Executive Director

Job Announcement: Executive Director – CityLife/Vida Urbana

Location: Jamaica Plain, MA

Posted: February 2021

About the Organization

City Life/Vida Urbana (CL/VU) is a 501(c)3 grassroots organization established in 1973 by a group of local residents and activists.  For 48 years, CL/VU has been a leading force for change in the Boston area, responding to the challenging forces that affect poor and working people. 

The mission of CL/VU is to fight for racial, social and economic justice and gender equality by building working class power. CL/VU promotes individual empowerment, develops community leaders and builds collective power to effect systemic change and transform society.

City Life/Vida Urbana embraces a vision of a society and world where there is: peace among nations and peoples; respect for our cultural, racial and sexual diversity; cooperation rather than competition; no extremes of wealth or poverty; respect for nature and the condition of the

environment for ourselves and future generations; production that serves the needs of the many rather than the greed of the few; as well as a guarantee that each person has the right to food, housing, health care, education, meaningful employment, and the right to exist in freedom without fear of displacement or deportation. 

CL/VU is a unique and innovative organization.  It is well positioned to continue to implement its strategic plan and move forward towards its mission and vision. CL/VU’s program operation focuses

on: (1) community/radical organizing especially around housing justice and anti-displacement; (2) strategic, cooperative economic and social development; and (3) campaigns and coalition building. Over 85% of CL/VU members are people of color and the majority (70%) are adults between the ages of 25-50.  CL/VU’s annual budget is approximately $ 1.4 million.   

The Opportunity

CL/VU is at an important juncture in its organizational history.  It has a 48 year history of organizing around systemic change and tenant rights.  Our current work includes anti-displacement organizing, leadership development and political education, cultural organizing, and coalition building.  The next Executive Director of City Life Vida Urbana will build upon successes to date, implement the organization’s strategic plan, oversee operations management and fundraising, and lead efforts in staff and board development.

The CL/VU budget and staff have doubled in size in the last 6-7 years.  The number of people served, our geographic area of organizing, the launching of key campaigns, and our overall influence

have similarly increased.  Keeping in mind this expansion, the Board has identified the need for a passionate, strategic and experienced leader and manager with local and national networks

and funder relationships who can take CL/VU into its next stage. The Executive Director will provide essential leadership to guide organizational and programmatic shifts and help ensure long-term fiscal and administrative stability.

The Ideal Candidate

CL/VU is seeking a progressive, experienced leader with a heart for social and

economic justice, radical organizing, and movement building to engage with the Board,

Staff, Leadership Team and members to implement its strategic plan.  The new Executive Director must be a mission-driven leader/organizer able to engage and work with the Board, Staff,

membership and stakeholders to achieve the organization's goals and objectives and to develop new initiatives. The Executive Director must have proven leadership and management experience with a track record and experience of managing grants, overseeing fundraising efforts, raising funds from individual donors, fiscal management, and oversight of a nonprofit organization or program of comparable size. In addition, the Executive Director must possess a demonstrated ability to guide the development of an effective board, collaborative partnerships with other organizations and among culturally diverse community leaders, and to create and implement strategic organizational plans.

The Executive Director will report to the Board of Directors, serve as the executive officer of CL/VU, and will have overall responsibility for the success of CL/VU programs, fundraising, and management.

Key Responsibilities and Duties

Governance, Planning and Program Development

• Work collaboratively with the three pillars of CL/VU’s governance structure, including the Board of Directors, the Staff, and the Leadership Team (composed of leaders of our work), to develop and implement strategic planning that is aligned with the mission and vision of the organization.
• Work in collaboration with the Executive Committee of the Board to develop the agenda for Board meetings, and provide information, reports and updates on key programmatic, fundraising and management issues.
• Work with staff and Leadership Team in identifying and developing new or expanded program initiatives and activities that reflect the evolving needs of the community, and submit major programmatic changes to the Board of Directors for approval.
• Develop and implement work plan with the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors to include, but not limited to:  reviewing the recently completed Organizing Report for 2020 and Strategic Plan for 2021; moving the organization to a post pandemic practice; continuing to develop CLVU’s regional and national work; and leading the organization during the transition period.
• Further develop and implement CL/VU’s growing and robust Communication Work Plan with the Communications Coordinator, including work on core identity with the existing group.  Ensure that appropriate organizational spokespeople are available for media, conferences, events, advocacy campaigns, and coalitions. Supervise the development of the organization’s use of social media.  Ensure that CL/VU’s communication with the media, public, and other stakeholders is in alignment with the organization’s mission and vision.
• Ensure and maintain the strength of the current collaborations and partnerships, and identify new strategic opportunities.

Fiscal Management and Development

·        Work collaboratively with Board and Staff and Leadership Team to develop the annual budget.

• Manage and monitor annual budget/cash flow status and ensure the preparation and analysis of financial reports. 
• Supervise the Fiscal Manager and Financial Consultant.
• Oversee and coordinate the annual audit.
• Lead and supervise a comprehensive, sustainable fundraising strategy.  Pursue new opportunities for expansion of individual donor program and grants management including national grants.  Meet individual donor goals set with the Board of Directors.
• Build and cultivate relationships with current and potential individual and institutional funders in order to expand the pool of individual, institutional, and philanthropic support.

Personnel

• Establish an organizational culture of accountability, learning, and continual development through management of staff and relationships with the Board, the Leadership Team, and the Boston Tenants’ Association movement, and collaborative partners.
• Supervise and evaluate the senior management staff (Organizing Coordinator, Operations Manager, Fiscal Manager, Development Director, Communications Coordinator), and key consultants.
• Ensure that Program Coordinators supervise and evaluate staff, interns and volunteers according to CL/VU policies and procedures.
• Attend Personnel Committee meetings and provide leadership along with Operations Manager (HR Officer).
• Implement cohesive and integrated ways of working between administrative staff and organizing staff.  
• Oversee the coordination and integration of the different CL/VU programs to foster effective communication, meaningful collaboration and successful outcomes.
• Ensure that each program’s goals, work plans and program evaluations are in alignment with CL/VU’s vision, mission, strategic, and operational/financial plans.
• Ensure continued professional and leadership development of personnel and strengthening of the organization..

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated commitment and belief in CL/VU's mission and vision.
• Demonstrated commitment to social change and radical organizing.
• Knowledge and senior level experience in organizing and campaigning around socio-economic justice issues.
• Personality and presence to inspire, lead, and guide the creativity of board, staff and other stakeholders; and ability to communicate, interpret, and execute a vision and solicit others to embrace and achieve it.
• Ability to lead and remain flexible and innovative in a constantly changing environment.
• Demonstrated experience in working in a multi-cultural organization.
• Ability to prioritize and delegate duties; demonstrated, strong organizational and senior leadership skills; and demonstrated skills in managing staff and organizational operations in a nonprofit setting.
• Strong written and oral communication skills and technology competency including social media.
• Experience in non-profit management. Demonstrated knowledge of financial management, including budget development, payroll, financial reporting, and familiarity with accounting software.
• Demonstrated experience working with volunteers and utilizing volunteer and pro

bono services effectively.

• Demonstrated ability to develop and achieve fundraising goals through donor cultivation, grant writing, development planning.
• Experience using social media to develop and promote organization’s goals.
• Demonstrated ability to work with and further develop information gathering and database systems.

Special Requirements

• Ability to work evenings and weekends as required.  
• Fluent ability to read, write, and speak in Spanish is preferred but not required.

Excellent benefits. Salary commensurate with experience.