Executive Director Cake4Kids

About Cake4Kids

Founded in 2010, Cake4Kids bakes and delivers homemade birthday cakes to underserved youth ages 1–24, including children in foster care, experiencing homelessness, living at the poverty line or recovering from abuse or trafficking. Working through partnerships with human and social service agencies, our volunteer-powered network of chapters spans the country and has delivered tens of thousands of custom treats, showing kids in difficult circumstances that they matter and deserve to be celebrated. Cake4Kids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.

Position Overview:

Cake4Kids seeks a dynamic and visionary Executive Director to lead the organization into its next chapter of impact and growth. The Executive Director serves as the chief executive officer and is responsible for advancing the mission, financial sustainability, and long-term strategic direction of the organization. With strong programs and operations already in place, this is a unique opportunity for a leader who thrives on building relationships and expanding an organization's impact.

Working in close partnership with the Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, corporate partners, and community agencies, the Executive Director ensures alignment with Cake4Kids' mission and values while expanding the organization's resources and reach. The Executive Director serves as the organization's primary ambassador and public representative, building authentic relationships with donors, media, and corporate partners that expand resources, grow and diversify revenue and elevate Cake4Kids’ visibility in the community and beyond.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic and Organizational Leadership

• Provide visionary leadership that advances Cake4Kids' mission and long-term sustainability, partnering with the Board of Directors to set strategic priorities focused on growth and public visibility.
• Foster an inclusive, collaborative culture that values staff, volunteers, donors, and community partners, and recruit, develop, and retain a high-performing, mission-driven team.
• Maintain organizational clarity, accountability, and operational excellence across all programs and functions.
• Partner with the Programs Director to refine and scale program systems and resources, positioning Cake4Kids to take on new agency partnerships and deliver cakes to more children in the future.

Fundraising and Donor Stewardship

• Serve as chief fundraiser, developing and executing a comprehensive strategy together with the Development Director across individual donors, corporate partners and foundations.
• Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors, building long-term, authentic relationships that grow lifetime giving.
• Expand and diversify revenue streams to support sustainable, long-term growth.
• Set annual and multi-year fundraising goals in partnership with the Board and report regularly on progress against them.

Financial Stewardship and Governance

• Oversee the organization's financial health, including budgeting, forecasting, and internal controls, and provide timely, transparent reporting to the Board.
• Support the Board in fulfilling its governance responsibilities.

Public Relations, Communications and Community Visibility

• Serve as Cake4Kids' chief spokesperson, representing the organization to media, donors, partners, and the broader community.
• Develop and execute a communications and public relations strategy together with the Marketing Director that raises Cake4Kids' visibility and strengthens its brand and reputation.
• Cultivate relationships with media contacts, influencers, and community leaders to expand awareness of Cake4Kids' mission and impact.

Required Qualifications

• 5–7+ years of progressively responsible leadership experience, ideally within nonprofit organizations.
• Demonstrated success in the fundraising realm, securing major gifts, cultivating long-term donor relationships and diversifying revenue streams across individual, corporate, and foundations.
• Strong public relations, communications, or marketing background, with the ability to serve as a confident public-facing spokesperson.
• Demonstrated success building and leading high-performing teams.
• Experience in strategic planning and implementation.
• Demonstrated experience managing and growing annual operating budgets of $1.5M or more.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic, growth-oriented environment.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and mission-driven service.

Preferred Qualifications

• 7–10+ years of nonprofit leadership experience, with a significant focus on fundraising or development.
• Experience working closely with a Board of Directors and strong understanding of nonprofit governance.
• Established donor and/or media network.
• Senior leadership experience in a geographically distributed or national service organization.
• Advanced degree in nonprofit management, communications, public relations, business administration, or a related field.

Additional Information

• This is a remote position. Candidates based in Northern California or Northern Virginia are strongly preferred. Candidates in existing Cake4Kids chapters are welcome to apply and will be considered.
• Cake4Kids does not maintain a physical office.
• Evening and weekend availability is required for fundraising events, volunteer engagement, and donor cultivation.
• Compensation: $100,000–$120,000 annually (exempt), commensurate with experience.
• Benefits include fifteen (15) days of vacation and personal/sick time annually (prorated based on start date).

julie@cake4kids.org