Executive Director - Orange County (Santa Ana, CA)
American Red Cross
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
The American Red Cross of Orange County in Santa Ana, CA is seeking an Executive Director to lead community relations and fundraising efforts for the chapter. This external-facing role focuses on building partnerships, mobilizing resources, and advancing humanitarian impact across Orange County.
The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 7 years of related leadership and fundraising experience, a Bachelor's degree, and a proven ability to engage donors, volunteers, and community partners to meet
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree required.
- Minimum 7 years of related leadership experience with fundraising.
- Demonstrated fundraising experience, including donor engagement and revenue generation.
- Ability to work on a team.
Responsibilities
- Lead the chapter's community relations and fundraising efforts.
- Build and maintain relationships with donors, volunteers, and partners.
- Represent the American Red Cross publicly and engage with community stakeholders.
- Align cross-functional teams and external partners to achieve revenue and engagement goals.
Skills
Education
Job description
Executive Director, Orange County, CA
This position involves very little operational responsibility. It is an external-facing, community relations and fundraising position. It is a plus if the successful candidate has established connections within the community.
Joining the American Red Cross is like nothing else -it'sas much something you feel as something you do. You become a vital part of the world's largest humanitarian network. Joining a team of welcoming individuals who are exceptional, yet unassuming. Diverse, yet uncompromising in unity. You grow your career within a movement thatmatters,where success is measured in people helped, communities made whole, and individuals equipped to never stop changing lives and situations for the better.
When you choose to be a force for good,you'llhave mentors who empower your growth along a purposeful career path. You align your life's work with an ongoing missionthat'sbigger than all of us. As you care for others,you'recared for with competitive compensation and benefits. You join a community that respects who you are away from work as much as what you do while at work.
We are currently seeking a professional, innovative and enthusiastic Executive Director for our Orange County Chapter, based in Santa Ana, California.
The American Red Cross of Orange County serves 34 cities and 3.1 million people.
The Chapter Executive Director (ED) serves as the primary community facing leader and facilitator for the American Red Cross at the chapter level. As a facilitative meta-leader, the ED, in partnership with functional supervisors, convenes, aligns, and empowers cross‑functional teams and external partners to deliver core services, deploy secondary services where needed most, and strengthen community resilience. The ED represents the organization publicly, leads collaborative chapter planning with and alongside the community, and stewards strategic relationships to achieve regional program, revenue, volunteer recruitment & engagement, blood collection, and community engagement goals.
The American Red Cross Orange County Chapter is seeking a dynamic, community‑centered Executive Director to serve as the face, voice, and catalyst of our mission across one of the nation's most diverse and vibrant communities.
This is a unique opportunity for a visionary leader who thrives on building relationships, mobilizing resources, and inspiring collective action. As the chapter's principal external leader, the Executive Director will elevate the Red Cross presence across Orange County‑engaging donors, volunteers and community partners to advance humanitarian impact and long‑term resilience.
The salary range for this position is (California) is: $120,780 - $130,281 + an excellent incentive plan. This position is not eligible for relocation.
- Primary community facing leader of the American Red Cross - maximizing presence, connectivity, and recognition of Red Cross contributions in the community.
- Span organizational boundaries and bridge silos for coordinated community response ("unity of effort").
- Ensure upward, downward, and outward connectivity-coordinating stewardship across Programs, Communications, and Fundraising.
- Participate as a member of the Regional Leadership Team to support achievement of regional program, revenue, volunteer recruitment & engagement, blood collection, and community engagement goals.
- Lead the chapter planning process and drive progress toward plan objectives. Convene and align cross‑functional teams and external stakeholders across sectors (government, nonprofit, business, faith) to co‑create chapter plans with shared outcomes, roles, and accountability.
- Use data and community voice to prioritize where secondary services are deployed to close gaps, strengthen resilience, and improve equity of access to Red Cross services.
- Lead the chapter in supporting the achievement of the region's revenue targets
- Meet the assigned individual fundraising target which includes,
- Meet the annual chapter board members' give and get campaign goals,
- Maintain assigned donor accounts as defined by the Regional Executive and CDO.
- Actively participating in influencing fundraising in conjunction with the Chief Development Officer.
- In partnership with the CDO, recruit, develop, and support philanthropy committee members who have philanthropic influence in the community and will actively play a leadership role in fundraising.
- Manage a portfolio of strategic relationships: local elected officials, key community leaders & stakeholders. Specific outcomes are defined with RE.
- Serve as a member of the Elected Officials Liaison Network. Support disaster responses locally, regionally, and nationally consistent with ConOps.
- Develop, support, and ensure the success of the Chapter Board of Directors in support of the Red Cross mission.
- Manage and ensure the board meets published board guidance for membership.
- Develop, lead, and manage a cadre of community volunteer leaders who serve as the face of the Red Cross in assigned territories.
- Support mission capacity building by developing and stewarding key community partnerships and support recruitment of volunteers.
- Serve as a partner team member to Communications and Fundraising teams to align messaging, stewardship, and campaign execution.
This job will be posted for a minimum of five business days and extended if the applicant pool needs to be expanded. This position IS NOT eligible for relocation.
- Education: Bachelor's degree required.
- Experience: Minimum 7 years of related experience or equivalent combination of education and related experience required
- Demonstrated fundraising experience, including donor engagement and revenue generation
- Management Experience: NA
- Skills & Abilities: Ability to work on a team.
- Travel: May travel and participate in meetings and conferences throughout chapter jurisdiction, state, and Red Cross system.
*Combination of candidate's education and general experience satisfies requirements so long as the total years equate to description's minimum education and general experience years combined.
Physical requirements are those present in normal office environment conditions. Operational flexibility is required to meet sudden and unpredictable needs. Ability to use a personal computer, applicable software, and office equipment for sustained periods of time. May include sitting for long periods of time, driving a vehicle, and working under challenging conditions.
- Preferred candidates will bring a strong, demonstrated connection to and understanding of the local community, enabling effective stakeholder engagement and meaningful impact.
- Familiarity with local networks and existing community relationships is highly valued.
- Bilingual (Spanish-speaking) is a plus.
We take care of you, while you take care of others. As a mission-based organization, we believe our team needs great support to do great work. Our comprehensive benefits help you in balancing home and work. With our resources and perks, you have amazing possibilities at the American Red Cross.
- Medical, Dental Vision plans
- Health Spending Accounts & Flexible Spending Accounts
- PTO + Holidays
- 401K with 6% match
- Paid Family Leave
- Employee Assistance
- Disability and Insurance: Short + Long Term
- Service Awards and recognition.
The American Red Cross is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, San Diego Fair Chance Ordinance, the California Fair Chance Act and any other applicable state and local laws.
AmeriCorps, the federal agency that brings people together through service, and its partners - the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps Alums, National Peace Corps Association, and the Service Year Alliance - launched Employers of National Service to connect national service alumni with opportunities in the workforce. American Red Cross is proud to be an EONS partner and share our employment opportunities with the network of organizations.
Interested in Volunteering? Visit redcross.org/volunteertoday to learn more, including our most‑needed volunteer positions.
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