Executive Director

Puget Sound Sage and Sage Leaders (“Sage”) chart a bold path to a living economy in the South Salish Sea and Duwamish River Valley (South Seattle and South King County) regions by developing community power to influence, lead, and govern. At Sage, we organize for growing communities where all families thrive.

Built on a relational framework, Puget Sound Sage (501c3) works in coalition with other community-based organizations, government, and environmental groups, advocating for and passing some of the region’s most exciting policies that promote climate justice, good jobs, and equitable development in low-wage and people of color communities. Sage Leaders (501c4) cultivates deep democracy in Washington state by developing Black, Indigenous, and People of Color community leaders for civic and elected leadership.

Sage seeks nominations and applications for a new Executive Director who will embody a collaborative, genuine leadership style that leverages the collective knowledge and power of staff, communities, and organizational partners working for lasting change. This is a unique opportunity to lead an organization which uses participatory research to help shape groundbreaking policies that center racial justice and equity, and allow Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities, families, and workers to have the resources they need to be part of a living economy. The next Executive Director will be committed to working in a Just Transition framework and understand that the liberation of all people is inextricably tied to the liberation of Black and Indigenous peoples.

Sage seeks a leader who is deeply committed to the organization’s mission and values and is grounded by a deep commitment to building BIPOC community power and influence. While no one candidate will possess all the qualifications enumerated below, the successful candidate will bring many of the following professional qualifications and personal attributes:

Mission, Vision, & Values

• Deep commitment to developing community power, racial justice, and deep democracy nurtured through professional and lived experience; passion for what is possible when people are organized around a set of shared values and outcomes.
• Strong understanding of movements to develop community-centered political power with and in communities of color and historically under-resourced communities; familiarity with the Just Transition framework.

Organizing and Coalition Building

• Previous experience working for or collaborating with community-based organizations, labor unions, and coalitions working toward lasting political change.
• Sophisticated experience leading organizing and advocacy work centering racial equity with other systems of oppression and employing collective impact, base-building and leadership development strategies.
• Strong and authentic relationship building skills; comfort working across a diversity of groups and interests; ability to both find common ground and speak truth to power as the moment calls.
• Outstanding facilitation, and communication skills; deep values orientation and belief that BIPOC communities hold the wisdom and solutions necessary to advance lasting change.

Leadership & Management

• Demonstrated success raising funds and increasing investment from a range of funders, including local and regional foundations, labor unions, individuals, and community.
• Experience managing and collaborating with highly talented and diverse teams; successful experience overseeing budgets and staff of similar complexity. Familiarity with the operations of a jointly operated c3/c4 organization is nice to have, but not required and can be taught on the job.
• Inclusive and collaborative leadership style that leverages the knowledge, diversity, and expertise of staff, communities, and organizational partners; genuine collaborator paired with the ability to move others without exerting hierarchical power is essential.
• Understanding of the importance a representative and governing board has in advancing an organization’s work; organizing skill to leverage a deeply committed group of people’s skills on behalf of a larger vision and mission; previous experience engaging with or on a board is desired but not required.
• Excellent spoken and written communications skills; ability to call attention to important issues when the moment requires and the humility and maturity to share the spotlight with others.
• Sense of humor and deep passion required for important work and the creativity and human-centered approach that focuses on the big vision, charts a path forward, weathers the storm, and celebrates the win with all those who shared in the journey.

For the full position description and to apply, please visit: https://recruitcrm.io/apply/25151817

Compensation Transparency: Sage believes in salary transparency and equity across the organization. The salary range for this position is between $90,000-110,000. Sage offers a strong benefits package including family health benefits, life and disability insurance, retirement contribution of 7% of salary, generous vacation and personal time, and fully covered local transit pass. Sage also participates in Washington’s Paid Family Leave state benefit.

More information about Puget Sound Sage and Sage Leaders (“Sage”) may be found at: https://www.pugetsoundsage.org/ and https://www.sageleaders.org/.

This search is being led by Carolyn Ho and Catherine Seneviratne of NPAG. Due to the pace of this search, candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Candidates may submit their cover letter, outlining their interest and qualifications, along with their resume via NPAG’s candidate portal.

Puget Sound Sage is committed to hiring and advancing personnel with an explicit regard to advance women, black people, indigenous people, people of color, immigrants, LGBTQIA people, and other people from traditionally underrepresented communities. Further, we are committed to working with allied organizations which do the same.