Executive Director

NEA- New Mexico•Santa Fe, NM

34d•Onsite

About The Position

The Executive Director serves as the chief executive officer of NEA-New Mexico, reporting directly to the Board of Directors. This role provides strategic leadership, advises the Board, partners closely with the President, and represents the long-term vision and direction of the Association. The Executive Director ensures that all operations, programs, and advocacy efforts align with NEA-New Mexico mission, bylaws, and all applicable local, state, and federal laws.

Requirements

A record of 5-7 years of senior level leadership experience in positions of increasing responsibility.
Background in public policy and/or labor advocacy and collective bargaining desired
Experience in public education advocacy is preferred.
Experience reporting to and advising an elected board of directors.
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college is required, advance degree preferred.
Bilingual candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Nice To Haves

Documented experience guiding organization-wide efforts in planning, implementation, process improvement, innovation, fiscal management, and the development of high-performing teams.
A record of leading significant organizational change and applying reliable methods to ensure accountability and timely execution.
Ability to manage multiple projects, set clear priorities, and connect long-term vision to actionable plans and milestones.
Deep commitment to public education, and an understanding of the central role educators play in leading change.
Communicate with clarity, integrity, and persuasive skills across diverse audiences, and lead collaboratively and confidently in rapidly changing environments.
Resilience, organizational savvy, and the capacity to navigate shifting political and organizational realities.
Ability to cultivate strong coalitions, strengthen engagement, and foster high-performing teams through empathetic and inclusive leadership.
Strong personal commitment to NEA-New Mexico’s mission and values, translating that commitment into disciplined action and measurable results.
Ability to set ambitious goals, maintain focus on priorities, and make principled decisions under pressure.
Resilience, encourage thoughtful risk-taking, and promote a culture of motivation, ownership, and high performance.
Integrity, transparency, and consistency define their leadership approach.
Understanding members’ needs and prioritize building trust, loyalty, and strong relationships between NEA-New Mexico and its membership.
Deliver high-quality programs and services that add meaningful value to members’ professional practice and careers and use data to identify emerging needs and opportunities for enhanced support.
Ensure NEA-New Mexico remains vibrant and relevant as the education landscape evolves, and demonstrate success in expanding market share, attracting new members, and increasing member retention.
Recognize and embrace opportunities to rebuild organizational strength following recent transitions.
Engage non-members and leverage untapped potential to expand influence and reach.
Improve alignment across teams, regions, and functions.
Enhance training, development, and support for locals and UniServs.
Strengthen internal systems and operational capacity.
Increase visibility of NEA-New Mexico’s value proposition in a shifting education landscape.
Listen deeply and respond effectively to member needs.
Ensure equitable and consistent support across regions.
Refine recruitment messaging and outreach strategies.
Build leadership capacity at all levels.
Strengthen communication channels and practices.
Adapt to changing workforce demographics and external pressures to keep NEA-New Mexico vibrant and future-focused.

Responsibilities

Providing institutional leadership that advances NEA-New Mexico’s mission and vision while ensuring compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
Guiding strategic and long-range planning, maintaining focus on organizational priorities and supporting the implementation of established goals.
Ensuring strong financial stewardship through sound oversight, due diligence, and responsible resource management.
Strengthening organizational effectiveness and accountability by using data and performance measures to improve the efficiency and impact of NEA-New Mexico’s programs and services.
Cultivating a culture of reciprocal accountability, creativity, innovation, and transparent decision-making across the organization.
Establishing clear performance expectations and success metrics for staff and teams to ensure alignment with organizational goals.
Championing public education in New Mexico, building collaborative relationships with external partners to influence high professional standards and sound education policy.
Supporting positive staff relations, upholding high standards of work on behalf of NEA-New Mexico’s members, and maintaining productive relationships with management and the staff union.