Now Hiring: Executive Director
Position: Executive Director
Reports To: Board of Directors
Status: Full-time
Location: San José, CA
Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition (SVBC) is a non-profit organization that seeks to build more healthy and just communities by making bicycling safe and accessible for all.
We’re extraordinarily proud of the impact we’ve had over the past ten years in improving local infrastructure and normalizing bicycling for transportation. And we’re passionate about how much more we can do to solve challenging local and global issues through the use of the bicycle.
The Team
You’ll join a team of 15 employees that are passionate about moving swiftly toward our goals in a manner consistent with our principles. We invest a great deal of time in strengthening relationships and building a high-trust environment where feedback is welcomed as an opportunity to learn. And in our downtime, we’re often discussing various social justice issues or planning the next office party.
The Opportunity
SVBC is one of the nation’s largest bike coalitions with a staff of 15 and a budget of $1.5 million. The organization spans two counties, San Mateo and Santa Clara County which encompasses 35 cities and towns.
In 2022, the organization adopted a new strategic plan, a plan which fundamentally roots the organization in what we call “pedal power.” The plan codifies the notion that the organization’s best asset is the thousands of passionate bicyclists who, if organized and mobilized, can move our communities toward biketopia. The new executive director must have a deep belief in the ability to move mountains by harnessing and directing the power of people who love bikes. Whether advocating for more bike lanes, organizing a fundraising ride or parking bikes at Niners games, everything the organization does is through the lens of building the bike movement. We’re not just parking bikes, we’re using bike parking to bring more people into the work. We’re not just organizing bike rides, we're creating experiences for the public to get excited about bicycle advocacy and infrastructure.
A sample of things we’re working on:
Coordinate a monthly fun ride series to increase bike confidence
Implement safe routes to schools programs along with family bike workshops
Oversee valet bike parking at major events and concerts all through Silicon Valley
Organize three major events each year, Bike to Wherever Day, the Annual Bike Summit and a major fundraising ride
Host monthly educational forums on advocacy
Work with cities and elected officials to organize regular “infrastructure” rides that teach city staff and elected officials while riding a bike
Oversees 10 local teams, teams of regular citizens who are trained to get involved in advocacy
At this time, the organization requires an Executive Director who is strong in the following areas:
Operations: Understands the operational needs of the organization, prioritize and assist staff in improving systems.
External Representation: Enjoys being the face of SVBC to the public and other external shareholders
Fundraising: Bring relationships and know-how in fundraising
Implementation: Someone who can move a strategic plan from concept to planning to implementation
Bike Movement: Understands the bike movement and bike culture
Talent: Knows what it takes to recruit and retain good employees
Over the last 7 years, the organization has come a long way in becoming more professional. The next Executive Director will be responsible for moving the organization forward via:
Working with the board to establish and/or revise an investment policy, privacy policy, and an overall review of the Board’s governance policies
Overseeing the organization’s first financial audit
Improving systems to better utilize Salesforce and other technology tools, like online giving platforms
Coordinating a comprehensive overhaul of the website.
Managing the next office move
Implementing the strategic plan adopted in 2022
Taking a fledgling individual donor program of ~$400k to the next level so as to minimize reliance on grants and contracts
Guiding the advocacy team to start racking up policy and project wins
Transitioning the programs department into a force for getting more butts on bikes
Working with the engagement team to build out the organizations program for bringing people into the organization and transitioning them along the engagement ladder
Improving the organization’s communications strategy, using communications as a tool to better accomplish the organization’s goals
Abilities, attributes and experiences of the next executive director should include:
Staff and Culture: Minimum of five years of experience managing a team of 10+ people in a values-driven context is desired including a demonstrated ability to hire, develop, retain, and manage talented and committed staff of varied experience levels. In particular, as we continue to emerge from the pandemic, an understanding of how to build culture, teams and commitment to the organization in a mostly remote environment is essential.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion: A track record in centering racial justice and equity in an organization’s work and a successful track record of working with all types of people. It’s important to note that SVBC is deeply committed to advancing its mission through a lens of cultural humility and social justice. Candidates should have a deep understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The right person would bring a perspective that helps build a diverse team, measured by a set of lived experiences that leads SVBC to be more successful in attracting a broad swath of people to live life joyfully through the bicycle.
Finances: The organization’s three revenue streams include individual donors, grants/contracts and corporate sponsorships. The person in this role should have experience in all three with a focus on growing the organization’s individual donor program. There is so much untapped bike wealth in Silicon Valley that this revenue stream should be the next frontier to tackle for the organization. Additionally, the person in this role should have experience developing and overseeing budgets of around $1.5 million.
Build the Movement: Policy advocacy and community organizing experience, understanding of how to build and deploy power, navigate the political process and the unique role that SVBC can play in organizing, leadership development, and mobilization of people to make change in their communities.
Presence: It is ideal that the person in this role be successful at networking in order to position the organization with funders, policy-makers and other stakeholders. Position the organization through targeted communications to be the go-to active transportation voice in Silicon Valley.
Collaborator. While SVBC includes the word “bicycle” in the name, the person in this role should understand that bike lanes alone do not accomplish the goal – we care about housing, justice and much more. How SVBC fits into the landscape of local organizations, movements, and political structures to best to influence policy in service of the broader mission is essential. Capacity to effectively represent the Coalition with the media, political groups, government agencies, and with the public.
How to Apply:
Send a cover letter and resume to edposition@bikesiliconvalley.org. Please include "Executive Director at SVBC, [YOUR NAME]" in the subject line.
Compensation is determined based on the FairPay survey of Northern California nonprofits and is commensurate with experience. The anticipated pay range is $155,000 to 160,000.
SVBC is committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, sex or age.