Executive Vice President for Operations & Impact

About Color Of Change

Color Of Change is the nation’s largest online racial justice organization. Color Of Change is a high-impact, collaborative team of activists committed to making justice real for Black people, and passionate about designing strategic, creative, and winning campaigns. We are powered by our membership, and an ever-expanding, innovative team – in New York, Oakland, Hollywood, and Washington, D.C., with experience in strategy, organizing, media, technology, and organizational growth.

As a national online force driven by over 10 million members, we move decision-makers in corporations and government to create a more human and less hostile world for Black people in America. We activate our members to take action on crucial issues—from criminal justice to media representations, tech regulation, the social safety net, and voter freedom—so that we can build the power necessary to transform the written and unwritten rules of society.

Our work – both rapid response and long-term campaigns for change – amplifies the voices of Black folks and our allies, building power and delivering meaningful wins that create consequences for racial injustice and build momentum for implementing solutions that move Black people and all people forward.

We believe in racial justice, we believe in Black brilliance, we believe we should leave no one in silence. We are a Black-led organization with a powerful multi-racial team, made stronger by our ability to collaborate and leverage our diversity across gender, age, upbringing, education, talent, sexual orientation, and life experience. We are committed to high standards, high impact, and working with deep respect for one another, our members, and our partners. Until justice is real.

Color Of Change has built and is growing an effective and powerful infrastructure for changing the rules society lives by and ending the injustices Black people face. We make Black people and our allies powerful enough to end practices and systems that unfairly hold Black people back, and champion solutions that move us all forward: in politics and culture, in the workplace and the economy, in criminal justice and community life, and wherever racism exists.

For more information on Color Of Change, please visit the organization’s website.

The Opportunity

The EVP for Operations & Impact (EVP) is responsible for the day-to-day management and operations of the organization, as well as for implementing the strategic vision, direction, and commitments set by the President & CEO (President). The EVP directly manages each of the organization’s most senior-level executives, leads the executive leadership team, fosters alignment and collaboration across the organization, and regularly makes decisions critical to the near-term and long-term success of Color Of Change.

The EVP’s dual role is to ensure the internal systems, structures, and staffing of Color Of Change support a vibrant and fulfilling culture that delivers on our promises to staff, members, and allies and to ensure that Color Of Change implements its strategies at the level required to increase Black power, improve Black people’s lives, and change the rules that shape society. 

At this critical turning point for Black communities, and the country at large, we seek a multi-disciplinary, management-focused, impact-driven team-builder who can help Color Of Change rise to the immense challenges in the years ahead. Those challenges include the rise of corporate power; the backlash against racial justice; the need to convert ‘presence into power’ and opportunity into reality with respect to the transformative impact of Black leadership; and the persistence of social instability, inequality, and exploitation. It also includes the challenges of managing and maximizing the benefits of the organization’s rapid growth in size and scope.

This is a new role for the organization. The President will remain the organization’s primary external lead for fundraising, media appearances, partnership development, thought leadership, and representation within the sectors in which Color Of Change operates, while also remaining the primary thought partner for senior leaders across the organization with respect to directing and developing narrative and impact strategies. The EVP will ensure we deliver while also ensuring the overall health and security of the organization:

• Living out our values consistently;
• Setting and meeting the right goals;
• Understanding, leveraging, and expanding our assets;
• Understanding and serving our board, staff, members, and allies; and
• Ensuring compliance and managing risk.

Candidate Profile

While it is understood that no one candidate will bring every desired skill, characteristic, and experience, the following offers a reflection of the ideal candidate profile. If you are a close but not exact match with the description, we encourage you to apply.

In order for Color Of Change to become an even more powerful force for change in society, and to become an even more successful platform for enabling a full range of Black people and communities to become powerful agents of change themselves, the EVP for Operations & Impact of Color Of Change will possess the following attributes and competencies:

• Deep experience aligning cultural, operational, and impact goals for an organization.
• Advanced understanding of talent, finance, operations, marketing, and campaigning. 
• Demonstrated love, passion, and commitment to Black communities and Black power.
• Unusually strong management, communication, relationship, and collaboration skills.
• Deep experience facilitating organizational transitions, growth, and challenges.

Responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Management Standards: Create the conditions for the team to operate as a coordinated and well-managed organization.
• Day-to-Day Management: Manage the senior team, providing feedback, coaching, and executing quality management practices.
• Goal-Setting and Reporting: Own the framework and process of setting organizational goals, team goals, and individual goals, as well as developing a practice of transparent internal and external reporting, evaluation, and accountability systems and processes.
• Budget: Make the tough calls on budget priorities; manage the team to prepare budgets thoughtfully in preparation for President & Board approval.
• Personnel: While delegating wherever possible to the COO and HR, ensure the organization is positioned to recruit high-quality staff and address performance challenges in a timely fashion.
• Legal and Financial Compliance: Ensure that all compliance matters, financial or legal, have clear internal owners while spotting for unaddressed or unassigned areas.
• Organizational Capacity: Determine whether the organization has the capacity to take on a new project.
• Fundraising: Oversee the day-to-day management of the development lead and track and hold the team accountable to performance goals and metrics.

Although the EVP will help advise and support the develop of Color Of Change’s external functions and campaign-specific strategy, the EVP will not oversee these areas. The President will be focused on determining the overall strategic direction of the organization, serving as the lead fundraiser and chief spokesperson, and steering Color Of Change’s narrative, brand, and external presence.

Compensation & Benefits

The compensation range for this role is $300,000 - $320,000. Color Of Change also offers a competitive benefits package.

Contact

Koya Partners, the executive search firm that specializes in mission-driven search, has been exclusively retained for this engagement. Molly Brennan and Chartise Clark are leading this search on behalf of Koya Partners. To express interest in this role please submit your resume and cover letter here. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.

Koya Partners is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

Color Of Change (COC) is an equal opportunity employer. COC prohibits unlawful discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment based on race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, age, national origin, genetic characteristics, disability, status as a special disabled veteran or veteran, marital status, sexual orientation, sexual identity or any other basis prohibited by law.

About Koya Partners

Koya Partners, a part of Diversified Search Group, is a leading executive search and strategic advising firm dedicated to connecting exceptionally talented people with mission-driven clients. Our founding philosophy—The Right Person in the Right Place Can Change the World—guides our work as we partner with nonprofits & NGOs, institutions of higher education, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.

At Koya, we don’t just accept difference—we celebrate it, support it, and thrive on it for the benefit of our team, our clients, and the communities we serve.

For more information about Koya Partners, visit koyapartners.com.