Chief Executive Officer

Rancho Cielo•Salinas, CA

2d•$170,000 - $215,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Chief Executive Officer is a mission-first leader responsible for building trust, strengthening organizational systems, developing people, expanding opportunity, protecting financial and operational sustainability, and producing measurable results for students, staff, donors, partners, and the Board. The CEO keeps Rancho Cielo’s mission, students, staff, community, and long-term sustainability at the center of decisions and resource allocation while honoring the organization’s history and strengthening its culture. The CEO leads across student success, organizational culture and operations, financial sustainability, fundraising, partnerships, governance, campus safety, and public communication. The role includes establishing and monitoring measurable goals, systems, reporting processes, and accountability practices. During the first 90 days, the CEO is expected to listen and assess organizational needs, clarify roles and priorities, and present operating priorities, plans, and measurable student outcome goals to the Board. Success is measured by the CEO’s ability to honor Rancho Cielo’s history, strengthen its culture, build durable systems, grow financial and community support, follow through on commitments, and produce measurable progress for students and the organization. The position is full-time and reports to the Board of Directors. It is based at Rancho Cielo Campus.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, management, finance, nonprofit administration, public administration, or a related field required.
At least 10 years of leadership and management experience, including senior-level responsibility for leading teams, developing managers, managing organizational change, and achieving measurable results.
At least seven years of progressive professional experience demonstrating a strong business background, including financial management, organizational operations, strategic planning, and resource development.
Ability to build effective teams, strengthen organizational culture, and establish clear systems, accountability, and operational processes.
Experience working with a Board of Directors, community partners, education and workforce organizations, and other external stakeholders.
Strong communication, relationship-building, strategic-planning, and problem-solving skills.
Commitment to Rancho Cielo’s mission and the success, safety, and well-being of its students.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree preferred.
Experience with nonprofit management, fundraising, donor relations, grant administration, and financial sustainability preferred.

Responsibilities

Keep Rancho Cielo’s mission and student outcomes at the center of major decisions and resource allocation; monitor graduation, completion, placement, retention, attendance, safety, and well-being outcomes; and establish an alumni follow-up framework.
Create a respectful, safe, trusting, and accountable workplace; monitor engagement, turnover, retention, communication, and employee-relations matters; and advance leadership development and succession.
Deliver Board and committee reports on schedule, track action items and progress against goals, respond promptly to critical matters, and maintain a priority calendar and accountability dashboard.
Maintain strong financial controls and visibility; review monthly financial reports, manage budget variances and cash-flow visibility, ensure audit and Form 990 completion, oversee grant compliance and restricted funds, and report to the Board Finance Committee.
Expand and diversify financial support through donors, grants, events, major gifts, endowment, and capital opportunities; meet fundraising goals, develop donor relationships, manage grants and events, and advance endowment and capital-campaign progress when applicable.
Build organizational systems and accountability by implementing priority departmental standard operating procedures, maintaining role descriptions and reporting lines, mapping critical workflows, and tracking department scorecards, milestones, and corrective actions.
Strengthen relationships with education, workforce, health, government, employer, and community partners; maintain regular meetings, ensure agreement and contract compliance, address partner concerns, track shared outcomes, and expand internship, apprenticeship, and employment opportunities.
Support effective governance and execution of Board-approved priorities; track strategic-plan milestones and Board action items, support committees, provide risk and compliance reporting, and deliver Board materials on schedule.
Maintain a safe, secure, prepared, and well-managed 100-acre campus; oversee emergency preparedness, insurance and risk review, incident reporting, security readiness, preventive maintenance, and capital-needs planning.
Represent Rancho Cielo credibly and professionally; lead staff, donor, and community communications; speak publicly and make community presentations; manage media relations and organizational reputation; and ensure consistent messaging.
In the first 30 days, meet key stakeholders, identify risks and priorities, and provide a listening summary, top issues, early-risk plan, and communication cadence.
During days 31–60, confirm reporting structure, roles, decision rights, grants, donor pipeline, safety needs, and SOP priorities; provide a role-clarity chart, SOP roadmap, financial/grant dashboard, and donor plan.
During days 61–90, present 12-month operating priorities, culture and fundraising plans, Board reporting structure, and measurable student outcome goals, along with a 90-day Board report and supporting scorecards and plans.
Lead with integrity, humility, preparation, respect, and professionalism; listen before reacting, build trust, mentor others, approach conflict constructively, demonstrate reliability, and establish clear systems and accountability.