Championing the Children of Washington: Executive Director Opportunity

Children’s Alliance seeks a visionary changemaker to lead our organization at a pivotal moment for Washington’s children and families.

As our next Executive Director, you will harness the collective power of our 7,000+ individual members, 125 partner organizations, and dedicated team to transform state policies and create lasting impact. This role offers a rare opportunity to stand at the intersection of policy and community organizing while centering racial justice. If you are a dynamic relationship-builder with the strategic mind to translate bold vision into policy victories through coalition-building, this leadership role offers a platform to shape the future for generations of Washington’s children.

Read on to learn more about this unique leadership opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of children and families in Washington state.

Applications submitted by Thursday, April 24 will be given full consideration. Interviewing is anticipated in May; early applications are strongly encouraged.

The starting salary range is $150,000 - $170,000, depending on qualifications and experience. 

Organizational Overview

Mission: Children’s Alliance strives to place racial justice at the heart of Washington’s laws and budget priorities so that every child can thrive.

Vision: Our vision is that all of Washington’s children will have an abundance of what they need to grow up to be the people they dream of becoming.

For four decades, Children’s Alliance has been a powerful catalyst for change in Washington. Our mission to place racial justice at the heart of Washington’s laws and budget priorities has driven landmark policy victories that have transformed opportunities for children and families across our state.

With over 7,000 individual members and 125 organizational partners, we amplify the voices of those most impacted by policy decisions. Our nimble team of skilled and passionate advocates builds strategic coalitions, shapes public narrative, and drives legislative action that creates lasting systems change. The next Executive Director will lead an organization with a rock-solid foundation – an annual operating budget of $1.8 million, very healthy reserves, and relationships across Washington’s advocacy landscape – that is ready to expand its collective impact for children and families.

Today's political landscape presents both urgent challenges and unique opportunities for children's advocacy in Washington. As policies affecting healthcare access, education, immigration, and family support systems continue to evolve at the state and federal levels, the need for a strong, unified voice for children has never been more critical. The next Executive Director will navigate this complex environment while building on our momentum to ensure that racial justice remains central to policy decisions affecting Washington's children and that they all have what they need to grow up to be the people they dream of becoming.

Commitment to Racial Justice 

At Children’s Alliance, racial justice isn’t an add-on – it is the foundation of everything we do. Our mission explicitly centers racial equity because we recognize that systemic racism creates profound and persistent disparities for children and families across Washington.

Our commitment manifests in multiple ways:

• Our policy priorities directly address racial disparities in early learning, health equity, and economic justice.

• Our advocacy strategies center and amplify the voices of the communities most impacted by inequitable systems.

• Our Board composition reflects our dedication to representative leadership.

• Our internal practices strive to embody the equity values we champion. 

We are seeking an Executive Director who can engage authentically with our commitment to racial justice to help us navigate complex political terrain while keeping racial equity at the center of our work, building authentic relationships that share power across diverse communities, and ensuring our organizational culture fully reflects our values. This will help us ensure that all of Washington’s children have the abundance they need to grow into the people they dream of becoming.

Catalyze Our Next Chapter of Impact

As Executive Director, you will lead Children’s Alliance at a transformative moment in our state and country, with unique opportunities to:

• Chart a Bold Policy Agenda: Leverage our proven success to tackle the most urgent challenges facing Washington’s children. You’ll have the chance to establish a fourth policy area that complements our successful work in early learning, health equity, and economic justice, deepening a holistic approach to child well-being.

• Forge Powerful Statewide Coalitions: Nurture and strengthen game-changing partnerships that amplify the voices of communities most impacted by systemic inequities. Your leadership will strengthen our work in Washington’s statewide advocacy ecosystem through authentic relationship-building with diverse stakeholders – from grassroots organizers and advocates to policymakers.

• Sustain Our Fundraising Success: Partner with our Board and development team to diversify and expand our resource base by effectively engaging individual donors and institutional funders.

• Evolve Our Governance Model: Partner with our Board of Directors to further develop structures that engage Board members statewide as thought partners, ambassadors, and advocates.

• Embody Our Commitment to Racial Justice: Lead our continued evolution as an explicitly anti-racist organization, ensuring our internal practices authentically reflect our values and build our capacity to effectively navigate complex political landscapes.

