Executive Director

The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), the nation's leading movement-lawyering organization, is seeking a liberation-minded Executive Director to guide the next chapter of an institution that has fought alongside social justice movements for six decades. Founded in 1966 by civil rights attorneys representing movements in the Jim Crow South, CCR has built a singular legacy of taking on the cases and issues that few peer organizations will, fusing strategic litigation, advocacy, and narrative shifting to dismantle systems of oppression regardless of the risk.

CCR enters this leadership transition from a position of remarkable strength. The organization has reinforced its financial footing, deepened movement partnerships, expanded its presence in the U.S. South, and maintained internationalist commitments through one of the most volatile political moments in recent memory. As CCR celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2026, leadership and staff describe this transition as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to honor what has been built, sharpen organizational systems, and carry CCR's bold, movement-accountable practice into its next era.

Building on the long and distinguished tenure of Executive Director Vincent Warren, the next leader will inherit an organization profoundly shaped by Vince's twenty years at the helm, including landmark victories challenging the NYPD's stop-and-frisk policy, ending long-term solitary confinement at Pelican Bay, establishing the persecution of LGBTQIA+ people as a crime against humanity, and leading the decades-long legal battle on behalf of the men detained at Guantanamo. CCR's next Executive Director is well-positioned to lead an organization Vince describes as "strong, principled, and battle-ready."

The Executive Director will serve as CCR's lead strategist, principal movement partner, and organizational steward. Reporting to the Board of Trustees and partnering closely with the Associate Executive Director, Management Team, and union staff, the ED will carry CCR's mission forward through durable institutional capacity, courageous public leadership when it matters most, and deeper accountability to the movements and communities under threat that CCR fights alongside.

Specifically, the ED will prioritize:

• Strategic vision and radical movement leadership;
• Organizational and operational leadership;
• Movement engagement and external visibility;
• Fundraising and donor cultivation;
• People leadership and talent development; and
• Enhancing the infrastructure of CCR South, CCR's Southern Regional Office.

This national search invites leaders who bring the courage and strategic wisdom to be at the forefront during a moment that demands vision, principle, and imagination. CCR's next leader will be invited to bring their own vision, lead the next phase of CCR's growth, and carry forward an institutional practice rooted in radical politics, movement accountability, and a refusal to cower in the face of power.

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Featured

yes

Expirationdate

2026-09-21 00:00:00

Url

https://impactopportunity.org/job/9104/executive-director/

Salaryfrom

262000

Salaryto

305000

Companydescription

Avra Search Partners is a national executive search firm for nonprofits and mission-driven organizations. With 13 years of practice and 160+ senior placements, our team delivers deep sector networks, bias mitigation built into our methodology, and a process boards and candidates trust.

Companywebsite

https://www.avrasearch.com/

Companylocation

Chicago, IL, USA