Executive Director

Our House Cafe dba Purple Tree Cafe is a small nonprofit organization based in Davis, California dedicated to creating community-based employment for people with disabilities and bringing people with and without disabilities together through food, art, and music. Since 2018, our employees have made and sold vegan baked goods at the Davis Farmers Market and other events. Since 2024 we have also operated the cafe at the UC Davis Health MIND Institute in Sacramento. Learn more about us at purpletreecafe.org.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director guides Purple Tree Cafe’s strategic vision and oversees operations to drive sustainable growth and promote our mission. The ED works with the Board of Directors and Director of Operations to implement strategic plans for the organization’s development and manage relationships with key partners, funders, and donors. 

Location: 

• Remote work, but must be available for meetings and site visits in Davis and Sacramento, California

Schedule:  

• Flexible hours, 12-15 hours per week

Salary: $18,000/year

Contact:  

Pamela Cohen 

Founder, Board Chair & Interim ED

View email address on click.appcast.io

Duties & Responsibilities

General:

• Collaborate with the Board of Directors and individual Board members to establish and implement strategic plans to achieve all charitable objectives.
• Manages fundraising efforts to ensure sufficient donations and grant revenue to support operations and continued growth.
• Develop an organizational culture that promotes transparency and collaboration throughout the organization.
• Develop relationships and partnerships with donors, community organizations, and government agencies
• Identify potential risks and opportunities within the organization to protect business interests.
• Design and facilitate the organization’s social and corporate events in ways that strengthen the brand and communicate the organization’s message.

Leadership: 

• Collaborate with the Board of Directors to identify, create, and implement strategic plans to establish and achieve organizational objectives. 
• Coordinate updates to the Employee Handbook as needed. 
• Coordinate, train and oversee volunteers supporting fundraising efforts, as needed.
• Develop an organizational culture of philanthropy that involves staff, volunteers, Board members, and partners in fundraising efforts
• Work closely with the director of operations to create and manage the various income generating ventures (Cafe, Farmers Market, etc)

Partnerships/Development: 

• Expand and deepen relationships with community members and organizations.
• Collaborate with the Board of Directors to identify potential sources of funding and investment, collaborate on communications with funders, and organize fundraising efforts.
• Search, prepare and complete grant applications on behalf of Purple Tree, with the input and feedback from the board of directors
• Represent Purple Tree at community events in ways that strengthen the brand and communicate the organization’s message. Represent the organization to the media/press. 
• Manage donor acknowledgements and recognition
• Provide donor data to development staff or volunteers and the Treasurer. 
• Prepare grant proposals, including project budgets, with input from the Operations team and Board of Directors.
• Prepare grant reports as needed. 
• Advise the Board on priority funding needs. 
• Decide acceptance/rejection of donations, per the Donations Acceptance Policy.
• Manage social media activities and newsletters.
• Assist Operations staff in coordinating social events such as Hootenanies and other music/art programs.
• Solicit in-kind donations.

Administrative :

• Attend Board meetings monthly, as scheduled.
• Advise the Board on operations and nonprofit administration. 
• Prepare monthly written reports to the Board.
• Resolve accounting issues with the Treasurer and Operations staff. 
• Work with the Board on the development of an annual budget with input from the Operations team.
• Coordinate formal commitments/contracts with the Board Chair. Manage and coordinate insurance policies. 
• Oversee the structure of Google Drive files and design of Purple Tree’s website. 
• Decide on purchases of promotional items. 
• With support from staff, draft and publish an organizational newsletter.

Skills and Experience

Required: 

• Experience in nonprofit management
• Experience in fundraising
• Familiarity with and ability to attend site visits and meetings in Davis and Sacramento 
• Excellent strategic thinking and analytical skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Desired: 

• Experience working with people with disabilities
• Experience in business management 
• Experience in the food service sector

Equal Opportunity Employer: 

Purple Tree is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity. Purple Tree does not discriminate in any aspect of its employment practices against any applicant or employee on account of race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status or other protected status.