California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE), Chief Executive Officer

ORGANIZATION

For over 50 years, the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) has been a leading voice in advancing bilingual and multilingual education, biliteracy, multicultural competency, and educational equity. CABE is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting high-quality educational experiences and opportunities for all students, with a particular focus on multilingual/English learners and their families.

CABE's strength is rooted in its history of advocacy, dedicated members, experienced staff, and extensive network of educators, administrators, families, researchers, policymakers, and community partners. As a membership-based organization, CABE values the voices, expertise, and engagement of its members, who serve as advocates, leaders, and ambassadors for bilingual and multilingual education. Through its members and statewide partnerships, CABE builds collective capacity to influence educational policy, strengthen instructional practices, and advance opportunities for multilingual learners and their communities.

CABE maintains strong relationships with policymakers and educational leaders, including an active presence in Sacramento, and is recognized as a trusted advocate for multilingual education and educational equity. Its influence extends statewide, nationally, and internationally through advocacy, research-informed initiatives, professional learning, and collaborative partnerships.

CABE is also a respected provider of professional learning and leadership development in bilingual education, dual language immersion, English language development, and family and community engagement. Through its annual and regional conferences, institutes, professional learning services, and educational initiatives, CABE supports educators, administrators, families, students, and community partners in transforming research and policy into effective practice.

With an annual operating budget of approximately $7 million, a dedicated professional staff, and a statewide network of members and partners, CABE is positioned to build upon its rich legacy while strengthening its organizational capacity, financial sustainability, and collective impact.

To learn more about CABE, please visit www.gocabe.org.

OPPORTUNITY

The next Chief Executive Officer will have the opportunity to lead a highly respected, mission-driven organization with a rich history, experienced and dedicated staff, an engaged membership, and a strong network of educational and community partners. As CABE enters its next chapter, the CEO will play a pivotal role in strengthening its organizational foundation, advancing its mission, and positioning the organization for long-term sustainability and impact.

CABE seeks a visionary, collaborative, and strategic leader who combines a deep commitment to bilingual and multilingual education with strong executive leadership, financial stewardship, organizational development, and relationship-building skills. The CEO will work in partnership with the Board of Directors, staff, members, community partners, and other stakeholders to advance CABE's strategic priorities and expand its influence and impact.

A central priority will be strengthening CABE's financial sustainability through diversified revenue streams, strategic fund development, expanded partnerships, and responsible fiscal management. Equally important will be strengthening organizational systems, developing leadership capacity, and fostering a positive, transparent, collaborative, and accountable organizational culture.

The CEO will recognize CABE's members as the heart of the organization and an essential force in advancing its mission. The next leader will prioritize meaningful member engagement, strengthen relationships with members, expand membership opportunities, and ensure that member perspectives inform CABE's strategic direction, advocacy, programs, and services.

This position calls for a leader who is both strategically visionary and practically grounded—someone who honors CABE's history, values the expertise of its staff and members, embraces innovation, and leads with integrity, cultural humility, and respect. The CEO will balance collaborative leadership with sound decision-making, accountability, and the ability to guide organizational growth and change.

This is an extraordinary opportunity to lead an organization whose mission remains critically important and to help shape the future of multilingual education for generations to come.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Strategic Leadership and Organizational Direction

• Provide visionary and strategic executive leadership to advance CABE's mission, vision, core values, and long-term organizational sustainability.

• Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of CABE's Strategic Plan in collaboration with the Board of Directors, staff, members, and key stakeholders.

• Establish clear organizational priorities, measurable goals, and performance expectations aligned with CABE's strategic direction.

• Identify emerging opportunities, challenges, and trends in education, public policy, and nonprofit leadership to guide organizational planning and decision-making.

• Promote innovation, organizational effectiveness, and continuous improvement while honoring CABE's history and foundational commitments.

• Board Governance and Executive Leadership

• Serve as CABE's chief executive, accountable to the Board of Directors for organizational performance, fiscal stewardship, and implementation of Board-approved policies and strategic priorities.

• Establish a strong, collaborative, and transparent working relationship with the Board while maintaining appropriate distinctions between governance and management responsibilities.

• Provide timely, accurate, and meaningful information to support effective Board governance, strategic oversight, and informed decision-making.

• Partner with the Board to strengthen organizational accountability, Board leadership capacity, leadership continuity, and long-term planning.

• Support effective communication and positive working relationships among the Board, executive leadership, and staff.

