Executive Director

Collective O/R

Position: Executive Director

Status: Part Time (with transition to Full Time as funding provides)

Reports To: President, Board of Directors

Salary: This position is currently unfunded, but we are actively seeking funding for this role. If you are interested in potentially launching this new project, we encourage you to apply. Deferred payment possible.

Location: Pasadena, Altadena and San Gabriel Valley Region, CA

To Apply:

Submit a resume and cover letter to info@collectiveor.org with “ED Application_Your Name” in the email’s subject line. In your cover letter please include examples of fundraising with revenue results, management, nonprofit, advocacy, and local organizing experiences. Additionally, please outline any experience you have in related project management, construction, architecture and engineering industries. Letters of Recommendation are not required but encouraged. Resumes without a cover letter will not be reviewed.

About Collective O/R:

After personal loss in the Eaton Fire, local architects, project managers and real estate professionals created Collective O/R to address a critical gap in disaster recovery. Through community partnerships, they identified that many fire survivors, already under immense stress, required professional guidance to rebuild, and many—especially marginalized residents and seniors—were underinsured and needed low- or no-cost support. We adapted the owner’s representative model to the nonprofit sector, providing unbiased, trauma-informed guidance through design, contractor bidding, permitting, budgeting, and construction. By advocating at every step, we protect homeowners from exploitation, hold contractors accountable to budget and schedule, while promoting fire-resilient rebuilding so families can rebuild equitably and remain rooted in their communities.

Our Mission:

We empower disaster-affected homeowners and small businesses to rebuild their community affordably, transparently, and with dignity. As an advising partner, we advocate for both the individual and collective in a grassroots approach to ensure the future is built authentically and from within the community.

Our services include:

• Owner’s Representation
• Design Phase Support
• Bid & Builder Strategy
• Construction Management
• Community Education & Resources

The Opportunity:

To build on this momentum and bring its strategic vision to life, Collective O/R is now hiring its first Executive Director to strengthen its capacity, and deepen its impact in equitable rebuilding efforts.

The Executive Director provides overall leadership and management for Collective O/R. Reporting to the Board of Directors, this role leads strategic initiatives, oversees financial stewardship, and guides the organization’s continued growth. The ideal candidate brings proven experience in nonprofit leadership, fundraising, and community engagement, along with a strong commitment to addressing the unique needs of wildfire survivors. Core responsibilities include creating and implementing internal systems, creating and executing a robust fundraising strategy, managing the budget, and overseeing day-to-day operations. This will all be done in partnership with staff and the board of directors.

This is an in-person position. The Executive Director should be available for in-person community events and team meetings.

The Executive Director will help set and advance organizational goals, raise awareness of Collective O/R, and clearly communicate the organization’s impact, as well as partner with the Board President to coordinate meetings, set agendas, and provide timely, accurate information to support effective governance. The Executive Director will help set a course for Collective O/R to expand its model to be applied in other disaster relief settings.

Executive Director Competencies:

The Board seeks candidates with the following competencies:

• Collaborative Leadership. The ED will be a warm and engaging leader who is accessible and listens to all viewpoints, demonstrates confidence, and has a positive approach. The ED must be a highly accomplished relationship builder, comfortable in developing strategy and achieving buy-in from the Board and others and disciplined in executing plans and encouraging accountability. The ED, with staff, board and community partners, will promote the compelling vision, mission, values, and strategic goals of the organization. The ED will be decisive in action, self-directed, adaptable, humble, independent thinker, confident, and accountable.
• Community Centered Leadership. Knowing that rebuilding efforts are happening within a community system, the ED will listen to, collaborate with, and be responsive to community members, especially those most closely impacted by disaster. They will tap into the community networks already formed and effectively build relationships with diverse stakeholders, including community organizations, government agencies, rebuild vendors, and individual families. The ED should have an understanding of social justice and a framework of anti-oppression.
• Ability in Fundraising and Resource Development. The ED must identify, engage, and steward donors and seek contributions of significance from various sources. Innovative and attuned to local and national donor interests and concerns, the ED will inspire fundraising involvement from the Board and will guide them about “best practices” in donor development. They will also cultivate additional/alternative revenue streams to enhance and improve the organization’s funding potential.
• Fiscal Management. The ED must plan for financial stability and sustainability in partnership with the Board Treasurer. A key to this is having knowledge about organizational finances, the ability to establish and oversee a realistic budget, and the aptitude to use timely financial statements to guide and oversee organizational performance.
• Expertise in Communication. The ED is principally responsible for supporting and nurturing various communications by coordinating messages and internal and external outreach with the Board President and Executive Board. Their communication and behavior should reflect the organization’s values and earn the Board’s trust and respect.
• Marketing and Presentation. The ED will boost C O/R’s visibility and credibility through strategic communications and new opportunities, focusing on raising its profile among funding sources and influencers.
• Sound Interpersonal Skills Management. The ED will support a culture of inclusion, opportunity, and accountability in the environment. He/she will foster innovation, teamwork, and collaboration to ensure that goals are established, resources appropriately allocated, and results achieved.

