PURPOSE OF THE POSITION
Under the general direction of the Director of San Diego State University’s School of Social Work, the Executive Director provides visionary leadership and strategic oversight for the organization, ensuring its mission, programs, and operations align with the broader goals of SDSU. This role is responsible for driving innovation, operational excellence, and sustainable growth across the organization’s three divisions:
- Finance and Business Services
- Strategy, Development, and Organizational Advancement
- Workforce Development Programs
The Executive Director also serves as a visible and influential leader, cultivating strong partnerships with industry partners, primarily Health and Human Services agencies, to inform development and implementation of customized services, and modeling and reinforcing the Academy’s Core Values: Accountability, Collaboration, Diversity, Flexibility, Innovation, Integrity, Professionalism, and Well-Being.
This position oversees over 110 staff, 4 of whom are direct reports.
SPECIFIC DUTIES
This is a 40-hour a week on-site position, typically working M-F from 8:00 to 4:30 p.m. and is based on contract funding subject to annual renewal. The position requires some travel, including but not limited to travel to Southern California counties, to Sacramento, and to other states where we have new business opportunities and conferences. This position may be subject to intermittent overnight travel and work shifts outside of normal business hours, including weekends and evenings if needed.
This position requires that you reside within California throughout the duration of your employment and live within a commutable distance from the worksite your work supports. This position will be working out of our San Diego office.
Note: Some duties may include working with and/or exposure to sensitive/traumatic topics or material dealing with child abuse, elder abuse, and/or issues and scenarios related to mental health, substance use, or racism.
As a project of San Diego State University Research Foundation, the Academy is grant-funded and serves as an auxiliary to the University. We are based near, but not on campus, and do not have direct responsibilities for working with or teaching college students.
STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP (20%)
- Provide strategic leadership and executive oversight to ensure the organization’s mission, programs, and operations align with the broader goals of San Diego State University.
- Engage in strategic planning to identify needs and potential growth areas and position the organization to fulfill these needs and expand in needed areas by working with the Leadership Team.
- Work in partnership with Program and Division Directors/Senior Directors, Managers, and Program Consultants to inform the development and execution of innovative, equity-driven workforce development initiatives that respond to evolving industry and community needs.
- Remain apprised of workforce development needs and policy trends to inform the evolution of services.
- Identify and implement process improvements via active participation in strategic and operational decision making, steering committees, supervision conferences, and Leadership Team and Shared Leadership Team meetings.
- Exercise full authority over hiring, budgeting, and resource allocation to ensure operational efficiency, fiscal responsibility, and alignment with strategic priorities.
- Champion a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and accountability across all divisions.
- Work to advance and actualize the Academy’s Mission.
- Provide direction regarding organization infrastructure development.
STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT (20%)
- Cultivate and sustain high-impact partnerships with industry leaders, including county and state agencies, Tribal organizations, community-based providers, academic partners, and philanthropic entities to facilitate cross-sector collaboration to co-create responsive workforce development initiatives that reflect evolving workforce needs, and that encompass culturally responsive and innovative practices.
- Establish mechanisms for ongoing partner feedback and engagement, using input to refine services, improve outcomes, and strengthen partnerships.
- Represent the organization in local, regional, and statewide forums, advocating for workforce development priorities and elevating the visibility of health and human services professionals.
- Regularly interface with State officials (CDSS, DHCS), County directors of health and human services (HHS), County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA), California Workforce Innovations Support and Education(CalWISE), Child and Family Policy Institute of California (CFPIC), Southern Area Consortium of Human Services (SACHS) Directors, Southern California county HHS Executive teams, leaders in Child Welfare and Adult Protective Services, Regional Academy directors, leadership and staff from non-profit social service sector; California University School of Social Work leadership, SDSU Research Foundation leadership and staff, SDSU College of Health and Human Services leadership (Dean’s office), SDSU’s Division of Research Innovation, and SDSU Development Office.
- Meet regularly with Southern California Health and Human Service Directors to engage in strategy discussions, fiscal planning, research, policy development, executive development, and succession planning to improve the quality, accountability, and responsiveness of human services in the Southern California region.
