Executive Director

Spirit League; Salinas (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Pension plan

Paid time off

Job summary

CCA, based in Salinas and Castroville, seeks an experienced Chief Executive Officer to lead strategic vision, drive fundraising, and oversee programs aligned with the organization's mission serving farmworkers and low-income families. The role requires strong leadership, bilingual ability in English and Spanish, and proven success in fundraising with diverse funders.

Travel to communities and collaboration with the Board are essential.

Qualifications

• Five or more years of progressively responsible leadership experience in nonprofit, community-based, philanthropic, public-sector, or related mission-driven organizations.
• Demonstrated passion for social justice and a proven track record of creating positive impact in the community.
• Experience in diversified fundraising and relationship-building with funders, donors, partners, and stakeholders.
• Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish sufficient to communicate effectively with community, staff, Board, funders, and other stakeholders.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to listen, connect, and build trust with people from all walks of life.
• Committed to learning and growing as a leader, organizationally and in the community.
• Patient, calm, steady, and kind, with a good sense of humor.
• Proficient with technology and standard business applications.
• Availability to work flexible hours, including some evenings and weekends, as needed for the community.
• Ability to travel regularly between Salinas/Castroville offices and into the community.

Responsibilities

• Lead vision and strategic planning in partnership with the Board of Directors.
• Advance advocacy priorities and position the organization as a trusted voice on issues affecting farmworkers, housing, health, and economic opportunity.
• Oversee fundraising plans, track results, and report to the Board.
• Develop and implement external communications, fundraising, and reporting.
• Lead external communications and relationship cultivation across media and community events.
• Oversee programs and services aligned with the mission and ensure impact.

Skills

Leadership experience

Fundraising

Bilingual English/Spanish

Communication skills

Nonprofit governance

Strategic planning

Tools

Technology literacy

Job description

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategy

• Lead vision and strategic planning in partnership with the Board of Directors.
• Monitor trends, policy changes, and community needs affecting farmworker and low-income families, and adapt organizational strategy accordingly.
• Assess organizational capacity and sustainability, and lead planning to strengthen both over time.
• Advance CCA's advocacy priorities and position the organization as a trusted voice on issues affecting farmworkers, low-income families, housing, health, and economic opportunity.

Fundraising and Communications

• Build and maintain positive working partnerships with farmworkers, low-income families, funders, government, nonprofit, and institutional stakeholders to sustain and grow support for CCA'S mission.
• Lead diversified fundraising efforts, from concept though proposal and grant agreement/contract. aligned with CCA's mission and priorities. Diversified fundraising includes, but is not limited to, grants from major and local foundations, service contracts from government agencies and nonprofits, annual fundraising events, and individual donor campaigns. Ensure that funding requests are high quality and submitted on time.
• Proactively develop, track, and evaluate fundraising plans to ensure goals are achieved; adjust plans as needed; report issues and plans to address them in a timely fashion; and provide regular reports to the Board of Directors.
• Track and report grant results and impact to funders in a quality and timely manner, following funder guidelines.
• Partner with staff and consultants to plan and implement external communications, fundraising, and reporting.
• Develop the strategy, structure. and resources necessary to establish a sustainable development function within the first year, including recruiting and onboarding development leadership as approved and resourced by the Board, and transitioning the Executive Director's role from primary fundraising execution to strategic leadership and oversight.
• Lead external communications and relationship cultivation, and serve as the external voice and advocate for CCA - including the CCA website, presentations, community gatherings, mass media (TV, radio, and newspapers), social media, and electronic communications.

Programs and Services

• In partnership with the Program Director, oversee the development and implementation of programs and services aligned with the organization's mission and the need of the communities CCA serves.
• Oversee the evaluation of programs and services to ensure the alignment with CCA's mission and expected quality, effectiveness, and impact.
• Oversee all necessary legal support provided to CCA's tenant organizing efforts.
• Partner with staff, stakeholders, and the community in the implementations of grassroots projects, as needed.

Finance and Administration

• In partnership with the Finance Director, oversee all efforts in support of CCA's financial stability and sustainability,
  including a realistic annual budget, decision-making consistent with the Board-approved budget, regular and timely financial reporting, cash flow planning, oversight of two endowments, and maintenance of adequate cashreserves
• Ensure that organizational and personnel policies, practices, systems, and processes are effective, efficient, and complywith the law.
• Ensure appropriate internal controls, risk management practices, and financial policies are maintained and regularly
  reviewed to safeguard CCA’s financial health and assets.

Board of Directors

• Engage the Board in fiscal stewardship, strategic planning, and fundraising, ensuring all facts of the organization are aligned with CCA’s mission and values
• In partnership with Board leadership, plan all aspects of meetings with the Board of Directors, standing committees, advisory committee, and task forces.
• Build relationships with committees and individual Board members; proactively communicate between meetings.
• In partnership with Board leadership, recruit and on-board new Board members.
• Provide the Board with timely, accurate, and appropriately concise information necessary for informed governance, strategic discussion, and decision-making.

People and Organizational Leadership

• Follow the highest ethical standards, comply with the law and personal requirements, and ensure accountability by staff and consultants.
• Ensure an effective workplace and promote a positive culture, built on clear expectations of roles, responsibilities, reposting relationships, processes and systems, and commitment to quality and timelines of work and deliverables.
• Hire, supervise, delegate, develop, and evaluate full-time and part-time staff (unions and non-union employees)
• Contract with consultants as needed
• Develop and support a strong leadership team, fostering collaboration, accountability, sound decision-making, and shared responsibility for organizational priorities.
• Establish and maintain clear performance expectations and consistent processes for employee goal setting, feedback, evaluation, professional development, and accountability.
• Build organizational capacity through staff development, succession planning, thoughtful delegation, and opportunities for employees to grow as leaders.
• Lead effectively within a unionized environment and maintain constructive labor-management relationships consistent with applicable agreements, policies, and law.

Benefits

CCA offers medical, dental, andvision benefits; a pension program; vacation; holidays; and sick leave. The position is based across CCA'sSalinas and Castroville offices, with regular travel into the community and some evening and weekendavailability.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Five or more years of progressively responsible leadership experience in nonprofit, community-based, philanthropic. public-sector. or related mission-driven organizations, including significant experience supervising staff and managing organizational budgets.
• Demonstrated passion for social justice and a proven track record of creating positive impact in the community.
• Experience in diversified fundraising and relationship-building with funders, donors, partners, and stakeholders.
• Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish sufficient to communicate effectively with CCA's community, staff,
  Board, funders, and other stakeholders.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to listen, connect, and build trust with people from all walks of life.
• Committed to learning and growing as a leader, organizationally and in the community.
• Patient, calm, steady, and kind, with a good sense of humor.
• Proficient with technology and standard business applications.
• Availability to work flexible hours, including some evenings and weekends, as needed for the community.
• Ability to travel regularly between CCA's Salinas and Castroville offices and into the community.

Preferred

• Experience building or scaling a development/fundraising function.
• Experience with farmworker, tenant, or immigrant-rights organizing.
• Familiarity with union environments.
• Experience partnering effectively with a nonprofit Board of Directors.
• Experience leading an organization through growth, transition, or organizational change.
• Experience with nonprofit financial management and government and/or foundation grants.
• Knowledge of California and/or Central Coast communities and the policy environment affecting farmworkers andlow-income families.
• Experience working within a community-organizing or community-led leadership model.

TO APPLY

Please email the following application materials to [e-mail]

• Cover letter
• Resume
• List of four professional references

Priority Screening Date: September 30, 2026
Application Deadline: This position will remain open until filled.