Executive Director (ED)

Summary Job Description: The Executive Director (ED) serves as the chief executive, leading overall strategy, operations, and community engagement, acting as the primary liaison between the Board, staff, and stakeholders in our rural setting. The ED ensures mission achievement, financial health, and sustainable growth, requiring a leader adaptable to unique rural community challenges and opportunities.

Work Location: Western Fresno County, California

Organizational Position and Expectations. The ED directly reports to and serves under the guidance and approval of the RCR Board of Directors. The ED is responsible for and supplies core organizational duties including but not limited to strategy, policy advocacy, stakeholder relations, public communications, administration of all RCR operations, finance, staff, board, and fundraising. The ED will emphasize unique multi\- community rural stakeholder engagement creating deep community, farmer, business, developer, government and institutional ties across Western Fresno County. The ED will employ resourcefulness and broad skill sets such as developing procedures, handling operations, raising funds, marketing, and Human Resources, while navigating limited resources, infrastructure, and access issues that require a hands\-on administrative leader who builds the relationships and capacities to bridge gaps for a missiondriven, resilient organization like RCR in our disadvantaged and dispersed rural community setting. RCR’s Mission is ‘To connect residents in rural, Western Fresno County in order to organize, build community power, and secure the health, well\-being and economic benefits our communities deserve.’ RCR’s Vision is ‘A future where rural communities have civic power and equitable access to clean energy, jobs, improved infrastructure, economic prosperity, and a healthy community.’ The ED for RCR will be passionate advocate and action\-oriented leader for achieving RCRs’ Mission and Vision.

About Rural Communities Rising (RCR) – Website Link: https://ruralcommunitiesrising.org/

RCR was established as a 501c3 nonprofit organization based in Fresno County in July, 2024 (officially reinstating a 501c3 previously founded in Kern County). The 21 member RCR Board of Directors was democratically elected through extensive community organizing and came together as a functional board in July 2025\.

RCR is dedicated to connecting rural, historically\-underserved communities in Western Fresno County to collaboratively navigate the opportunities and significant changes brought by clean energy development. Established in response to the upcoming transformation of over 200,000 acres of agricultural land into utility\-scale solar, battery storage, and green hydrogen production facilities, residents and leaders from 36 impacted communities—many of which have been neglected for decades—are working together to be in a position to lead and not be left behind. Our goal is united communities, with organized resident voices that are heard, respected and prioritized in this rapidly evolving landscape, being fully capable to secure self\-determined long\-term health, well\-being and economic benefits.

Key ED Responsibilities:

1\. Strategic Leadership, Vision \& Policy Advocacy:

• Collaborate with the Board and Board Committees to set organizational policies and

strategic direction, ensuring alignment with stakeholder member rural community's

evolving needs and goals.

• Develop and implement operational plans, programs, policy initiatives focusing on

scalable impact within resource constraints.

2\. Community \& Stakeholder Engagement:

• Serve as primary spokesperson, building strong relationships with local government,

institutions, businesses, farmers, developers and community residents across Western

Fresno County, as well as media outlets, state and federal governments, and funders.

• Champion the organization's work, advocating for rural needs at local, state, and federal levels.
• Foster strong partnerships with other rural organizations and statewide entities, identifying collaborative opportunities.

3\. Financial \& Resource Development:

• Oversee budget, financial management, accounting and reporting, ensuring fiscal

responsibility.

• Lead fundraising efforts (grants, individual donors, events), focusing on diverse,

sustainable revenue streams for rural areas, including community benefit agreements

(CBAs) with renewable energy developers.

4\. Operations \& Administration:

• Manage day\-to\-day operations, potentially handling HR, marketing, and program

oversight as the executive and in a small team setting.

• Ensure effective and accountable systems for program delivery, evaluation, and impact

measurement, adapted for dispersed rural populations.

5\. Board \& Staff Development:

• Support, empower and be accountable to the Board, keeping them fully informed and engaged.
• Recruit, train, motivate, and retain a dedicated staff/volunteer team, fostering a collaborative culture.

Qualifications:

• Proven related educational credentials, and leadership, management, strategic planning and policy advocacy experience (nonprofit preferred).
• Strong understanding of rural community dynamics, challenges, and strengths, including familiarity with large\-scale renewable energy development and related issues in California and the San Joaquin Valley.
• Understanding of community organizing, community and regional economic development, and community health and well\-being principles and practices.
• Exceptional communication, relationship\-building, and fundraising skills.
• Financial acumen and operational management ability, including with HR issues and admin.
• Adaptability, resourcefulness, and comfort with diverse technology/connectivity, including expertise with MSFT Office Suite programs WORD, Excel, and Power Point.
• Passion for RCR’s mission/vision and commitment to rural vitality and self\-representation.
• Written and oral fluency in English and Spanish.
• Valid CA Driver’s License and auto insurance coverage, with availability of ED’s personnel vehicle for RCR business travel use in Western Fresno County and for trips to meetings in other California locations, with all business mileage reimbursed at current federal mileage rates.

Email resume, cover letter, and three previous employment references with contact information:

Email: eva@regenerateca.org

Phone: 559\-276\-2304

ED Position Wiil Be Open Until Filled

Pay: $90,000\.00 \- $110,000\.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Fresno, CA 93704