Chief Executive Officer

TITLE: Chief Executive Officer

ORGANIZATION: A Better Way, Inc.

LOCATION: Berkeley, California (Bay Area)

REPORTS TO: Board of Directors

STATUS: Full-Time, Exempt

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

A Better Way is conducting a search for its next Chief Executive Officer. The incoming CEO will inherit an organization that is mission‑clear, community‑trusted, and operationally grounded — and will be charged with leading it into its next chapter of growth, innovation, and impact.

The Board of Directors seeks a visionary and entrepreneurial leader who combines genuine compassion for children and families with the strategic acumen to manage a complex, multi‑county, government‑funded organization. This leader will be deeply at home in the Bay Area's child welfare and behavioral health landscape, building trust with county partners, funders, and community stakeholders while nurturing a high‑performing, culturally humble internal team.

Key leadership priorities for the incoming CEO include:

• Executing a strategic vision for A Better Way's next phase of programmatic and fiscal growth
• Serving as organization’s lead fundraiser, actively cultivating & securing philanthropic support, diversifying and strengthening the agency's revenue model, reducing reliance on county contracts and expanding unrestricted funding
• Strengthening and retaining a talented, mission‑driven workforce in a competitive Bay Area labor market
• Sustaining and expanding valued county relationships and government contracts
• Building on A Better Way's strong accreditation standing and culture of quality improvement
• Elevating the agency's public profile and advocacy presence in the child welfare field
• Strengthening internal systems, infrastructure, and operational efficiency to support scale and long‑term sustainability

MISSION

A Better Way empowers children and families to develop the insights, life skills, and permanent relationships that promote their social, emotional, educational and economic well‑being.

ABOUT A BETTER WAY

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Berkeley, California, A Better Way, Inc. is a Bay Area nonprofit with a clear and urgent purpose: to keep families together, heal the wounds of trauma, and create pathways to permanence for children who need them most. For nearly three decades, A Better Way has partnered with Alameda, San Francisco, Solano, and Contra Costa Counties to deliver culturally responsive, evidence‑based services to some of the region's most vulnerable children, youth, and families.

A Better Way's portfolio of services is wide‑ranging and deeply integrated within the child welfare system. Programs include community‑based mental health services, parent advocacy and peer support, family strengthening and differential response, transitional housing for young adults aging out of foster care, and a robust suite of community and professional training. The agency is the sole provider of Alameda County's Differential Response program, Another Road to Safety (ARS), and operates Parent Engagement and Peer Parent Programs across multiple counties.

A Better Way holds Joint Commission accreditation and a four‑star Charity Navigator rating — signals of the organization's commitment to quality, accountability, and continuous improvement. The agency currently has a budget of approximately $13 million and a staff of 100+ dedicated professionals. A Better Way's values — Family Empowerment, Successful Outcomes, Cultural Humility, Community Collaboration, and Professional Workforce — are not aspirational statements but operating principles embedded in every program and every client interaction.

A Better Way operates within a complex regulatory and funding environment requiring strong compliance, operational discipline, and cross‑sector collaboration.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Organizational Leadership & Vision

• Articulate and advance a compelling vision for A Better Way that inspires staff, board, partners, and funders
• Lead the organization in developing and implementing long‑range strategic plans in partnership with the Board of Directors and senior leadership team
• Foster an organizational culture grounded in cultural humility, trauma‑informed practice, equity, accountability, and continuous learning
• Serve as a compelling public spokesperson and advocate for A Better Way's mission, programs, and the communities it serves
• Maintain an effective, transparent, and collaborative partnership with the Board of Directors as a whole and with individual board members, supporting strong governance practices, board development, and clear delineation of roles and responsibilities

Fiscal Management & Financial Health

• Develop, manage, and monitor the organizational budget in partnership with the Chief Financial Officer and the Board
• Ensure appropriate financial controls, risk management frameworks, and audit readiness across all programs and contracts
• Strategically align revenues and resource allocation to manage agency growth and programmatic sustainability
• Maintain and grow the agency's financial reserves and long‑term fiscal resilience
• Ensure compliance with nonprofit governance and financial requirements, including IRS regulations, audits, and required filings (e.g., Form 990)

Board Partnership & Engagement

• Build and sustain a relationship of trust, candor, and mutual accountability with the Board of Directors, anchored in transparency, integrity, and a shared commitment to mission
• Engage the Board as a strategic thought partner — proactively seeking input on consequential decisions, surfacing emerging risks and opportunities, and bringing forward well‑framed questions for board deliberation rather than pre‑decided conclusions
• Communicate consistently and proactively with the Board Chair and individual directors between meetings, ensuring no surprises and timely escalation of significant issues, financial developments, or reputational matters
• Partner with the Board Chair to design board and committee meetings that focus on strategy, governance, and generative discussion, with materials distributed in advance and time reserved for substantive dialogue
• Support board recruitment, onboarding, development, and committee effectiveness, helping cultivate a board that reflects the diversity of the communities A Better Way serves and brings the skills, networks, and lived experience needed for the agency’s next phase of growth
• Foster individual relationships with board members that respect governance boundaries while leveraging each member’s unique networks, expertise, and capacity to advance the agency’s mission, fundraising, and advocacy goals
• Demonstrate openness to board feedback, challenge, and oversight, modeling a culture of psychological safety, constructive dialogue, and continuous improvement at the highest levels of the organization
• Uphold clear role clarity between governance and management, helping the Board operate at the strategic level while protecting the executive team’s space to lead day‑to‑day operations

