Executive Director

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Founded in 1979, Friends for Youth (FFY) is a nationally recognized, community-rooted nonprofit dedicated to empowering underserved youth through mentorship and meaningful relationships. With a vision to ensure every young person who needs a mentor has access to one, FFY has served over 4,500 youth from low-income BIPOC families across the San Francisco Peninsula, from South San Francisco to San Jose.

Grounded in values of equity, integrity, collaboration, and innovation, FFY delivers three core programs :

1-to-1 Mentoring , which pairs youth with caring adult mentors

Group Mentoring , a school-based initiative supporting students from 5th to 12th grade

Whole Health for Youth (WHY) , a collaborative effort to improve youth mental health through coordinated, wraparound services

With over 90% of our matches successfully fulfilling their mentorship agreement – well above the national average – FFY has earned a reputation as a leader in the field. Our evidence-based approach, combined with deep community partnerships and a commitment to continuous improvement, ensures that youth receive the support they need to thrive.

Friends for Youth is seeking an experienced leader with a deep passion for youth mentorship to serve as our next Executive Director.

This is a unique opportunity to guide a mission-driven organization with deep community ties and a proven impact model into its next chapter of impact and growth. The Executive Director will lead FFY at a pivotal moment, providing strategic vision, strengthening partnerships, expanding fundraising capacity, and fostering a cohesive, inclusive team culture. They will work closely with the Board of Directors and FFY’s dedicated staff to advance the organization’s mission and aspirations.

Strong candidates will bring significant leadership experience in the nonprofit or youth services sector, exceptional communication and ambassadorial skills, a strong track record in fundraising, strategic and business acumen, and a commitment to developing diverse, high-performing teams.

This position is hybrid, requiring a minimum of three days of on-site work per week in Palo Alto, California. The base compensation range for this position is $120,000 - $150,000 plus eligibility for a discretionary, incentive-based bonus of up to 10% of base salary. FFY offers a generous benefits package including medical, dental and vision insurance; paid vacation / sick time; paid holidays; leaves of absence; disability, life insurance and supplemental life insurance options; retirement plans, and more.

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

FFY was established in 1979 to empower young people and inspire community connection through mentorship and community relationships. Our vision is simple : to provide every young person who needs a mentor with a mentor. We support children who would otherwise go unserved, with an emphasis on positive youth development, social-emotional health and wellness, prevention services, and critical skills for future self-sufficiency.

With a mission to empower underserved youth through mentorship and community relationships, FFY has helped over 4,500 youth reach their full potential. We serve very low and low-income Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) families from South San Francisco to San Jose. Nationally recognized, yet deeply local, we partner closely with local schools and nonprofits, with a concentrated focus in high need areas such as South San Francisco, North Fair Oaks, Redwood City, East Palo Alto and Sunnyvale. 10% of our kids identify as LGBTQIA+, and 5% come from unconventional family structures. Over the years, FFY has become a trusted leader in the mentoring space, known for fostering meaningful, long-lasting relationships between youth and their mentors and service providers.

Our work is guided by a set of core values that shape our approach and deepen our impact :

Equity and social justice

Individual and organizational integrity

Community-centered collaboration

Respectful, supportive relationships

Innovation and agility

Responsive, high-quality service

Today, FFY operates with a dedicated, full-time team of nine, supported by a committed and engaged twelve-member board. The annual operating budget is over $1 million.

OUR PROGRAMS

1-to-1 Mentoring

We first established our 1-to-1 Mentoring Services program to provide direct, community-based support to low-income youth in San Mateo County and Northern Santa Clara County. We prioritize protecting vulnerable youth populations and fostering high-quality mentoring relationships that stand the test of time. To date, we’ve made over 2,500 matches, with more than 92% of participants completing the full one-year program (compared to 67–77% in similar programs), and we maintain a 100% volunteer safety rating.

Group Mentoring

In 2016, in response to a substantial need brought to us by Sequoia High School, we launched a school-based group mentoring program to address rising dropout rates among low-income 9th graders of color in our local communities. Since then, we’ve expanded the program to 23 additional schools and community sites, now serving students from 5th through 12th grade. Students facing academic challenges, behavioral and mental health issues, poverty, and social isolation are identified by the school and supported through group mentoring sessions held on campus.

Whole Health for Youth (WHY)

FFY serves as the backbone agency for the Whole Health for Youth (WHY) Collaborative, a dynamic network of local organizations working together to improve the mental health and wellness of youth and their families. Founded in 2018, WHY was created to coordinate prevention and early intervention services, share data, eliminate duplicative efforts, and streamline access to mental health resources—making it easier for families to navigate the system and get the support they need. Through this collaborative approach, we’re bridging critical gaps in mental health care and delivery across our communities.

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Provide strategic vision and leadership.

FFY is poised to build on our momentum as we evolve to meet the moment. The next Executive Director will provide strategic direction and leadership to enable us to achieve our vision. They will have an established track record of leading similar sized teams with compassion, cooperation, and confidence that inspires others to move forward together. They will collaborate with the Board, staff, and other key stakeholders to create a unifying, actionable plan for sustained impact.

Be an exceptional ambassador and relationship builder.

The Executive Director will serve as the primary spokesperson for FFY, demonstrating exceptional emotional intelligence, diplomacy, and cultural competency. They will be highly collaborative and will strategically and intentionally cultivate and maintain relationships with key stakeholders throughout the San Francisco Peninsula, the broader San Francisco Bay Area, and beyond, strategically building partnerships that align with the organization’s mission and goals. The Executive Director will develop and implement a plan to strategically elevate the visibility and influence of our work and ensure that our mission, vision, and goals are effectively communicated.

Strengthen fund development capacity.

The Executive Director will cultivate a culture of philanthropy and fundraising, listening deeply and speaking persuasively to a wide range of funders, partners, and stakeholders. They will lead resource development efforts and will be an experienced fundraiser with a track record of donor stewardship and strategic fundraising, with the ability to cultivate new relationships and deepen existing ones. The Executive Director will focus on diversifying FFY’s revenue streams and will ensure that we have robust fund development capacity and systems in place to sustain the organization.

Foster a cohesive, engaged, and impactful team.

The team at FFY is deeply committed to the community of people we serve. The Executive Director will lead a team of nine and manage four direct reports : Director of Operations & Peoples, Director of Partnerships & Programs, Senior Development Coordinator, and Hybrid Program Coordinator. The Executive Director will report to the FFY Board of Directors, currently comprised of a diverse group of community leaders from the Bay Area and beyond. They will be an effective leader and cultivator of talent, leading our team to achieve our goals. They will foster a positive and inclusive internal culture that values collaboration, transparency, equity, and empathy. They will inspire trust and confidence in the team by actively listening to and understanding their needs, aspirations, and challenges, and work with leadership to strengthen policies and processes in alignment with FFY’s values. They will be a deft mentor and coach, skilled at developing leaders, fostering growth opportunities, and ensuring that staff members are empowered to fulfill our mission.

Partner effectively with the Board of Directors to advance Friends for Youth’s mission.

The Executive Director will develop and maintain a strong relationship with the Board, characterized by respect, trust, transparency, and clear communication. They will work closely with Board members on fundraising and long-term planning to ensure effective oversight and sound governance practices.

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