California Partnership to End Domestic Violence: Executive Director
APPLY BY: December 4, 2024

The California Partnership to End Domestic Violence (the Partnership) is the federally designated statewide domestic violence coalition. The Partnership is a non-profit member organization representing over 2,000 advocates, organizations, and allied groups. The Partnership’s diverse membership spans the entire state. Through our public policy, communications, and capacity-building efforts, we align prevention and intervention strategies to
advance social change. 

The Partnership believes that by sharing expertise, advocates and policymakers can end domestic violence. Working at the state and national levels for nearly 40 years, the Partnership has a long track record of successfully passing over 200 pieces of legislation addressing domestic violence. Every day we inspire, inform, and connect all of those concerned with the issue, because together we are stronger.

The Partnership promotes the collective voice of a diverse coalition of organizations and individuals, working to eliminate all forms of domestic violence. As an advocate for social change, we advance our mission by shaping public policy, increasing community awareness, and strengthening our members’ capacity to work toward our common goal of advancing the safety and healing of victims, survivors, and their families. We recognize that domestic and intimate partner violence is one of many interconnected forms of systemic oppression and unequal power. It silences diverse perspectives and prevents people and communities from their full potential. The Partnership leads and energizes the domestic violence movement by strengthening the capacity of the field to listen to the varied perspectives of survivors, families, and communities with the goal of ending domestic violence.

The Executive Director (ED) will report to a Board of Directors of approximately 21 members providing direction, guidance, and leadership to the organization, including partnering with the Board to set strategic direction. Joining a dedicated and experienced team working to create a safe, healthy, and violence-free California, the ED will support a culture of belonging and healing, mentoring and developing a team of 15 to 20 staff. The ED will have oversight of all agency functions including governance, programs, communications, human resources, finances, fund development, and risk management. This position will also serve as liaison with the national, state, and local domestic violence communities, funding sources, governmental agencies, and other agencies and organizations.

Core Responsibilities

The ED will carry out the following responsibilities determined by the Board of Directors among other duties as assigned:

• Movement Leadership: Serves as a leader in building the movement to end domestic violence. Strategically promotes and advances the movement. Helps to shape the future of this movement in California in close partnership with members and other stakeholders. Strengthens the movement by building alliances with organizations addressing issues related to domestic violence.
• Systems Advocacy and Coalition Building: In coordination and partnership with the membership, implements strategic initiatives that will advance the mission of the Partnership. Enhances the effectiveness of California’s support network for domestic violence victims, as well as the State network to prevent domestic violence. Facilitates positive relationships and communication within the state’s domestic violence community, including but not limited to, children’s services, batterer’s treatment, legal services, prevention services, criminal justice systems, and policymakers. Increases the Partnership’s visibility, coalition-building, and organizational networking by serving on relevant state and national advisory committees, attending domestic violence related conferences, promoting collaborative work amongst the domestic violence field, conducting media advocacy, and any other related activities that support the agency’s mission.
• Legislative Advocacy: Provides leadership for the Partnership’s legislative and policy agenda, including developing strategic relationships and positioning the Partnership as the statewide expert on domestic violence policy issues. Oversees the work of staff dedicated to this function and the work of the Public Policy Research Committee. Serves as the public representative of the Partnership’s legislative work through testimony, press conferences, and related events.
  
