Executive Director

MISSION

To advance well-being, equity, and justice for all of New York’s children through research, advocacy, and civic engagement.

VISION

Every child healthy, housed, educated, and safe.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Do you feel charged to address the crisis of pervasive poverty that leaves far too many children without adequate support and access to secure housing, behavioral health, and economic and food security from early childhood on?

Do you champion a transformative model of relentless advocacy, community-driven civic engagement, and cutting-edge research to uplift the well-being of children?

Are you committed to the tenets of working with and empowering community partners to build upon their assets and drive the transformation they seek?

Will you lead with a deep sense of responsibility and urgency to take a successful advocacy organization to new heights, leveraging its commitment to equity while fostering new avenues for growth and impact?

If so, we invite you to keep reading and think about the untapped opportunities for you to make a lasting difference in the lives of children.

SEARCH SUMMARY

Citizens’ Committee for Children (CCC), an 80-year-old, renowned, highly respected, New York City-based, multi-issue child advocacy organization, is seeking an inspirational, passionate, strategic, and creative leader to build upon its rich legacy of advancing the well-being, equity, and justice for all of New York’s children through research, advocacy, and civic engagement. The Executive Director will be a credible and passionate advocate, thought leader, and spokesperson who values the transformative power of community leadership. They will amplify the voices of those most impacted by systemic barriers.

This leader will provide the necessary management, strategic direction, and fundraising expertise to enhance CCC’s impact, programs, and initiatives, while ensuring that the organization is fiscally sound, operationally efficient, and aligned with its equity-focused mission.

OVERVIEW

CCC is guided by its core values of justice, equity, integrity, belonging, and accountability to the community it serves. These values are woven through its three pillars of research, advocacy, and civic engagement:

Research and Data Analysis - CCC conducts and publishes data on child and family well-being. By engaging with New Yorkers through participatory and community-based research, CCC works to co-create solutions to systemic inequities, ensuring that data reflects the lived experiences and aspirations of marginalized communities.

Advocacy - CCC co-creates and supports citywide and statewide coalitions and campaigns rooted in equity and justice. By leveraging research and civic engagement, CCC seeks to influence budget, legislative, and policy decisions at City Hall and in Albany, amplifying the voices of historically underrepresented groups in these critical spaces.

Civic Engagement - CCC mobilizes youth and adult New Yorkers through leadership development programs, advocacy trainings, and public information campaigns to raise the visibility of solutions to systemic inequities, centering the voices of those most impacted.

CCC has a staff of 18 and an operating budget of approximately $5 million. With offices located in Manhattan and a hybrid work model, CCC is supported by a 37-member Board and an Advocacy Council of 200 individuals.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND PRIORITIES

Internal Management

• Leadership – Lead with an equity-centered, strategic vision that fully embraces and advances CCC’s mission while staying connected to the day-to-day operations, programs, and activities. Intentionally strengthen CCC’s DEIJ initiatives, applying an anti-racism lens to all decisions and actions. Approach leadership with empathy and respect, ensuring that all voices are heard and valued, especially those from historically marginalized communities. Be decisive when necessary but always inclusive, relying on a shared decision-making model that fosters trust and collective ownership.
• Prioritization and Commitment to Outcomes – Organize and prioritize activities to fulfill the mission most effectively. Execute strategy with a commitment to excellence across all areas and a passion for the balance of research, advocacy, and civic engagement.
• Programs – Build authentic, trust-based partnerships that prioritize co-creation and shared power with community organizations, public agencies, and government bodies. Ensure that CCC’s work is driven by community input, adequately funded, and evaluated through an equity lens. Metrics should be designed to measure progress toward systemic change and the dismantling of structural inequities.
• Strengthening Infrastructure and Operations – In partnership with appropriate Board and staff leadership, ensure that financial systems, budgets, and planning strategies accurately reflect the financial realities of the organization. Oversee the financial status of the organization, including developing long-term and short-range financial plans on both the expense and fundraising sides. Set realistic and attainable financial projections and ensure financial stability through increased and new general operating funds. Hold self and the organization to the highest levels of transparency, integrity, and accountability. Use extensive operational management experience to balance multiple priorities while managing for future growth.
• Staff – Lead a highly motivated, competent, and culturally diverse team that is united by a shared vision and commitment to equity. Foster a work environment where staff from all backgrounds feel empowered, supported, and valued. Manage and evaluate staff with clear benchmarks and accountability while providing professional development opportunities that emphasize growth and equity-centered leadership. Promote cross-departmental collaboration through inclusive decision-making processes. Model and cultivate a work environment that fully integrates DEIJ principles into every facet of the organization’s operations and programs.

