate it into a larger, more durable flow of resources for Oakland's parks and the people who use them.

Compensation

This is a full-time, exempt, benefit-eligible position. The anticipated annual salary range is $150,000–$165,000. The range provided is an estimate and will be evaluated on an individual basis, taking into consideration the candidate’s knowledge, skills, abilities, experience, and education.

OPRF offers a competitive benefits package, including:

• Health, dental, and vision coverage through Kaiser Permanente paid 100% for employee; dependents can be added at employee expense
• 403(b) retirement account via Human Interest
• 41 days time off accrual inclusive of sick time, vacation/PTO, federal and California mandated holidays, and personal days
• Learning and development allowance
• Professional meetings and society membership dues and registration reimbursement

Location

OPRF is based in the Adams Point neighborhood of Oakland, California, near Lake Merritt. This is a hybrid position, and the Executive Director will be based locally, with regular in-person presence required for meetings with City staff, elected officials, donors, community partners, board members, and staff, as well as evening and weekend events.

Start Date

Winter 2027

More information about OPRF can be found at oaklandparks.org.