• Support to Domestic Violence Organizations: Oversees the work of staff members in providing support and technical assistance to the statewide network of domestic violence organizations.
• Program Development and Contract Oversight: Is responsible for the development of programs that are core to the Partnership’s mission and for the implementation of grants and meeting all contractual obligations.
• Board Relations: Reports to the Board of Directors and serves as the principal liaison to them. Supports, responds to, and partners with staff and Board of Directors to ensure ongoing operations of the Partnership. Implements board policies. Works with board leadership to schedule board meetings, agendas, and reports. Prepares for and staffs Board of Directors meetings. Works directly with board committees or oversees staff assigned to board committees. Maintains timely communications with the Board of Directors. Supports an active and engaged Board of Directors. With the Board of Directors, facilitates the development and implementation of a strategic plan for the organization. Jointly, with the designated officers of the Board of Directors, conducts official correspondence of the organization and executes legal documents.
• Management: Adheres to and promotes the Partnership’s vision, mission, guiding principles of unity and cultural competency standards. Fosters a positive and productive work environment. Acts professionally and in a manner which appropriately represents the Partnership. Implements board policies and ensures that the Partnership has adequate policies and procedures for all levels of the organization. Ensures legal compliance by overseeing implementation of applicable federal and state human resource requirements.
• Supervision: Directly supervises and coaches three Senior Directors and oversees the supervision and development of all staff. Provides oversight to the recruitment, hiring, evaluation, and training of staff members, directly hiring and supervising Senior Directors and providing support, alongside Human Resources, to other hiring managers as needed.
• Membership and Coalition Management and Growth: Engages, inspires, and mobilizes the community in California to become active members of the Partnership and its movement to end domestic violence. Fosters an inclusive environment that welcomes and supports people of all backgrounds in ending domestic violence, especially historically marginalized and disenfranchised groups. Oversees the implementation of membership recruitment; maintains direct regular and relevant member communications; and ensures provision of services aligned with members changing needs.
• Strategic Planning: Works with the Board of Directors, members, staff, and other stakeholders to develop the Partnership’s strategic plan including review of mission, vision, goals, and outcomes. Facilitates the work of these stakeholders to implement the goals and objectives in the strategic plan.
• Financial Management: Works with staff and the Board of Directors to develop the annual budget, oversee its implementation, and ensure that proper accounting practices are followed, including working with the Finance Committee to review and the full Board to approve the budget. Follows and supports existing policies and procedures for all financial management functions. Administers contracts and other agreements. Reviews monthly financial reports and discusses major findings with the Finance Committee. Advises in the ongoing effort to improve financial practices.
• Revenue Generation/Fundraising: Ensures sufficient revenue to implement ongoing programs and achieve strategic goals. Creates a mix of revenue including government contracts, foundation grants, membership fees, and other revenue including fundraising. Engages and supports the Board in fundraising. Meets with prospective donors as needed. Reviews and executes contracts and grant agreements on behalf of the Partnership.
• Public Relations and Marketing: Serves as the Partnership’s primary representative for all internal and external interactions and communications. Oversees all public relations activities of the organization.

Benefits & Compensation

The Partnership encourages a healthy work-life balance for its entire team and offers a competitive benefits package that includes covering 100% of health care premiums, paid sick leave, vacation, and 14 holidays. The newly hired ED will have a clear working and communication agreement with the Board of Directors and will receive three coaching sessions to support effective onboarding. The annual compensation range for the ED is $175,000 –  $225,000 with a target starting salary of $190,000 – $200,000, commensurate with experience.

The ideal ED will bring many of the following experiences and expertise to the Partnership among other transferable knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Mission Alignment: Demonstrated commitment to and passion for the Partnership’s mission with lived and/or professional experience centering victims, survivors, and their families; deep understanding of domestic violence within the context of social change and an anti-oppression framework; and experience working to end domestic violence and mobilize for a just, safe, and liberated California
• Organizational Leadership: Minimum of five years of increasingly responsible experience in supervising and managing an organization similar to the Partnership’s size, ideally inclusive of nonprofit leadership in a healing-centered model in the field of domestic violence – or related fields such women’s rights or social justice – having reported to a Board of Directors, led a team through change, and promoted participative decision-making
• Financial & Fundraising Acumen: Minimum of five years of experience in budget management, financial operations, and revenue generation/fundraising supporting organizational sustainability at or near an annual budget scale of $5 million or more inclusive of grant writing and funder and donor communications
• Coalition Experience: Direct experience working with or in coalitions, membership organizations, or movements with a considerable number of stakeholders to motivate, engage, support, share power, and collaborate with is strongly preferred with statewide coalition work for violence against women or other social justice-related issues being highly desirable
• Stakeholder Engagement: Demonstrated ability and commitment to build trusted relationships and work effectively with, inspire, and advocate for diverse stakeholders inclusive of members, community, funders, partner organizations, staff, board, and government
• Program & Policy Expertise: Ability to develop, initiate, and maintain programming across domestic violence prevention and intervention strategies as well as familiarity with how to relate to people on a political level with direct experience with public policy and advocacy being highly desirable
• Social Justice Lens: Demonstrated commitment to social and racial justice and culturally responsive work in alignment with the Partnership’s recognition of domestic and intimate partner violence as a form of systemic oppression and unequal power
• Savvy Communications: Ability to deliver clear and compelling communications, including strong writing and presentation skills, in a way that inspires partnership and commitment to the mission with comfort as a spokesperson engaging the media and elected officials
• Flexibility to Travel: Ability and willingness to travel extensively statewide, with some out of state travel, to engage with the Board of Directors, members, and field with access to reliable transportation, a valid driver’s license, and proof of insurance required

The Partnership’s ED search is being led by Walker & Associates Consulting (W&A) – a California-based Black- and woman-owned strategic management consulting and executive search firm promoting equitable community impact. To apply, email a thoughtful cover letter describing your interest in the position and your aligned values and experiences relative to the role and the Partnership’s work, along with your resume and a list of three references (references will not be contacted without your advance notice) to [email protected] by Wednesday, December 4, 2024 at 5:00 pm PT. Use the subject line: ED Application. Please submit PDF or Microsoft Word files only, preferably with all materials in one combined file. Application review begins immediately, and early applications are encouraged. Questions or Nominations? Contact Jeannine N. Walker at [email protected].