THE OPPORTUNITY

Transportation Alternatives (TA) seeks an Executive Director to build upon its 51-year legacy. The Executive Director should be creative and entrepreneurial, and possess vision, spirit, stamina, and the perseverance of an activist with an equity lens. The Executive Director will be responsible for managing and inspiring staff, fundraising in a creative manner, and working productively with public officials, the organization’s Board of Directors and Advisory Council, and its local constituents. The Executive Director will lead all aspects of TA’s mission, including strategic planning, campaign leadership, fundraising and budget management, communications, and coalition building.

The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors and leads the Senior Leadership Team, which currently includes: Deputy Director, Advocacy; Senior Director of People and Operations, Development; Senior Director of Research; Director of Families for Safe Streets; Director of Advocacy; and Director of Communications. The Executive Director leads the Advisory Council, a volunteer body whose members include activists, major donors, and other leaders in the TA community. The Executive Director also plays a special role managing volunteer advocacy committees and TA’s Families for Safe Streets program.

As a thought leader in the field, the Executive Director will promote human-scale transportation and advocate for the organization’s focus areas to a diverse constituency of community partners, donors, and city and state officials. 

RESPONSIBILITIES AND PRIORITIES

●      Leadership and Strategy – Provide leadership and direction to a highly motivated team with a common vision and ensure the continued development and management of a professional, efficient, and diverse organization. Establish decision-making processes that will enable TA to achieve its long- and short-term goals and objectives. Work creatively and strategically with the Senior Leadership Team, Advisory Council, Borough Committees, Families for Safe Streets, and key external allies to ensure TA’s initiatives proceed with purpose, vitality, and relevance.

●      Board Partnership – Work in partnership with the Board of Directors focused on the creation and measurement of financial, fundraising, programmatic, and performance goals. Bring forth the Board’s best ideas and efforts in support of TA’s activities and fundraising initiatives, and continue to strengthen and help build a diverse and inclusive Board. In coordination with the Board and Senior Team, develop, refine, and implement a strategic plan while ensuring that the budget, staff, and priorities are aligned with our mission and values.

●      Resource Development – Oversee, identify, and develop comprehensive strategies with the Development Director that continue to grow revenue from major donors, members, special events, foundations, and corporations. Grow and broaden a sound funding base. As the public face of the organization, be a knowledgeable and inspirational representative of TA’s campaigns and initiatives with funders. Support and oversee the necessary research, sourcing, messaging, cultivation, and stewardship of resources. Ensure funding and grant proposals are aligned with TA’s policy priorities and programmatic needs.

●      Communication – Oversee the development of a detailed, compelling, and effective communications strategy, in partnership with the Communications Director. Serve as an articulate, persuasive, and effective spokesperson. Represent TA in public forums and engagement with the media. Build the organization’s capacity to spread best practices and influence public policy.

●      Management and Operations – Provide leadership of TA’s administrative and management systems, internal policies, and procedures, including our relationship with the union that represents some of our staff. Develop a budget in line with mission and goals. Ensure that sound financial controls are in place and that funds are spent wisely. Communicate clearly and openly to staff about the importance of fiscal health and the responsibilities of every individual staffer regarding their role in this effort.

●      Growth, Quality Improvement, and Evaluation – Build upon TA’s history of success and its strong foundation for best practices in empowerment, advocacy, and community organizing. Continuously assess and evaluate the organizational structure, staff, and functions in light of external and internal developments. Measure efficacy of activities with a clear sense of metrics. 

EXPERIENCE AND CHARACTERISTICS

The Executive Director will be a strategic leader with experience in grass-roots organizing who is passionate about TA’s mission and capable of leading a highly visible citywide organization. The candidate will have demonstrated success in how to develop and articulate an organization’s vision with a wide variety of stakeholders and motivating and inspiring others to help achieve the goals and objectives. The Executive Director will have a demonstrated capacity to develop and maintain personal connections with donors and prospective donors and an exceptional ability to build and maintain working relationships with a variety of stakeholders. Finally, the candidate will be an avid bicyclist, walker, and/or user of public transportation.

The Executive Director will have:

●      Unwavering determination to create streets that put people first. Knowledge of New York City’s diverse communities, transit issues and approaches, and the executive presence to advance TA’s mission consistent with environmental and social justice goals.

●      Experience with management with progressively responsible senior roles in an organization focused on transportation reform, urban design, the environment, public health , or other relevant fields. Experience with NYC and/or NY state government and legislative expertise is desirable.

●      Demonstrated ability to balance long-term strategic vision with daily operational issues. A collaborative manager with the ability to attract and nurture high-performing talent. An astute leader able to set clear priorities, delegate, and guide investment in people and systems.

●      Experience as a talented fundraiser who unequivocally enjoys the opportunity to secure resources from private and public funders and revenue generating programs. A demonstrated ability to capitalize public relations opportunities as they arise.

●      Proven managerial, problem-solving, and strategic-planning skills and commensurate fiscal responsibilities as a senior leader with a nonprofit organization. An intuitive problem-solver and motivator who can analyze complex issues and develop effective solutions that enhance TA’s relationships, goals, and initiatives.

●      Experience working effectively and in partnership with a board of directors.

●      A commitment to promoting and achieving cultural, socio-economic, and racial diversity internally and externally with respect to outreach and the development of new projects. Strong commitment to the professional development of staff, with a successful track record of recruiting and retaining a diverse team.

●      Knowledge of how best to partner with government. Provide strong leadership that unifies a citywide organization with a diverse array of allied constituencies (biking, walking, transit, safety, sustainability, social justice, real estate, corporate partners, public health, public spaces, micro mobility).

●      The community-organizing skills to inspire effective movement building. Excellent coalition- building skills with an ability to communicate and work effectively with a variety of internal and external stakeholders. A seasoned negotiator able to find common ground and achieve consensus among differing opinions.

●      Experience as a public speaker and adept at addressing a variety of diverse audiences. Outstanding presentation and communication skills. Demonstrated ability to be an outgoing spokesperson, relationship-builder and fundraiser.

●       Knowledge and great love of New York City

●      A Master’s degree in a relevant field or JD is highly desirable. 

Transportation Alternatives seeks a diverse pool of candidates. The salary range is between $180,000 and $250,000 commensurate with experience. Applications, including cover letters and résumés, and nominations should be sent to search@transalt.org. Please submit materials by July 31st, after which applications will be considered on a rolling basis.  

Transportation Alternatives is committed to workplace diversity and inclusion. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, religion, gender, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, political orientation or any other characteristic protected by federal state or local law. We value having diverse staff in gender, ethnicity, background and modal preference. BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.