- Serve as the primary liaison to SDSU and SDSU Research Foundation, aligning organizational activities with university policies, research priorities, and academic standards.
- Develop and deliver compelling presentations, reports, and strategic communications tailored to Academy partners, including funders, policymakers, and community leaders.
ACADEMY LEADERSHIP (20%)
- Actively participate on the Academy’s Leadership Team whose purpose is to create the vision, sustain culture and business, and inspire and equip the Academy members to achieve the vision. Including but not limited to participation in monthly operational meetings, developmental meetings, connecting opportunities, and annual retreat(s).
- Actively participate on the Academy’s Shared Leadership Team whose purpose is to maintain and enhance organizational culture. Including but not limited to bimonthly meetings, shared learning events, connecting opportunities, and annual retreat(s).
- Engage in strategic planning and decision making regarding issues impacting business development and sustainability (via Leadership Team participation) and organizational culture development and sustainability (via Shared Leadership Team).
- Share in the preparation and follow-up associated with Leadership Team meetings; rotation of chair, meeting minutes, and review/revise materials.
- Facilitate Leadership retreats to define vision and strategic direction to inform priorities for service expansion, organization culture, and operational efficiencies.
ORGANIZATION CULTURE DEVELOPMENT (15%)
- Develop and maintain an inclusive, collaborative, and forward-thinking work environment that prioritizes staff well-being and leverages the strengths of a diverse team.
- Inspire and engage staff in ways that motivate them to deliver innovative and exceptional services.
- Participate in recruitment, hiring and on-boarding of new staff.
- Orient new employees to organizational culture with particular focus on core values and associated practice behaviors.
- Conduct exit interviews with departing staff to identify what's working well and areas for upgrade.
- Inform the development of an annual organizational assessment survey that elicits staff feedback regarding organizational climate and culture.
- Review and revise policies and practices using the Academy’s System of Practice lens to ensure we are actively working to integrate culturally responsive and recovery-oriented practices into our daily work, services, and interactions that nurture healing, healthy relationships, and changed behaviors.
SUPERVISION (10%)
Staff Development:
- Participate in recruitment, hiring and onboarding of new staff.
- Co-create and track individual development goals with direct reports.
- Direct the ongoing professional development of direct reports, including ensuring availability of development opportunities.
- Engage staff in effective capacity building and other learning opportunities in order to integrate culturally responsive and recovery-oriented practices into our daily work to promote healing and healthy relationships..
- Work with Academy Leadership, Shared Leadership Team, and Org Development to identify and plan for staff development activities such as programmatic in-service training, leadership development opportunities for Academy staff, and contracting with outside consultants to provide coaching or facilitation of workshops for Academy staff.
Performance Management:
- Monitor performance and conduct ongoing performance evaluation of direct reports.
- Provide personnel management including regular supervision conferences and professional development for direct reports.
- Work in conjunction with SDSURF Human Resources and Academy Directors, Sr. Directors, and Managers to address performance issues.
INTERNAL RELATIONS (5%)
- Regularly interface with Academy staff.
- Regularly communicate (via email, video casts, staff meetings, Academy Hub, etc.) to keep all staff apprised of all developments impacting or potentially impacting the Academy.
- Plan and facilitate and/or participate in All Staff meetings/events, cross-program/division committees and other ad hoc meetings/events to promote good working relationships and collaborative partnerships across the Academy.
- Interface with SDSU Research Foundation staff (Human Resources, Sponsored Research Administration, Contract Compliance, Research Development, Executive Team, etc.), SDSU School of Social Work leadership, and SDSU’s College of Health and Human Services leadership (when indicated) regarding Academy fiscal and administrative operations.
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT (5%)
- Remain apprised of key factors impacting both the health and human services industry (e.g., legislative changes, policy shifts, fiscal climate, best practices, etc.) and the workforce development industry (e.g., effective training practices, innovative strategies for enhancing training effectiveness, new workforce development strategies/technologies, etc.) to ensure the provision of relevant services to customers.
