Executive Director, Summaeverythang Community Center

Founded by artist Lauren Halsey in 2020, Summaeverythang Community Center (SCC) is dedicated to the advancement and transcendence of Black and Brown youth in South Central Los Angeles artistically, intellectually, and economically. SCC aims to provide high-quality, engaging opportunities for personal growth and community connection through free after-school, weekend, and summer youth programs centered around our three main pillars: arts, education, and wellness. At SCC, we believe in the power of connection, collaboration, and continuous growth to create positive change within our community.

Between May 2020 and Jan 2022, Summaeverythang’s primary community offering was Food For The People – a COVID-19 rapid-response CSA produce program that distributed free, fresh food boxes weekly to families in need. Through this program, the center reached thousands of individuals, weekly distributing over 600 free fresh food boxes to families in need. More recently, in 2024-2025, SCC has organized high-quality youth arts programming, from field trips to museums to a 12-week summer art intensive.

From March 2026, SCC will offer eighteen months of free public programming onsite at sister dreamer, lauren halsey’s architectural ode to tha surge n splurge of south central los angeles, a public sculpture park and monument to family and community, and a celebration of Black cultural expression and creative resistance. SCC programming will range from film screenings, health and wellness events, jazz concerts, sports, lecture series and youth programs. sister dreamer will serve as a platform for SCC’s activities while the fundraising and construction of its permanent home take place.

Concurrently, SCC will be fundraising to renovate and open a permanent center by 2028, which is located five minutes north of Watts and adjacent to Halsey’s studio. Powered by neighborhood funk, the center will offer more than 4,000 square feet of indoor space dedicated to community programming and 2,000 square feet of outdoor space for a botanical garden and play.SCC will serve Black, Brown, and Indigenous people living and working on the Eastside of South Central Los Angeles.With a permanent home, SCC’s goal is to roll out new free programs such as educational support for local youth including tutoring, college application assistance, after-school programs, and SAT/ACT prep; creative programs such as art, dance, and music classes; and wellness offerings such yoga, gardening, and surf camp. The center is committed to maintaining a staff and governing board that is reflective of the communities it serves.

Summary of Position

The Executive Director will be the Founder’s key partner in developing and executing a strategy for growth and implementation at the Summaeverythang Community Center. With expertise in non-profit leadership and community programs management, the Executive Director will be responsible for creating and implementing a strategic plan geared towards achieving excellence in operational management, fundraising, program development and delivery, community relations, and volunteer engagement. Key to this role in the initial months will be guiding Summaeverythang Community Center to reach its fullest activation point to date, when , while capital funds are raised for the construction of a permanent building. The Executive Director will be an essential voice in the decision-making process, in partnership with the Founder and Board of Directors.

Existing SCC staff includes a Program Director, who will report to the Executive Director. The Executive Director will be able to hire an Administrative Assistant once on board. The Executive Director is further supported--and will directly manage—a small team of independent contractors, including a grant writer. By 2028, with the opening of the permanent center building, staff will grow to six F.T.E., plus teachers and other contractors. A fundraising consultant will be hired to drive the capital campaign, and construction management will be overseen by a volunteer advisory board.

The Executive Director position will be a hybrid position in the short term, with the expectation of regularly working in person with the Founder, the Program Director, and various Board members. Once the permanent community center building opens, SCC management and staff will be expected to work fully in-person. The Executive Director is expected to organize and attend periodic after-hours donor events, and periodic after-hours SCC programming. The Executive Director’s presence may be periodically needed on weekends when the center is open for programming.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership and Strategy (In collaboration with the Founder & Board of Directors)

• Design, develop, and implement a strategic plan;
  • Ensure ongoing programmatic excellence of existing programs;
  • Map a process for designing and implementing new programs;
  • Develop methods for consistent quality of finance and operations;
  • Recommend timelines and resources needed to achieve the strategic goals.
• Develop, maintain, and support a strong Board of Directors; seek and build board involvement with strategic decisions and resource development
• Activate a leadership practice that is rooted in deep community engagement and learning – energizing volunteers, board members, participants, partner organizations, and funders.

Administration and Management

• Hire, lead, coach, develop, and retain a high-performing team of staff, contractors, and volunteers.
• Oversee efficient and effective day-to-day personnel operations including hiring, onboarding, staffing, and regular performance management.
• Lead organizational financial management including creating and managing an annual budget and generating and analyzing regular financial reports.
• Implement policies, practices, and procedures to ensure consistent, smooth operations
• Develop agendas, materials, and presentations for quarterly board meetings, with staff and contractor support.
• Lead facilities management including overseeing capital improvement projects, overseeing a strategy for programmatic use of facility spaces, and ensuring effective day-to-day operations and maintenance.

Programs

• Manage and work closely with Program Director to build out a robust and consistent offering of afterschool, weekend, summer, and special programming—both for offsite 2026-27 programming at sister dreamer and in-house programming starting in 2028 and beyond
• Collaborate with Founder and architect to ensure plans for new building accurately reflect programming needs
• Ensure effective systems to regularly evaluate programs and identify outcomes that can be communicated with various constituencies (board, funders, partners). Development and Communications

Fundraising

• Develop and implement a fundraising strategy that utilizes a multi-faceted approach to securing funding from individuals, foundations, corporations, and government– including but not limited to arranging and attending donor meetings, organizing donor events, grant writing, developing pitch decks and presentations, organizing cultivation events, and building annual appeals.
• With campaign consultant leadership, support a $10 million capital and endowment campaign to fund the construction of SCC’s permanent home and ongoing operations.
• Pursue and secure sponsorships, partnerships and other funding for SCC programming at sister dreamer.
• Create donor relations strategy, including lapsed pandemic-era donors. Maximize potential of new CRM software for donor recruitment/retention/renewal; oversee careful, proactive database management.
• Expand local revenue generating and fundraising activities to support existing program operations and ensure long-term financial sustainability.
• Deepen and refine all aspects of communications – from web and social media presence to e-newsletters to external relations – with the goal of creating a strong brand.
• Develop community connections and use external presence and relationships to garner trust among the community and create new opportunities.

Qualifications

• A minimum of 5-7 years’ leadership experience at a non-profit organization; preferably in the community services and/or education sector.
• Knowledge and/or experience in the fields of K-12 education, community-based arts, and after school programming preferred.
• A proven track record of success in a leadership position – developing and implementing a clear vision for a program or organization in collaboration with stakeholders.
• A proven record of developing and maintaining positive relationships with staff, partners, collaborators and community – a leader that inspires excellence.
• Big picture, systemic thinker with the ability to make great things happen while balancing organizational stability.
• Demonstrated history of fundraising and ability to compellingly communicate in written and verbal forms to individual, corporate, and foundation funders.
• Experience in developing and overseeing budgets and ensuring the financial wellbeing of a program or organization.
• Substantive project management experience. Prior experience with organizational expansion or construction/renovation projects is a plus.
• Understanding of best practices in non-profit organizations and facilities management and a knowledge for implementing tools and systems to achieve best practices.
• Experienced in authentic engagement with community voices to lead and direct organizational strategy – ability to recognize and advocate for strengths in individuals and communities.
• A documented history of strong, passionate engagement and involvement with multicultural communities – with a preference for familiarity with the South Central Los Angeles community.

Salary and Benefits:

The position is full-time, 5 days/week, exempt.

Compensation range: $125,000 - $150,000 per year, commensurate with experience, plus excellent benefits including employer-paid healthcare, 401K plan, paid vacation, sick days, and national holidays.

Health and Safety:

SCC requires that all staff be fully vaccinated with an FDA authorized and/or approved COVID-19 vaccine as a condition of employment. Requests for reasonable accommodations for medical, religious, or other reasons will be considered in accordance with applicable law.

Equal Opportunity

Summaeverythang Community Center is rooted in celebrating and uplifting diversity in every aspect of our work. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Employer-paid healthcare

401K plan

Paid vacation, sick days, and national holidays.

English: Fluent

Spanish: Proficiency or fluency is a plus