Executive Director at Safe Passage Project

Safe Passage Project provides free lawyers to immigrant and refugee youth, ensuring that no child faces the immigration process alone.

About the Organization

Since 2013, Safe Passage Project (SPP) has worked to ensure that unaccompanied immigrant youth in New York receive due process and access to justice. By providing legal representation and psychosocial support at no charge for unaccompanied immigrants under the age of 21 who are facing deportation in New York City and Long Island, SPP has achieved a 90% success rate in our advocacy.

You can learn more about Safe Passage Project at their website.

About the Role

As the senior most leader of a prominent NYC metropolitan area legal and social services organization focused on unaccompanied minors facing deportation, the Executive Director will address one of the most pressing issues facing youth in our city. Responsible for strategy, programs, people, operations, and long-term sustainability, the Executive Director will guide and support a high‑performing, multidisciplinary team navigating a dynamic external context.

Working in close partnership with a dedicated Board, the Executive Director will build upon a strong foundation, grow the organization, and continue to safeguard our financial health. In addition, the Executive Director will serve as SPP's leading fundraiser and external ambassador, cultivating and stewarding major donors, while engaging with community partners, and elevating SPP's public profile in service of our mission.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Inspire staff, volunteers, and the broader community engaged in SPP's work, ensuring alignment with the organization's mission and core values.
• In partnership with the Board of Directors and staff, support continued implementation of Safe Passage Project's strategic plan and strategic priorities, fostering a culture of innovation and excellence and identifying emerging needs and opportunities.
• Serve as the primary liaison to the Board of Directors, providing timely updates to the Board on operations, finances, and risk issues.
• Lead, coach, manage, and support the leadership team and other direct reports, ensuring best‑in‑class delivery of key programs and services.
• Drive organization‑wide results with inspirational leadership, effective and supportive management, and well‑defined objectives with accountability mechanisms and key performance indicators to track progress.
• Engage productively with the SPP Union, Association of Legal Aid Attorneys - UAW Local 2325 (ALAA). (In 2020, Safe Passage Project staff voted to become members of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys - UAW Local 2325 (ALAA). SPP's prior ED oversaw the signing of our first Collective Bargaining Agreement, a significant and proud milestone in Safe Passage's trajectory as an organization.)

• Represent SPP effectively, serving as a visible leader with funders, pro‑bono and community partners, and other key stakeholders and speaking convincingly about the organization's work and impact. This includes communicating to the press and on television as needed.
• Drive fundraising efforts, with a focus on increasing revenue by actively identifying and cultivating new funding opportunities in partnership with the development team.
• Maintain relationships with existing major donors, institutional funders, and government partners.

• Ensure effective and responsible financial and operational management of the organization's 2026 $ 9.5M budget, working in partnership with key staff to oversee the fiscal operations of the organization.
• In coordination with the outsourced finance team and the Finance Committee of the Board, oversee budgeting, cash flow, investments, and financial reporting to ensure prudent financial management practices are in place to sustain organizational activities and initiatives.
• Approve expenditures and monitor compliance with grant and contract requirements.

• You will report to the Board of Directors.
• You will directly supervise the Director of…