Executive Director

Position Announcement - Executive Director

Compensation: Salary of $110,000 to $120,000 with generous benefits

Location: Portland, Oregon (This job is based in our office, though some hours can be worked from home.)

We prefer to receive applications by Friday, May 30, 2025, at 5:00 pm, and we will start scheduling interviews soon after that. (The position will remain open until filled.)

Lead our team in providing healthy food to families in our communities!

About Urban Gleaners

More than one in four children in Oregon lack consistent access to healthy food. They live in a culture of abundance, yet are surrounded by signals that it’s not meant for them. The stress of not knowing when or what they’ll eat next affects their physical health, emotional well-being, academic performance, and ability to thrive socially. At the same time, nearly 40% of food in the U.S. is wasted. The solution is simple — rescue good food and get it to the people who need it most. That’s exactly what Urban Gleaners does.

For nearly two decades, Urban Gleaners has been feeding children and families experiencing food insecurity in Multnomah and Washington Counties. Our mission is pure and simple: collect fresh, delicious food before it goes to waste, and distribute it to families who need it. We believe that access to nutritious food is a fundamental right — and a cornerstone of a just society.

Every year, we deliver the equivalent of over one million meals, completely free to those we serve. We remove barriers by bringing food directly to where people already are — schools, housing communities, partner nonprofits — and we never require paperwork or proof of need. More than half of our participants are under the age of 14, 70% identify as people of color, and all live in low-income households. Each week, we support over 8,500 individuals across 42 regular delivery sites, each built through deep partnerships in high-poverty neighborhoods.

Urban Gleaners is more than a hunger-relief organization — we’re also a powerful force for environmental change. To date, we’ve rescued more than 12 million pounds of healthy food that would otherwise be sent to landfills, where it would decompose and release harmful methane gas.

We’re an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a small, passionate team, an incredible corps of volunteers, and an annual budget of $1.3 million — plus robust in-kind support from local food donors. For more information, visit urbangleaners.org. You can also check out this short video to see the impact of our work in action.

This Executive Director Opportunity

Urban Gleaners is looking for a visionary, compassionate leader to step into the role of Executive Director. This is an exciting opportunity to build on a strong foundation and help us deepen our impact in the fight against childhood hunger.

Our operations are efficient, our programs are proven, and our financial position is solid with stable, diversified revenue streams. We’ve earned a trusted reputation in the community for being nimble, responsive, and grounded in equity. Now, we’re ready to grow — and we’re looking for someone who shares our belief that everyone deserves regular access to healthy, delicious food.

We infuse joy into everything we do — from the food we rescue and distribute, to the way we treat each other as teammates, volunteers, and clients. Our warehouse and office are welcoming spaces where people bring their full selves to work and where creativity and care go hand in hand. We’re seeking a leader who can nurture that spirit of abundance while guiding our next chapter of strategic growth and community connection.

As our next Executive Director, you’ll work with a passionate, dedicated team and a mission that delivers real, immediate impact every single day. If you’re energized by the opportunity to lead a joyful, equity-driven organization making a tangible difference in families’ lives — we’d love to meet you.

Qualifications, Experiences and Capacities

A successful candidate for our Executive Director position will possess these minimum qualifications. (We’re less interested in the titles you’ve held than what you’ve actually done and who you are.)

1. Has a passion for and personal alignment with our mission, and is knowledgeable about food and working with it.
2. Has demonstrated ability as a leader who can attract, develop and retain a strong team of staff and volunteers (including Board Members) and forge an inclusive and joyful culture of belonging.
3. Is a hands-on leader who is comfortable both with high-level executive work and washing dishes when necessary.
4. Has excellent communication and presentation skills and will be a wonderful ambassador for UG.
5. Has leadership skills, drive and executive presence to develop and maintain strong relationships with community partners.
6. Has experience developing and executing a strategic vision, including helping an organization navigate complex and evolving opportunities and challenges.
7. Is committed to advancing equity, anti-racism, diversity, inclusion and accessibility in work environments.
8. Has solid experience with networking and has the skills to succeed at fundraising and donor solicitation.
9. Has significant understanding of budgeting, financial management and financial reporting.

Ideally, successful candidates will also:

1. Have nonprofit leadership experience or other experience that’s given them a significant understanding of how nonprofits operate.
2. Have experience working with a unionized workforce.

We are committed to having an applicant pool for this position that reflects the diversity of the people we serve, and we highly encourage Black, Indigenous and People of Color, LGBTQ+ people, people with lived experience with food insecurity or living on a low income, and people with disabilities to apply.

We know that the best candidates for this job might come from less “traditional” backgrounds, and if this position speaks to you, we encourage you to apply, even if you don't believe you meet every one of our described qualifications. If you’re unsure whether you meet the qualifications of this position or how this would be determined, please feel free to contact us at the email listed below to discuss your application.