About Southern AIDS Coalition The Southern United States bears a disproportionate burden of HIV that reflects decades of structural inequities, policy decisions, and social determinants that have created conditions for HIV transmission and barriers to prevention and care. Despite accounting for only 38% of the U.S. population, the South represented 51% of all new HIV diagnoses in 2023 and accounts for approximately 49% of all estimated new HIV infections nationally. This concentration of the epidemic makes the South the epicenter of HIV in America.

The disparities are even more pronounced when examining HIV’s impact on communities of color within the South. Black Americans in the South represented half of all new HIV diagnoses in the region despite comprising only 19% of the Southern population. This intersection of geography and race creates compounding vulnerabilities that require targeted, comprehensive responses addressing both regional factors and racial inequities.

Southern AIDS Coalition (SAC) is a non-partisan coalition of government, community, and business leaders working alongside thousands of people living with HIV and our allies to end the HIV epidemic in the South. We achieve this through public health advocacy, capacity- building assistance, PLHIV leadership development, research and evaluation, and strategic grantmaking.

We envision a better South for people living with HIV — one where every person has access to high-quality health care and essential support services, free from stigma and discrimination. We also envision a South where every person understands their risk for HIV transmission, receives routine screening, and has access to a full range of prevention interventions and harm reduction services regardless of their race, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or socio-economic status.

To end this epidemic, we must build a better HIV workforce in the South, one that: (1) practices cultural humility, (2) understands the factors that contribute to our epidemic, and (3) embraces innovative models and messages that reflect what it means to be living with HIV today. Through our training, grantmaking, capacity-building support, and advocacy, we are focused on addressing the current and future needs of the HIV community in the South.

History and Key Initiatives When Southern AIDS Coalition was founded in 2001, the HIV epidemic in the South was largely ignored. In those early years, we were just a handful of extraordinary advocates working together to demand additional resources to address the HIV/AIDS crisis in our states. In 2002, we assembled several case studies. We released the first-ever Southern States Manifesto, a bold call for a national response to the HIV/AIDS and STD disparities impacting the South. These case studies were presented nationwide, garnering national attention from the media, funders, and policymakers. In 2024, SAC released the fourth edition of the manifesto to continue the legacy of HIV advocacy and demand transformative change for the region.

Since 2017, SAC has served as one of four Gilead COMPASS Initiative Coordinating Centers, working to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the Southern United States through grantmaking, capacity building, leadership development, and advocacy. Through grantmaking to grassroots and community-led organizations across the South, SAC supports community-based organizations fighting HIV, focusing on reducing stigma, improving access to trauma-informed care, and fostering local leadership.

The Saving Ourselves Symposium (SOS) is a transformative gathering that centers Black LGBTQIA+ voices, experiences, and leadership. Held in the heart of the South, our conference is more than just a meeting—it's a movement. Since its founding in 2013, SOS has become a highly anticipated community-centered conference that educates and empowers the Black LGBTQIA+ community in the South. Founded and led by a young Black same-gender-loving man, SOS is truly the community’s conference, and SAC is honored to have?been chosen in 2019 to be the home of this yearly convening. This conference highlights the value of life and fosters the energy and enthusiasm necessary for action.

In 2024, SAC launched the Southern Policymaker Academy, a critical meeting of the minds where policymakers and advocates from diverse backgrounds come together to change the course of HIV’s impact on the U.S. South. Sponsored by Gilead Sciences, this is an opportunity for the experiences and voices of those impacted by HIV to align with political leaders and to come together to move the needle in bipartisan policy action for those affected by HIV.

Learn more about the Southern AIDS Coalition at www.southernaidscoalition.org.

The Opportunity Southern AIDS Coalition seeks a visionary and strategic leader to serve as its Executive Director (ED). The ED will set the vision for the organization and lead the strategic planning process, establish the tone for the Southern AIDS Coalition’s organizational culture, and serve as a visible spokesperson and advocate. The ED will ensure that SAC continues to fulfill its essential mission and remains financially and operationally sound. The ideal candidate will have personal experience living in the South, a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by marginalized and underserved populations in the region, and a strong commitment to equitable HIV/AIDS care, prevention, access, and inclusivity. Our next leader will join a team of dedicated experts who are widely recognized and highly respected in the HIV community. The ED will lead, further develop, and support the team serving as the premier resource to all organizations working to end the epidemic in the South, while supporting the members of our community who are living with HIV today.

Candidate Profile The ideal candidate will have the following professional experiences, skills, and characteristics:

Organizational Management The ED will have strong business and operations acumen, ideally informed by direct experience leading a nonprofit organization. The individual will contribute knowledge of nonprofit management practices, including fiscal management, compliance requirements, and accountability. With strong organizational skills, the ED will excel at matching SAC’s capacity to its resources and will ensure the necessary infrastructure and support to meet the organization’s short- and long-term organizational needs.

Staff Management SAC’s ED sets organizational vision and priorities, providing leadership and remote supervision for a staff of ten. This fosters a transparent, collaborative, empathetic, trauma- informed, and mission-driven culture, while ensuring clear roles, effective decision- making, accountability, and professional growth. They will manage and support staff through regular performance evaluation/feedback, strengths-based coaching, and professional development, building a strong, engaged, motivated, and effective team.

