Executive Coordinator

Description

PROGRAM SUMMARY:

Founded in 1967, California Indian Legal Services (CILS) is the oldest public interest Indian rights law firm in the country, promoting the fundamental rights of California Tribes and Indians through litigation, legislative and administrative advocacy, community development, and other strategies for systemic change. CILS provides a full range of legal representation to California Indian Tribes and Indian organizations, advocates for the rights of California Indians at the local, state, and national levels, and provides direct services and community education to low-income Native American individuals on issues related to Federal Indian Law. Currently, CILS offers services statewide and maintains four offices throughout California – Eastern (Bishop), Southern (Escondido), Northern (McKinleyville), and Central (Sacramento). This position is in the Principal Office, located in Sacramento, CA. For additional information about CILS, go to our website at www.calindian.org. 

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Executive Coordinator at CILS provides high-level administrative, project, and writing support to the Executive Director and Board of Trustees. This position coordinates executive priorities, Board and committee logistics, meeting materials, records, follow-up, travel, reimbursements, strategic initiatives and special projects with accuracy, discretion, and strong attention to detail. The role serves as a central point of coordination for organization communication by gathering content, drafting and reviewing communications, coordinating approvals, and working with staff and external vendors to support implementation. This role requires exceptional organization, sound judgment, strong writing skills, project management abilities and the ability to manage details, deadlines, competing priorities and confidential information with professionalism. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

As the Executive Coordinator at CILS, you will: 

• Support Executive Projects: Serve as a trusted partner to the Executive Director by coordinating delegated tasks, projects, and priorities with accuracy and timeliness. 
• Coordinate Governance: Coordinate the quarterly meeting preparation and the logistics and execution of the Board of Trustees and its Committees, ensuring smooth meetings, accurate records and clear communication of actions and decisions. 
• Coordinate Organizational Communications: Coordinate the development and implementation of organizational communications, including newsletters, Annual Reports, website content, social media, and other public-facing materials. Work collaboratively with staff and external vendors when applicable to gather content, manage reviews and approvals, and draft or edit communications as appropriate to support organizational priorities.  
• Advance Advocacy: Assist the Executive Director with CILS’s Capitol Presence by coordinating and promoting legislative and policy initiatives, advocacy events, trainings, Tribal Roundtables, and other key Capitol-based activities. 
• Strengthen Organization: Maintain internal communication tools, resources, and processes that keep staff informed and aligned with the strategic plan. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Executive Support & Project Coordination

• Provide administrative and coordination support to the Executive Director through delegated duties and special projects. 
• Coordinates projects on behalf of the Executive Director using project management tools and principles. 
• Book travel, reconcile spending accounts, and process reimbursements for the Executive Director and Board. 
• Receive and prioritize staff requests for Executive Director requests approvals. 
• Coordinate vendor contracts, project timelines, deliverables, and approvals for Executive Director-assigned communications and special projects.  
• Administrative support as needed. 

Board & Governance Coordination

• Schedule and coordinate Board of Trustees meetings. 
• Coordinate the collection of and preparation of meeting materials. 
• Draft and distribute meeting minutes. 
• Maintain internal Board files and records. 
• Assist with bylaws updates as requested by the Board. 
• Communicate Board action items to staff and stakeholders and track follow through. 

Capitol Presence & Strategic Initiatives

• Coordinate organization of and communications for CILS’ Capitol Presence efforts, including legislative and policy initiatives, advocacy events, trainings, and Tribal engagement activities. 
• Coordinate logistics, promotion, and follow-up for Capitol-based activities to ensure visibility, professionalism, and impact. 
• Coordinate implementation of strategic plan initiatives, ensuring progress is tracked and communicated. 
• Attend Capitol events to support Executive Director and create communications to share with Tribal communities and Tribes. 
• Maintain the strategic plan tracker and ensure automations are functional. 
• Coordinate organization and distribution of bills analysis. 

