View Position Brochure Here

The Organization

Founded in 2022, the Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy is a Tongva-led organization with the purpose of stewarding the lands of Tovaangar – the traditional native lands of the greater Los Angeles Basin. The Conservancy’s mission includes receiving and managing land back, building community for Native people, practicing traditional ceremonies, creating a native archive, and rematriating the lands by returning our native culture and ecosystems.

The Tongva people have been in Los Angeles County for thousands of years. However, we have not had access to land since colonization. The Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy (TTPC), which roughly translates to “the people’s land,” is the very first plot of land returned to the original people of Los Angeles. For generations, we have been pushed out of Los Angeles by high rent, we have had to ask permission to have traditional gathering relationships with our plant relatives, and we have had to pay fees to hold ceremony and space inside of our own ancestral lands. The Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Land Conservancy will help begin the healing process we need by giving tribal community members access to affordable housing on their native land, give access to gathering without permission from outsiders, and a space to have community time and ceremonies in privacy. Our vision is to rematriate the land to California native plants and the Tongva people. We are and will continue to be run by Tongva people.

To learn more about TTPC, please visit www.tongva.land

The Position

The Executive Director (ED) is the chief executive and strategic leader of the TTPC, responsible for ensuring that all programs, partnerships, and operations advance TTPC’s hohovarawech (dream/mission) and long-term goals. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the ED facilitates the TTPC’s mission to foster Tongva heritage, cultural restoration, and land stewardship, while also ensuring the organization’s operational excellence, fiscal sustainability, and community impact.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the ED leads a hybrid team of four full-time, part-time, and contracted professionals—fostering an inclusive and collaborative culture grounded in TTPC’s values. This includes supervising key contractor/partner relationships such as:

• YPTC – outsourced accounting and finance

• Strategy Asset Managers – investment and endowment oversight

• Baker Tilly – independent audit services

• Civic Communities – construction management, and grant-funded project management

• Marketing and Communications Agencies – brand, PR, and digital outreach

• Philanthropy Counsel – fundraising strategy and major donor engagement

• Legal, cultural, and environmental consultants as needed

A centerpiece of this role is stewarding Huhuunga—the TTPC-owned property central to the Land Back movement—as a vibrant space for cultural restoration, ceremonial gatherings, educational programs, and community engagement. The Executive Director will oversee all aspects of Huhuunga’s operations, including property management, gardening and horticulture, and the development of year-round cultural and environmental education programming. This includes liaising with and supporting a Community Practitioner in Residence to integrate artistic expression into the property’s public and ceremonial uses.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Strategic Leadership & Organizational Alignment

• Partner with the Board to develop, refine, and execute TTPC’s strategic plan, ensuring every initiative aligns with the hohovarawech (the Tongva vision and mission for the organization) and core priorities.
• Integrate cultural preservation, environmental stewardship, and community engagement into all programs and policies.
• Maintain a long-term vision while ensuring day-to-day operational excellence.

Operations & Administration

• Lead and manage staff, contractors, and virtual team members to deliver results that advance TTPC’s mission.
• Oversee daily administration, implementing board-approved policies, systems, and procedures.
• Ensure that programs and partnerships reflect TTPC’s inclusive values and meet the highest standards of cultural and community safety.

Finance & Resource Stewardship

• Oversee annual budgeting, financial reporting, and fiscal management with YPTC and board committees TBD.
• Ensure compliance with grant requirements and maintain excellent documentation of all contracts and budgets.
• Proactively manage risks and maintain strong internal controls.

Fundraising & External Relations

• Lead fundraising strategies in partnership with philanthropy counsel to achieve annual and long-term revenue goals.
• Cultivate and steward relationships with major donors, corporations, and foundations.
• Serve as TTPC’s primary spokesperson, in partnership with the Board, to represent the organization with integrity to Tribal Nations, government entities, and the public.

Board Governance & Support

• Support the Board with timely communications, strategic recommendations, and transparent reporting.
• Partner with and support Board committees—including future Finance, Development, Governance, and other standing or ad hoc committees—to advance governance best practices and ensure fiduciary oversight.

Cultural Programming & Community Engagement

• Lead the design, implementation, and evaluation of TTPC’s cultural programming, ensuring offerings reflect and amplify Tongva heritage, traditions, and contemporary expressions.
• Oversee a calendar of in-person and virtual educational programs, including webinars, workshops, lectures, and experiential learning opportunities at Huhuunga and other community spaces.
• Foster and manage strategic partnerships with schools, universities, museums, cultural institutions, environmental organizations, and other Tribal Nations to expand the reach and impact of TTPC programming.
• Collaborate with the Community Practitioner in Residence, cultural leaders, and community members to integrate cultural arts, storytelling, and traditional ecological knowledge into programming.
• Develop metrics to measure engagement, participation, and impact of cultural programs, ensuring alignment with TTPC’s mission and strategic priorities.

Career Track Leading to this Position

• Responsible leadership experience in nonprofit, corporate, public sector, or tribal governance, with demonstrated profit and loss (P&L) responsibility.
• Demonstrated success leading complex organizations with multi-stakeholder relationships and hybrid teams (staff, contractors, virtual).
• Proven track record in strategic planning, fundraising, partnership development, and community engagement.
• Sophisticated understanding of nonprofit finance, grant compliance, and risk management.
•  Deep respect for and knowledge of the Tongva community and cultural memory strongly desired; lived experience or direct engagement preferred.
• Comprehensive knowledge of and compliance with state and federal employment law, including HR best practices and workplace regulations.

Education

A Master’s degree or equivalent experience in nonprofit management, public administration, business, or a related field is required.

Compensation & Additional Considerations

The annual salary range for this position is $170,000 to $185,000. A comprehensive benefits package will be provided. The ED is expected to have a regular presence in the office and be available for frequent in-person meetings with staff, board members, and community members.