Executive Director, California Youth & Government

Position: Executive Director, California Youth & Government.
The Opportunity For generations, California YMCA Youth & Government has helped young people discover the power of their voice, understand democracy through experience, and see themselves as leaders capable of shaping their communities and their future.

The Executive Director, California YMCA Youth & Government will provide strategic and executive leadership for one of the nation’s largest civic education and youth leadership programs, serving thousands of middle and high school students across California. Reporting to the Chief Program Officer of the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, the Executive Director will lead the next chapter of a statewide movement built on youth leadership, civic engagement, volunteer service, philanthropy, and the collective strength of YMCA associations throughout California.

This is an external-facing executive role requiring a leader who can build relationships and inspire investment in the mission. The Executive Director will cultivate donors and philanthropic partners, strengthen and develop the Board of Managers, engage and grow a statewide network of volunteers, build relationships with YMCA associations and civic and community leaders, and ensure the continued quality, relevance, reach, and sustainability of California YMCA Youth & Government.

At the same time, this leader will provide executive oversight for statewide programs including Model Legislature & Court (MLC), Model United Nations (MUN), national leadership experiences, and major conferences and events serving thousands of young people.

The successful candidate will understand that the strength of Youth & Government is not built by staff alone. It is built through people: young leaders, committed volunteers, engaged board members, donors, YMCA partners, educators, civic leaders, alumni, and communities united around a belief in the potential of young people.

The Leadership Mandate The next Executive Director will be charged with sustaining the extraordinary legacy of California YMCA Youth & Government while building the relationships, resources, leadership infrastructure, and strategy necessary for its future.

Three areas of executive leadership will be especially critical:

Philanthropy & Fund Development The Executive Director will serve as a chief fundraiser and relationship builder for California YMCA Youth & Government, leading a comprehensive development strategy with an annual goal of generating approximately $480,000 in philanthropic support.

This leader must be comfortable moving from strategy to solicitation. They will cultivate and steward individual donors, pursue major gifts, build corporate and foundation relationships, develop sponsorship opportunities, identify new sources of philanthropic revenue, and create meaningful opportunities for supporters to experience the impact of Youth & Government firsthand.

Just as importantly, the Executive Director will build a culture of philanthropy around the program, partnering with board members, volunteers, alumni, YMCA leaders, and other champions to expand the network of people willing to invest in its future.

This is not a position that simply supports fundraising. Fund development is a central executive responsibility of the role.

Board Development & Governance The Executive Director will serve as the primary staff partner to the California YMCA Youth & Government Board of Managers, developing a highly engaged board that provides meaningful governance, strategic leadership, philanthropy, advocacy, and community influence.

The Executive Director will lead board recruitment, onboarding, engagement, development, and evaluation while partnering closely with board leadership to establish strategic priorities and measure progress. This leader will strengthen committee structures and charts of work, cultivate future board leadership, and ensure board members have meaningful opportunities to contribute their expertise, relationships, resources, and influence to the mission.

The successful candidate will understand the difference between managing a board and developing one. We are seeking an executive who can build a strong partnership with volunteer governance leaders and help strengthen a board that is engaged, accountable, connected, and actively advancing the organization.

Volunteer Leadership & Development Volunteers are fundamental to the identity, culture, reach, and success of California YMCA Youth & Government.

The Executive Director will lead a statewide volunteer engagement strategy that honors and retains the dedicated volunteers who have built and sustained this program while intentionally recruiting and developing the next generation of volunteer leaders.

This requires more than volunteer coordination. It requires an executive who understands volunteerism at the highest level and knows how to create an environment where people choose to give their time, expertise, relationships, and leadership year after year.

The Executive Director will strengthen the full…