Executive Director

How to apply
Please submit a detailed letter explaining how the Community Food Security Coalition would thrive under your leadership, as well as names of four references, how you heard about this position, and a complete chronological resume to: bhazen@nonprofitoregon.org

The Position
With its history of rebuilding food systems, CFSC has a responsibility to provide enhanced vision and leadership in the food justice movement, and guide the emerging conversations about food security in the nation. It is also a time to ensure that our core beliefs, rooted in justice and fairness for all, remain center-stage in national and local conversations on food. We seek a dynamic and proven social justice and organizational leader to help us fulfill our promise.

CFSC is poised to increase its visibility, effectiveness and partnerships with other organizations dedicated to social justice and equitable food systems. As the leader and public face of an international coalition, the Executive Director will lead this transition.

Key Responsibilities
Leadership
• A visionary and courageous leader who can inspire and assist CFSC in addressing the inequities in the food system.
• Ability to communicate a vision and strategy for advancing social justice, including analyzing how structural racism and other systems of privilege and oppression create inequities in the food system.
• Experience or a vision for developing and implementing a strategy to dismantle racism and other forms of exclusion and oppression.
• A strong grasp of food systems policy and experience with the political process of how food policy is developed and changed at multiple levels.
• Ability to articulate the critical importance of engaging people of color, low-income people, and other marginalized groups at the center of a diverse coalition’s efforts.
• A confident, compassionate leader who handles complex decisions well, prioritizes effectively, and shifts easily from one task to another in a fast-paced day.
Staff and Board Development
• Ability to promote Board of Directors' and staff engagement in critical thinking, strategic planning, resource/financial development, and overall organizational wellness.
• Ability to work well with board and staff to create a clear and strategic vision for the coalition, and devise and implement a road map to go there.
• Ability to build teams, inspire others to develop their own leadership capacities, and foster collaboration and individual initiative.
Fundraising
• Success sustaining a diverse funding base, including developing and implementing fund development strategies through public and private giving and earned income.
• Experience with raising the visibility of the organization through the development and implementation of sustainable marketing and fundraising strategies.
Coalition Building
• A master of effective written and oral communication with experience targeting messages to a variety of audiences.
• Comfortable working with people of diverse opinions and perspectives, and able to balance power inequities among coalition members to build true consensus.
• Ability to implement creative strategies to increase membership and expand public awareness of CFSC's work and value.
Fiscal and Operational Management
• Proven success in developing and overseeing an appropriate organizational structure that ensures the strategic and programmatic objectives are supported internally: facilities, technology, finances, communication, functional needs.
• Proven success developing and adhering to multiple budgets, overseeing accurate fiscal accounting with restricted funds, and planning future growth based on accurate models.
• Proven success in creating management systems and practices as well as supervising and mentoring on and off-site staff.

This is an exciting public position to lead a high profile coalition creating real change in the world. The Executive Director will have overall responsibility for leading CFSC to a new level of visibility, outreach and inclusion for groups throughout North America, and will have the following experience and characteristics:
• Ten years of effective leadership experience, preferably in the nonprofit sector, ideally with a social justice membership organization.
• Knowledge and experience with food, anti-hunger, and social justice movements.
• A proven track record in fundraising and development, cultivating foundation support and ensuring the overall financial integrity of the organization.
• Experience working closely with an effective Board of Directors in ways that maximize the effectiveness of both staff and board.
• Demonstrated writing, public speaking, and presentation skills.
• Willingness to work demanding schedule, think and plan strategically, work well with diverse range of people, and provide leadership by example.

Background
Established in 1994, the Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC) catalyzes food systems that are healthy, sustainable, just and democratic by building community voice and capacity for change. CFSC provides leadership to the rapidly expanding food systems movement with members across North America. CFSC is dedicated to building strong, sustainable, local and regional food systems that ensure access to affordable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food to all people at all times. There’s a diverse membership of over 500 organizations from social and economic justice, anti-hunger, environmental, community development, sustainable agriculture, community gardening and other fields. CFSC is currently headquartered in Portland, OR, with staff and Board members around the country.

CFSC offers expert assistance to coalition members to build their capacity and guide positive change in their communities. We achieve our goals through training, education and advocacy to further the efforts of grassroots groups. As we face growing issues of disparity, hunger and unsustainable food systems, the need for the coalition and strong leadership has never been greater. Go to www.foodsecurity.orgfor details on our programs, services and basic principles.

Location