Executive Director, The Behavioral Health Collaborative of Alameda County (the C
The Collaborative, WorkFromHome
Title
Executive Director
Organization
The Behavioral Health Collaborative of Alameda County
Location
Remote
Reports To
Executive Committee
Mission
The Behavioral Health Collaborative of Alameda County (the Collaborative) is an association of California nonprofits that provide behavioral health services to the county’s most vulnerable children, youth, adults, and seniors. The purpose of the association is to provide leadership that ensures a comprehensive behavioral health system, which maximizes the well‑being and life satisfaction of all Alameda County residents.
About
Founded in 1975 as the Alameda Council of Community Mental Health Agencies (ACCMHA), the Collaborative is now known as The Behavioral Health Collaborative of Alameda County. It was created to represent and advocate for community mental health providers with Alameda County and state government agencies. Over the years, the organization has worked to expand access to high‑quality behavioral health services for residents throughout Alameda County. The Collaborative also plays a key leadership role in reshaping the mental health system into one that is person‑centered, family‑ and community‑driven, and culturally responsive.
Today, the Collaborative works alongside county partners, community stakeholders, and service providers to improve behavioral health outcomes for Alameda County residents, particularly those experiencing distress or at risk of crisis. By securing funding, strengthening services, and fostering collaboration, the organization plays an active role in improving how care is delivered across the county. More than 80 percent of behavioral health services are provided by private organizations, and most of these providers are members of the Collaborative. Through shared leadership, workgroups, and partnerships, members exchange expertise, develop solutions, and support local government efforts to strengthen the overall system of care.
The Behavioral Health Collaborative of Alameda County operates as a fiscally sponsored project of Community Initiatives, positioning it within a broader network of nonprofit support and capacity‑building infrastructure. This structure allows the Collaborative not only to lead advocacy and partnership efforts, but also to benefit from Community Initiatives’ fiscal sponsorship framework, which supports operational stability and compliance while enabling strategic growth and impact.
About the Opportunity
The next Executive Director will step into an organization with deep institutional knowledge, long‑standing relationships, and a strong commitment to the communities it serves. With seasoned members, highly engaged member agencies and partners, the Collaborative is well positioned for its next chapter of leadership. The Executive Director will work closely with the Executive Committee and members to elevate the Collaborative’s role as a trusted convener, policy voice, and systems leader in behavioral health, strengthening its influence at the county and state levels while advancing a clear long‑term vision for impact.
As the behavioral health landscape continues to evolve, The Collaborative is focused on strengthening its organizational resilience, sustainability, and influence within public systems. While public funding remains a critical foundation, the Executive Director will bring a deep understanding of relevant policy and regulatory environments and will develop and execute advocacy strategies that shape public systems and funding decisions. In collaboration with the Executive Committee, the Executive Director will cultivate strong, trust‑based relationships with government officials and community partners, aligning diverse stakeholders around shared goals to advance advocacy priorities and position the organization to respond to emerging needs and opportunities.
The Executive Director will oversee a multifaceted organization that balances advocacy leadership, partnership‑building, and operational excellence. Serving as a credible and persuasive public voice, they will communicate complex issues with clarity, convene coalitions, and authentically tell The Collaborative’s story and impact. This leader will align strategy and resources to advance the mission, while developing and maintaining effective relationships across a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, and upholding the high standards of quality, credibility, and collaboration for which The Collaborative is known.
The Executive Director works remotely most of the time, attending some meetings in person in Alameda County as well as representing the Collaborative at conferences. The Executive Director may be located anywhere in the greater San Francisco Bay Area.
To Apply
Brakeley Search is conducting this search on an exclusive basis on behalf of The Behavioral Health Collaborative of Alameda County. Interested candidates should apply via email by sending a resume and a letter outlining qualifications as PDF or Word documents to Chelsea Burr at with “Executive Director The Collaborative” in the subject line.
