Executive Director

The Common Acre — Executive Director

Location: Seattle, WA — Hybrid — this role requires regular, sustained, on-site presence at restoration and land-based program sites and in the neighborhoods we serve. The ED is expected to build direct relationships with community members, land workers, cultural partners, and donors; this is not a primarily desk or remote-based leadership role.

Job Type: Full-Time, 30 hours per week, Exempt

Reports To: Board of Directors

Salary Range: $90K– $100,000k / year

Application Deadline: Rolling until filled

Applications will be reviewed starting: 10/27/26

Organization Snapshot

The Common Acre is a mixed Indigenous-led (Unangan/Unangas) organization with 100% BIPOC Board and staff. Through collaborative efforts we offer culturally relevant restoration, conservation, and food workshops in Rainier Beach, Skyway, Tukwila, Pioneer Square and the Central District aimed at revitalizing landscapes impacted by gentrification and colonization. We honor the relationship between people, the land, and culture by restoring culturally relevant Native plants and foods, providing Unangan/Unangas cultural programming, and activating community green spaces.

The Common Acre is a nonprofit organization, and we recognize that nonprofits are capable of perpetuating white supremacy culture. Discussion about the characteristics of white supremacy culture is incorporated into Board of Director meetings with the ED and we frequently review our policies and procedures in order to build and maintain equitable practices.

We work with a wide range of partners in our programs and advocacy initiatives. Some of our key partnerships include Indigenous Creatives Collective, Renton School District Native American Education Program, Foster High School Environmental Science Classes, Old Growth Solution, Washington Farmland Trust, L.I.G.H.T foundation, and tribal leaders and members from Suquamish, Colville, Makah, Swinomish, and Muckleshoot, among others.

Annual Budget: Approximately $650,000

• Staff Size: 4 full time staff (30 hours a week)
• Founded: 2012
• Cause Areas: Culturally relevant native plant education, urban gardening, youth programming, Native language preservation and education, environmental justice, policy and advocacy work, upholding tribal sovereignty.

Position Summary

The Executive Director is a collaborative and values driven leader providing strategic and operational leadership across programs, finance, fundraising, community partnerships, and staff/board management, while staying rooted in The Common Acre’s core values and purpose. This role is hands-on in the daily operations of the organization, thinks broadly about systems and practices to help the organization and staff succeed, and sits in the driver’s seat guiding the vision for our future work.

The team at The Common Acre is small and mutually supportive. Our culture is one of collaboration, shared responsibility, and a positive approach to times when all hands are needed.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Partner with the Board and staff to set the organizational vision and strategy
• Provide clear and consistent leadership in communicating organizational goals to the team, pursuing those goals, and utilizing tools to assess alignment and progress
• Represent the organization’s mission and values in coalition, policy, or public-facing spaces

Community & Program Leadership

• Maintain deep, accountable relationships with the community(ies) the organization serves and partners with
• Participate in policy conversations and spaces as appropriate while building relationships with elected officials, law makers, and lobbyists
• In collaboration with the Program Director lead an active cause-related policy campaign in partnership with urban Native and tribal leaders
• Build and maintain respectful and collaborative relationships with federally recognized tribes and other Native led non-profits doing similar or aligned work
• Work collaboratively across all areas of the organization, occasionally providing hands-on support to programs, events, and operations as needed to advance organizational goals and ensure effective delivery within a small-staff team
• Support program execution when needed. This may look like day-of administrative support, staffing a table at a community event, set-up or break-down of tables, chairs, signage, etc.

Fundraising & Financial Oversight

• Participate in fundraising efforts as a primary spokesperson for The Common Acre; attending events, helping to build and maintain relationships with donors and funders, and participating in funding asks
• Partner with the Development Director in establishing fundraising goals, monitoring progress, and strategizing adjustments where needed
• Work with Grants Contractor and Development Director to develop and implement a holistic grants strategy that addresses short-term and long-term organizational priorities

People & Culture

• Lead organizational development efforts that strengthen culture, staff capacity, operational effectiveness, and long-term sustainability
• Provide hands-on leadership and actively support staff in achieving organizational goals and objectives
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and team-oriented culture through coaching, mentorship, and accessibility
• Hands-on supervision of the Development Director; including responsibility for:
  • Setting priorities and goals, monitoring fundraising performance, and supporting key donor and partner relationships
• Hands on supervision of the Program Director; including responsibility for:
  • Monitoring program staffing, co-establishing desired program outcomes, monitoring program implementation, and maintaining a process of programs assessment for desired outcomes alignment
• Manage all hiring and human resources administration including compliance with labor laws and record retention

Operations and Finance

• Serve as core administrator for general operations and administrative tasks including: ensuring permit and insurance compliance, managing technology needs and licenses, managing annual business filings, and collecting and sorting the mail
• Act as the central communications manager including supporting the Programs Director and Managers with external communications content, driving strategy, and ensuring supportive systems are in place
• Develop and manage the annual budget in partnership with staff and the board
• Oversee financial activities together with bookkeeper; including tracking expenses and ensuring timely payments, depositing checks, and actively monitoring cashflow
• Partner with the contract bookkeepers to maintain financial systems and ensure accurate reporting
• Support the accountant in annual 990 preparation and filing
• Step in where needed with other administrative tasks, balancing strategic leadership with a willingness to support day-to-day operations and organizational priorities

Board Partnership

• Act as the primary point of contact for the board and staff of The Common Acre
• Support governance, recruitment, and board development
• Regularly report out to the board on the status of programs, partnerships, financial position, and future initiatives

Who You Are

The Common Acre is seeking an Executive Director who is curious, community focused, and open to learning. You will thrive in this role if you are adaptable, passionate about our mission, and engaged.

Highly Desired

• 3+ years in nonprofit, community organizing or related leadership roles
• Highly proficient in nonprofit administration and general operations
• Demonstrated strength in communication both written and verbal, on an inter-personal level and through external communications channels
• Extensive experience working with tribes, tribal affiliated groups, and Native people
• Experience and a high level of comfort with nonprofit financial management and reporting
• Track record of supervising staff and building organizational culture
• Experience with stewardship work, land use, access, and/or acquisition
• Has knowledge of and capacity to speak about policy as it relates to conversation initiatives
• Demonstrated fundraising experience in grant management, donor relationships, solicitations etc. Extensive experience not required.
• Comfort and capacity to be a public ambassador for TCA through public speaking and communicating across digital and in-person mediums with a broad range of people
• Lived or demonstrated commitment to racial and economic justice and food sovereignty
• Proficient with word processing and email suites, specifically Microsoft and Google

Preferred / Nice to Have

• Experience with urban farming
• Experience and comfort with large fundraising campaigns like capital or multi-year campaigns
• Experience with policy development on a local or state level
• Proficient with Excel