Executive Director

Oklahoma Association of Community Action Agencies Executive Director:
Job Announcement

Would you like to make a lasting difference in the fight against poverty in Oklahoma? OACAA is seeking its next Executive Director - someone who wants to build relationships that matter, steward serious public resources with care, and help a statewide network of local leaders do their best work for their communities.

Community Action Agencies (CAAs) are local nonprofit organizations, created through the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 as part of the national War on Poverty, that design and deliver locally tailored programs - from Head Start and housing assistance to home weatherization, transportation, and emergency services - to help people move toward self-sufficiency. Oklahoma's 17 Community Action Agencies are part of a national network of nearly 1,000 agencies, each independently governed but united by a shared mission.

OACAA supports Oklahoma's 17 Community Action Agencies through training, technical assistance, state and federal advocacy, and by managing the Head Start Collaboration Office and the Oklahoma Weatherization Training Center. We are a staff of six, governed by a board made up of the executive directors of our member agencies.

• Serve as the trusted liaison between Oklahoma's 17 Community Action Agencies, national partners, and the federal and state agencies that fund and regulate them.
• Manage and ensure compliance across roughly ten concurrent federal grants and an annual federal audit.
• Oversee the Oklahoma Weatherization Training Center, a specialized statewide and national training program.
• Build relationships with the Oklahoma Legislature, Congressional delegation, and state and federal agencies to advocate for Community Action priorities.
• Plan and run OACAA's training calendar and events, including its annual conference and Day at the Capitol.
• Lead a small, dedicated staff team and partner closely with a Board composed of member agency executive directors.

This role suits a self-motivated, entrepreneurial leader who is as comfortable building relationships with legislators as they are digging into a grant budget. You'll need:

• Five or more years of progressively responsible management experience; nonprofit, government, or Community Action experience strongly preferred.
• A strong aptitude for, or direct experience with, federal grants management and compliance.
• Excellent relationship-building, communication, and public speaking skills.
• Comfort with ambiguity, autonomy, and wearing many hats in a small organization.
• A bachelor's degree in public administration, nonprofit management, human relations, or a related field (master's preferred), or equivalent experience.

The Executive Director leads OACAA's day-to-day operations and serves as the primary spokesperson and strategist for Community Action in Oklahoma. Working in close partnership with the Board, the Executive Director helps set direction for the Association, builds relationships with the federal and state partners who fund and support Community Action work, and oversees OACAA's programs and staff, including the Head Start Collaboration Office and Oklahoma Weatherization Training Center.

• Partners with the Board of Directors to set strategy and organizational priorities.
• Liaises between Oklahoma's Community Action network and federal agencies / state regulatory partners.
• Serves as the primary spokesperson for OACAA and, when appropriate, for Community Action in Oklahoma.

• Plans and executes the Association's training calendar and events, including the annual conference, regular member trainings, and Day at the Capitol, which involves substantial event logistics (venues, speakers, materials, budgets, and on-site coordination).
• Provides technical assistance to member agencies and develops training content that helps local CAA staff and boards do their jobs well.
• Represents OACAA with partners, collaboratives, and coalitions on statewide public policy issues, and with Community Action associations at the regional and national level.

• Manages a portfolio of concurrent federal and state grants, tracking spend-down, staff time allocation, and deliverables so that funds are fully and appropriately used.
• Oversees both fiscal and programmatic compliance and reporting across all funding…