Executive Director

CASA Court Appointed Special Advocates Yolo County; Woodland (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

CASA Court Appointed Special Advocates Yolo County is seeking an Executive Director to serve as chief external officer, lead fundraising, and raise the organization’s public profile to benefit every foster child matched with a CASA volunteer.

The ED will cultivate major gifts, build partnerships with foundations, government agencies, and community groups, and work closely with the Program Director to advance mission while maintaining board alignment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree; master’s degree preferred.
• Proven success securing major gifts and grants.
• Leadership experience supervising staff and programs.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse audiences and boards.
• Must pass a Department of Justice background check.

Responsibilities

• Develops and executes a multi-year fund development plan with revenue goals set with the Board.
• Manages a portfolio of major donors and prospects; leads solicitation and stewardship of gifts.
• Develops relationships with dependency court, county agencies, officials, and partners.
• Leads marketing, communications, and brand visibility to attract donors and volunteers.
• Represents Yolo CASA at events; occasional evenings/weekends required.
• Works with the Board to set strategic and financial goals and budgets.
• Oversees operations via the Program Director and ensures compliance and HR effectiveness.

Skills

Relationship building

Fundraising

Strategic leadership

Communication

Executive judgment

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

CFRE credential

Job description

Organizational Purpose and Mission

The heart of our program is the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), a specially trained and supervised community volunteer, appointed by the dependency court judge. Research shows just 1 consistent, stable, and healthy relationship significantly improves adult outcomes for foster children. For more than 2 decades, our mission has been to advocate for abused and neglected children in the foster system, ensuring their voices are heard and their needs are met through our CASA volunteers. Our vision is to champion without compromise for the best interest of every one of the 300+ foster children in Yolo County by providing each of them with a CASA volunteer. We serve our mission and will achieve our vision through our diverse constituents, whom we call our “Hearts of Yolo.”

POSITION SUMMARY

Full-time Executive Director (ED) is Yolo County CASA’s chief external officer, chief fundraiser, and public voice. The ED’s primary charge is to grow the organization’s revenue and community presence so every foster child in Yolo County can be matched with a CASA volunteer. The ED spends the substantial majority of their time outside the office: cultivating and soliciting major donors, building foundation and corporate partnerships, strengthening relationships with government agencies and elected officials, and serving as the organization’s chief spokesperson.

The ED retains full accountability to the Board of Directors for all organizational outcomes i.e. programmatic, financial, and operational, but does not manage internal day to day operations. Yolo CASA has an experienced Program Director who manages programs, staff supervision, finance and bookkeeping, HR administration, and office operations, and reports directly to the ED. The ED’s internal role is that of leader and chief champion: setting direction, connecting the team’s daily work to the mission and to the donors who fund it, and empowering the Program Director to run the organization. This structure exists deliberately to protect the ED’s external focus; candidates should expect and embrace a role that is predominantly relational, revenue-oriented, and community-facing.

Key Responsibilities

A. Revenue Growth and Fund Development (~45-50% of time)

1. Develops and executes a multi-year fund development plan spanning major gifts, annual giving, foundation and corporate grants, planned giving, and signature events, with annual revenue goals set jointly with the Board.
2. Manages a portfolio of major donors and prospects; leads cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of 5/6-figure gifts.
3. Researches, pursues, and secures new funding sources, including foundations, corporations, government funding streams, and individual philanthropy, with an expectation of increasing revenue within the first 18–24 months.
4. Oversees the strategy and success of annual fundraising events, including sponsorship solicitation, marketing, and volunteer engagement, with event execution supported by staff.
5. Partners with the Board to build a culture of philanthropy, including supporting 100% board giving, equipping board members to open doors and make introductions, and engaging them in cultivation and stewardship.
6. Ensures the donor database, gift acknowledgment, and donor communications are accurate, timely, and relationship-building, with administration supported by staff under the Program Director.

