Executive Director, Racial Equity, CEO

We welcome applications from everyone and will begin reviewing candidates on August 6, 2026.

About the Organization

The County of Los Angeles serves a diverse population of more than 10 million residents and employs over 100,000 people across roles in law, civil engineering, public safety, healthcare, and human services. With a budget of $50.3 billion, the County is an Equal Opportunity and Fair Chance employer committed to advancing inclusion and respecting diversity.

The Chief Executive Office (CEO) is the County's central executive, strategic, and administrative agency, driving transformative change to improve the lives of its constituents. The CEO leads collective efforts with departments to advance priorities such as justice reform, healthcare integration, child protection, anti-racism, diversity and inclusion, and poverty reduction.

The Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI) Initiative envisions Los Angeles County as a place where all residents are healthy, experience justice, and thrive. Its mission is to end structural racism and its consequences by advancing equity, eliminating systemic barriers, and promoting inclusive policy development, workforce culture, data analysis, and equal access to resources. ARDI supports County departments and community stakeholders through:

• Training and capacity building
• Data collection, analysis, and reporting
• Technical assistance and planning
• Policy analysis and development
• Community and stakeholder engagement

About the Role

The Executive Director of Racial Equity will lead Los Angeles County's enterprise racial equity strategy, providing executive leadership for the Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI) initiative. This role serves as the County’s principal advisor on organizational transformation, equity strategy, implementation, and systems change. Reporting to the Chief Executive Office, the Executive Director will guide countywide efforts to identify, address, and eliminate structural and systemic racism in areas such as service delivery, policy development, budgeting, contracting, and employment.

The Executive Director will collaborate with County departments, community-based organizations, residents, philanthropic partners, academic institutions, and other stakeholders to advance an anti-racist policy agenda, promote equity and inclusion, build institutional capacity, and improve outcomes for all residents. This position leads a multidisciplinary team and ensures ARDI’s work remains data-informed, community-centered, and aligned with the Board of Supervisors' priorities.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership and strategic direction for the ARDI Initiative and the County's racial equity agenda, including leading countywide implementation of the Racial Equity Strategic Plan.
• Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of strategies designed to reduce racial disparities and address systemic barriers.
• Coordinate countywide efforts to advance equitable and inclusive policy development, workforce culture, data analysis, and institutional accountability.
• Evaluate County policies, practices, operations, programs, and services through a racial equity lens and develop practical recommendations for improvement.
• Build and maintain executive partnerships with Department Heads, Chief Deputies, and senior County leadership to strengthen organizational capacity and accountability for equity-related goals.
• Lead enterprise partnerships with philanthropy, academic institutions, federal and state agencies, community-based organizations, residents, and other public-sector partners to advance shared equity goals.
• Develop and implement evaluation frameworks, accountability systems, performance measures, dashboards, and public reporting strategies to strengthen organizational performance and transparency.
• Guide the collection, analysis, and use of data to identify disparities, measure progress, and communicate outcomes.
• Advise County leadership on strategic initiatives, Board motions, legislation, and policy implementation.
• Develop policy recommendations and support legislative and administrative strategies that advance the County's anti-racism agenda and promote equity and inclusion.
• Lead, develop, and evaluate staff while fostering a culture of collaboration, engagement, and accountability.
• Represent ARDI and the Chief Executive Office before internal and external stakeholders.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in public policy, social science, education, public administration, ethnic studies, human services, political science, law, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of five years of professional experience directing initiatives focused on designing and implementing comprehensive programs advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, or equal access, fostering inclusive organizational cultures, and advancing equitable public policies. At least two years of this experience must be in a managerial or supervisory capacity.
• A valid California Class "C" driver's license or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation for job-related essential functions.

Qualifications

• Significant experience designing, facilitating, and scaling evidence-based training, capacity-building initiatives, and awareness programs rooted in anti-racism, inclusion, intersectional equity, accessibility, and systemic justice.
• Demonstrated experience developing institutional learning frameworks, toolkits, and policy recommendations aligned with the strategic goals of the ARDI Initiative.
• An advanced degree in Ethnic Studies, Public Policy, Sociology, Social Justice, or a related field, with a documented focus on the critical analysis of systemic, structural, and institutional racism.
• Demonstrated success in facilitating complex, high-stakes dialogues with policymakers, diverse community stakeholders, and cross-sector partners regarding institutional bias and systemic barriers, with a proven track record of driving measurable organizational or cultural transformation.
• Experience designing, implementing, and monitoring strategic interventions to mitigate systemic inequities and remove systemic barriers, including using qualitative and quantitative metrics to evaluate equity initiatives.
• Knowledge of Los Angeles County’s governance structure, municipal landscape, and diverse demographic makeup, including an understanding of how historical regional policy decisions have impacted local communities.
• Experience developing, implementing, or evaluating policies, programs, or initiatives designed to reduce measurable disparities in outcomes for underrepresented, disadvantaged, or historically marginalized communities across multiple institutional systems.
• Exceptional verbal communication, trauma-informed facilitation, and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex equity concepts into actionable insights for diverse audiences.