RARE OPPORTUNITY:                                      
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE CITIZEN ADVOCACY CENTER                                       

The Citizen Advocacy Center (CAC) seeks a visionary Executive Director (ED), qualified to practice law in Illinois, who will confidently lead the organization, report to the Board of Directors, and have overall responsibility for advancing the CAC’s mission and goals. 

The CAC's ED must have the capacity to develop, implement, manage, and achieve our diverse goals and objectives, and demonstrate dynamic abilities in the following areas:

Leadership – The ED is responsible for overseeing all day-to-day operations and creating conditions so the CAC can successfully achieve its mission. Activities in this area broadly include, but are not limited to, developing and implementing systems to assess needs and progress in core areas; maintaining an inspirational and collaborative leadership style; engaging and expanding varied constituent groups; and working effectively with the Board of Directors. 

Mission Programming and Advocacy – The ED is responsible for overseeing the CAC’s programming and advocacy work as well as for identifying and achieving systemic democracy-building reforms both locally and statewide, which often requires the effective use of a wide range of legal and civic advocacy tools.

Fundraising & Fiscal Management – The ED is responsible for the procurement of financial resources to sustain and grow the CAC’s operations, which broadly includes building and optimizing funding relationships with foundations, individual donors, and varied constituencies; facilitating fiscal management discussions with the Board of Directors; and ensuring compliance with required regulatory filings.

Communications – The ED is responsible for communications with the CAC’s various constituent groups, including the media.  The ED must have outstanding interpersonal skills in order to effectively communicate with diverse groups of people, including those with differing viewpoints across the civic and political spectra, and with an emphasis on maintaining the CAC's nonpartisan mandate.  

                    RELEVANT CHARACTER, EXPERIENCE, SKILLS, & EDUCATION

• Passionate enthusiasm about the mission of the CAC;
• License to practice law in Illinois, or the intention to be admitted to Illinois bar within a year of hiring;
• Compelling writing and inspirational speaking skills with the ability to adapt communication skills to varied audiences; 
• Ability to be self-directed in setting goals, objectives, and priorities and the capacity to work both on the strategic and the tactical level;
• Action-oriented, entrepreneurial and adaptable personality able to innovate uses of the CAC's resources; 
• Strong ability to work in collaboration with diverse groups of people;
• Demonstrated experience in effectively leading an organization or in effectively leading part of an organization with the skill set to step up to an overall executive role;
• Ability to coach and manage a small staff and to supervise volunteers and interns effectively;
• Past success in working with a Board of Directors and various stakeholders; 
• Demonstrated leadership and success in fundraising through personal cultivation of donors, an ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders, and a capacity to develop the relationships necessary to assess and pursue philanthropic funding relationships and opportunities; 
• Ability to manage a budget including the preparation of budget reports; and  
• Competent communications and public relations skills.

To Apply: Applications will be accepted beginning September 15, 2022 and will remain under consideration until the position is filled.  Submit cover letter and resume using the  form below.

Benefits include health insurance as well as paid time off, holidays and family leave. Compensation is to be determined based on experience.
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The CAC is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values diversity and diverse cultures, perspectives and skills, and experiences. Applicants will not be discriminated against based on race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, citizenship status, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition or any protected category prohibited by local, state, or federal laws.