Job Openings

Resource Generation (RG) seeks a strategic, bold, and collaborative executive director or co-director team with strong anti-oppression values to lead its multiracial membership community of young people (ages 18-35) with wealth and/or class privilege committed to the equitable distribution of wealth, land, and power.

ABOUT RESOURCE GENERATION

Founded in 1998, Resource Generation (RG) is a national, multiracial, membership-based, 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization mobilizing young people (age 18-35) with wealth and class privilege to become transformative leaders working towards the equitable distribution of land, wealth and power. Through base building, political education, and local and national campaigns, we help young people with wealth work in solidarity with poor and working class-led organizations for racial and economic justice. Our sibling group, RG Action, is a 501 (c) 4  political advocacy organization that allows us to flank our movement partners all the way to the ballot box and to align ourselves with poor and working class people as they build political power.

We believe that people who have benefitted from our deeply unjust economic system have a role to play in challenging its future and supporting social justice movements, especially now as we are living through unprecedented wealth inequality. 

Resource Generation’s core strategies include community organizing and base building, leadership development, and social justice philanthropy. Key programs include a network of local chapters, national conferences, campaigns, innovative funding models, and organizing within family philanthropy.  Some examples of RG’s growth and achievements in the last four years are:

• We have more than doubled RG’s multiracial membership base since 2016, with over 1,000 members in 18 chapters across the country.
• We have expanded our college organizing to over 18 college campuses.
• Three-quarters of RG’s chapters are engaged in local or statewide campaigns that are powerful, strategic, and aligned with systematic shifts that advance RG’s 40-year campaign vision to build power in poor and working class communities and communities of color.
• In 2020, RG members pledged to move over $68M to social justice movements, including specific fundraising campaigns for the Movement for Black Lives network, Center for Popular Democracy, and the Southern Power Fund. 

—

THE OPPORTUNITY
Resource Generation seeks a strategic, bold, and collaborative executive director or co-director team with strong anti-oppression values to lead its multiracial membership community of young people (ages 18-35) with wealth and/or class privilege committed to the equitable distribution of wealth, land, and power.

Leadership comes in many forms and so RG encourages everyone, including people of color, women, trans and gender non-conforming people, young people, and people of all class backgrounds to apply. Co-directors with a history of collaboration or shared leadership may apply as a team; RG will not match individual applicants. (See relevant application instructions below.)

• Please find, “Growing and Changing to Meet the Moment,” a letter from RG’s board co-chairs and Iimay Ho, RG’s current Executive Director, here
• Please find our search announcement here. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
RG’s next executive director(s) will sustain and build on the growth of the organization over the last few years, including a membership base and budget that have more than doubled since 2016. Working collaboratively with staff, board, chapter leaders, members, and key allies, the executive leader(s)’ responsibilities will include:

• VISION & STRATEGY: Lead the staff executive team which stewards the mission, programs and operations of RG, including strategic planning, program design and the development of annual goals, ensuring that all programs and campaign-based strategies are integrated and advance RG’s mission. Conduct periodic evaluation of existing programming and assess ideas for new work measured against RG’s organizing model and mission.
• GOVERNANCE & ACCOUNTABILITY: Serve as primary liaison to the Board of Directors of both RG and RG Action, working with the Boards of Directors to fulfill their roles related to strategic decision-making, organizational development, fundraising, and fiscal/legal accountability.
• RESOURCES & STEWARDSHIP: Ensure the financial health of the organization by securing revenue, managing a budget that is presently $3.6 million, and working with key staff and board members on strategies to strengthen and sustain the organization. Maintain and improve organizational operations, including finance and human resources. Assess and enhance policies to ensure alignment with RG’s mission and values.
• ALLIANCE-BUILDING & REPRESENTATION: Build and maintain strong relationships with and among the Board of Directors, staff, chapter leaders, members, campaign partners and coalitions, conference sponsors and presenters, and partners in social justice philanthropy. The ED is a primary spokesperson for all external audiences and is a key ambassador for building RG’s position nationally.

• MANAGE & SUSTAIN: Support and sustain a diverse and talented staff team to set and achieve goals that are aligned with RG’s vision, strategy, and values. Ensure that staff, board, and member-leaders have the right systems of connection and communication for advancing RG’s work. This includes but is not limited to leading the senior staff team and managing and retaining staff in a manner that is inclusive, humble and strengths based.

