Executive Director

SUMMARY

Since 2006, Progress Alliance of Washington has been a critical leader in our state’s progressive movement, strengthening and protecting the vital infrastructure that our communities need to secure democracy and win on our issues. Building on nearly 20 years of statewide impact, and poised to grow our influence, we are excited to be accepting nominations and applications for our next Executive Director!

Progress Alliance is seeking a strategic, dynamic, and relationship-oriented political strategist and fundraiser to lead our capacity building work with progressive community-based organizations and candidates across Washington state. For instructions on how to apply, please see the end of this document. Priority consideration will be given to applications received by March 31, 2025.

ABOUT PROGRESS ALLIANCE

Progress Alliance is the only Washington state organization solely focused on tending to the underlying infrastructure and foundation of our progressive movement. Our mission is to build a permanent and powerful progressive movement in Washington state, supported by a network of committed donors.

As both a 501c(3) and c(4) organization with a combined annual budget of over $3M, our work extends beyond single issues or campaigns – identifying and filling gaps in our movement’s infrastructure, and addressing threats that stand in the way of the future our communities are seeking. As a donor table, we work at the intersection of racial justice and politics to move money, shift power, and foster collaboration. Our team includes our Operations Director, Program & Engagement Manager, and Executive Assistant.

Progress Alliance implements trust-based grantmaking in solidarity with 20+ partner grantee organizations across the state, raising and dispersing unrestricted multi-year funding and support for our collective efforts to build a thriving multiracial, cross-class progressive ecosystem in Washington. Since our founding we have granted over $15M in pooled funds and stewarded an additional $6M in restricted funds to key programs. Progress Alliance also elevates and supports leaders who have traditionally been under resourced and excluded from the democratic process. Our First Mile Circle, launched in 2019 (and quickly doubling in size), is the first-of-its-kind donor circle funding progressive candidates of color in down ballot races across Washington, addressing the inequitable financial barriers that challenge a truly representational democracy.

Progress Alliance fosters collaboration through strategic partnership with our grantees and political institutions, working to align resources and strategies for long-term impact. Our work is driven by a fierce commitment to accountability – to community, grantees, partners, and those most impacted by politics and policies in our state.

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

Our new Executive Director will be joining Progress Alliance at a crucial and paradoxical time – Washington state has the strongest and most representative progressive leadership in our history, at a time when our democracy is critically at risk. Since our founding, Progress Alliance has continued to adapt and mature as an organization, unapologetically centering racial equity in our work, and mitigating the power dynamics embedded in philanthropic and political work as we practice trust-based philanthropy.

We are proud of the work we have done to clarify our mission and focus, resulting in a strong values-aligned board and community of donor members and partner grantees. Building on this success, the new Executive Director will have an opportunity to partner with us to:

• Boldly inspire a movement to invest in progressive power and capacity at the local
• and state level at a time when our democracy is under attack;
• Raise critical dollars for our partner grantees and First Mile candidates, enabling them to effectively lead with the robust resources they need to drive progress in uncertain times;
• Grow and foster collaboration and accountability among donors and grantees for community-led investment in Washington’s future; and
• Collaboratively lead, nurture and inspire a small, talented team of values-aligned professionals who are the backbone of Progress Alliance’s impact.

THE ROLE

Reporting directly to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will provide leadership to fulfill Progress Alliance’s mission in the following capacities. While the incoming Executive Director will work with the board and staff to fully flesh out components of the role, the list below reflects our initial hopes and expectations for the position.

Vision & Strategic Leadership (20%)

• Provide consistent and visionary leadership to help sustain and grow Progress Alliance’s capacity and impact, adapting as new opportunities and challenges arise.
• Serve as Progress Alliance’s primary leader and political strategist, thoughtfully and confidently learning from and advising our community of partner grantees and values-aligned donor members for long-term, sustainable impact.
• Maintain a strong and adaptive understanding of progressive issues, policies, and players in Washington state.
• Ensure that Progress Alliance is fiscally, administratively, and culturally healthy and aligned with our mission and values.

Donor Engagement & Fundraising (40%)

• Lead fundraising for a $3M+ budget in partnership with staff, ensuring sustainable and long-term financial support for Progress Alliance’s mission.
• Inspire members of Progress Alliance’s donor member community (~100 individuals/families), articulating our wins and impact while igniting a hunger for what is possible as we build and scale our model.
• Initiate, maintain, and nurture year-round donor cultivation, ensuring that we can continue to deliver on our multi-year grantmaking commitments to our partners.
• Work with staff to plan, coordinate, launch, and implement our annual First Mile Circle giving campaign and associated events.
• Implement strategic fundraising goals, including capacity building for emerging and rapid response grantmaking, national expansion of our First Mile model, and planned giving investments, ensuring a permanent and powerful future for our movement.
• Meet frequently and directly with donors, deepening relationships, pragmatically centering shared values and cultivating bolder investments in our aligned priorities.
• Work with the Program & Engagement manager to plan and facilitate innovative member education events and opportunities, focusing on strengthening donor knowledge and skills in racially equitable political strategy.
• Serve as a liaison between Progress Alliance’s grantees and our donors, validating and highlighting the effective work and expertise of community-based organizations.
• Strategically plan and lead limited issue-based fundraising, building on momentum around a particular issue or moment to galvanize longer-term donor engagement.

