Executive Director

Are you a passionate and driven professional who is committed to working collaboratively with South Valley and New Mexico community members towards a brighter future? If so, you may be the next Executive Director of the Rio Grande Community Development Corporation (RGCDC).

The RGCDC has a mission to build stronger, healthier communities by being a trusted and accessible community hub for social and economic entrepreneurship which facilitates self-sufficiency while honoring the people’s voice and culture. RGCDC’s initiatives are working to develop an equitable and sustainable food system in New Mexico by supporting local food industry startups and helping small to mid-sized farms and food producers scale their operations. We do this because we believe that a sustainable and accessible food system is key to fostering sustainable communities, promoting social justice, and addressing the unique challenges faced by underinvested individuals and families in the South Valley and wider region.

About the Role

The Executive Director is responsible for the overall leadership and administration of the RGCDC. A typical day involves a blend of strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and operational oversight. Meetings with board members, department directors, community stakeholders, and staff members provide opportunities to align goals, address challenges, and foster collaboration. The Executive Director also dedicates time to fundraising efforts, policy development, and staff management, ensuring that the organization operates smoothly and effectively towards achieving its mission and vision.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Board Governance:

• Works with the board of directors to fulfill the vision and mission through programs, strategic planning, fundraising, community outreach, and long-term sustainability.
• Supports the board of directors in fulfilling its fiduciary and oversight responsibilities.
• Collaborates and seeks input on strategic decisions and governance matters, provides regular updates and communication.

Executive Leadership and Strategic Planning:

• Develops and implements, in collaboration with the Board of Directors and the community, a long-term plan to pursue the organization’s vision and mission.
• Develops the organization’s evaluation criteria and performance indicators.

Fundraising, Development, and Community Outreach:

• Represents the organization, embodying its culture, values, and mission/vision to the public, media, and other stakeholders; is an active and visible member of the community.
• Builds and maintains relationships with the organization’s stakeholders, including community members and leaders, government officials, donors, funders, regulatory bodies, and civic organizations.
• Leads all fundraising and revenue generating efforts for the organization, including developing fundraising strategy with appropriate staff, and acts as a strong, persuasive, and successful advocate for the organization’s fundraising goals.

Staffing and Human Resources

• Fosters an environment where diversity is embraced, creativity is encouraged, learning is valued, and collaboration is paramount.
• Provides leadership, motivation, and development to a diverse staff of 11 and currently oversees 3 direct reports.
• Oversees all aspects of hiring, retaining, managing, and dismissing employees and contractors, including establishing compensation levels, employee benefits, and personnel files.
• Oversees the creation and maintenance of procedures to ensure effective employee evaluation, approval of leave time, performance reviews, and work schedules.

Finance and Operations:

• Leads the development of the organization’s annual budget for Board approval and ensures the financial stability and sustainability of the organization by maintaining full awareness of the complete financial, statistical, and accounting records of the organization.
• Oversees the creation and maintenance of the organization’s policies for Board approval and oversees adherence to the approved policies.
• Oversees the organization’s structure, systems, guidelines, and procedures.

Additional Job Functions

• In coordination with the Board Chair, oversees and manages the relationship and guidance of the organization’s legal counsel in all legal matters.
• Demonstrates and supports a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Oversees all Information Technology systems, including software selection, implementation, and migration; issuing and inventorying hardware; and policy development and implementation.
• Acts as or appoints a safety manager ensuring adherence to all safety and health policies, procedures, rules, and regulations established by RGCDC and external regulatory bodies.
• Oversees the organization’s risk management and risk mitigation procedures.
• Ensures internal and external compliance with all local, state, and federal regulatory bodies, including the local Health Department, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and U.S. Department of Transportation.

Qualifications We Require

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business administration, or related field, or in place of a degree, at least 5 years of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified.
• Experience creating and managing budgets and producing financial reports.

Additional Requirements:

• Must pass a background check, credit check, motor vehicle checks and drug/alcohol screening.
• This position is safety sensitive due to driving requirements, so medical and recreational marijuana are not considered exemptions to our drug testing program.
• Must maintain a valid New Mexico Driver’s License and vehicle insurance and registration.
• Must have a reliable smartphone.
• Must have flexibility to work outside of traditional work hours, which may include weekends.

Qualifications We Desire

Education and Experience:

• Masters degree in Nonprofit Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, Marketing, Communications, Organizational Leadership, or a related field
• At least 5 years of experience in nonprofit governance principles, working with a board of directors, and nonprofit laws and regulations, including tax-exempt status, reporting requirements, and compliance with applicable laws.
• Experience in food systems, including agriculture, food manufacturing, or food businesses.
• Experience with community development and organizing.

Hard Skills:

• Strong technical writing skills.
• Proficient in MS Office, Google Suite, Adobe, and CRM software.
• Data analysis skills, such as using financial, operational, and fundraising data to inform strategies.
• Demonstrated project management skills, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks.
• Bilingual (priority languages: Spanish, Navajo, or an indigenous language)
• Fundraising and grant writing experience, including developing fundraising strategies, evaluating grant proposals, and cultivating donor relationships.

Soft Skills:

• Passionate about working in an organization that values and promotes diversity, equity, inclusion.
• Interpersonal skills demonstrated by the ability to build relationships with people from all backgrounds and walks of life.
• Ability to work collaboratively with community members and partners to achieve shared goals.
• Strong verbal communication skills demonstrated by the ability to convey thoughts and ideas clearly, build rapport with others, resolve conflicts, and influence outcomes.
• Public speaking skills demonstrated by being comfortable presenting to an audience.
• Innovative problem-solving skills demonstrated by the ability to find creative solutions to complex challenges.
• Authentic self-motivation skills demonstrated by a passion for the mission and a genuine desire to make a positive impact in the community.
• Community-driven leadership skills demonstrated by the ability to provide guidance, mentorship, and direction to team members and volunteers in service of the community.
• Innovative strategic thinking skills demonstrated by the ability to identify and pursue new opportunities and partnerships that align with the organization’s mission and values.
• Emotional intelligence skills demonstrated by the ability to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics with empathy, compassion, and a commitment to building authentic relationships with staff, volunteers, donors, board members, and community members.
• Strong time management and organizational skills demonstrated by the ability to prioritize work and ensure deadlines are met.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

Reasonable accommodations can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions:

• Must be able to sit for extended periods.
• Must have adequate hand-eye coordination to perform essential job functions.
• Must be able to perform repetitive motions of hands, fingers, and wrists (typing).
• Must have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation to travel within the Albuquerque metro-area and in-state as required.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:

As an equal opportunity employer, we encourage diversity in our workplace and are committed to compliance with federal and state anti-discrimination laws. RGCDC is interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and will consider an equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education, and experience to meet minimum qualifications. If you are interested in applying, you’re encouraged to think broadly about your abilities and skill set for the role. In addition, if there is anything that the organization can do to help make the recruitment process or the job more accessible, please reach out directly.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including 100% coverage for medical, vision, dental, short- and long-term disability, and life insurance; 80 hours of paid annual leave in the first year (increasing annually); 15 paid annual holidays and up to 64 hours of paid sick leave per year.