Executive Director

Executive Director

United Cerebral Palsy of the Inland Empire (UCPIE) Palm Desert, California

Lead with purpose. Build for the future.

United Cerebral Palsy of the Inland Empire is seeking an accomplished, mission-driven Executive Director to lead the organization through its next chapter of growth, impact, and service.

UCPIE serves individuals with developmental disabilities and their families throughout Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The organization is committed to advancing independence, inclusion, dignity, and quality of life through community-based programs and services.

This is an opportunity for a strong executive leader who combines mission-driven leadership, financial and operational acumen, Board partnership, fundraising capability, and a genuine commitment to the individuals and families UCPIE serves.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will provide overall leadership for UCPIE’s strategy, people, programs, finances, fundraising, community relationships, and operations. The organization employs approximately 363 employees, including a large field-based respite workforce, and the Executive Director will play a central role in strengthening connection, communication, and trust across the organization.

The successful candidate will be a collaborative and visible leader who can:

• Translate the Board’s strategic priorities into measurable organizational goals and communicate those priorities clearly and transparently throughout the organization.

• Lead, mentor, and develop a strong management team while strengthening a healthy, connected organizational culture, with particular attention to engagement across the respite workforce.

• Ensure high-quality, person-centered programs and services while building strong partnerships with the individuals and families UCPIE serves.

• Maintain strong financial stewardship, budget discipline, and long-term organizational sustainability.

• Strengthen fundraising by protecting established donor relationships, expanding donors and sponsors, and partnering with the development team on a sustainable resource-development strategy.

• Guide thoughtful development of new programs by evaluating community need, infrastructure, staffing, funding, regulatory requirements, and long-term financial sustainability.

• Serve as a trusted partner to the Board of Directors, providing clear analysis, actionable

information, and an executive-level summary of organizational and financial

performance.

• Represent UCPIE as a respected, energetic ambassador throughout the Inland Empire

and build strong relationships with families, donors, community partners, and servicesystem

stakeholders.

What We’re Looking For

UCPIE is seeking a leader with a strong combination of executive presence, strategic thinking,

operational discipline, relationship-building skills, and a collaborative, mentorship-oriented

leadership style. The successful candidate will be a strong communicator and public speaker

who listens and learns before implementing significant change.

Ideal candidates will bring:

• At least seven years of progressively responsible management and leadership

experience, including significant supervisory responsibility.

• Experience in nonprofit or human services leadership, with meaningful experience

serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities strongly preferred.

• Strong financial management and budgeting experience, including the ability to

understand financial performance, manage within established budgets, and evaluate the

financial sustainability of programs.

• Experience working effectively with a Board of Directors and translating operational and

financial information into clear, transparent, and actionable reporting.

• Demonstrated fundraising, donor relations, sponsorship, grant development, or

resource-development experience, including both stewardship of existing relationships

and expansion of new funding sources.

• Demonstrated experience developing or expanding programs in a regulated

environment, with an understanding of the infrastructure, staffing, funding, compliance,

and operational requirements necessary for successful implementation.

• Exceptional communication, public-speaking, decision-making, and organizational skills,

with the ability to build credibility across employees, families, donors, community

partners, and the Board.

• A demonstrated commitment to the rights, dignity, independence, inclusion, and quality

of life of people with developmental disabilities.

• Bilingual Spanish/English preferred.

Knowledge of California’s developmental-disability service system is highly desirable, including

familiarity with the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act, the California

Department of Developmental Services (DDS), Inland Regional Center, the Department of

Rehabilitation, government-funded programs, and applicable federal, state, and local

requirements. Experience working directly with Inland Regional Center is particularly valued.

Familiarity with CARF accreditation, including survey preparation and corrective-action

processes, is a plus.

Leadership Style

The successful candidate will be:

• Mission-driven and values-centered

• Strategic and thoughtful, with a willingness to spend time listening, learning, and

understanding the organization

• Financially and operationally strong

• Collaborative, transparent, and mentorship-oriented

• Accountable and decisive

• Skilled at building trust with staff, including field-based respite workers, as well as the

Board, donors, families, and community partners

• Positive, engaging, and comfortable serving as the public face of the organization

Location

This position is based in Palm Desert, California, with regular engagement throughout the

Inland Empire.

Compensation

Salary – $150,000 to $175,000, depending on qualifications and experience, plus the

opportunity for a performance-based bonus tied to organizational goals.

Benefits – Medical & Dental Insurance and a 401(k) retirement plan.

About UCPIE

United Cerebral Palsy of the Inland Empire (UCPIE) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to

improving the quality of life, independence, inclusion, and opportunities of individuals with

developmental disabilities and their families throughout Riverside and San Bernardino

counties.

UCPIE’s work is grounded in the belief that people with disabilities should have the

opportunity to live full, meaningful, and self-directed lives in their communities. The

organization supports individuals with cerebral palsy and a broad range of other

developmental and mobility-related disabilities through programs designed to strengthen

independence, social connection, family stability, and community participation.

UCPIE provides a diverse range of services that support individuals and families across

different stages of life. Programs include in-home respite care, after-school and summer

programming, adaptive recreation and activities, family empowerment, an adaptive bicycle

program, virtual programming, and resource and referral services. UCPIE also collaborates

with community organizations to expand access to educational, recreational, and

supportive opportunities. Through its Resource & Referral Program, UCPIE helps families

connect with public agencies, educational resources, independent-living supports,

employment services, legal resources, recreational opportunities, and other community based

services that may fall outside UCPIE’s direct scope.

The organization’s philosophy of helping people live a “Life Without Limits” extends beyond

direct service delivery. UCPIE works to help individuals with disabilities participate more

fully in family life, education, recreation, and their communities while also providing

families with the information and support they need to navigate complex systems of care.

UCPIE has also developed strong relationships throughout the Inland Empire with

healthcare organizations, businesses, foundations, municipalities, charitable

organizations, and community partners. These relationships help support programs and

expand opportunities for the individuals and families UCPIE serves. Its supporters have

included regional healthcare organizations, foundations, financial institutions, local

businesses, cities, and community organizations throughout the Coachella Valley and

greater Inland Empire.

Based in Palm Desert, California, UCPIE operates in a service environment that requires

strong collaboration with families, community organizations, governmental agencies,

service providers, and California’s developmental-disabilities system. Many families

served through respite services are Spanish-speaking, making bilingual English/Spanish

capability especially valuable. The organization’s next Executive Director will have the

opportunity to build upon this foundation while strengthening culture, programs,

partnerships, fundraising, operational effectiveness, and long-term sustainability.

At its core, UCPIE is an organization centered on dignity, independence, inclusion, and

quality of life. The Executive Director will serve not only as the organization’s chief

executive, but also as an advocate and ambassador for the people and families UCPIE

serves.