- Routinely access critical information via listservs/distribution lists, subscriptions, clearinghouses, association memberships, conferences, and networking to inform macro level strategic planning;
- Distill and connect information for Academy staff in order to ensure our organization is equipped to meet the workforce development needs of health and human service agencies in the Southern region, and to partner with California Workforce Innovation, Support, and Education (CalWISE) network to ensure quality, standardized workforce development services are being delivered statewide.
- Share information regarding the Academy’s mission and services in meetings with prospective and existing partners in order to support collaborative partnerships and advocate for regional needs.
MARKETING AND BRANDING (5%)
- Represent the Academy's programs and products at conferences, conventions, and other key external events to increase brand awareness, cultivate strategic partnerships, and attract new growth and expansion opportunities.
- Provide executive-level oversight and guidance to the Academy’s Brand and Marketing team, approving key communication initiatives and ensuring consistent, high-quality messaging across all materials and platforms. This includes the annual report, eNewsletters, website content, social media communications, and other promotional assets.
OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED
- Perform other duties as assigned which are in the best interests of the Academy for Professional Excellence.
ADJUNCT FACULTY POSITION WITH SDSU SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
- This position may hold an adjunct (non-faculty) position with a volunteer appointment, in accordance with the CSU Volunteers Policy, the SDSU Senate Policy, and SDSU Center for Human Resources guidelines.
- The candidate would need to have the same qualifications that a faculty member who is paid for their services would have.
- An adjunct (non-faculty) position with a volunteer appointment is made without remuneration. The appointment must be of value to both the university and to the person appointed. The primary role is to provide various professional services to the university.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- Passion, humility, integrity, positive attitude, mission-driven, and self-directed
- Deeply knowledgeable in culturally responsive and recovery-oriented frameworks, with the ability to embed these principles into organizational culture, strategy, and service delivery.
- Models heart-centered practices that foster psychological safety, healthy relationships, and behavioral change across the organization.
- Executive presence, as demonstrated through authentic engagement, strategic foresight, and a results-driven mindset that inspires passion, trust, and a commitment to ensuring equity, healing, and transformational outcomes.
- Collaborative and inclusive leadership and work style with ability to effectively build and sustain high-trust relationships among staff and partners, to advance shared goals and collective impact.
- Proven ability to lead others by example, demonstrating organizational values and commitment to the work
- Demonstrates executive-level critical thinking and analytical acumen, with the ability to synthesize complex data into actionable insights that inform policy, practice, and performance.
- Ability to display strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator, skilled in public speaking, media engagement, and executive-level reporting that galvanizes support and elevates the organization’s voice.
- Facilitates collaborative governance, aligning internal teams and external partners through inclusive dialogue, consensus-building, and transparent decision-making.
- Ability to lead with diplomacy, facilitation expertise, and accurate listening, fostering a participatory culture where diverse perspectives are valued and integrated.
- Ability to interface constructively and considerately with a diverse group of stakeholders and co-workers in ways that model and reflect the Academy’s commitment to actively working to integrate heart-centered practices into our daily work, services, and interactions that nurture healing, healthy relationships, and changed behaviors
- Advanced ability to apply independent judgment to navigate complexity, resolve challenges, and design forward-thinking solutions.
- Advanced ability to think and plan strategically, and to facilitate consensus to align organizational strategies with the mission, vision and values
- Advanced ability to drive organizational innovation by identifying emerging opportunities, testing and evaluating new strategic approaches, and scaling successful models.
- Advanced project and change management skills, ensuring timely execution of priorities while maintaining alignment with strategic goals.
- Ability to maintain flexibility and demonstrate resilience in dynamic environments, adapting leadership style and organizational strategies to meet evolving demands.
- Ability to effectively leverage technology systems, including Google Workspace and project management systems to enhance collaboration and efficiency.
- Ability to manage and evaluate overall performance using key indicators to evaluate impact, guide continuous improvement, and ensure accountability.
- Advanced ability to provide coaching and mentorship, cultivating leadership capacity and professional growth across all levels of the organization.
- Ability to travel to Southern California counties, Sacramento, and to other states, as needed, to pursue business opportunities and/or to represent the Academy at conferences.