External Representative

• Resource Development – Creatively and effectively build upon the current funding models and strategies to broaden a sound and diversified funding base. Anticipate funding trends and remain ahead of the curve. Lead as a dedicated advocate and fundraiser comfortable at the policy table and the funding table, with an ability to forge alliances with funders and partners.
• Public Role and Relationship Building – Serve as a highly visible and equity-driven spokesperson and ambassador, raising CCC’s profile with authenticity and integrity. Engage stakeholders in a collaborative manner, coalescing around the mission of advancing justice, equity, and well-being for New York’s children. Build and nurture relationships with other national, state, and local organizations, government offices, and community agencies, particularly those led by and serving marginalized communities.
• Board Relations – Cultivate a transparent, inclusive, and trusting relationship with the Board. Encourage and support Board members in bringing their best ideas and efforts to the table, ensuring that equity is at the heart of governance. Work with the Board Chair and leadership to create opportunities for meaningful collaboration, building relationships among Board members that reflect CCC’s values of equity, inclusion, and justice. Support efforts to recruit new Board members who bring diverse lived experiences and a shared commitment to CCC’s mission.
• Strategic Planning – In concert with the Board, staff, and community partners as appropriate, develop, support, and implement a strategic plan with both short- and long-term goals and objectives. Incorporate the strategic plan into the organization's operating, business, and development plans and ensure that the strategic plan is implemented in a timely and cost-effective manner. Direct the establishment of standards, methods, and metrics to assess progress of the plan’s implementation.
• Evaluation – Continually assess and evaluate the organizational structure, staff, and functions through an equity lens. Implement necessary changes to ensure that programs and operations are effective, collaborative, and accountable to the communities CCC serves. Foster a culture of transparency, communication, and shared responsibility to maintain high standards of impact and service.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

The Executive Director should have the following experience and qualifications:

Demonstrated Expertise in Management, Problem-Solving, and Strategic and Financial Planning

• Proven commensurate fiscal experience, ideally in a nonprofit or government setting. A deep understanding of the intersectional challenges faced by urban children and communities, with a focus on systemic inequities and the role of public policy in addressing these issues. Experience working with city government agencies and a strong track record of navigating complex public systems.

Cultural Competency and Commitment to Justice

• Evidence of cultural humility and the capacity to foster and sustain CCC’s culture of excellence through a lens of equity, inclusion, and belonging. Unwavering commitment to social justice, skilled at creating spaces that empower communities and ensure equitable access to resources and opportunities.

Community-centered Leadership

• A true understanding of and appreciation for the power of community as an advocate for children. Familiarity with the five boroughs and their specific communities.
• An understanding of where the needs of New York City children overlap with greater New York so that coalitions can be more powerful in state-level advocacy.

Collaborative Governance and Relationship Building

• Proven ability to effectively partner with a diverse, dedicated board and cultivate strong, trusting relationships with board members and staff.

Fundraising and Resource Development

• A track record of success in outreach to traditional and nontraditional streams of community funding. The Executive Director will build authentic relationships with foundations, corporate sponsors, and individual donors who are aligned with CCC’s mission of equity and social justice for New York’s children.

Knowledge of Public Systems and Policy

• An understanding of government bodies and decision-makers. An awareness of current and ongoing changes in the political landscape and the impact of change on CCC’s work and funding.
• A history of communicating effectively in writing and verbally, including excellent social media and public speaking skills for formal and extemporaneous presentations to a broad public.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

The successful candidate should have or be:

A Passionate Advocate for Equity and Social Justice

• A deeply committed leader with a demonstrated track record of advancing racial, social, and economic justice for New York City’s children and families.

High Emotional Intelligence and Inclusive Leadership

• A leader with a strong capacity for empathy, active listening, and relationship building. The candidate should be highly visible, approachable, and dedicated to fostering trust internally and externally. They must embrace the voices and ideas of emerging leaders, recognizing the value of intergenerational collaboration and shared leadership.

A Catalyst for Change and Innovation

• A catalyst and doer who is able to conceptualize and express ideas and anticipate and act on events which may create opportunities for CCC. A ready finger on the pulse to know when CCC should take the initiative.

An Analytical, Creative, and Collaborative Problem Solver

• A strategic thinker with the ability to analyze complex issues through an equity lens and devise innovative solutions. The candidate should be a skilled negotiator, capable of building consensus across diverse stakeholders while also being bold and decisive when the moment calls for courageous leadership.

Organized, Strategic, and Equity-Centered

• A seasoned professional who is politically astute, financially aware, and deeply committed to equitable practices in both organizational management and external advocacy. The candidate should have a proven ability to foster a sense of shared purpose and collective spirit within the team while driving strategic, equity-centered growth.

COMPENSATION

The estimated salary for this position is $230,000 to $270,000. Benefits are competitive.

CCC seeks a diverse pool of candidates and will offer a competitive salary.

APPLICANTS

CCC ensures that no applicant for employment or employee of the organization is denied equal opportunity because of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, status as a parent, national origin, age, disability (physical or mental), family medical history or genetic information, political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit-based factors. These protections extend to all management practices including recruitment and hiring practices, appraisal systems, promotions, training, and career development programs.

Applications, including cover letters and resumes, and nominations should be sent to the attention of Paul Spivey and G. Angela Henry at CCC@PhillipsOppenheim.com.

For further information about Citizens' Committee for Children, please visit https://cccnewyork.org/.