This is an exceptional opportunity for the right mission-driven leader to provide leadership and strategy for the Anti-Recidivism Coalition as the new Executive Director, advancing the organization’s life-changing work to support reentry, build healthier communities, create a fairer criminal justice system, and change hearts and minds towards formerly incarcerated individuals and ARC’s members.

Working closely with an engaged Board of Directors and the organization’s founder (on an as-needed basis), the Executive Director will guide ARC’s transition from a start-up that has achieved remarkably rapid success, to a mature and sustainable organization. The Executive Director will establish, cultivate, and maintain strong working relationships with staff, key stakeholders, and members, and with a network of key external partners, foundations and other organizations, including prisons, aligned and allied nonprofits, and educational institutions. With oversight of all internal processes, programming and fundraising, the Executive Director will help forge new partnerships and build on the Anti-Recidivism Coalition’s existing programs, increasing the organization’s visibility, impact, and financial resources.

This leader will be instrumental in providing strategy to increase the organization’s fundraising potential, and will plan and implement best-practices development programs and systems that build on current fundraising activities and create new opportunities. The Executive Director will work closely with the Board of Directors to thoughtfully cultivate, solicit and steward new and existing individual and foundation donors. With a strong public relations mindset, the Executive Director will be a strong voice for the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, motivating and inspiring others as the organization’s primary ambassador. In addition, the Executive Director will be ARC’s primary spokesperson reaching out to thousands of incarcerated and recently released men and women.

Key Responsibilities

In partnership with the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will have the opportunity to provide vision for ARC’s future, and will drive the organization’s mission with consistent, realistic, and timely goals. An empathic individual with gravitas and presence, the Executive Director will support and model an open climate that attracts, retains, and motivates an exceptional and diverse team. With a clear vision, the Executive Director will be committed to maintaining a cohesive, positive organizational culture within the Anti-Recidivism Coalition that emphasizes collaboration, collegiality, and accountability.

• Implement and execute ARC’s new Strategic Plan in partnership with key staff and stakeholders, including the Board of Directors.
• Oversee the overall operational, financial, administrative and personnel management of the organization, with its $5M+ operating budget and staff of nearly 30 full-time employees.
• Assess current staffing and develop a plan to further strengthen the overall team, particularly at the senior level. Manage Directors as appropriate, including the Deputy Director, and provide leadership for the organization’s staff overall.
• Ensure that a best-practices human resource function is executed, which includes effective hiring, onboarding, performance goals and evaluations, professional development, and team objectives for staff and volunteers.
• As a natural listener with great empathy, actively engage members both within prisons and throughout the lifecycle of reentry.
• Lead efforts to expand fundraising capacity for ARC, working in concert with the Development Director, Board of Directors and founder (as requested), to enhance existing donor relationships and expand efforts to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward new individual and foundation donors.
• Have the capacity to develop, pilot and launch programming to further advance the mission and impact of ARC, including partnerships and other initiatives.
• Working in close alignment with the Board of Directors and key staff, oversee financial planning, reporting and budgeting, and establish policies, norms and evaluative tools to ensure accountability and consistency. In addition, prudently manage the organization’s resources within those budget guidelines according to current laws, regulations and industry best practices.
• Serve as the primary point of contact to the Board of Directors for ARC, and ensure that the Board is kept fully informed about significant organizational developments, organizational health and strategic direction. Prepare for and facilitate full Board and Board Committee meetings.

Core Competencies:

The Executive Director will be a dynamic, visionary, and culturally engaged leader with the capacity to envision and strategically plan for the future of the organization. S/he will be an experienced leader and manager, able to develop and supervise a highly effective team. With significant experience in fundraising and external relations, this individual will have a combination of breadth and depth with a range of functions. The Executive Director will have a strong background in administrative and financial leadership, in order to assess and establish internal best practices and metrics across ARC.

With warmth and a genuine passion for the mission of ARC, this leader will be dedicated to empowering individuals and creating healthier communities through reentry support, criminal justice reform, and advocacy. The Executive Director will be comfortable and experienced in working across diverse communities and communities of color. S/he will have the empathy and credibility to communicate effectively with ARC’s diverse audiences and stakeholders, including inside – in-person – incarcerated communities, criminal justice system administrators, donors, community leaders, and officials across the state of California. The Executive Director will be an inspirational leader with the ability to speak persuasively to ARC’s vision, history and mission with fluency and clarity.

