Executive Director

Snapshot: The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), the nation’s leading movement-lawyering organization, seeks a liberation-minded Executive Director to guide the next chapter of an institution that has fought alongside social justice movements for six decades. Founded in 1966 by civil rights attorneys representing movements in the Jim Crow South, CCR has built a singular legacy of taking on the cases and issues that few peer organizations will, fusing strategic litigation, advocacy, and narrative shifting to dismantle systems of oppression regardless of the risk.

CCR enters this leadership transition from a position of remarkable strength. The organization has reinforced its financial footing, deepened movement partnerships, expanded its presence in the U.S. South, and maintained internationalist commitments through one of the most volatile political moments in recent memory. As CCR celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2026, leadership and staff describe this transition as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to honor what has been built, sharpen organizational systems, and carry CCR’s bold, movement-accountable practice into its next era.

Building on the twenty-year tenure of Executive Director Vincent Warren, CCR’s next leader will inherit an organization Vince describes as “strong, principled, and battle-ready.” Under his leadership, CCR successfully challenged the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk policy and the surveillance and profiling of Muslim communities, ended long-term solitary confinement at California’s Pelican Bay State Prison, established the persecution of LGBTQIA+ people as a crime against humanity, and led the decades-long legal battle on behalf of the men detained at Guantanamo.

The Role: The Executive Director will serve as CCR’s lead strategist, principal movement partner, and organizational steward. Reporting to the Board of Trustees and partnering closely with the Associate Executive Director, Management Team, and union staff, the ED will lead a national organization of approximately 60 unionized staff, based primarily in New York with a growing CCR South footprint, backed by approximately $22.5 million in reserves and an annual fundraising target in the $18 million to $20 million range. Priorities include strategic vision and radical movement leadership building on CCR’s 2025 to 2027 strategic plan; organizational and operational leadership in principled partnership with CCR’s union; movement engagement and external visibility as CCR’s most visible voice; service as CCR’s principal fundraiser (CCR accepts no government funding); people leadership and talent development; and stewardship of CCR South.

Leadership Profile: Ideal candidates are steeped in the practice and politics of movement lawyering, bring senior leadership experience in civil rights, human rights, or movement-accountable advocacy organizations, and have a meaningful record of partnering with grassroots organizers, frontline defenders, and impacted communities. A J.D. and prior litigation experience are strongly preferred but not required; candidates without a J.D. who have led organizations of comparable scope and complexity and built their careers in or alongside movement lawyering organizations are encouraged to apply.

Compensation: $262,000 to $305,000, set on CCR’s tiered management salary scale and commensurate with years of relevant professional experience. Benefits include fully paid in-network medical, dental, and vision premiums for employees and their families, employer-sponsored retirement, generous paid time off including Winter Wellness Week and select Summer Fridays, and Executive Director supplemental benefits spanning uncapped professional development, enhanced data privacy protections, and relocation reimbursement of up to $8,000.

To apply: Avra Search Partners is leading this search on behalf of CCR. Interested candidates should submit a resume and tailored cover letter via Avra. The full Leadership Profile can be found here: avrasearch.com/current-searches-portfolio/ccr

Submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis; priority will be given to those received by Monday, August 3.

Confidential inquiries:

Chartise Clark
Founder and Managing Partner
Avra Search Partners
cclark@avrasearch.com

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The Center for Constitutional Rights is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. CCR encourages applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, gender non-conforming people, and candidates from historically underrepresented communities.