Full-Time President
Job Description
About Equal Justice Society
The Equal Justice Society (EJS) is transforming the nation’s consciousness on race through law, social science, and the arts. Dismantling structural and institutional racism is at the core of EJS’s work as EJS seeks to fully restore the constitutional protections of the Fourteenth Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause. EJS uses a three-pronged approach to accomplish those goals, combining litigation and other legal advocacy, outreach and coalition building, and education through effective messaging and communication strategies. EJS currently targets its advocacy efforts on school discipline, special education, the school-to-prison pipeline, local service and municipal disparities, and inequities in the criminal justice system.
EJS was founded in 2000 by a group of leading civil rights attorneys and law professors in response to the rollback in civil rights law and the rightward drift of the federal courts. Since its establishment, EJS has been a leader in identifying the most effective litigation strategies to dismantle the Intent Doctrine; instrumental in furthering the national dialogue on implicit bias and integrating those learnings into its multi-pronged litigation strategy; and building coalitions of scholars, practitioners, activists, and community members to tackle the most pressing challenges to social justice including barriers to educational equity and voting rights.
For more information on Equal Justice Society, please visit its website equaljusticesociety.org.
The Opportunity
Equal Justice Society is seeking an experienced, thoughtful, and visionary leader to oversee all facets of the organization’s work and to guide it into its next stage of impact. The President will report directly to the Board of Directors and is responsible for leading the strategic planning, organizational management, programmatic development, external affairs, and fundraising of the organization. The individual will work in collaboration with an experienced and passionate staff to assess needs and opportunities in the field, and will represent the organization to partner civil rights and social justice organizations, political leaders, press, donors, and other external entities.
This is a unique opportunity to assume leadership of an organization known for its big impact in the racial equity and social justice sector. EJS has a staff of nine and a budget of 2 million.
The President’s responsibilities include:
Strategic Vision and Leadership
- Partner with the Board of Directors and staff to develop overarching strategic plans that integrate current expertise with opportunities for organizational growth;
- Exhibit clarity and integrity when addressing complex issues and lead the Board of Directors and staff through thoughtful consideration of options for EJS’s work and strategy;
- Collaborate and partner closely with the Board of Directors, and staff, to deliver on the organization’s goals and priorities that further the mission and vision of EJS;
- Provide relevant and timely updates and information to the Board of Directors; support staff in their work with and communication to the Board as needed.
Staff Leadership and Organizational Management
- Provide visionary and compassionate leadership and maintain a participatory and collaborative approach to EJS’s work; support inclusive decision making;
- Recruit, train, and lead a cohesive staff ensuring that there is transparent internal communication, coordination, and accountability; support and promote a culture of mutual respect and appreciation for the expertise and skill set of staff;
- Ensure that day-to-day operations are professionally administered to maximize organizational efficiency and effectiveness;
- Oversee administration and operations; responsible for financial management, including budgetary planning; oversee human resources, including establishing goals and priorities with staff and conducting performance assessments as needed.
Resource Development and Communications
- Actively and directly engage in fundraising by making major financial solicitations, and cultivating relationships with individual donors, foundations, and other potential fiscal partners; initiate funding opportunities that ensure multiple streams of financial support that build long-term stability;
- Anticipate funding needs and engage staff and/or Board members as needed to ensure that staff have the resources they need to be successful and to support the continuity of important initiatives and advocacy projects;
- Serve as a compelling and engaging speaker and writer; leverage the President role to build EJS’s brand and serve as a leading representative of EJS’s mission in public settings of all sizes with donors, partner organizations, political leaders, press, and other external entities;
- Ensure that the organization is building relationships with external partners to develop strategic partnerships that advance its mission.
Candidate Profile
Ideal candidates will be highly strategic, engaging, and team-oriented leaders who can represent Equal Justice Society’s mission and theory of change to a wide variety of stakeholders. They will bring 8+ years of senior leadership experience in the racial equity, social justice, and/or civil rights sectors, and will have a deep belief in using the power of social science, structural analysis, and real-life experience to broaden the conceptions of present-day discrimination to include unconscious and structural bias. It is preferred but not required that the successful candidate possess a J.D. Experience managing lawyers and/or a robust understanding of the ways to catalyze and communicate the strategies and success of litigation, policy, and advocacy programming is required.
Ideal candidates will have most, if not all, of the following qualifications and characteristics:
Commitment to Racial Equity
The President will bring personal and professional experience that centers race with a clear commitment to tackling systemic racism in the United States and a strong belief in achieving a society where race is no longer a barrier to opportunity. They will have the capacity and credibility to serve as a leading voice in the Californian and National dialogue regarding racial equity, implicit bias, and structural bias.
Leadership and Demonstrated Impact in Social Justice Work
Applying visionary and strategic thinking, as well as legal and political astuteness, the President will have the skills and experience to align legal, policy, advocacy, and communications approaches to make change. They will have a history of centering the people and issues too often disproportionally impacted by social justice issues and struggles in their work. The President will thrive in engaging in conversations around race, equity, justice, and bias.
Fundraising, External Affairs, and Passion for Relationship-Building
As the leading fundraiser and ambassador for EJS, the President will thrive on engaging people and building relationships. They will be known for honesty, strong diplomacy, and for being an engaged and active listener. The President will have a demonstrated track record in fundraising, ideally with knowledge of and existing relationships with relevant and aligned funders. They will also possess the ability to develop relationships with partner organizations, political leaders, press, and other external entities. Public speaking skills and experience will be key, as the President is tasked with frequent speaking engagements, media appearances, and other opportunities to raise the profile of EJS’s work.
Collaborative and Authentic Leadership
A natural and intentional consensus-builder, the President will be skilled at building and sustaining authentic relationships with staff, the Board of Directors, funders, external partners, the media, and other key stakeholders. They will be enthusiastic to genuinely partner with staff in developing and implementing programs that further EJS’s mission and vision. The President will bring a compassionate and caring approach to their work, and be committed to leading with emotional intelligence, transparency, and inclusivity. They will understand the importance of building and maintaining a strong staff including how to appropriately balance internal capacity with external demands.
Compensation & Benefits
The annual salary for this position is in the range of $150,000 – $185,000. Equal Justice Society’s benefits package includes a 401k employer contribution, medical, vision, dental insurance coverage, and other ancillary benefits. Though it is preferred for the President to be located in the Bay Area, it is possible that they may be located remotely.
Contact
Trisha Sutrisno and Amber Gomes of Koya Partners have been exclusively retained for this search. To express your interest in this role please submit your materials here or email
ts*******@ko**********.com
and
ag****@ko**********.com
directly. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential. If you require reasonable accommodation during your application process, please let the team at Koya know.
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Equal Justice Society is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from all qualified individuals including women, people of color, persons with disabilities, religious minorities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals.
About Koya Partners
Koya Partners, a part of the Diversified Search Group, is a leading executive search and strategic advising firm dedicated to connecting exceptionally talented people with mission-driven clients. Our founding philosophy—The Right Person in the Right Place Can Change the World—guides our work as we partner with nonprofits & NGOs, institutions of higher education, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.
For more information about Koya Partners, visit www.koyapartners.com
How to Apply
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