Communications & Public Relations

• Coordinate the development, creation, curation, and scheduling of social media content to enhance visibility of CILS, including drafting content and collaborating with staff or external vendors as appropriate. 
• Draft press releases and coordinate distribution. 
• Coordinate the development and distribution of newsletters through Constant Contact and other platforms and assist in writing them.  
• Coordinate the development of the Annual Report, including gathering content, drafting, editing, and design coordination. 
• Coordinate and/or conduct capture of video and photos at Capitol and community events to develop content for social media and communications.  
• Maintain and update the CILS website with current content and resources. 
• Uphold brand standards by maintaining templates for presentations, letterhead, and outreach materials. 
• Coordinate the production of branded materials and promotional materials. 
• Coordinate donation program communications and promotion. 
• Coordinate and collaborate with staff, external partners, and vendors as appropriate. 

Organizational Communications & Internal Resources

• Collect and update content for the staff intranet for the Executive Director. 
• Ensure consistent messaging and information flow across the organization. 
• Support organization-wide communication needs as directed. 
• Serve as Executive Director’s delegate for information and resources. 

COMPENSATION & CLASSIFICATION

Salary Range:

This position is offered at a starting pay range of $28.43 - $33.72 per hour ($59,144 – $70,149 annually), aligned with the entry tier for this role and commensurate with experience and qualifications. 

Our compensation structure includes additional internal levels that employees may progress into over time based on demonstrated skills, performance and evolving responsibilities. Progression into higher pay levels is not automatic and is determined through our established evaluation process. CILS creates job position wage and salary ranges using data from California non-profit legal services annual data sources; employees are placed within a range depending on degrees, certifications, experience, qualifications, and other factors. 

Reports To:

Executive Director

Employment Status:

Full-time, Non-Exempt

BENEFITS:

CILS provides an extensive benefits package, including: 

• Multiple high-quality, and low-cost medical plans. 
• 100% coverage for the employee and 90% for dependent premiums. 
• Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible medical/dental, dependent care, and public transportation expenses. 
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer match. 
• 17 paid holidays annually (includes office closure from December 24-January 1) plus an additional day for your birthday. 
• Vacation time off, starting at 13 days accrued per year. 
• Sick leave is set at 12 days per year. 
• Paid leave for jury duty/witness services, Election Day, bereavement. 
• Free professional development courses and learning opportunities. 
• Employee Assistance Program with access to free mental health services. 
• Loan Repayment Assistance Program for eligible attorney positions. 
• Supplemental insurance, including additional life and disability coverage. 

LOCATION:

This position is in person in the Principal Office (Sacramento, CA) Mondays through Fridays with optional teleworking on Mondays and Fridays. 

TO APPLY:

Submit a resume, cover letter, and three professional references. We will accept applications until the position is filled, but CILS does not accept incomplete applications. 

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree (communications, public policy, nonprofit management, Native American studies or related field preferred) or equivalent experience. 
• One to three years’ work experience in a nonprofit, Tribal organization/government, or legal setting. 
• Experience supporting projects or administrative coordination. 

Knowledge & Cultural Competency

• Solid understanding of Native Americans and Tribes in California. 
• Experience working directly with Tribal communities in any capacity. 

Communications & Media

• Proven experience creating or coordinating organizational communications, public information, newsletters, website content or social media initiatives. 
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with ability to draft clear, compelling content for diverse audiences. 
• Strong writing and editing experience, including drafting correspondence, reports, press releases, newsletters, Board materials, or other professional public-facing communications. 

Professional Skills

• High attention to detail and strong organizational/time management skills. 
• Ability to balance multiple projects and work independently while meeting deadlines. 
• Excellent judgment, discretion, and ability to maintain confidentiality. 
• Strong interpersonal skills with a professional, reliable, and collaborative approach. 

Technology Skills

• Expertise in Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, Word, Excel). 
• Proficient with Zoom and PDF editors for professional collaboration and document management. 
• Ability to quickly learn and adapt to new platforms and digital tools. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience updating and maintaining websites using WordPress (or comparable CMS). 
• Familiarity with California legislative or Capitol processes, including event coordination and communications. 
• Experience coordinating communication projects and working with external vendors, designers, or communications consultants.   
• Proficiency with communications and design tools including Canva, Constant Contact, and Hootsuite (or similar social media scheduling platforms). 
• Ability to capture and edit photos or videos for professional use. 
• Experience supporting Board governance, including meeting logistics, minutes, and follow-up tracking.