Summary:

Community Voices Heard (CVH) is a member-led multi-racial organization, principally women of color and low-income families in New York State that builds power to secure social, economic, and racial justice for all. CVH accomplishes this through grassroots organizing, leadership development, policy changes, and creating new models of direct democracy. CVH Power, the 501©4 arm of CVH, works to make New York State a model of democratic participation and progressive policies and programs that will improve the lives of poor and working class families across the state and be a model for the rest of the country.

CVH’s work focuses on four main issue areas: the safety net, jobs, participatory democracy, and housing. Through its programmatic and campaign work, CVH aims to achieve more equitable communities; create more participatory forms of government; spur the creation of living wage jobs; expand civic participation by low-income people of color; and ensure the preservation and improvement of public housing. CVH also seeks to expand the power of the organization through coordinated statewide work and increase transparency and accountability of the government, at all levels, and community participation in determining the allocation and spending of these funds.

Community Voices Heard seeks an experienced, dynamic, and passionate Executive Director to provide vision, leadership, and overall direction for CVH and CVH Power. The Executive Director is responsible for ensuring that the organization stays true to its mission and core values of building the power of low-income people of color across New York State. The Executive Director will oversee operations of both CVH and CVH Power to ensure the organization’s financial stability, the quality of its strategic campaigns and programs, the building of a strong membership base, the development of community leaders, and the maintenance of its relationships with key stakeholders.

This is a full-time position located in New York, NY with frequent travel throughout New York State. For more information on CVH, please visit www.cvhaction.org.

Candidate Profile:

The Executive Director will manage a deeply motivated, fourteen-member staff across four chapters in four counties (New York City, Orange County, Westchester County, and Dutchess County) and reports to the Board of Directors. The Executive Director will uphold the organization’s commitment to being member-led and to ensuring that low-income people of color are at the table for key decisions. The Executive Director will demonstrate humility, flexibility, and a commitment to growing the organization.

The Executive Director will advance the work of Community Voices Heard through the following responsibilities: 

Organizing, Advocacy, and Program Leadership

• Ensure the successful operation and strategic development of organizing and advocacy campaigns and programs, research and policy and electoral work.
• Design, lead, and support the implementation of strategic campaign plans.
• Oversee leadership and staff meetings, trainings, membership meetings, and retreats.
• Oversee development of grassroots leaders and building of a base of low-income people of color.
• Ensure that grassroots membership is central to campaign and program development.

Resource Development

• In collaboration with the Director of Administration and Institutional Giving, develop the implementation of CVH’s annual fundraising strategy, ensuring a diversified funding base including foundations, individuals, and special events that will total at least $1.5M annually.
• Establish and maintain relationships with all current and potential donors through a diligent process of research, identification, cultivation, solicitation, and acknowledgement.
• Oversee a grassroots fundraising plan and membership dues infrastructure.
• Ensure that resources are adequate to meet the annual budget.

Organizational Development and Management

• Oversee all long-range organizational planning, project and program development, new campaign development, electoral strategy, and strategic planning.
• Manage CVH’s financial operations, including developing annual budgets and monitoring expenditures and income during the year in close partnership with the Director of Administration & Institutional Giving.
• Ensure strong administrative systems and practices including payroll, human resources, insurance, annual audit, and others as needed.
• Lead all elements of staff management, working to ensure a healthy, collaborative workplace, and organizational culture.

Relationship with the Board of Directors

• Serve as the key liaison and manage and maintain open communications with the Board of Directors of both CVH and CVH Power.
• Assist in developing and supporting committees of the Board.
• Prepare materials for Board meetings and an annual Board retreat, working with the co-Chairs to plan agendas.

Communications and Community Relations    

• Establish and maintain deep understanding of the political landscape to enable CVH to chart its political strategies and successfully build the power of low-income people of color.
• Represent and promote CVH to key public officials, community members, press, and the public in order to ensure an accurate and positive public presence for CVH and its mission.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with CVH members, leaders, and external stakeholders.
• Manage and nurture positive relationships with program partners and allies at city, state, and national levels.

Qualifications:

• Passion for and commitment to social and economic justice and deep belief in building political power and leadership of low-income people of color.
• 6-9 years of senior leadership experience in a community-organizing environment with significant supervisory responsibilities.
• Experience working productively and respectfully with diverse communities and populations to build advocacy skills and leadership capacity with the goal of making societal and political change.
• Demonstrated results in managing a mid-sized staff in a collaborative environment. Managing remote employees a plus.
• Demonstrated track record of leading fundraising through private philanthropy, including foundations, individual giving, grassroots fundraising, and special events.
• Exceptional verbal and written communications skills, including the ability to craft highly compelling documents and deliver inspiring presentations and represent CVH and its programs to a range of stakeholders.
• Experience with and/or understanding of grassroots organizing, digital tools and strategies for organizing, public policy, and 501(c)4 advocacy programs.
• Experience working with a member-led organization and familiarity with dues paying membership structures.
• Strong team and collaboration orientation, as well as the ability to work independently.
• Ability to travel locally, statewide and nationally, and participate in frequent evening and weekend obligations.
• Flexibility, sense of humor, and creative problem solving skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively in Spanish strongly preferred.

Compensation & Benefits:

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience.

Contact:

Community Voices Heard has engaged Koya Leadership Partners to help in this hire. Please submit a compelling cover letter and resume here.

Community Voices Heard is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBT applicants.

About Community Voices Heard:

Community Voices Heard (CVH) was founded in 1994 as a member-led organization by low-income people, predominantly women of color, many receiving public assistance and fighting the welfare reform policies that threatened their families. From these early beginnings CVH has evolved into a multi-issue statewide organization of low-income people.

Today, CVH is a member-led multi-racial organization, principally women of color and low-income families in New York State that builds power to secure social, economic and racial justice for all. They accomplish this through grassroots organizing, leadership development, policy changes, and creating new models of direct democracy.

About Koya Leadership Partners:

Koya Leadership Partners is a national retained executive search and human capital consulting firm that works exclusively with nonprofits and social enterprises. We deliver measurable results, finding exceptionally talented people who truly fit the unique culture of our client organizations and ensuring that organizations have the resources and strategies to support them. For more information about Koya Leadership Partners, visit www.koyapartners.com.