B. External and Community Relations (~20-25% of time)

1. Serves as chief spokesperson, giving voice to Yolo CASA’s vision with donors, media, community organizations, civic groups, faith communities, and the public.
2. Develops and maintains strong working relationships with the dependency court, county agencies, elected officials, California CASA, and community partners.
3. Leads marketing, communications, and brand visibility strategy to advance the CASA mission, expand volunteer recruitment pipelines, and grow the donor base.
4. Represents Yolo CASA at community events, including occasional evening and weekend engagements, which are a core and expected part of this role.

C. Executive Leadership and Board Partnership (~10-15% of time)

1. Works with Board to develop, review, and report on strategic goals, revenue goals, and organizational performance; provides regular dashboards on fundraising pipeline, finances, and program outcomes.
2. Develops the agency budget in collaboration with the Board Treasurer and Program Director; adheres to the Board-approved budget and all financial policies adopted by the Board.
3. Works with the Board President to support the work of the Board, including meeting planning, member recruitment, and governance policies.
4. Keeps the Board informed of trends in child welfare, philanthropy, and the CASA network that affect strategy.

D. Organizational Oversight, through the Program Director (~10-15% of time)

1. Leads and supports the Program Director while overseeing organizational performance, operations, HR, finance, IT, vendors, and compliance.
2. Retains ultimate accountability for program integrity and compliance with Welfare and Institutions Code §100–109, CA Rule of Court 5.655, and all funder and government requirements, with day-to-day management delegated to the Program Director and program staff.
3. Fosters a healthy, mission-driven organizational culture and ensures fair and consistent administration of HR policies through the Program Director.

Essential Traits and Characteristics

• Relationship builder and fundraiser: inspires philanthropic support and cultivates lasting donor and community partnerships.
• Relationship builder and closer: builds authentic relationships, secures philanthropic support, and stewards long-term donor partnerships.
• Strategic relationship builder: engages donors, partners, and stakeholders to secure support and strengthen long-term relationships.
• Fundraising leader: excels at cultivating donor relationships, securing major gifts, and fostering long-term philanthropic partnerships.
• Connector and fundraiser: builds trust, inspires investment in the mission, and sustains enduring donor and community relationships served by Yolo County CASA, with compassion and empathy.
• Delegation and executive judgment: trusts and empowers the Program Director and staff; resists the pull of day-to-day operations while remaining fully accountable for results.
• Reliability and flexibility: dependable, with the flexibility to work evenings and weekends as donor and community engagement requires.

Desired Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree; master’s degree or CFRE credential a plus.
• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience, preferably in a nonprofit, with a documented personal track record of securing major gifts, grants, or sponsorships; experience growing an organization’s revenue is strongly preferred over experience merely maintaining it.
• Demonstrated success cultivating and soliciting individual donors at the 4-figure level or above, and securing foundation or corporate funding.
• Experience leading through others: supervising senior staff, delegating operations, and managing by goals and accountability rather than direct control.
• Excellent verbal/written communication skills with diverse audiences - in-person, digital, and social media platforms.
• Knowledge and experience in developing and implementing strategic plans, and in working effectively with a community-based Board of Directors.
• Ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds; commitment to the mission and vision of Yolo County CASA.
• Must have reliable transportation to travel to off-site meetings, trainings, community events, and other work-related locations as required.
• Must pass a Department of Justice background check upon hire.

Working Conditions

ED regularly requires travel throughout Yolo County in a personal vehicle and occasional travel within CA. ED is predominantly external, regular evening and weekend hours for donor meetings, community events, and fundraising activities should be expected. Office work involves the use of standard office equipment; the employee may regularly be required to walk, climb stairs, talk and hear in person and by telephone, use hands to operate standard office equipment, reach with hands and arms, carry multiple items, and lift up to 20 pounds, with periods of sitting and computer work. Duties described above reflect the general nature and level of work and are not a comprehensive list; the ED may be asked to perform other duties as required.

Yolo County CASA is an Equal Employment Opportunity organization. We do not discriminate on the basis of ancestry, race, color, religion (incl religious dress and grooming), sex (incl pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, & related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, disability (physical & mental, including HIV & AIDS), genetic information, military or veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, or request for FMLA.