Fresh Lifelines for Youth (FLY), Chief Executive Officer

ORGANIZATION

Fresh Lifelines for Youth (FLY) is an award-winning Bay Area nonprofit whose mission is to partner with youth to unlock their potential, disrupt the pipeline to prison, and advance justice in California and beyond. Founded in 2000, FLY has been guided by youth voices in the youth justice system to create programs grounded in legal education, mentoring and leadership training. Imagine 2030, FLY’s ambitious strategic growth plan, outlines four pathways for partnering with young people, communities, and systems to dismantle California’s pipeline to prison, equip 30,000 youth to transform their lives, and create meaningful opportunities for them to live healthy, free, and productive lives. Currently, approximately 100 FLY staff and 150 volunteers operate out of four offices and 40-plus cities across five counties in the San Francisco Bay Area to serve and partner with approximately 2,000 young people each year. 

For more information about FLY, please visit www.flyprogram.org. 

OPPORTUNITY

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) leads the organization in partnership with the FLY Executive Team by providing overall strategic and operational oversight to build and sustain FLY’s people, culture, programs, expansion, and execution of its mission. The CEO has direct supervision of three executive team members and an executive assistant.

The CEO should have an unwavering commitment to FLY’s mission, vision, and values, and a similar respect for FLY youth, families, staff, volunteers and partners. 

In addition, the CEO should have a passion for supporting young people, familiarity with the California youth justice system, expertise in fundraising from private and public sources, and experience managing large, complex nonprofit organizations. It is expected that within the first several months in the role, FLY’s next CEO will develop a strong grasp for the agency’s core programs, expansion and growth plans, and overall operations.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Key Responsibilities of the Chief Executive Officer include:

Strategic Execution, Fiscal Oversight, and Cultural Stewardship 

• In partnership with the Board, staff, and key stakeholders, ensure FLY’s Imagine 2030 strategy is effectively implemented, including translating the strategy and vision into annual financial, operational, and programmatic goals and objectives, tracking and evaluating progress, and course correcting as necessary. 
• In partnership with the Board, staff, and key stakeholders, periodically assess and, if necessary, revise FLY’s strategic direction (and related business model and priorities, including growth and expansion plans) in response to changing contexts and environmental factors.
• In partnership with the finance team, engage in fiscal management and oversight; routinely report performance and financial activities to the Board.
• In partnership with the COO, effectively guide FLY in balancing its direct service programming with its advocacy and systems change focus, while successfully assessing the impact on FLY youth, its business model, funding opportunities, and community partnerships. 
• Serve as chief advocate and embodiment of FLY’s culture and values. 
• Continue building on FLY’s culture by empowering and supporting FLY’s executive team while ensuring the highest levels of accountability throughout the whole organization. 

Fund Development, External Relations, and Advocacy

• In partnership with the Chief Advancement Officer, board members, and program leaders, secure sustained financial support from new and existing funders central to FLY’s work, including government, individual donors, foundations, and corporate partners.
• Develop and maintain mission-critical partnerships with policy makers, government agencies, nonprofit partners, and the broader community in furtherance of FLY’s goals and strategic priorities.
• Represent FLY and its advocacy agenda at various local, state, and national policy and advocacy tables in partnership with FLY youth, alumni, and staff.
• Serve as the key brand ambassador for FLY at fundraising and community events, while also leveraging other FLY champions for external relations. 

Board Collaboration

• In partnership with the Board, help identify, recruit, onboard, and support a diverse Board of Directors, meeting the agency goal of 12 to 15 board members.
• Partnering with the Board Chair(s) and Executive Team, prepare, manage, and lead quarterly board meetings and annual board retreat for the purposes of organizational accountability and strategic guidance.
• In concert with FLY Executive Team and Board Committee Chairs, ensure healthy Board functioning through the Governance Committee; provide oversight for the organization’s overall fiscal health, including annual budget planning as well as its annual audit process through the Finance and Audit Committees; activate Board stewardship and ambassadorship through the Development Committees.

PRIORITIES

The organization has identified the following Year One priorities for FLY’s new CEO:

• Provide effective change management leadership, demonstrated through inspirational and inclusive community building, with a focus on staff engagement and development, championing the internal FLY culture, and engaging FLY Youth.
• Ensure funding continuity by maintaining a strong, visible presence in the broader FLY community, reinforcing relationships with existing supporters, as well as identifying and cultivating new funding streams.
• Effectively partner with the FLY Board and executive staff to ensure agency impact and the successful execution of Imagine 2030.

Requirements

The next FLY Chief Executive Officer will be an accomplished nonprofit C-level executive with 10+ years of demonstrated experience successfully managing a multi-faceted and layered $10M+ organization aligned with the major responsibilities outlined above.

In addition, they should be in alignment with FLY’s core values, and also possess a core set of competencies and traits that align with FLY’s overall talent philosophy and competency framework.

• Emotional Intelligence: FLY’s next CEO must show compassion and empathy towards others, as well as possess the ability to “meet individuals where they’re at.” This is essential when working with FLY staff, board members, funders, youth, and other stakeholders.
• Sector Experience: FLY’s next CEO should have experience in the youth justice field and / or with related systems, indicating a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities within this area and the ability to develop and implement effective strategies to support youth impacted by the youth justice system.
• Change Management: FLY’s next CEO must lead the organization through transitions with clear foresight and planning, underscored with a transparent communication approach. They should know when change is needed and understand its impact.
• Strategic Decision-Making: FLY’s next CEO must have and ensure the organization has and uses strategic decision-making processes on all matters in order to make informed decisions in an inclusive and efficient manner.
• Develops & Motivates Others: FLY’s next CEO should inspire and motivate everyone across the entire organization, as well as community partners, funders, and champions. They should coach and mentor senior leaders, manage diverse teams, and foster a sense of belonging. 
• External Relationship Builder: The next FLY CEO is the main contact for external stakeholders, such as funders, elected officials, policy makers, and community partners. They must build and maintain strong relationships, communicate effectively, and address any issues.

Benefits

This position offers a competitive salary range of $235,000- $255,000, and robust benefits plus a potential bonus of 10%-15% of base salary based on performance and availability of funds. More details can be provided upon request.

TO APPLY

For additional questions about this position or to speak with someone about your interest, please contact Nora Maligmat at [email protected] or at 510.495.0040.

Fresh Lifelines for Youth is an equal-opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity. Recruiting staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all backgrounds. Candidates are evaluated solely on their qualifications to perform the work required.