QUALIFICATIONS
RG seeks candidates who are aligned with its values, vision, and mission and who demonstrate the following skills, experiences, and characteristics: 

• A deep commitment to movement building and RG’s mission and values, including a strong analysis of social, racial, and economic justice. 
• Considerable experience in campaigns or organizations with organizing or base-building as a central strategy. 
• Experience in a leadership role with membership-based organizations.
• Experience leading diverse, multiracial, cross-class teams and an understanding of the motivation and agendas of diverse stakeholders.
• Bold, brave, and action-oriented approach to leadership.
• Collaborative and inclusive style of leadership and decision-making.
• Agility in navigating conflict and advancing transformative change.
• Humility and emotional intelligence, including the capacity for self-insight and learning/growth and the resiliency to hold the emotions and experiences of staff and other partners.
• Capacity to adapt and pivot as new demands, opportunities and strategies evolve. 
• Ability to represent RG externally through clear and authentic writing and public speaking.
• Comfort speaking about race, class, and wealth and their connection to capitalism and philanthropy, as well as their own experience with race, class, and wealth.
• History of being accountable to and in solidarity with leaders of color and leaders from poor and working-class communities.
• Solid grounding in nonprofit operations, including human resources, finance, governance/accountability, and fundraising.

While RG recognizes that not every individual will exhibit all of these qualities, there is preference for candidates who bring one or more of the following:

• Knowledge of or experience in social justice philanthropy.
• Holds a critical lens around philanthropy, willing to challenge and agitate the field beyond charity toward wealth redistribution. 
• Direct organizing/power building experience. Organizing around race, class, and resource redistribution is a plus.
• Interest/experience in long term campaigns and direct actions.
• Openness to explore and practice decentralized and collaborative decision making.
• Experience managing an organization that is similar in size to RG (currently 20 staff and $3.6 million budget). 
• Familiarity or experience with the governance and accountability practices required for 501 (c) 4 organizations.
• Steadfastness and adaptivity in crisis moments, including the ability to manage public critique.
• A fun and engaging work style.

THE TEAM & LOCATION
The Executive Director or Co-Director team will report to a Board of Directors (currently 12 members) and will lead a dedicated 20-person staff team, including 3 direct reports – the Associate Director, the Organizing Director, and the Communications Director. RG is headquartered in New York City, but the Board and staff are located across the country and the location of its next leader(s) is flexible. Travel is typically required approximately 5 days per month and is expected to continue once the restrictions related to the current public health crisis are lifted.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
This position offers a salary of $90k to $100k dependent on regional cost of living and experience. RG has a salary scale that reflects our anti-classist values, with a base salary of $59k and a policy that no one can make more than twice the base salary. Increases over the base salary are determined on a shared standard set of criteria including advanced responsibilities, additional experience, and market conditions/regional cost of living. The Executive Director or Co-Director team is encouraged by the Board to lead a collective process to evaluate and make any changes to the salary scale for the future.  

RG offers a competitive benefits package, including 100% employer paid health, vision, and dental insurance; medical and transit flexible spending account; paid parental leave; 403(b) retirement plan and a 5% employer contribution after one year of employment; professional development funds; home office/co-working allowance; and annual paid vacation (15 days), sick leave (15 days), and personal days (5 days). RG also offers an 8-week paid sabbatical after 4 years of service.

RG encourages a healthy work-life balance for its entire team. The 32-hour work week enacted at the start of the pandemic has been made permanent.

​COMMITMENT TO EQUITY

Resource Generation is an equal opportunity employer that centers racial and gender equity in its work internally and externally.  We strongly encourage people of all traditionally marginalized identities to apply. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition, or any protected category under local, state or federal laws. If you require an accommodation to complete an application, please contact shella@strategiesforsocialchange.com.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Strategies for Social Change® LLC (SSC) is conducting RG’s executive search and leadership transition process. SSC is a woman of color owned and led capacity building and leadership development practice dedicated to working with social justice organizations and philanthropy nationally. Referrals to potential candidates who we should connect with or other inquiries may be forwarded to shella@strategiesforsocialchange.com. 

Format & Deadline: Please submit applications, in confidence, as a single PDF to LeadershipSearch@resourcegeneration.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Applicants who submit by March 31, 2021 will be given priority attention. 

What to Include: Applications should be submitted via email as a single PDF and should include the following components in this order:

A cover letter that addresses:

1. Why are you interested in working with RG?
– What do you believe is the role of young people with wealth in social justice movements
– What do you believe you would bring to RG’s leadership role?
– How are your past accomplishments relevant to this position?

2. résumé

3. A list of three references that includes names, affiliation, email addresses, and phone numbers (References will not be checked until the finalist stage and candidates will be given an opportunity to notify their references in advance.) 

Co-Director Applications: For candidates applying as Co-Director teams, we ask that you provide — in addition to individual résumés, references, and the cover letter noted above — a 2-page proposal detailing your shared vision for the division of roles and responsibilities between the co-applicants.