[Hiring] Interim Executive Director @California Environmental Justice Alliance

Role Description

The Interim Executive Director provides strategic and values-aligned leadership for CEJA in partnership with its member organizations, staff, and Board. The Interim ED advances CEJA's environmental justice agenda by overseeing staff, finances, fundraising, operations, and organizational risk; sustaining member relationships; and by helping build a healthy, accountable culture able to navigate complexity, uncertainty, and tension.

Why This Role Exists

CEJA is in a period of Executive Leadership transition. The Interim Executive Director is a temporary role (6 to 12 months) designed to steady the organization and work closely with the Board of Directors to shape the long-term leadership. The right person will be a bridge-builder - supporting staff through organizational change, support ongoing union negotiations and help hand off a healthy organization to what comes next. The Interim Executive Director may be considered for the permanent role, which will be determined through a separate interview process.

Job Duties and Responsibilities Include But Are Not Limited To:

• Programmatic Direction: Provide strategic support and oversee all CEJA’s alliance program work and plans. Oversee all program Directors and work collectively to advance policy and electoral organizational priorities in key program areas and facilitate decision-making with member organizations. Serve as primary liaison with consultants as needed.
• Supervision and Staff Development: Oversee all Program and Administrative Director level staff. Supervise, coach, and support a diverse staff. Assess team training and development needs and promote organization-wide leadership and skill development; develop a high-performing, team-oriented environment grounded in democratic participation, clarity, accountability, and leadership development. Work with permanent CEJA team and board to assess and recommend a structure for long-term leadership.
• Financial Direction: Oversee budget development with staff, cash flow, analysis, reporting, grants, internal controls, compliance, operations, and administration of CEJA's 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) entities. Partner with CEJA’s Finance Director and Political Director to track and report required lobbying activities.
• External Relationships: Represent CEJA as an effective organizational spokesperson to funders. Maintain strong relationships and alignment among member organizations, movement partners, public officials, funders, media, and other key audiences.
• Fundraising Direction: Work with the Development and Communications Director to prepare the fundraising strategy and help advance funding opportunities, facilitate funder conversations, presence at funder meetings, and message development. Ensure CEJA is represented in funder spaces and deeply understands complex fundraising strategies.
• Organizational Development: In partnership with the Board, oversee united governance strategy, financial health, organizational performance, risk and accountability, and provide timely and candid information.
• Conflict Mediation and Resolution: Surface and transform tension, facilitate conflict resolution between individuals and organizations, and help people move toward clarity, repair, and constructive action. Support a unionized workplace: Work with the Board and Staff in ongoing union contract negotiations.

Qualifications

• At least 10 years of nonprofit leadership experience, including at least five years at the executive level.
• Excellence in organizational management, including supervising and coaching diverse staff and developing an effective team, including change management experience.
• Strong financial management skills, including budget preparation, analysis, reporting, forecasting, and decision-making.
• Knowledge of 501(c)(3) non-profit administration, governance, record-keeping, and cost allocation.
• Knowledge of environmental justice or environmental health, with knowledge of cumulative impacts, pollution, toxic exposures, climate change, and frontline communities.
• Self-confidence, emotional maturity, and capacity to serve as a lead thinker and strategist within a fast-paced alliance while remaining comfortable with complexity and uncertainty.
• Diplomacy, professionalism, tact, excellent relationship management, and demonstrated skill in conflict resolution and tension transformation.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication; ability to build understanding across audiences and serve as an organizational spokesperson.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities with close attention to detail and to work flexible hours as position needs require.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong relationships with funders & philanthropic communities.
• Knowledge of California legislative and regulatory landscape and processes.
• Knowledge of 501(c)(4) non-profit administration, lobbying and electoral compliance, governance, record-keeping, and cost allocation.
• Experience managing an alliance, coalition, or member-led organization.
• Experience managing affiliated 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations.
• Deep commitment to environmental, racial, social, and economic justice, a Just Transition, and CEJA's mission.
• Familiarity with how to work with unions in a non-profit context.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant fields, Public Administration, Business Administration, Nonprofit Management, Political Science, or Organizational Leadership.
• A master’s degree is preferred in a relevant field. However, candidates with 10+ years of progressive executive level leadership in the nonprofit sector will be fully considered in lieu of an advanced degree.

Working Conditions

• Working Environment: This position is primarily performed in a remote work/office setting in the state of California with regular computer use. The role may require occasional lifting of office supplies or equipment up to 20 lbs.
• Travel Requirements: The position is expected to participate in regular travel, about 8 times per year, mostly in California. Examples include the following engagements: CEJA’s Congreso (August), Spring Lobby Day (May) and End of CA Legislative Session (September) all held in Sacramento; annual 2–3-day staff retreat; annual 1-2 programmatic retreat along CEJA members and staff. Based on availability and need, represent CEJA in various conferences, trainings, or in-person partner meetings.
• Physical Requirements: This position requires prolonged sitting at a desk and working on a computer, as well as occasional standing, walking, bending and reaching.

Company Description

The California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA) is a statewide, community-led alliance that works to achieve environmental justice by advancing policy solutions. We unite the powerful local organizing of our members in the communities most impacted by environmental hazards - low-income communities and vulnerable communities - to improve environmental health by creating comprehensive opportunities for change at a statewide level. We have seven core members and three partners across California.