Executive Director - Latin American Coalition

Armstrong McGuire & Associates; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision insurance

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Life and AD&D insurance

Disability insurance

HSA/FSA options

Paid time off, sabbatical, holidays

Job summary

The Latin American Coalition in Charlotte, NC seeks an Executive Director to lead the 35-year-old nonprofit through strengthening and stabilization, guided by fiscal stewardship, strategic leadership, and community engagement.

The successful candidate will oversee a staff of ~12, manage a $1.9 million budget, lead fundraising initiatives with diverse partners, and report to the Board. This is a full-time, in-person role based in Charlotte with relocation not provided.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, public administration, nonprofit management, social work, public policy, or related field required.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible leadership experience, including management responsibility for organizational operations, finance, and staff supervision.
• Strong financial management and budgeting skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish.
• Experience working with immigrant and Latino communities.
• Demonstrated success leading a nonprofit organization, or a significant division or program within one, through growth and stabilization.
• Experience managing budgets of $1 million or more, including government grants, contracts, and compliance requirements.
• Proven experience in fundraising, grant development, donor cultivation, and community partnership development.
• Demonstrated experience supervising professional staff and building high-performing teams.
• Demonstrated success developing strategic partnerships with public and private sector organizations.
• Alignment to the mission, vision, and values of the Latin American Coalition.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a financial stabilization and sustainability plan, including cash flow management, budgeting, forecasting, financial controls, and risk management.
• Develop and administer the annual operating budget and pursue Board approval.
• Ensure compliance with all financial reporting requirements, audits, grant agreements, government contracts, and applicable regulations.
• Strengthen existing programs and organizational capacity to advance mission impact on a stable and sustainable financial foundation.
• Set the organization's strategic direction in conjunction with the Board and translate it into measurable organizational goals and operational plans.
• Direct day-to-day operations to ensure efficient, effective, mission-driven service delivery.
• Develop and maintain organizational systems, policies, procedures, risk management, and internal controls.
• Lead fundraising efforts through cultivation of relationships with government agencies, foundations, corporations, individual donors, and community partners.
• Develop and implement strategies to diversify revenue sources and strengthen long-term financial position.
• Identify, pursue, and secure funding opportunities that advance strategic priorities.
• Recruit, develop, supervise, evaluate, and retain talented staff, staying compliant with laws, policies, grant requirements, contracts.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive culture grounded in integrity, accountability, innovation, and excellence.
• Lead with a bottom-up approach that values staff insight.
• Serve as the Board's chief executive partner, maintaining open communication on performance, financial condition, and risk.
• Represent the organization with public officials, funders, and community stakeholders.
• Lead partnerships to benefit the community.

Skills

Financial management

Budgeting

Leadership

Fundraising

Board relations

Strategic planning

Staff development

Bilingual English/Spanish

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Master's degree in MBA/MPA/nonprofit mgmt

Job description

The Latin American Coalition (LAC) seeks a mission-driven Executive Director to lead the organization into its next chapter. This is an opportunity for an experienced nonprofit leader to guide a respected 35-year-old institution through a period of financial and organizational strengthening and stabilization, building on a foundation of renewed trust and community engagement. The ideal candidate will bring demonstrated expertise in nonprofit financial management and fiscal stewardship, operational effectiveness and strategic leadership, fundraising and resource development, and the ability to lead and inspire staff, engage the board, and build strong relationships with community stakeholders and collaborative partners.

The next Executive Director will step into an organization with deep community roots and a dedicated staff, with the support of a Board committed to strengthening LAC's operational and financial foundation for the next generation of impact.

Mission: To promote the integration, well-being, and full participation of immigrant and Latino families in Charlotte and the surrounding region.

Reporting Structure: The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors and leads a team of approximately 12 staff and contractors, directly supervising a six-person senior management team spanning operations, finance, and program leadership.

Total Staff and Budget: Approximately 12 staff members and contractors; annual operating budget of $1.9 million.

Salary: Starting at $100,000, commensurate with experience.

Working Environment/Location: This is a full-time, in-person position based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Relocation assistance is not provided.

