Director of Leadership and Capacity Building

Inatai Foundation • Seattle, WA

7h • $180,000 - $210,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Inatai Foundation is a growing 501(c)(4) philanthropic organization committed to working with communities to shift the balance of power and advance racial justice and equity across Washington State and beyond. We are hiring a Director of Leadership & Capacity Building to join our expanding team. Cultivating a staff team that embodies the diversity of Washington’s communities is essential to our mission. We strongly encourage applications from people of color; immigrants; bilingual and multicultural individuals; d/Deaf people and people with disabilities; members of LGBTQIA+ and gender non-conforming communities; and people with other diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. Learn more about our work, values, and approach on our About Us page, and explore our Join Inatai page to learn about our hiring process, work culture, and benefits.

The Director of Leadership & Capacity Building leads Inatai’s efforts to strengthen the long-term leadership, sustainability, and power of organizations across Washington State. This role is central to advancing community power by designing and implementing leadership development, capacity-building, technical assistance, and community engagement strategies aligned with Inatai’s values and long-term vision. Reporting to the Vice President of Learning & Community Engagement, the Director of Leadership and Capacity Building will design, implement, and continuously evolve leadership, capacity-building, and community engagement programs and strategies that reflect Inatai’s values and reinforce the foundation’s commitment to building power for equity and racial justice. This is a full-time, exempt position.

Inatai is proud to be a statewide organization, and we know there are talented leaders everywhere in our state. As we grow and learn, we know that we are better partners to communities and more strategic grantmakers when we have team members rooted in place and bringing their lived and learned experiences to our work. We are prioritizing the following geographies to ensure we are fully living up to our commitments to geographic equity. The Olympic Peninsula, with special attention to Jefferson, Clallam, and Grays Harbor counties North Central Washington, with special attention to Douglas, Chelan, Okanogan, and Kittitas counties Northeast Washington, with special attention to Pend Oreille, Stevens, Ferry and Lincoln counties In addition to these regions, we would like to give priority to candidates based in Adams, Asotin, Cowlitz, Lewis, Mason, Skagit, Skamania, and Whitman counties. Inatai currently has offices in Seattle and Pasco. Team members connected to an office are expected to work onsite, with up to two remote days per week possible with supervisor approval. Early morning, evening, and weekend work will be required periodically. Statewide and regional travel (approximately 30–35%) should be expected.

Requirements

• 10–15+ years of leadership experience in nonprofit, consulting, training, philanthropy, or power-building environments
• Demonstrated experience designing, implementing, and managing complex leadership or capacity-building programs
• Deep understanding of the nonprofit ecosystem, particularly community-based and BIPOC-led organizations across rural, suburban, and urban contexts
• Experience leading or working closely with small and mid-sized nonprofit organizations
• Knowledge of how leadership development and capacity building contribute to sustainable movement strategy and power building
• Fluency across nonprofit management areas such as governance, finance, fundraising, communications, digital strategy, people management, and organizational development
• Experience with curriculum design, adult learning principles, and project management
• Familiarity with power-building strategies, political education, and the role of systems (money, rules, institutions, governance, and values) in shaping community outcomes
• Ability to design systems and processes that improve access to resources and technical assistance
• Experience managing consultants or partner networks
• Strong relationship-building skills across political, ideological, cultural, and geographic differences
• Excellent written, verbal, and facilitation skills, including active listening
• Collaborative, coaching-oriented leadership style
• Demonstrated ability to build and lead high-trust, high-functioning teams
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint) and Adobe Acrobat DC, or similar tools
• Ability to adapt to new technologies and systems
• Demonstrated commitment to advancing racial justice, equity, and community-driven change
• Understanding of how systemic racism, ableism, sexism, and other forms of oppression contribute to inequity
• Willingness to engage in reflection, learning, and adaptive practice
• Ability to connect organizational mission to professional experience in a manner that strengthens impact

Nice To Haves

• Experience working within or alongside a 501(c)(4) organization is highly desirable

Responsibilities

• Design and implement leadership development programs that foster peer learning, relationship-building, and shared strategy among community leaders
• Build and sustain peer learning networks through retreats, clinics, and issue- or region-based grantee cohorts
• Lead community engagement efforts to identify and cultivate relationships with emerging and established leaders, particularly in communities historically underinvested by philanthropy
• Support and amplify values-aligned leaders prepared to serve in decision-making roles, including boards, commissions, and other civic leadership positions
• Oversee tools, databases, and infrastructure that connect leaders to civic opportunities and support institutions seeking leaders rooted in equity and community accountability
• Provide strategic direction for internal leadership development opportunities for Inatai staff at all levels
• Ensure leadership programming strengthens staff capacity to lead from Inatai’s values, understand the role of a 501(c)(4) racial justice funder, and deepen knowledge of Washington’s communities
• Oversee leadership cultivation efforts, including alumni engagement, to sustain long-term relationships within Washington’s leadership ecosystem
• Design and oversee a $2 million Capacity Building grant portfolio supporting organizations working to build community power
• Ensure grantmaking strategies are responsive, values-aligned, and consistent with Inatai’s commitments to racial justice and geographic equity
• Design and manage a technical assistance program that includes a roster of values-aligned consultants with expertise in nonprofit management, fundraising, finance, digital strategy, and organizational development
• Oversee systems and an online portal that streamline grantee access to technical assistance, consultant matching, contracts, and timely support
• Coordinate peer-to-peer learning and training opportunities for grantees focused on building power, including political education, electoral organizing fundamentals, governance for equity, narrative strategy, and use of 501(c)(4) tools
• In collaboration with senior leaders, coordinate learning opportunities for Inatai staff
• Partner with the Vice President of Learning & Community Engagement to design and implement learning agendas for the Board of Directors
• Guide the development of community engagement strategies aligned with Inatai’s multi-year grantmaking plan
• Support the Community Engagement Manager in implementing engagement practices grounded in accountability, trust, and shared learning
• Ensure insights from community engagement—including community needs, political context, and emerging leaders—are shared across the foundation

Benefits

• positive and flexible work culture
• equitable and competitive compensation package
• fully paid medical/dental/vision coverage for employees and dependent children (and partial coverage for partners and spouses)
• a 12% retirement contribution
• generous time off (29 days of flexible paid time off, eight paid holidays, and a year-end office closure from December 25 to January 1)
• paid family and medical leave (12 to 18 weeks)
• a transit pass (where available)
• support for ongoing professional development

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed