Executive Director (PPF) (Santa Barbara)

Headquartered in Santa Barbara with a second location in Santa Maria, California, Pacific Pride is the oldest and largest LGBTQ+ Center between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Initially established as a behavioral health counselling and referral center for gay men and lesbians, Pacific Pride currently provides a dynamic range of LGBTQ+ health, prevention, and social service programs to more than 10,000 people each year, representing the full diversity of Santa Barbara’s LGBTQ+ population. Today’s Pacific Pride is a vital and integral part of Santa Barbara’s diverse growing LGBTQ+ community and a trusted provider of high-quality, culturally competent services not available anywhere else in the county.

Through advocacy, outreach, education, and community events, Pacific Pride strives to advance LGBTQ+ social justice and to create a climate where all LGBTQ+ people feel safe and supported. Pacific Pride offers counseling and mental health services for individuals, couples, and families, as well as extensive programming for queer youth, elders, and families. Pacific Pride also provides direct Health and Prevention services, including HIV/Hepatitis C testing and education, PrEP education, opioid overdose prevention services, and the only syringe exchange program in Santa Barbara County. In addition, Pacific Pride leads LGBTQ+ competency trainings for schools, businesses, government agencies, and other direct service providers.

All Pacific Pride’s programs and services are available to anyone in need and are provided with one clear goal: to build a community where everyone is treated with respect and full equality regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status. For more information on programs and services please visit .

Pacific Pride has a current revenue budget of $1.2 million and a full-time staff of nine who work alongside nine part-time staff and counseling interns and numerous volunteers. The organization is supported financially through grants and contracts, individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and an active calendar of special events. In addition to a yearly Proud Prom for more than 250 LGBTQ+ young people, the bi-annual Royal Ball gala, and a yearly Halloween benefit, Pacific Pride also produces Santa Barbara’s annual Pride Festival which draws nearly 4,000 LGBTQ people, allies, and supporters from throughout Southern and Central California.

Pacific Pride is governed by a 10-person, volunteer Board of Directors and actively partners with more than 60 different government, education, and nonprofit agencies to meet the ongoing and emerging needs of a diverse LGBTQ+ population. Pacific Pride aims to create a thriving and visible LGBTQ+ community and to prevent the transmission of HIV and HEP-C in Santa Barbara County.

(For more information please visit

REPORTING

Reports to the Board of Directors. Oversees a full-time staff of nine, as well as part-time and counseling staff, interns, and volunteers.

THE POSITION:

The Executive Director will assume day-to-day operating and oversight responsibility for Pacific Pride Foundation, including Organizational Leadership, Resource Development, Community Building and Outreach, Financial Management, Staff Management, Program Management, and Board Relations. In partnership with the Board of Directors, the E.D. will oversee fundraising, development and refinement of service and advocacy programs, budgeting and financial planning, contract and grant compliance, and staffing/recruitment.

This position requires a compassionate and visionary leader with the skills and experience to lead Pacific Pride to new levels of growth, visibility, and impact. A primary accountability of the new E.D. will be to implement a new, three-year strategic plan that aims to establish Pacific Pride as the recognized leader on LGBTQ+ and HIV prevention issues in Santa Barbara County. She/He/They will lead Pacific Pride with a particular focus on the following:

• Ensuring financial sustainability through growth and diversification of fundraising programs, capacity, and results
• Raising visibility, awareness, and understanding of Pacific Pride’s work and mission with all audiences
• Bringing vision and critical thinking to expanding and aligning programs to meet the needs of a diverse and evolving LGBTQ+ community in Santa Barbara County
• Expanding and strengthening relationships with constituents, partners, allied organizations, and volunteers
• Building a professional and supportive organization with continued commitment to diversity & inclusion at all levels

The E.D. will also function as a primary public representative of Pacific Pride and will work to expand relationships with constituents, volunteers, partners, allies, policy makers, and other allied justice movements to advance the organization’s mission.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Organizational Leadership

• Lead long-range visioning and planning in partnership with Board of Directors, engaging staff, volunteers, community, and other stakeholders in this work;
• Ensure that staff develop and implement annual work plans to advance the 2020-2023 strategic plan, carefully tracking data and reporting back on progress and challenges.
• Oversee the Development Director and assume primary responsibility for meeting and exceeding fundraising goals;
• With the Development Team, expand and maintain strong relationships with individual donors, government agencies, foundations, and business that support the work of Pacific Pride;
• Maintain strong relationships in support of government contracts and negotiate with other funding entities to prioritize allocations;
• Identify funding trends and prepare the organization for any shifts in the market.

Community Building and Outreach

• Serve as a public leader, representing the organization with all audiences while maintaining and building Pacific Pride’s community presence;
• Nurture and develop relationships with community leaders, including funders, government agencies, partner organizations, local businesses, and elected officials;
• Deepen and refine all aspects of communications to create a strong, consistent brand and raise the organization’s profile;
• Develop and maintain strong collaboration with partner organizations.
• Ensure sound financial practices and stewardship of the organization’s resources;
• Ensure effective budget development and management.

Staff Management

• Maintain a professional climate that supports staff in setting and achieving goals while attracting and retaining top-quality staff;
• Provide professional development opportunities for staff to learn new skills and enhance performance;
• Supervise the hiring, training, development, retention, and/or termination of staff and volunteers;
• Revise organization structure and job descriptions as necessary (and within budget parameters) to maximize capacity and impact;
• Advance an inclusive, performance-based culture that is collaborative, transparent, and respectful/affirming of all backgrounds and identities.

Program Management

• Oversee and support program development, working collaboratively with Board and program leadership to encourage innovation and ensure effectiveness;
• Implement systems for program evaluation, monitoring, and continuous improvement;
• Ensure compliance with all government contracts and grant requirements.

Board Relations

• Motivate and guide the Board in fulfilling its governance role;
• Support development of strong Board recruitment, retention, training, and accountability efforts;
• Ensure that the Board is kept fully informed on the condition of the organization and important factors influencing it.

(NOTE: While no single candidate is likely to have equal expertise in all areas listed above, successful candidates will possess a compelling combination of strengths in many of them and the self-awareness and wisdom to hire or leverage existing resources in the area(s) where they lack personal mastery.)

CANDIDATE PROFILE

The new Executive Director will be an experienced, and motivational leader with a high level of emotional intelligence and professional maturity. They will have proven skills in fundraising and relationship management, as well as organization and team leadership. They will bring a collaborative and transparent management style and will model inclusion and teamwork as core values. They should also demonstrate a commitment to partner with, mentor, and support a team of dedicated nonprofit professionals.

Successful candidates will have a deep connection to Pacific Pride’s work and mission, and an appreciation of the unique needs and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community. They will be empathetic and people-centered and, at the same time, bring the professional skills, discipline, and rigor to lead the organization to new levels of growth and success. Appropriate professional history could include direct services, policy/advocacy, organizing, and/or capacity building – preferably in an LGBTQ+ or allied social justice movement. Regardless of background, candidates should have a track record of setting strategic vision and motivating staff, Board, volunteers, and external constituents of diverse backgrounds to work collaboratively toward shared goals.

Required Skills and Experie