Job Opportunity: Chief Executive Officer

Lead a young, ambitious nonprofit organization committed to building more inclusive, relevant, and equitable cultural and civic organizations.

CEO is a full-time exempt remote position.

Base salary: $130,000-$150,000 depending on location, plus benefits (see our staff handbook for more information).

Application due: December 21, 2020 by 8pm PT (application period now closed).

Preferred start date: Spring 2021.

About the Organization:

OF/BY/FOR ALL is a young, growing nonprofit organization that equips civic and cultural organizations around the world to become more inclusive, relevant, and equitable in partnership with their local communities. We provide practical tools to help museums, libraries, parks, theaters, and other community organizations move from talk into action when it comes to inclusive work. With our support, teams form relationships with underrepresented communities, build equitable partnerships, make concrete changes to policies and programs, and increase public accountability, relevance, and value.

OF/BY/FOR ALL is a 2.5 year old, 100% remote distributed organization. We have five full-time staff and seven board members across the US. We are currently working with teams at 75 organizations in 11 countries in our signature Change Network program. We also produce free digital tools for a broader network of 5,000 culture workers interested in making inclusive change. We have an annual budget of $800,000 and stable funding for planned 2021 activities. We are seeking a chief executive who can build on these assets and drive the organization to greater impact.

About the Role:

As CEO, you will drive OF/BY/FOR ALL’s growth as an action-oriented contributor to global movements for inclusion, racial equity, and justice. You will directly lead strategy, global partnerships, board, and fund development, and you will work closely with staff on team culture, program development, delivery, marketing, and sales. We see the next chapter of OF/BY/FOR ALL involving hundreds of cultural and civic organizations becoming more inclusive, equitable, community-driven places - with you guiding the way.

The ideal candidate is:

An entrepreneurial movement builder who will bring energy and vision to expanding our global work.
Confident and thoughtful about how to support professionals in making concrete steps towards greater inclusion and equity.
Experienced in sector-level systems change in cultural and/or civic organizations.
Someone who thrives in a fast-moving remote startup environment, with high comfort with technology.

Might this be you? If so, keep reading. :)

Some Context on the Opportunity:

This is not a “normal” transition at a “normal” time. Here’s how we’ve been impacted by the events of 2020:

Financially, our fundamentals are strong. We have been able to navigate 2020 with no layoffs nor major cuts, and we have grant funds committed to support the organization in 2021. We’ve also had strong response to our fee-based programs this year and are well-positioned to keep building earned revenue.
COVID-19 did not affect OF/BY/FOR ALL’s core operations, as we have been a remote distributed team delivering 99% digital programs from the start. However, our program members are teams at museums, libraries, theaters, and similar institutions, most of which were closed and transformed by COVID-19. We shifted our growth plan and program content to support our members working with communities in the midst of dramatic change. We’ve also gotten more intentional about internal team wellness and equity practices to support staff during a time of crisis.
#BlackLivesMatter and heightened calls for racial justice increased inbound demand for OF/BY/FOR ALL programs. Many organizations see OF/BY/FOR ALL as a potential partner to help their teams deepen commitments to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and to shift from talk to action in these areas. We launched our largest cohort ever in September 2020 based on this interest. While our membership is growing, this increased interest also led us to ask ourselves what exactly our program offers and who it is and is not for. These questions are not fully answered. This year, we began more intentionally centering racial equity in our program content, as well as in internal HR practices. This work is still in its early stages, and we are looking for our next director to guide it with a strong vision.
2020 also brought personal challenges that contributed to this job becoming available. The organization’s founding CEO, Nina Simon, has been an “all-in” leader from the start. Now, her mother is seriously ill, and Nina has decided to make a life change to put family first. Nina is holding the executive role for now, but she plans to take a big step back to become a volunteer board member after a supportive transition, contributing to the organization as a volunteer on terms to be determined by the new CEO.

Following a founder brings its own unique challenges and opportunities. In the case of OF/BY/FOR ALL, you will be entering the organization three years into its existence, while it is still in the early stages of growth. You will shape where it goes next, and you’ll have the support and partnership of the founder (to the extent you want it). We fully expect you to take this organization in new directions, and Nina and the board are ready to learn from you, follow your vision, and support your success.

Qualified Candidates Bring:

At least 5 years of experience leading inclusion/equity/justice-focused change on an organizational or sector level in cultural or civic sector organizations. You’ve changed an institution, led a movement, and/or successfully advocated for a new equity practice.
At least 5 years of experience leading and developing multi-racial teams. You thoughtfully guide and hold space for colleagues from different backgrounds with care.
At least 3 years of experience in a professional training, coaching, or organizing role. You’ve coached professionals, supported their growth, and/or brought them together to support and challenge each other.
Demonstrated entrepreneurial and visionary capabilities. You’ve built something, and you know how to hustle and fight to make your vision real. You can sell a dream to people who are unsure. You communicate vision with clarity and energy while holding the messy complexity of the whole.
Clear, powerful, and persuasive communication skills, both written and oral. You can write a compelling grant proposal, give an inspiring keynote address, and lead an interactive workshop.
Subject matter expertise or thought leadership in the cultural and/or civic sector (museums, libraries, theaters, music, dance, parks, nature centers, community arts, etc.).
Strong national and/or international professional network in at least one cultural or civic discipline.
High level of awareness and understanding of issues of equity, privilege, power, and oppression. Direct lived experience and/or demonstrated expertise about issues of exclusion and marginalization in civic and cultural institutions.
Deep curiosity and desire to learn, experiment, change approach as needed, and create supportive experiments for colleagues to do the same.
High comfort and fluency with technology. You pick things up quickly, adopt new tools eagerly, and find creative ways to use new technologies.
Based in the United States (location flexible) and legally authorized to work in the US.

OF/BY/FOR ALL is an equal opportunity employer with a goal to empower diverse people to fulfill their full potential. We actively welcome and encourage people of color, black people, indigenous people, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities to apply. Our current staff is majority QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, People of Color).

Application Questions

Tell us a bit about why you want to lead OF/BY/FOR ALL.
Please share a concrete example of how you have led inclusion/equity/justice-oriented change in a professional setting - and/or how you’ve moved people to action.
The CEO of a small, growing nonprofit organization wears many hats. What parts of this job do you feel confident you can do incredibly well from the start, and where do you see yourself most needing support to grow into doing your best work?
What questions do you have about the organization and the role at this time?
Anything else you want us to know?