• Financial Stewardship and Fund Development

• Provide strategic oversight of CABE's financial operations, including budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, audits, reserve management, and long-term fiscal planning.

• Develop and implement a comprehensive financial sustainability strategy that strengthens and diversifies CABE's revenue sources.

• Lead and expand fund development efforts, including foundation and corporate partnerships, philanthropic giving, grants, sponsorships, and other funding opportunities.

• Strengthen earned revenue opportunities through conferences, professional learning services, district contracts, membership, and other mission-aligned initiatives.

• Build organizational capacity for fund development through effective systems, strategic relationships, and appropriate staffing structures.

• Ensure responsible financial management, transparency, accountability, and alignment of resources with CABE's mission and strategic priorities.

• Membership Engagement, Growth, and Leadership

• Recognize and champion CABE's members as essential partners, advocates, and leaders in advancing the organization's mission and influence.

• Develop and implement strategies to strengthen membership engagement, recruitment, retention, and growth, ensuring that CABE remains responsive to the evolving needs of its members.

• Foster meaningful relationships with individual and institutional members and membership networks throughout California and beyond.

• Expand opportunities for members to participate in advocacy, leadership development, professional learning, networking, and organizational initiatives.

• Establish effective mechanisms for listening to member perspectives, gathering feedback, and incorporating member voices into CABE's strategic planning, programs, services, and advocacy priorities.

• Promote a strong sense of belonging, shared purpose, and connection among CABE's diverse membership communities.

• Collaborate with the Board and staff to strengthen CABE's membership value, benefits, services, and engagement opportunities.

• Organizational Leadership, Culture, and Staff Development

• Provide executive oversight of CABE's operations, ensuring organizational effectiveness, accountability, and alignment with strategic priorities.

• Lead, mentor, and empower CABE's leadership team, establishing clear roles, responsibilities, expectations, and performance measures.

• Strengthen leadership capacity throughout the organization by fostering trust, collaboration, mutual respect, and inclusive decision-making, while supporting the professional growth and development of staff and emerging leaders.

• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and supportive organizational culture grounded in transparency, equity, shared accountability, and continuous learning.

• Recognize and value the knowledge, experience, and contributions of staff while promoting professional growth, leadership development, and succession planning.

• Strengthen organizational systems, communication structures, decision-making processes, and operational practices to improve effectiveness and efficiency.

• Promote responsible innovation and the effective use of technology, data, and organizational resources to support CABE's work.

• Model ethical leadership, cultural humility, effective communication, and a commitment to CABE's values.

• Advocacy, Educational Leadership, and Mission Advancement

• Serve as a leading voice and advocate for bilingual and multilingual education, biliteracy, multicultural competency, and educational equity.

• Provide strategic leadership in advancing policies and initiatives that support multilingual/English learners, their families, and educational communities.

• Maintain current knowledge of relevant educational research, policy, legislation, and effective practices in multilingual education.

• Collaborate with CABE's program leadership and staff to ensure that professional learning, conferences, advocacy initiatives, and educational services remain relevant, high-quality, research-informed, and aligned with CABE's mission.

• Strengthen CABE's role in connecting research, policy, and practice to advance educational opportunities and outcomes for multilingual learners.

• Represent CABE in legislative settings, public forums, conferences, media engagements, and other professional and community events.

• Partnerships and External Relations

• Build and sustain strong relationships with school districts, county offices of education, institutions of higher education, policymakers, community organizations, funders, and business partners.

• Strengthen collaborative relationships with CABE's members, affiliates, partner organizations, and professional networks.

• Expand strategic partnerships at the local, state, national, and international levels to advance CABE's mission and organizational sustainability.

• Identify and cultivate opportunities for collaborative initiatives, funding, professional learning, advocacy, and organizational growth.

• Serve as an effective ambassador for CABE, communicating its mission, accomplishments, priorities, and impact to diverse audiences.

• KEY CHARACTERISTICS

The following leadership qualities and competencies are desired for this position:

• Visionary and Strategic Leadership

• Demonstrates the ability to articulate a compelling organizational vision and translate strategic priorities into actionable goals and measurable outcomes.

• Balances long-term strategic thinking with practical decision-making, sound judgment, and effective implementation.

• Embraces innovation and organizational change while respecting institutional history, relationships, and values.

• Financial Stewardship and Resource Development

• Demonstrates strong financial acumen, fiscal accountability, and experience overseeing compl