Chief Executive Officer
- Avra Search Partners
- Chicago, IL, USA
Job Description
Avra Search Partners is proud to partner with Brave Space Alliance in the search for a Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Opportunity Snapshot
Overview: Brave Space Alliance (BSA), a community-anchored LGBTQ+ center on Chicago’s South Side, is seeking a courageous and operationally skilled Chief Executive Officer to lead the organization into its next era of stability, cultural cohesion, and expanded community impact. Founded in 2017 to fill a profound gap in affirming, culturally competent services for trans, gender-expansive, and LGBTQ+ people, particularly throughout Chicago’s South Side, BSA has become a vital hub for health, housing, food justice, and mutual aid.
Today, BSA stands at an inflection point. The organization has reinforced financial stability, strengthened program operations, and renewed donor momentum, while continuing to build the internal infrastructure needed to sustain its growth amid a shifting political landscape for trans communities. BSA’s staff, leadership, and Board describe this moment as one of possibility and alignment: an opportunity to deepen organizational clarity, nurture a warm and cohesive culture, and further elevate BSA’s role as a trusted community anchor.
Building on the leadership of Channyn Lynn Parker, former CEO and Board Emeritus, BSA’s next CEO will be a values-led, trauma-informed, systems-building leader who can pair strategic vision with operational execution. They will be deeply relational and visible within community spaces, while also bringing the clarity, direction, and steadiness needed to strengthen internal systems, develop staff, enhance partnerships, and guide the organization with integrity.
While knowledge of Chicago’s South Side communities is an asset and will help ground the work in place-based history and context, this national search welcomes candidates from outside Chicago who bring the humility, cultural fluency, and curiosity to learn from the community BSA serves.
Hiring Organization
Qualifications
Strong candidates will bring a range of the following experiences and perspectives. We recognize that exceptional leaders emerge along varied pathways and may not reflect every listed qualification. With this in mind, we encourage candidates to apply even if their background does not match every listed qualification.
- Senior leadership experience in a nonprofit, community-based, public health, or social service context.
- Proven ability to build and strengthen organizational systems, infrastructure, and operations.
- Experience developing anti-oppressive, trauma-informed, and community- accountable leadership practices.
- Experience strengthening staff culture, supervisory structures, and team cohesion.
- Fundraising experience with individual donors, foundations, and/or corporate partners.
- Experience navigating political and civic relationships, ideally within contexts involving LGBTQ+, public health, or community-based services.
- Experience implementing ethical, culturally grounded evaluation and data practices.
- Deep alignment with BSA’s mission and communities, including the dignity, safety, and liberation of trans and Black LGBTQ+ whose lives and experiences shape the heart of BSA’s work.
An understanding of Chicago’s South Side is valuable for grounding this work, though candidates from beyond Chicago are equally encouraged to express interest.
Candidates who are newer to the city will be expected to approach this learning with humility, curiosity, and respect for the community’s history and leadership.
Industry/Service Area
Level
Benefits
The salary range for this position is $140,000-$180,000, commensurate with experience.
Brave Space Alliance offers a competitive benefits package, which includes the following:
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance, with 75% of medical premiums and 100% of dental and vision premiums covered by BSA, along with gender-affirming care, short- and long-term disability coverage, and life insurance.
- Generous paid time off, including 20 discretionary PTO days, 12+ days of office closure for observed holidays, and 3 floating holidays annually.
- Sabbatical benefit of three months after five consecutive years of employment, eligible for use beginning in the sixth year.
Application Instructions
Candidate materials, including a resume and tailored cover letter, may be submitted via Avra Search Partners.
We also welcome confidential inquiries and expressions of interest via email:
Chartise Clark
Founder & Managing Partner
cclark@avrasearch.com
Submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with a priority deadline of: Friday, February 28 at 5:00 PM CT.
Apply Now
We believe in turning moments of transition into moments of transformation.
Avra Search Partners is a national executive search and leadership advisory firm committed to placing transformative leaders in mission-driven organizations. We partner with a wide range of nonprofits and impact-focused businesses, including foundations, advocacy organizations, associations, and artistic and cultural institutions, to design search strategies that honor organizational values and help institutions thrive.
We specialize in high-touch, selective engagements that combine evidence-informed evaluation with a relational approach, helping institutions build stronger futures through exceptional leadership.
With a deep commitment to inclusion, resilience, and leadership excellence, Avra helps clients identify and attract outstanding candidates from a range of backgrounds, including individuals who have historically had limited access to executive opportunities. Our work centers on expanding the leadership pipeline, strengthening governance, and ensuring organizations are supported by leaders equipped to guide their next chapter.