DESCRIPTION
This is a hands-on and multi-faceted position for a highly organized and adaptable individual with excellent skills in mentorship; written and verbal communication; cultivating community; inspiring, leading, and managing volunteers; building diverse partnerships; youth development; community outreach; and fundraising.

Organization Background:
Brown Girl Surf is a grassroots non-profit with global reach that works to build a diverse, environmentally reverent, and joyful women’s surf culture by increasing access to surfing, cultivating community, amplifying the voices of women of color surfers, and taking care of the earth. Locally, we offer low cost surf clinics and host community-building events and environmental actions that celebrate our culture and mission. To complement these local efforts, we amplify our culture and movement by creating and cultivating media and arts which raise the profile of women of color in surfing, participating in a variety of surf and ocean related forums to provide a “brown girl surfer” perspective, and advocating for inclusion, conservation, and access on broader stages.

We are a small organization, with 2 year round part time staff and a robust and committed volunteer leadership team of about 10 women who assist with operational level work and fundraising in addition to programming. We aim to impact large scale change through empowering others, working through existing community structures, and shifting culture from the grassroots up. Even as we grow in impact, we want to keep our organizational structure lean, dynamic, and efficient, growing as a movement, rather than a top-heavy organization. We make connections across fields through innovative partnerships that expand access to surfing, shift surf culture, and grow our ocean connected community.

Locally, since 2014, Brown Girl Surf, has developed a robust women and girls year round surf program serving over 200 participants, more than 80% of whom are women and girls of color. Programs in the water are complemented by programs on land, aimed at building a sense of community around surfing and the ocean, shifting narratives around women in surfing, and cultivating environmental knowledge and stewardship. Since early 2015, we have held 57 surf days, 8 environmental clean ups and outings, 5 community film screenings, 6 volunteer trainings, and 6 community celebrations. Brown Girl surf has developed a large social media following (4,500 plus followers on facebook), many of them overseas, and has received coverage by KQED, the SF Chronicle, Surfer Magazine, ESPN Women, and SF Magazine. In our first ever grassroots fundraising campaign last year, we raised over $40,000 from individual donations and contributions at our fundraising events. We have cultivated a strong volunteer corps of over 50 individuals, more than 65% of whom are women of color.

In all of our programs, we strive to embody our 6 core values: Play, Community, Girls/Women’s empowerment, Care for the Earth, Arts and Expression, and Gratitude.

Overview of the Position:
This is a year long position, starting mid January 2018, working 25 hours per week. The Interim Executive Director will captain the ship of our organization during the period of time when our current Executive Director is transitioning into motherhood. The Interim Executive Director will work with the current Executive Director to get oriented to the job for about the first 1 month of the position. After this, the Interim Executive Director will supervise and work closely with our Program and Events Manager/Lead Instructor, our intern(s), our regular contractors, and a team of volunteers, who together comprise the Brown Girl Surf team. The Interim Executive Director will have monthly check-ins with the Executive Director once she is able. The main duties of the Interim Executive Director will be training and supporting our Program and Events Manager/Lead Instructor as she expands her position from lead instructor to program manager, managing our team to ensure the smooth flow of Brown Girl Surf operations and programming, leading fundraising efforts, providing guidance and support to our volunteers core team as they develop Brown Girl Surf movement-building projects, representing Brown Girl Surf to the press and public, and steering the course and positioning of Brown Girl Surf in alignment with our strategic plan and mission. The Executive Director is expected to be present on Surf Sister Saturdays (which will include 6 Saturdays each in the Spring and Fall season) to support with program operations and logistics and develop relationships with our community, and for community celebrations, major events, and important community meetings (10-14 throughout the year).

The Interim Executive Director position is perfect for someone who is seeking a part time yet deeply engaged position with a small, dynamic, innovative, fun, social-justice focused organization, where an individual’s efforts will have a huge impact right away. Brown Girl Surf values work/life balance. We are deeply passionate, hardworking, and dedicated, AND we aim to be efficient with our time, and practice what we preach in maintaining self care, living vigorously in our bodies, and nurturing our connections to the natural world and our own creativity. While surf skills are not required, it is important that the Interim Executive Director is comfortable in and around the ocean.

This is a year long position, starting mid January 2018, working 25 hours per week. Most work takes place during the work week in a co-working location in downtown Oakland, with somewhat flexible hours. The Interim Executive Director must also be available for Surf Sister Saturdays (12 during the year) which take place on Saturdays throughout the fall and Spring, and community celebrations , major events, and important meetings which take place during evening hours and weekends. This position includes a 3 week unpaid furlough period from late December through mid January.

We have a strong preference for candidates based in Oakland, where Brown Girl Surf is based and conducts most of our outreach. Women of color are especially encouraged to apply.