Key Responsibilities/Essential Functions:

The key responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to:

• Resource Development. As the ‘fundraiser in chief,’ the ED is charged to drive results in fundraising by:
  • Helping identify, cultivate and solicit prospective donors including high net worth individuals, private foundations, and institutional funding sources.
  • Leveraging personal and professional contacts and relationships of the Board and supporters into transformational fundraising opportunities.
  • Having a strong background with grant writing and reporting, creating individual, foundation, and sponsorship packets, and building membership programs.
  • Exploring alternative/earned revenue streams.
  • Forecasting revenue/contributions and expense budgets – able to build Proformas.
  • Promoting an optimistic culture of growth and engagement in the organization, at both at the Board and (future) staff level.
• Strategic Management. The ED serves as the principal resource to the Board and offers his/her advice about the strategic plan and decisions based on his/her experiences and proven track record.
  • Expected to have a visionary mindset needed to move the organization forward, finetune the organization’s strategies and work plans.
  • Coordinates work associated with the strategic plan, tactics, and opportunities.
  • Continually assesses results/impact and keeps the board informed when shifts in the guiding strategy cause a need for re-evaluation.
  • Guide processes for creating accessible educational and communications resources.
• Organization and Operational Management. The ED needs to have strong people and project management skills to help build a high performing board, engage with outside advisors/contractors, and hire future staff.
  • They will play a lead role in vetting, engaging, and mentoring new talent to serve on Board Committees, Task Forces, and/or Advisory Boards.
  • Develop and adapt the annual plan and budget as a roadmap for accountability.
  • Establish effective decision-making processes and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to encourage efficient use of resources (people, time, and money) and enable successful growth.
  • Ensure effective program evaluation systems and regularly assess the program portfolio to quickly adapt to meet diverse community needs.
  • Build a strong partnership with the Board, providing information and training to support effective governance and advocacy.

QUALIFICATIONS:

The ideal candidate will have:

• Passion for and commitment to Collective O/R’s unique mission and the ability to inspire others to partner in support of that mission.
• Knowledge of long-term disaster relief communities.
• Experience in the architecture, engineering or construction industries preferred.
• Established connections with donors.
• A proven track record in successfully leading and growing revenue and generating transformational support in non-profit organizations.
• A proven record of financial oversight, budgeting, and basic nonprofit financial management.
• A proven record of and genuine interest in successfully building trusted relationships with and among diverse constituencies and stakeholders.
• A successful track record of working with a team of volunteers and understanding the patient advocacy world.
• Comfortable with technology tools (CRM systems, donor databases, virtual collaboration tools, websites, social media, etc.).
• Soft skill business competencies include a sense of urgency, adaptability, intrinsically self-directed, and self-motivation.
• Strong written and oral communications skills.
• Comfortable and adept working with hybrid teams and sharing and editing materials thorough Google docs or other content/management platforms.
• A minimum of a bachelor's degree with 5+ years with management and governance experience in the public, private, or non-profit sector.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO):

Collective O/R is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We strongly encourage applications from women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, veterans, and individuals from other underrepresented backgrounds. Discrimination based on any protected characteristic is strictly prohibited.