You will join a committed and passionate team eager for collaborative leadership and partner with a Board deeply invested in our mission. With stable finances and a strong reputation, we are positioned for remarkable positive impact under your leadership.

Essential Duties of Position

As Executive Director, you will guide our organization’s strategic direction while serving as a primary advocate, spokesperson, and relationship-builder. In collaboration with our Board of Directors and a dedicated staff, you will:

• Lead Our Strategic Priorities: Create a compelling roadmap for Children’s Alliance that centers equitable policy development and resonates with stakeholders across Washington. Collaborate with Board members, staff leaders, and community partners to set ambitious goals and transform them into concrete policy victories.

• Cultivate a Thriving Organization: Lead our senior leadership team – including our Senior Policy Director, Development/Communications Director, and Administrative Manager – fostering a workplace that shares power and supports staff leadership to drive change through policy priorities and advocacy strategies. You will also oversee operational excellence and engage donors and funders to ensure a healthy and sustainable organization.

• Amplify Our Collective Voice: Serve as a powerful external champion for children’s issues in a challenging sociopolitical climate, building strategic relationships with policymakers, coalition partners, funders, and – most importantly – the communities directly impacted by our work.

Qualities for Success

We are seeking a galvanizing relationship-builder who can transform bold vision into tangible policy wins for Washington’s children. While we don’t expect exceptional skills across every dimension, our ideal leader will bring distinctive experience and strengths in these key areas:

• Champion for Racial Justice and Equity

• You have a demonstrated track record of advancing anti-racism and equity within organizations and their work

• You center those most affected by policies in decision-making and believe in advocacy “with, not for”

• You understand the vital importance of addressing systemic inequities that impact children and families in communities of color

• You build genuine trust across differences, sharing power and connecting authentically with diverse stakeholders

• Strategic Visionary

• You excel at leading compelling visions and strategies that inspire collective action

• You make intentional decisions with transparency, integrity, and ethical clarity

• You are experienced at building, convening, and sustaining diverse coalitions

• You bring unwavering passion for children’s advocacy, with the courage to persist through adversity

• You inspire others as a dynamic and  engaging ambassador

• Collaborative Team Builder

• You have successfully built and retained talented and diverse teams to ensure adequate staffing capacity for organizational needs

• You create compassionate workplace cultures where people bring their authentic selves

•  You balance collaboration with providing clear direction to empower your team

• Skilled Organizational Administrator 

• You have led organizational growth and thoughtful systems development

• You partner effectively with a board to clarify roles and expectations

• You oversee complex budgets and develop strategic long-term financial plans

• You align operational decisions with organizational mission and values

• Relationship-Based Fundraiser

• You genuinely enjoy building donor relationships and making the case for support

• You bring creativity and enthusiasm to resource development

• You think strategically about fundraising as a thought partner to development staff

• Policy and Advocacy Strategist

• You understand the Washington state policy and advocacy landscape

• You have an aptitude for learning quickly, based on experience in similar political contexts

Compensation and Benefits

This is a full-time salaried position requiring a willingness to work some evenings and weekends as well as occasional travel throughout the state of Washington. 

The starting salary range is $150,000 - $170,000, depending on qualifications and experience. 

Children’s Alliance offers a competitive benefits package to its employees, including subsidized medical, vision, and dental plans for employees and dependents, and an opportunity to participate in an employer-matched retirement savings plan. Employees receive 12 days of paid time off annually with 1 additional day of paid sick leave accruing each month, plus 14 paid holidays. Other benefits include a monthly cell phone stipend and a free gym membership within the office complex.

How to Apply

Online applications only; please no email or paper submissions. 

You will be asked to upload a cover letter and resume. In your cover letter, please describe as specifically as you can how your experience relates to Children’s Alliance goals, mission, and vision for the future as described in this announcement. 

Applications received by April 24 will be given full consideration; early applications are strongly encouraged! All applications will be acknowledged via an email receipt. Interviewing is anticipated to begin in May. We invite you to share your access needs to ensure an inclusive process.

We encourage applications from members of underrepresented groups, including LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans, people with disabilities, first-generation professionals, people of color, and those from non-traditional backgrounds.

Questions regarding this opportunity are welcomed and can be directed to:

José Leonor: jose [at] cloversearchworks.com

Posting Date: Friday, March 21, 2025