Fundraising & Development

• Ensure systems and infrastructure are in place to support fundraising operations, including donor management, grant tracking, and reporting
• Deepen and expand the agency's relationships with public agencies, foundations, corporations, and individual donors
• Personally cultivate and solicit major donors; demonstrate a track record of successful major gift fundraising
• Collaborate with the Development team to build and execute a diversified, data‑informed fund development plan
• Represent A Better Way at community events, donor cultivation activities, and public forums

Program Excellence & Service Delivery

• Drive innovation in program design and service delivery models to respond to evolving community and system needs
• Oversee the quality, effectiveness, and compliance of all programs and services across multiple counties
• Ensure all programs reflect best practices, evidence‑based approaches, and align with A Better Way's values and emerging community needs
• Establish systems to regularly evaluate program outcomes and translate data into continuous improvement
• Ensure compliance with all regulatory agencies, accrediting bodies, and county/state/federal requirements

People Leadership & Culture

• Lead, inspire, and develop the Executive Leadership Team toward shared goals and a unified culture
• Champion workforce diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging across the agency
• Oversee succession planning, talent development, and employee retention strategies
• Model and promote a trauma‑informed, culturally humble approach to leadership and service
• Foster a high‑performance culture with clear expectations, accountability, and continuous feedback

Community & Government Relations

• Cultivate and maintain strong, trust‑based relationships with county departments, government officials, and community partners to expand impact and funding opportunities
• Advocate at the policy level on issues affecting children, families, and the child welfare system
• Represent A Better Way on regional coalitions, committees, and in public forums
• Position A Better Way as a thought leader and trusted voice in the Bay Area child welfare and behavioral health landscape

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Experience

• Minimum 15 years of progressive leadership experience in human services, behavioral health, child welfare, or a closely related field
• Minimum 5 years of executive leadership experience in a complex organization, including oversight of 100 or more staff. Prior CEO or Executive Director experience preferred
• Demonstrated budgetary oversight and accountability of at least $10 million
• Proven track record in fundraising, including major donor cultivation and direct personal solicitation
• Experience managing complex government contracts and county/state funding relationships
• Experience overseeing multi‑site or multi‑county program operations
• Demonstrated success developing and executing organizational strategic plans
• Proven ability to build and retain diverse, high‑performing teams in a mission‑driven environment
• Experience ensuring compliance with regulatory, licensing, and accreditation bodies
• Track record of successfully navigating organizational change and transitions

Skills & Competencies

• Outstanding communicator — written, verbal, and public speaking — with the ability to move diverse audiences
• Deep financial literacy and ability to translate complex financial information for board and stakeholder audiences
• High degree of emotional intelligence; skilled at building relationships across differences
• Strategic, big‑picture thinking combined with the discipline to execute on specific goals and metrics
• Proficiency in advocacy, policy engagement, and representing organizations before elected officials
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced, resource‑constrained environment

Personal Characteristics

• Deep, authentic commitment to A Better Way's mission and to the children, youth, and families it serves
• Genuine compassion for vulnerable communities, especially those impacted by trauma, poverty, and systemic inequity
• A visible, mission‑forward leader who thrives as the public face of an organization
• A collaborative, empowering leadership style that elevates others and builds trust
• Commitment to cultural humility and equity in all dimensions of leadership and service
• Entrepreneurial spirit paired with sound judgment in complex decision‑making
• High integrity; unwavering ethical standards

Education

• Master's degree required, preferably in Social Work, Public Health, Nonprofit Management, Public Administration, or a related field
• Knowledge of the Bay Area child welfare and behavioral health landscape is highly desirable

COMPENSATION

The anticipated salary range for this position is $200,000 to $230,000, commensurate with experience, along with a comprehensive benefits package and generous paid time off.

TO APPLY

Interested candidates should submit a resume and a letter of interest outlining their qualifications and vision for the role through our website

WORKING CONDITIONS & REQUIREMENTS

• This position is based in Berkeley, California. The CEO is expected to be based in the Bay Area or willing to relocate, with a hybrid schedule that includes regular on‑site presence.
• Travel is primarily local within the Bay Area, with occasional regional or national travel as needed.
• Successful candidates must pass background checks and meet all applicable health and licensing requirements.
• This role requires occasional evening or weekend commitments for board meetings, events, or community engagement.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

A Better Way, Inc. is committed to workforce diversity. Qualified applicants will receive full consideration without regard to age, race, color, ethnic background, religion, gender, sexual orientation, HIV‑status, national origin, or disability. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.