Job Duties:
Supervision, Training, and Community Cultivation
Supervise, train, and support Program and Events Manager
Work closely with Program/Events Manager to cultivate a sense of community among volunteers, and create pathways for volunteer growth within the organization
Work closely with Program/Events Manager to ensure that programming, events, and other operations support the development of strong, engaged Brown Girl Surf community locally, that acts as a model for a Brown Girl Surf movement more broadly.
Supervise, train, and support part-time intern and any additional staff hired seasonally or year-round.
Planning and Development
Oversee and ensure the financial health of Brown Girl Surf, the engagement of the Brown Girl Surf community, and the continued health of the Brown Girl Surf movement
Oversee fundraising, develop fundraising strategies, and train and inspire staff and volunteers to engage deeply in fundraising efforts.
Maintain major donor and foundation relationships and cultivate new donors and foundation relationships.
Operations
Ensure functionality of organizational operations, including but not limited to, human resources, accounting, website, database functionality, equipment, storage, office space, and fiscal sponsor relations. Work with contractors and volunteers to ensure these systems operate smoothly.
Manage Contractor and dedicated volunteer, working on data management.
Work with contractors, dedicated volunteer, and Program/Events Manager to ensure integrity of participant and donor data.
Manage Contractor and dedicated volunteer responsible for accounting and bookkeeping
Nurture relationships with new and existing partners who provide in kind support around operations, including but not limited to storage and equipment.
Oversee the growth of Brown Girl Surf website and social media presence.
Program Supervision and Design
Supervise and mentor Program Manager in program design, particularly as it relates to community organizing and youth development.
Manage assessment and evaluation tools, as well as contractors and volunteers who provide technical assistance with assessment and evaluation.
Ensure learning from assessment and evaluation tools, working closely with Lead Surf Instructor and volunteer leadership team in incorporating lessons into program structure.
Financial Management and Grants Management
Fulfill grant obligations and reporting requirements, and write grant applications.
Manage financial planning, budgeting, and financial reporting
Movement Building, Advocacy, and Media
Mentor volunteers as they develop, seek funding for, and execute their own projects that contribute to Brown Girl Surf mission.
Oversee Brown Girl Surf advocacy and civic engagement on issues of coastal access, ocean conservation, and inclusion.
Manage media coverage of Brown Girl Surf, and represent Brown Girl surf to media outlets
Other duties as needed

Qualifications:
8+ years of relevant work experience preferred, 5+ required. At least 3 years of staff management, operational management, financial planning and fundraising experience required and at least 3 years working with youth required.
Ability to cultivate and inspire community
Highly organized and detail oriented. Able to manage complex logistics and coordination of multiple staff that underlie a holistic, integrated, multi-layered curriculum.
Highly skilled in managing complex, time bound logistics, while remaining highly flexible, and holding community as a top value. Skilled in adapting to changing circumstances and remaining cool under pressure.
Highly skilled in management of a diverse volunteer corps, and able to inspire continued dedication among volunteers
Ability and vision to connect work at the grassroots community level to broader movement building strategies
Strong understanding of youth development and community organizing.
Exceptional communication, presentation and interpersonal skills and the ability to establish and maintain effective and collaborative working relationships with a wide range of people and personality types
Strong preference for individuals with knowledge of issues affecting communities of color in the Bay Area and connections to organizations and leaders in communities of color in the Bay Area.
Openness to engaging with and developing a connection to the ocean is critical. Surf experience is NOT necessary, though welcome and helpful.
Resourceful and persistent with demonstrated success managing and inspiring individuals and teams toward ambitious, measurable results
Dedicated to learning, and improving programs through constant examination and adaptation.
Comfort with ambiguity and open to change, learning, and improvement. Ability to work in a lean, startup environment, while helping to build lasting systems for sustainability.
Aligned in thought and action with Brown Girl Surf’s values: Play, Community, Girls Empowerment, Care for the earth, Arts and Expression, Gratitude and Peace.
Able to walk up to 1.5 miles, and stand for extended periods of time.
Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Googlesheets, Powerpoint, Social Media platforms.
Proficiency or willingness to learn Salesforce, Squarespace, Stripe, Mailchimp, Square, Aplos accounting software
Bachelor’s degree required
Current certification in first aid and CPR. We will provide assistance for the initial certification course.
Employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory fingerprinting and criminal background check in the state of California

Preferred Qualifications:
Master’s Degree in relevant field
Language skills in relevant languages for our community – Spanish, Chinese, Khmer, Tagalog, Vietnamese
Experience and training in working with youth and families who have experienced trauma

BENEFITS
This is a part time position. See above for details on seasonal hours.
Compensation is $27-$30/hr depending on experience
Somewhat flexible working hours with flexibility for time off between seasons

PROFESSIONAL LEVEL
Executive

MINIMUM EDUCATION REQUIRED
4-year degree

HOW TO APPLY
jobs@browngirlsurf.com