Executive Director

Job Description

Job Description

Sur Legal Collaborative Inc | Executive Director

About Us

Sur Legal Collaborative is a legal non-profit in Atlanta, Georgia, working at the intersection of labor and immigrant rights. By collaborating directly with communities and grassroots groups, we seek to democratize legal knowledge and provide legal support to movements fighting for economic, racial, and social justice in the South.

Job Summary

As the leader of Sur Legal Collaborative, the Executive Director will advance the organization by leading its core fundraising, staff oversight, advocacy, and strategic planning. The overall role of the Executive Director is to ensure the organization's sustainability and growth while staying true to its vision and mission. To carry out the role's primary responsibilities, the Executive Director will cultivate and expand donor relationships, develop fundraising initiatives, and lead grant prospecting and proposals; administer the organization's day-to-day activities, including managing the budget; and ensure that the organization is fiscally sound and that its internal and external communications, fund development, and programs are meeting the current and emergent needs and interests of its constituents.

The Executive Director must be located in, or willing to relocate to, Georgia and will have a working knowledge of and deep commitment to labor rights, immigration law, and racial and economic justice. They should have a proven track record in leadership roles, with the ability to sustainably manage and inspire a diverse team. Our ideal candidate also comes with a strong understanding of organizational operations (such as budgeting, finance, and human resources), strategic planning and major fundraising, legal strategies pertinent to Sur's issues, and the conditions on the ground for the communities and constituencies we work with. We believe that qualified candidates come in diverse forms; if your background has prepared you for the duties of the position, we encourage you to apply. This role holds overall responsibility for Sur's staff of 10 employees, and supervision of three direct reports at present. The Executive Director will report to the Board of Directors.

Roles and Responsibilities

Organizational Leadership

• Serve as the primary face of the organization and spokesperson for Sur Legal Collaborative, providing insight into the history, program, and vision of the organization
• Develop the organization's annual budget and oversee financial management in partnership with key staff, ensuring that the organization is financially sound and operating with financial prudence for long-term sustainability
• Conduct financial scenario planning, and oversee preparing and submitting the annual budget to Sur Legal's Board of Directors
• Approve purchases and spending. Review monthly overall spending reports
• Oversee organizational grant management and compliance
• Foster a positive organizational culture, grounded in Sur's commitments to a healthy workplace and meaningful impact
• Equip managers with skills and resources to manage their teams for results/impact and individual growth
• Build individual and organizational expertise on relevant immigrant rights, labor rights, and workplace safety issues locally and nationally
• If necessary, provide in-house labor law expertise by providing feedback on labor-related case work, training, and popular education materials
  • Engage the Board of Directors in meaningful participation to further organizational goals
  • Recruit and sustain a healthy, diverse governing board
  • Conduct quarterly board meetings to keep the board current on Sur Legal's impact, organizational health, and legal compliance

Fundraising

• Develop and lead the implementation of a comprehensive fundraising and development strategy that aligns with the organization's mission and goals
• Work with the Board of Directors and other stakeholders to establish fundraising priorities and opportunities
• Oversee grant writing, reporting, and prospecting; and cultivation and stewardship of significant donor relationships (individual and institutional)
• Ensure that the organization raises enough funds to meet its annual goals and expand its mission reach and impact, monitoring progress toward goals and making adjustments as needed
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of best practices in nonprofit fund development, and lead collaboration with the Board of Directors and other stakeholders to continuously improve the organization's fundraising efforts

Strategic Planning

• Develop and implement strategic planning processes to identify programming and initiatives that align with the organization's mission and goals, working closely with staff, interns/externs, and other stakeholders
• Lead implementation of the organization's strategic plan, including ongoing evaluation of program outcomes, ensuring that programs are effective, efficient, and meet the needs of the organization's constituents
• Ensure coordination and alignment among strategies, teams, and partners. This includes supporting clear roles and responsibilities between staff, partners, advisors, allies, clients, and base members, and their accountability systems for delivering on commitments

Organizational Advocacy

• Act as the organization's spokesperson and represent the organization at public events and speaking engagements
• Delegate the appropriate staff to represent the organization in public events and speaking engagements as an opportunity to show stakeholders expertise flows throughout the organization
• Develop and maintain relationships with media outlets and reporters to secure press coverage and promote the organization's activities
• As a part of strategy planning, support the development of a comprehensive marketing and communications strategy to increase the organization's visibility and reach

Experience and Qualifications

Required

• Several years of experience in a leadership or senior management role, preferably with a not-for-profit organization
• Demonstrated experience in raising and managing organizational (or departmental) budgets of over $1 million
• Several years of experience managing diverse and growing teams
• Several years of grassroots advocacy for labor and/or immigration rights
• Demonstrated project and time management skills, ability to work in a fast-paced environment, and ability to prioritize multiple complex tasks and use resources wisely
• Demonstrated knowledge of trauma-informed, client-centered, and culturally and linguistically responsive services and principles
• Demonstrated strong leadership skills, including ability to inspire and motivate teams

Preferred

• Exemplary experience in financial planning, budgeting, and financial analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to build partnerships with community organizations and underserved communities.
• Experience representing workers in labor cases.
• JD degree and active member in good standing of any state bar or D.C.

Compensation & Benefits

This is a full time, salaried, non-exempt position. This position is based in Georgia, primarily working from home, with in-person events and obligations, as needed. The offered salary range is $100,000-$115,000.

At Sur, we believe the right to happy and healthy workplaces should apply to all, including our own staff. We strive to offer competitive employee benefits as we grow. Sur Legal Collaborative offers a robust benefits package including 4 day work week, medical insurance, paid vision and dental insurance, Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO) policy, 10 paid holidays, 2-week office closure at year's end, as well as an annual wellness stipend.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Sur Legal Collaborative is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

We strongly encourage and welcome applications from persons who identify as Black/African American, Latinx, Indigenous, people of color, immigrant, LGBTQAI.

How to apply

Please submit a cover letter and resume in one document

Application Deadline

Application deadline: Open until filled

Interviews: Late July

Projected start date: Fall 2025