Key Responsibilities of the Executive Director

• Develop and implement a financial stabilization and sustainability plan, including cash flow management, budgeting, forecasting, financial controls, and risk management.
• Develop and administer the annual operating budget and pursue Board approval.
• Ensure compliance with all financial reporting requirements, audits, grant agreements, government contracts, and applicable regulations.
• Strengthen existing programs and organizational capacity to advance mission impact on a stable and sustainable financial foundation

Operational Effectiveness, Strategic Leadership & Change Management

• Set the organization's strategic direction in conjunction with the Board and translate it into measurable organizational goals and operational plans.
• Direct the day-to-day operations of the organization to ensure efficient, effective, mission-driven service delivery.
• Develop and maintain organizational systems, policies, procedures, risk management, and internal controls that promote operational excellence and accountability.
• Ensure that organizational decisions are informed by data, community needs, and measurable outcomes.
• Lead organizational fundraising efforts through the cultivation of relationships with government agencies, foundations, corporations, individual donors, and community partners.
• Develop and implement strategies to diversify revenue sources and strengthen the organization's long-term financial position.
• Identify, pursue, and secure funding opportunities that advance the organization's strategic priorities.

Board, Staff & Stakeholder Leadership

• Serve as the Board's chief executive partner, maintaining open, honest, timely, and transparent communication on organizational performance, financial condition, and risk.
• Recruit, develop, supervise, evaluate, and retain talented, diverse, and mission-driven staff, staying in compliance with employment laws, organizational policies, grant requirements, contracts, and applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive organizational culture grounded in integrity, accountability, innovation, and excellence.
• Lead with a bottom-up approach that values staff insight and frontline experience in shaping organizational decisions.

Community Building, Collaboration & Relationship Leadership

• Serve as the organization's primary spokesperson and ambassador, building and maintaining productive relationships with elected officials, public agencies, funders, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, business leaders, and community stakeholders.
• Represent the organization professionally in public forums while strengthening its visibility, reputation, and influence throughout the community.
• Lead with a community-centered, collaborative mindset, building partnerships and uplifting the work of allied organizations for the greater benefit of our community.

The Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, public administration, nonprofit management, social work, public policy, or related field required.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible leadership experience, including management responsibility for organizational operations, finance, and staff supervision.
• Strong financial management and budgeting skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish.
• Experience working with immigrant and Latino communities.
• Demonstrated success leading a nonprofit organization, or a significant division or program within one, through growth and stabilization.
• Experience managing budgets of $1 million or more, including government grants, contracts, and compliance requirements.
• Proven experience in fundraising, grant development, donor cultivation, and community partnership development.
• Demonstrated experience supervising professional staff and building high-performing teams.
• Demonstrated success developing strategic partnerships with public and private sector organizations.
• Alignment to the mission, vision, and values of the Latin American Coalition.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in business administration (MBA), public administration (MPA), nonprofit management, or a related field.
• Certified Fund‑Raising Executive (CFRE) or other nonprofit leadership credentials.
• Experience working closely with a nonprofit Board of Directors.
• Knowledge of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg philanthropic, governmental, and nonprofit landscape.
• Strategic, visionary leadership with sound judgment and effective decision-making
• Operational excellence, financial acumen, and fiscal responsibility
• Transparent, ethical, and accountable leadership that inspires and unites diverse teams
• Cultural responsiveness and commitment to serving Latino and immigrant communities
• Ability to build collaborative partnerships across sectors and drive continuous improvement in organizational performance

About the Latin American Coalition

Founded in 1990 as the first Latino-led organization in North Carolina, the Latin American Coalition is a community center and advocacy organization dedicated to promoting the integration, well-being, and full participation of immigrant and Latino families in Charlotte and the surrounding region. For 35 years, LAC has served as a trusted resource through its Family Wellness Center, Economic & Workforce Development Center, Immigration Legal Clinic, and Youth Education Center.

Want to know more? Visit mylac.org.

LAC offers a competitive benefits package, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP), including 24/7 confidential counseling, legal and financial consultations, and caregiver support
• Life and AD&D insurance
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA) / Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options
• Paid time off, beginning at 20 days annually and increasing with tenure, a 4-week sabbatical in year 5, plus 12 paid holidays

LAC is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse workforce and inclusive culture. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals and particularly value candidates who bring lived experience, cultural knowledge, and strong connections to immigrant and Latino communities.