Executive Director, Food Solutions Action & Americans for the Common Good
About Food Solutions Action & Americans for the Common Good
Food Solutions Action is a 501(c)(4) non-profit dedicated to catalyzing U.S. governments to prioritize policies that enable alternative protein industries to thrive. Our state and federal policy teams develop policies, draft legislation, educate lawmakers about the benefits of alternative protein, and build political coalitions for policy change. We also operate FSA PAC, the only PAC focused on supporting legislative champions of alternative protein. Our sister 501(c)(3), Food Solutions Inc, focuses on research and education.
Americans for the Common Good is a separate 501(c)(4) non-profit focused on animal protection and responsible government spending.
Founded five years ago, our small but nimble team has already achieved concrete policy victories, helped secure tens of millions of dollars in R&D for protein innovation and built strong legislative relationships through our entrepreneurial and strategic approach to building political power.
Position Overview
The Executive Director will lead Food Solutions Action and Americans for the Common Good day to day. This is a leadership role at its core: you will manage and develop a team of roughly nine (full-time staff and contractors), build the operational systems that let the organizations run well, and own day-to-day operations across both entities. You will report to the President and work closely with senior leadership and advisors.
You are inheriting a working organization, not a blank page. Your job is to make it run sharper: a team that is stable, supported, and doing its best work, and the operational backbone (goal-setting, performance tracking, and data management) that turns activity into measurable impact. This is a builder's role inside an established platform, with committed funding, an aligned principal, and a clear mission.
You will report to the President, who founded the organizations and leads on strategy and major decisions. You will own day-to-day operations, fundraising, and growth, in close partnership with him.
Responsibilities and Duties
The primary responsibilities of the Executive Director are:
- Leading, managing, and developing a nine-person team of full-time staff and contractors, building a stable and high-performing organization
- Owning day-to-day operations across both Food Solutions Action and Americans for the Common Good
- Building and maintaining organizational systems, including goal-setting, performance tracking, and data management (for example, logging legislator meetings and outcomes)
- Owning fundraising and donor relations
- Overseeing compliance firms and other contractors to ensure effective, well-coordinated work
- Managing budget and compliance across FSA’s 501(c)(4), 501(c)(3) and affiliated PAC, and Americans for the Common Good
- Maintaining and deepening key relationships with partners and movement leaders
Ideal candidates will possess
- Seven or more years of leadership experience, with a strong track record of managing and developing teams
- A demonstrated ability to build operational systems (goals, metrics, data, accountability) and make them stick - bringing structure to what is sometimes abstract
- Comfort owning operations end to end, including catching what falls through the cracks and driving results
- Strong fundraising instincts, or the ability to grow into a fundraising role quickly
- The ability to work across 501(c)(4), PAC, and 501(c)(3) structures and their compliance requirements, or to learn them quickly
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
- Comfort and proficiency with AI tools to enhance productivity across the organization
- Enthusiasm and skill for building buy-in across nonpartisan, liberal, and conservative constituencies, both individually and together
- Ability to thrive in a fast-changing, responsive environment
- Demonstrated care for advancing animal protection
Nice to have
- Political or campaign experience
- Familiarity with food systems, alternative proteins, or animal advocacy
- Genuine alignment with our mission and the values behind it
What Success Looks Like
- A stable, satisfied team that continues to drive impact and builds the foundation for future impact within the first 12 months
- Clear Federal and State policy successes on an annual basis.
- Stronger organizational systems in place, including goal-setting and reliable tracking of key activities and data
- Day-to-day operations of both entities running smoothly and independently, freeing the team to focus on program execution and President to focus on strategy and growth
Mission-Driven
The ideal candidate will be mission-driven and personally committed to building political power for a better food system.
Salary and Location
This is a full-time position with an annual salary range of $125,000 to $155,000, commensurate with experience.
We offer a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance reimbursement, a 401(k) retirement plan with employer matching, generous paid time off and sick leave, professional development opportunities, and wellness support.
Location is flexible, with a preference for candidates in or willing to relocate to Washington, D.C. or the San Francisco Bay Area. This role requires travel approximately one to three times per quarter.
Food Solutions Action and Americans for the Common Good seek qualified candidates for all open positions. Food Solutions Action and Americans for the Common Good are Equal Opportunity Employers and conduct all business activities, including hiring and other employment decisions, without regard to the employee or applicant's race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, or breastfeeding), age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, genetic information, disability, matriculation, or political affiliation or other legally protected class.
Deadline and Application
Applications reviewed on a rolling basis; priority deadline Friday, July 3.
