Description

Los Angeles County EXECUTIVE CAREER OPPORTUNITY

Executive Director, Racial Equity

Chief Executive Office

THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

The County of Los Angeles serves a demographically and geographically diverse population of more than 10 million residents. Employing over 100,000 people in roles spanning law, civil engineering, public safety, healthcare, and human services, the County operates with a budget of $50.3 billion.

The County is an Equal Opportunity and Fair Chance employer committed to advancing inclusion and respecting the diversity of its workforce. It is a culturally diverse economic and cultural hub, driving major elements of both the national and global economies.

Los Angeles County is also the center for arts, media, and entertainment—unlike anywhere else.


THE DEPARTMENT

The Chief Executive Office (CEO) is the County's central executive, strategic, and administrative agency, driving transformative change to improve the lives of its diverse constituents. CEO leads collective efforts with departments to advance the priorities established by the Board of Supervisors, including justice reform, healthcare integration, child protection, anti-racism, diversity and inclusion, and poverty reduction.

As the administrative agency responsible for the County's $50.3 billion budget, CEO handles specialized functions to lead and maximize the use of County assets; advocate the County's position on State and federal agendas; lead and implement the Countywide Strategic Plan; implement risk management strategies to mitigate financial loss; and convey the County's message through a variety of communication platforms.


THE ANTI-RACISM, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION INITIATIVE

ARDI's vision is for Los Angeles County to be a place where all residents are healthy, experience justice, and thrive. Its mission is to end structural racism and its consequences in Los Angeles County by boldly articulating an anti-racism policy agenda that advances equity and eliminates systemic barriers, sustains equitable and inclusive policy development, workforce culture, data analysis, and promotes equal access to resources for all Los Angeles County residents.

ARDI supports County departments and community stakeholders through:

• Training and capacity building.
• Data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Technical assistance and planning.
• Policy analysis and development.
• Community and stakeholder engagement.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Executive Director, Racial Equity, will lead Los Angeles County's enterprise racial equity strategy by providing executive leadership for the County’s Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI) initiative and serving as the County’s principal advisor on organizational transformation, equity strategy, implementation, and systems change.

Reporting within the Chief Executive Office, the Executive Director will provide vision, strategic direction, and operational leadership for countywide efforts to identify, address, and eliminate structural and systemic racism and advance equity and inclusion in the areas where the County has control or influence, including service delivery, policy development, budgeting, contracting, and employment.

The Executive Director will work across County departments and with community-based organizations, residents, philanthropy, academic partners, local jurisdictions, and other stakeholders to advance an anti-racist policy agenda, promote equity and inclusion, build institutional capacity, strengthen accountability, and improve outcomes for all Los Angeles County residents.

The position will lead a multidisciplinary team and ensure that ARDI's work remains data-informed, community-centered, and aligned with the priorities of the Board of Supervisors.


THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate is a collaborative and credible executive leader with a demonstrated commitment to racial equity and inclusion, as well as a deep understanding of how historic and present-day discrimination and systemic barriers affect communities, institutions, and public systems.

The successful candidate will be able to translate vision into action, navigate a large and complex governmental environment, engage thoughtfully in difficult conversations, and build effective partnerships with stakeholders representing diverse perspectives and experiences.

The selected individual will bring strong policy, organizational, and operational judgment; the ability to use data and evaluation to guide strategy; and a proven record of developing and sustaining initiatives that advance systemic change.

The Executive Director must be an effective communicator who can build trust, foster collaboration, and maintain momentum across a broad range of internal and external partners.


KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide executive leadership and strategic direction for the ARDI Initiative and the County's racial equity agenda, including leading countywide implementation of the Racial Equity Strategic Plan.
• Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of strategies designed to reduce racial disparities and address systemic barriers.
• Coordinate countywide efforts to advance equitable and inclusive policy development, workforce culture, and data analysis, while promoting equal access to resources and institutional accountability.
• Evaluate County policies, practices, operations, programs, and services through a racial equity lens, and develop practical recommendations for improvement.
• Build and maintain executive partnerships with Department Heads, Chief Deputies, and senior County leadership to strengthen organizational capacity, technical expertise, and accountability for equity-related goals.
• Lead enterprise partnerships with philanthropy, academic institutions, federal and state agencies, community-based organizations, residents, local jurisdictions, and other public-sector partners to advance shared equity goals.
• Lead the development and implementation of evaluation frameworks, accountability systems, performance measures, dashboards, and public reporting strategies to strengthen organizational performance, transparency, and continuous improvement across departments.
• Guide the collection, analysis, and use of data to identify disparities, measure progress, and communicate outcomes.
• Advise County leadership on strategic initiatives, Board motions, legislation, and policy implementation.
• Develop policy recommendations and support legislative and administrative strategies that advance the County's anti-racism agenda and promote equity and inclusion.
• Lead, develop, and evaluate staff while fostering a culture of collaboration, engagement, and accountability.
• Represent ARDI and the Chief Executive Office before internal and external stakeholders, as appropriate.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in public policy, social science, education, public administration, ethnic studies, human services, political science, law, or a closely related field. AND

Minimum of five years of professional experience directing organizational initiatives focused on designing and implementing comprehensive programs that advance diversity, equity, inclusion, or equal access; foster inclusive organizational cultures; and promote equitable public policies, including at least two years in a managerial or supervisory capacity.

LICENSE: A valid California Class C driver's license, or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out essential job-related functions.


DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• Significant experience designing, facilitating, and scaling evidence-based training, capacity-building initiatives, and awareness programs rooted in anti-racism, inclusion, intersectional equity, accessibility, and systemic justice.
• Demonstrated experience developing institutional learning frameworks, toolkits, and policy recommendations directly aligned with the strategic goals, metrics, and objectives of the Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI) Initiative.
• An advanced degree in Ethnic Studies, Public Policy, Sociology, Social Justice, or a related field, with a documented focus on the critical analysis of systemic, structural, and institutional racism.
• Demonstrated success facilitating complex, high-stakes dialogues with policymakers, diverse community stakeholders, and cross-sector partners regarding institutional bias and the removal of systemic barriers contributing to inequities, with a proven track record of driving measurable organizational or cultural transformation.
• Experience designing, implementing, and monitoring strategic interventions to mitigate systemic inequities and remove systemic barriers, including the use of qualitative and quantitative metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of equity initiatives.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Los Angeles County’s unique governance structure, municipal landscape, and diverse demographic makeup, including an understanding of how historical regional policy decisions have impacted local communities.
• Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, or evaluating policies, programs, or initiatives designed to reduce measurable disparities in outcomes for underrepresented, disadvantaged, or historically marginalized communities and individuals across multiple institutional systems.
• Exceptional verbal communication, trauma-informed facilitation, and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex equity concepts into actionable insights for diverse audiences.

COMPENSATION

Annual Salary: $203,731 to $316,843
This is an unclassified (at-will) position and is subject to the provisions of the County's Management Appraisal and Performance Plan (MAPP) at Range R17.


HOW TO APPLY

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. First consideration will be given to applications received by August 6, 2026.

To apply, please submit a letter of interest and a detailed resume through the County's online application system: https://bit.ly/4gONeT9


BENEFITS

The County provides an excellent benefits package that allows employees to choose benefits that meet their specific needs. The package includes:

• Retirement Plan - The successful candidate will participate in a defined benefit plan.
• Cafeteria Benefit Plan - Benefits may be purchased from the MegaFlex Cafeteria Benefit Plan using a tax-free County contribution of an additional 14.5% of the employee's monthly salary.
• Flexible Spending Accounts - In addition to tax-free medical and dependent care spending accounts, the County contributes $75 per month to the Dependent Care Spending Account if the employee is contributing at least $10 per month.
• Savings Plan (401k) - Optional tax-deferred income plan that may include a County matching contribution of up to 4% of the employee's salary.
• Deferred Compensation Plan (457) - Optional tax-deferred income plan that may include a County matching contribution of up to 4% of the employee's salary.
• Non-Elective Days - 10 paid days per year with the option to buy elective annual leave days. Annual leave can be used for vacation, sick, or personal leave.
• Holidays - 13 paid days per year.