A bachelor’s degree is required for the position and a graduate degree is preferred. Candidates will have at least four years of experience in a similar role, and at least 7 years of direct experience working with nonprofit organizations.

The ideal candidate will have the following personal competencies and characteristics:

Passion for the Mission and Cultural Competency

The Executive Director will have a passion for the mission of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, social justice and empowering communities in California, with an innovative and thoughtful approach to expanding ARC’s impact. This leader will be driven by the opportunity to provide resources and opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals, including legal resources, housing, training, education, employment, and intervention services. Experienced with the intersection of issues that impact these individuals and communities, the Executive Director will be a natural champion for California’s formerly incarcerated population, and will strive to be sensitive and incisive regarding the goals of ARC. The Executive Director will be a warm, empathic leader and clear advocate for diversity, equity and inclusiveness, treating others with respect.

Strategic and Entrepreneurial Leader

The Executive Director will be an experienced leader with an entrepreneurial and enthusiastic spirit, and the background and skills to deliver on ARC’s vision and mission, and the organization’s impact on the community. This individual will be a proven strategic thinker with the foresight, capacity, and experience to understand and balance complex and discrete constituent needs. This individual will demonstrate the ability to diagnose and evaluate critical areas for attention across ARC, and implement clear, action-oriented, innovative strategies that address challenges with thoughtful, effective solutions that engender broad support. Agile in ambiguous situations and capable of providing stability when faced with quickly changing circumstances, the Executive Director will possess the ability to challenge the status quo yet employ a servant-leadership approach that does not threaten the culture at ARC.

Expertise in Development and Fundraising

The Executive Director will be an experienced leader with a measurable track record of success in advancement and development, and the expertise and mindset to build strong relationships with current and potential donors and the Board. This leader will have demonstrated expertise with various fundraising and communications channels, and the ability to engage with all of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition’s constituents, including institutions and foundations, individual donors, community leaders, and other supporters. The Executive Director will be a flexible, self-motivated team player who will offer insight and expertise as appropriate to the Board of Directors in identifying and devising development strategies for ARC.

Relationship Building, Collaboration and Communication

The Executive Director will be a natural, skilled collaborator with a demonstrated ability to connect, build bridges and sustain excellent relationships, both internally and externally to the organization. S/he will have a high level of public relations insight and will be a strong thought partner to the Board of Directors in helping to build the brand of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition. The Executive Director will be the outward-facing representative of the organization, helping to guide messaging to all stakeholders, and seeking input from the Board of Directors. S/he will able to speak fluidly and extensively about ARC’s history, impact, and future direction. An influential and persuasive communicator, the Executive Director will have an inspired ability to communicate with diverse stakeholders, including and especially with formerly incarcerated populations, donors, and representatives of the criminal justice system.

Business Acumen and Management Expertise

The Executive Director will be a strong manager who inspires confidence through clear, competent, transparent decision-making, and who fosters a culture of accountability, transparency and support. This individual will have the vision and skills to develop and implement progressive innovations to the Anti-Recidivism Coalition’s programs. The Executive Director will have a commitment to best practices, including the capacity to innovate and pioneer new models for internal administrative practices, finances, operations and human resources. In concert with the Board and with the organization’s financial and personnel needs in mind, this leader will forecast progress towards stated goals and position the organization for sustainable growth and success. A results-oriented problem solver, the Executive Director will have the perspective to consider the impact of decisions and make sound recommendations. Calm under pressure, s/he will be consultative, promoting open dialogue with team members to identify best practices and synthesize divergent views, and will be proactive in addressing the human impact of change.

Contact:

The Anti-Recidivism Coalition has engaged Koya Leadership Partners to help in this hire. This search is being led by Michelle Bonoan and Medelene Beasley. Please submit a compelling cover letter and resume here, or email Michelle and Medelene at the following:

Michelle R.S. Bonoan
Managing Director
mbonoan@koyapartners.com

Medelene Beasley
Principal
mbeasley@koyapartners.com

An Equal Opportunity Employer: It is the policy of the ARC to provide all persons with equal employment practices and opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, veteran or marital status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

ARC is committed to excellence through diversity and strongly encourages applications from women, people of color, formerly incarcerated individuals and other under-represented groups.