EEO Statement
The Behavioral Health Collaborative of Alameda County is a fiscally‐sponsored project of Community Initiatives. Community Initiatives is an equal opportunity employer and gives consideration for employment to qualified applicants without regard to age, race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, marital status, disability or protected veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.
Brakeley Search
Brakeley Search is a search firm focused exclusively on the nonprofit sector. As a division of Brakeley Briscoe, Inc. (BBI), Brakeley Search works with local, national, and international nonprofits to help them hire exceptional senior‑level leaders.
Key Responsibilities
Organizational Leadership and Management
- Lead the organization in the development and implementation of long‑term vision, strategies, and goals
- Manage and inspire members, leading them toward a common mission
- Foster an organizational culture of results, learning, innovative thinking, accountability, and collaboration
- Maintain an effective and collaborative working relationship with the Executive Committee as a whole and with individual members
- Serve as the principal resource to the Executive Committee and its key committees and give strong direction in policy formulation and interpretation
- Serve as a compelling spokesperson for The Collaborative’s vision, strategy, and programs among board, members, clients and families, volunteers, donors and other key stakeholders, and the community at large
- Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders and members
Strategic Planning
- Develop and execute a strategic plan in conjunction with the Executive Committee
Advocacy
- Have a deep understanding of relevant policy and regulatory processes and develop and execute advocacy strategies that influence public systems and funding decisions
- Cultivate strong, trust‑based relationships with government officials, funders, and community partners, and in aligning multiple stakeholders around shared goals
- Achieve advocacy objectives
- Communicate complex issues clearly, facilitate meetings and coalitions, and serve as a credible, persuasive representative of the organization in public and governmental settings
- Serve as public face of The Collaborative and tell its story in a compelling and authentic way
Professional Experience/Qualifications
Experience
- 5+ years of senior management experience in a nonprofit organization, public agency or government entity.
- Experience working with federal, state, and local government systems and public funding streams, including Medi‑Cal.
- Experience in behavioral health systems, particularly financing and billing structures.
- Experience developing and executing organizational strategic plans.
- Proven track record of managing change through a transition and/or transformation.
- Experience coordinating and supporting a diverse group of executives, recognizing and leveraging individual strengths to achieve organizational goals.
- Track record of fostering a collaborative environment where diverse perspectives are heard and valued.
- Experience in serving people with behavioral and/or mental health, social services, healthcare and/or public policy administration.
Skills
- Exceptional speaking, writing and listening communication skills, with the ability to convey complex issues clearly, facilitate meetings and coalitions, and serve as a credible, persuasive representative in public and governmental settings.
- Ability to publicly advocate on behalf of The Collaborative and serve as a credible, persuasive representative of the organization in public and governmental settings.
- Strong people skills with a personable and friendly demeanor; able to build rapport quickly with diverse individuals.
- Deep understanding of relevant policy and regulatory processes, with the ability to design and lead advocacy strategies that influence public systems and funding decisions.
- Strong ability to cultivate trust‑based relationships with government officials, funders, community partners, and other stakeholders, aligning diverse interests around shared goals.
- Familiarity, understanding and involvement with community‑based services or mental health programs.
- Proficiency in financial management and analysis.
- Demonstrated ability to achieve advocacy objectives and advance organizational priorities.
- Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
Personal Characteristics
- A leader who enjoys being the public face of an organization and building relationships with diverse individuals.
- Collaborative problem solver who is able to integrate multiple stakeholders’ point of view, and recommend a course of action to Executive Committee and the Collaborative as a whole.
- High degree of emotional intelligence and empathy.
- Belief and commitment to culture of caring for vulnerable people, especially children and families and those with behavioral health issues.
- Leads with curiosity and is open to hearing diverse perspectives.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree or a demonstrably equivalent combination of education and relevant professional and life experience.
- A master’s degree is preferred.
Preferred
- Prior Executive Director or equivalent executive leadership experience preferred.
- Direct experience working with or service on a nonprofit board of directors.
- Experience with oversight of programs and/or operations.