External Relationship Stewardship SAC is the face of the response to the Southern HIV epidemic, and our next ED will be expected to continue to strengthen the convening and engagement of the broader community so that everyone benefits. The ED will be a natural relationship builder, possessing excellent interpersonal and communication skills, as well as high emotional intelligence, to build meaningful and lasting relationships across a broad array of constituents, including funders, elected officials, policy and decision-makers, and community members. The ED will need to travel throughout the region to engage with a wide range of stakeholders.

Development/Fundraising Financial support for SAC comes from a mix of grants and membership dues. The new ED will serve as the organization’s primary fundraiser and will be expected to bring deep knowledge of grant writing and reporting, connections to identify diversified funding sources, and experience building internal staff and organizational capacity to support this function. Additionally, the ED will develop, maintain, and advance key relationships with current and potential future SAC funders. With direct threats to HIV-related funding, the ED will seek new funding opportunities aligned to relevant and adjacent health-focused issue areas to broaden the pool of existing funders.

Board Development and Support SAC’s Board includes the top leaders of HIV- focused organizations across the South. With their experience running organizations, they bring excellent knowledge and expertise to support the success of the new ED. The new leader will need to establish a productive working relationship with the Board and collaborate to implement and refine SAC’s strategic direction, financial and operational strength, and leadership in the field.

Program Development and Evaluation The ED provides strategic leadership in designing, implementing, and evaluating programs that advance SAC’s mission. They ensure programs are responsive to community need and aligned with organizational goals. The ED also oversees ongoing assessment to measure impact, improve effectiveness, and inform future program development.

Policy/Advocacy/Research The role of the ED is to be a thought leader for the Southern HIV Agenda. In partnership with the Board of Directors and the Public Policy and Advocacy Director, the ED will oversee the development of a research agenda, participate in policy discussions, and engage in state, regional, and federal advocacy efforts. The ED will possess the political acumen to establish or leverage strategic connections at the federal and state levels, thereby enhancing funding and bolstering SAC’s legislative and policy initiatives.

Position Requirements Experience leading a nonprofit and/or managing remote staff is strongly preferred. Individuals who represent the communities most impacted by the HIV epidemic (including but not limited to people living with HIV, communities of color, gay/bisexual/same gender loving men, and trans individuals) are strongly encouraged to apply. We have a workplace in which different perspectives and lived experiences are welcomed and respected, and the next ED must embrace this culture to be successful.

Specific duties and responsibilities of the Executive Director include:

• Provide direction and leadership to the formulation and achievement of SAC’s philosophy, mission, and its annual goals and objectives.

• Work in collaboration with SAC’s Board and staff to develop and implement policies, procedures, and long-range strategic plans.

• Oversee administrative, financial, and program operations, and all personnel matters, including the design of staff organizational structure.

• Prepare and, following the approval of the Board, administer SAC’s annual budget.

• Negotiate and ensure compliance with SAC’s contracts.

• Manage the overall operation of SAC’s sites, property, and equipment.

• Establish and oversee all SAC’s programs and partnerships.

• Pursue and incorporate additional revenue sources through a variety of fundraising mechanisms, consistent with SAC’s mission statement.

• Maintain a close working relationship with government, private, and community partners.

• Stay informed about trends, issues, events, and developments in relevant areas of work through professional peer contacts, conference attendance, and similar means.

• Serve as a primary spokesperson for SAC.

Strong candidates will have:

• A deep commitment to SAC's mission

• 8+ years of relevant leadership experience

• Demonstrated experience in fundraising, securing large-scale grants from diverse funding sources (e.g., federal, private, foundation)

• Budget management experience

• A track record of effectively leading high- performing teams

• Persuasive communication abilities and strong interpersonal skills

• Relationship-building savvy with the proven ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders

• Subject matter expertise in HIV, health equity, and/or policy

• Strong written communication skills

• Experience supervising remote employees is strongly preferred

Compensation and Benefits

The salary for the position is competitive and commensurate with experience. The salary range for this role is $140,000 to $165,000, accompanied by a generous benefits package that includes health, dental, vision, life, AD&D, long-term disability, short-term disability, a Flexible Spending Account, and an Employee Assistance Program.

Contact DSG | Koya has been exclusively retained for this engagement, which is being led by Paul Towne. Express interest in this role by filling out our Talent Profile. All inquiries and discussions are strictly confidential.

DSG | Koya is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email NonprofitSearchOps@divsearch.com. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

Southern AIDS Coalition is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, ancestry, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, political ideology, or membership in any other legally protected class. We strongly encourage individuals with diverse backgrounds to apply.

About DSG | Koya DSG | Koya, a DSG Global company, is the nation’s premier search firm dedicated to mission-driven leadership. Since its founding in 2004, DSG | Koya has had an exclusive focus on mission-driven clients and was founded on the belief that the right leader can transform an organization and have a deep and measurable impact on our world. DSG | Koya works with nonprofits & NGOs, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.

DSG Global is consistently recognized by Forbes on its top 10 list of “America’s Best Executive Recruiting Firms” and is an industry leader in recruiting transformational leaders for a changing world. The firm is deliberately different in its approach, with best-in-class teams who have decades of experience in cultivating inclusive leaders, understanding the dimensions of diversity, and building equitable teams.

Learn more about DSG | Koya via the firm's website.

To apply, visit: https://apptrkr.com/6662763