Executive Director

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Common Cause

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grassroots organizing • lobbying • research • public education

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Description

• We are looking for a strategic and visionary leader to lead our California team at Common Cause, promoting our national agenda at the state level; fostering a strong and sustainable organization; leading our team to win public policy campaigns at the state and local level; building on a diverse set of organizational partnerships, including with community-based organizations around the state; and providing strategic vision and public leadership. • The Executive Director will have the opportunity to reimagine the strategic approach for what our work looks like in California and develop programs to achieve that vision. This is a unique opportunity to be a leading voice at the center of advancing democracy reforms in the state, while also expanding our membership base and managing a high-performing team. • This role reports to the Senior Vice President, State Operations and is a remote role within California with regular in-state travel. We hope our new Executive Director can join us in December! • Responsibilities • Set and lead our statewide strategy for policy advocacy and organizing that advances and expands democracy while centering racial equity. • Develop proactive and defensive pro-democracy policy campaigns that center racial equity • Advocate for our campaigns in alignment with Common Cause’s nonpartisan approach; collaborating with democracy champions from across the ideological spectrum • Develop strategies to advance reform (or stop anti-democratic initiatives) and to hold federal, state, and local elected and appointed officials and other decision-makers accountable, and manage members of the California team to implement those strategies • Oversee Common Cause’s work in the state including on issues like voting and elections, redistricting, money in politics, media and democracy, and combatting disinformation • Manage members of the California team to advance campaigns, build strategic relationships, and produce timely, high quality policy research • Drive the team’s work on public outreach and strategic partnerships that advance our mission • Build, lead, and participate in effective and diverse coalitions, and manage members of the California team to lead effective coalitions • Serve as Common Cause’s spokesperson and respond to inquiries from media, government officials, and others • Engage members and the public across the state through social media, website updates, and email communication • Develop and implement grassroots organizing strategies to build support for the Common Cause agenda • Expand and diversify our membership base in the state to deepen our impact • Team Management • Manage and support the California team: collaboratively set clear, actionable goals, coach and develop them towards these goals, and support their career progression and retention at Common Cause • Supervise consultants, volunteers, and interns as needed, in accordance with Common Cause management standards, practices, and procedures • Provide guidance and oversight to staff to ensure their contributions are effective and support the broader goals of the team • Administration • Manage the budget for the California team • Build, maintain, and engage a strong and diverse state advisory board that provides guidance on program and fundraising • Collaborate with Common Cause staff across the country • Development and fundraising • Develop and expand fundraising strategies to support and sustain Common Cause programs, including lobbying efforts • Raise funds from a variety of sources, including foundations, major donors, members, and special events • Collaborate with national staff to achieve fundraising goals for Common Cause • Cultivate, nurture, and grow relationships with donors across the state, ensuring ongoing support and deepening their engagement with Common Cause’s mission

Requirements

• Have led public interest advocacy campaigns in a non-profit setting, ideally centered in racial equity and on legislative work at the state and local levels • Strong familiarity with, or interest in, democracy policy issues including voting rights, redistricting, money in politics, online disinformation and AI, and other topics • Have managed and develop a team, set strategic direction for a team, and built a unified approach to achieve goals • Have managed coalitions or groups that represent stakeholders with diverse interests to achieve a policy or campaign goal • Experience developing, analyzing, and advocating for legislative proposals, preferably in California • Significant experience raising funds to support campaigns or programs • Ability to travel within state 3-4 times per month to meet with staff, partners, media and donors (much of this travel will be to the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Sacramento); and nationally 1-2 times per year for team and/or all staff retreats • Flexibility to work evenings and weekends as needed • Per our nonpartisan policy, Common Cause staff members may not currently be in elected office (or running for office); on the Steering Committee or Finance Committee for any political candidate; or affiliated with the leadership of a political party

Benefits

• A robust healthcare plan that covers 97% of employee’s medical care, 100% of employee’s vision and dental benefits, and 75% of family medical care and 100% of family vision and dental benefits • A 401k retirement savings plan, with Employer Match after 1 year of service • Generous Paid Time Off including 20 Days of Vacation and 10 observed Holidays per year, and additional days off for Thanksgiving and Winter break • Flexible spending accounts • Dependent Care and Pet Care Support when you travel for work • Funds for professional development • And more! See more details here: https://www.commoncause.org/our-benefits/