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.

To Apply

More information about Friends for Youth may be found at: https://www.friendsforyouth.org.

This search is being led by Ellen LaPointe and Ebony Breaux-Liang of NPAG. We invite applications with a resume and cover letter outlining your interest and qualifications via the portal on NPAG’s candidate portal. Should you have questions, candidate nominations, or if you need assistance or accommodations in the application process, please contact Ebony Breaux-Liang at ebony@npag.com.

Studies show that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every qualification. We do not expect every applicant to have every skill and qualification listed here, and we will consider the combination of formal education, training, and lived experience of each applicant. We are committed to supporting the career development of our employees and reflecting the diverse community around us. We strongly encourage people of color, women, and folks who are LGBTQ+ identifying, neurodivergent, and differently abled folks to apply.