Strategic Collaboration, External Relations, and National Leadership (10%)

• Facilitate and maintain strong and trusting relationships between Progress Alliance’s partner grantees, allies, elected leaders, and other funders and partners at the local, state, and national level to support alignment in our work.
• Respectfully and collaboratively engage with our grantees as our strategic partners, centering their community and political expertise as we move forward together.
• Actively participate as a member of the Committee on States, working with national and state partners, including mentorship of new networks.
• Lead and serve as a public speaker, spokesperson, conference attendee and political committee member as needed, guiding and amplifying our work and values.

Program Leadership & Staff Management (20%)

• Support and empower a highly capable staff to effectively lead, providing clear direction and trust to team members while establishing open lines of communication.
• Lead the organization’s long-term financial planning, including c3 and c4 annual operating budgets in partnership with the staff and board.
• In close collaboration with the Program & Engagement Manager and Operations Director, administer and oversee the grantmaking portfolio, Voter Action Political Action Committee (PAC) compliance, and First Mile Circle program.
• Work with staff to develop and refine Progress Alliance’s communications strategy and capacity, equipping the organization to expand its influence and messaging.
• Collaboratively coach and facilitate professional development of staff through regular check-ins and informal and formal performance reviews tied to Progress Alliance’s strategic goals.

Board Development & Engagement (10%)

• Foster effective communication, values alignment, role clarity, and shared accountability with the Board of Directors, working in tandem to advance Progress Alliance’s mission.
• Support the continued diversification and engagement of the Board of Directors by assisting with recruitment, onboarding and transformative relationship-building efforts.
• Invest in maintaining the existing board culture and high degree of trust by prioritizing meaningful times of retreat, alignment and vision-setting.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Progress Alliance knows that our impact is only possible because of the collective creativity and expertise of our staff, board, donor members, and partner grantees. We honor and expect that our next Executive Director will bring both strengths and opportunities for growth into this role. In that spirit, we seek candidates who reflect a majority (but not all) of the following attributes, skills, and experiences:

• A keen political strategist with knowledge of the political landscape in Washington state and discernment to know what it takes to win and advance sustainable progressive power.
• A bold and pragmatic fundraiser who can effectively engage a diverse set of donors to identify and advance our shared self-interests.
• A demonstrated anti-racist leader with cultural proficiency in politically underrepresented communities, including but not limited to, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), immigrant and refugee, LGBTQ+, justice-involved, and youth communities.
• A charismatic and compelling storyteller with the ability to articulate and implement a credible and clear vision, leading others to join in our work; Comfortable engaging and reasoning with donors who ask hard and valid questions that deserve clear answers.
• A grounded, trustworthy, and level-headed leader who connects individuals around shared aspirations, focusing on long-term pragmatic wins for our communities.
• An organized project manager who is skilled at time management, back planning, calendaring, and effective-follow through with competing priorities.
• A compassionate and skilled people manager and mentor, with experience providing clear direction in work environments with significant ambiguity.
• A senior professional with 8+ years of experience in philanthropy, politics, fundraising, nonprofit leadership, policy development, or related fields.
• Valid driver’s license or equivalent ability to travel strongly preferred.
• A fun-loving team member who is willing to sing karaoke and be silly is a plus.

Progress Alliance is a hybrid work environment, with an expectation of at least one day a week in the office (Capitol Hill neighborhood). The Executive Director role requires frequent travel in the Seattle area (with some additional travel throughout Washington state) to meet with donors and community members.

Data shows that underrepresented candidates often hesitate to apply for a job if they do not meet all of the qualifications listed. If you feel passionate about Progress Alliance’s mission and believe that you have the skills to lead in this role, we want to hear from you!

TO APPLY

To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to jobs@washingtonprogress.org. Progress Alliance has partnered with Makeba Greene Consulting to facilitate and support our search for our next Executive Director.

This position is open until filled. For priority consideration, please submit materials by March 31, 2025. We anticipate that initial interviews will begin in May, with a desired start date in June or July.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Progress Alliance is an equal opportunity employer. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQ+ people, and women are strongly encouraged to apply. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workplace culture enhances our ability to fulfill our mission.