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EXECSEARCHES.COM — LONG BEACH CITY GUIDE
America’s most diverse city is redefining its identity — from industrial port to innovation corridor. Where maritime sustainability mandates, a vibrant LGBTQ+ community, CSULB’s talent pipeline, and the Aquarium of the Pacific’s waterfront anchor converge to create one of Southern California’s most dynamic nonprofit markets.
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Long Beach occupies a singular position in the California nonprofit landscape: it is simultaneously LA County’s second-largest city and a distinct civic community with its own identity, politics, and mission-driven economy. While proximity to Los Angeles means ready access to a major philanthropic base, Long Beach nonprofits operate in a market that rewards deep community roots and cultural fluency over brand-name credentials.
The defining narrative of Long Beach’s nonprofit sector in 2026 is transformation. The Port of Long Beach — which handles roughly 40% of all containerized imports entering the United States — is under a historic mandate to achieve zero-emission operations by 2035. That mandate is generating tens of millions of dollars annually in community benefit agreements, environmental mitigation funds, and workforce transition investments that flow directly through the nonprofit sector. Organizations positioned at the intersection of environmental justice, workforce development, and community health are seeing budget growth at rates unseen since the post-recession recovery.
Long Beach’s demographic profile simultaneously distinguishes it and complicates its nonprofit labor market. No single ethnic or racial group constitutes a majority, and the city’s Cambodian American population is among the largest in the country outside of Cambodia itself. This extraordinary diversity drives demand for bilingual executive leaders, culturally specific service organizations, and advocacy groups that can navigate a complex mosaic of community relationships. The city’s LGBTQ+ community is similarly well-organized and politically active, sustaining a cluster of established service organizations that range from health clinics to youth drop-in centers to advocacy coalitions.
What Long Beach offers nonprofit executives that Los Angeles cannot is scale and belonging. Leadership positions here carry genuine city-level visibility, relationships with a close-knit philanthropic community, and the satisfaction of building institutions that outlast any individual tenure. The city’s waterfront renaissance — anchored by the Aquarium of the Pacific, the Queen Mary, and a redeveloping downtown entertainment district — is attracting new philanthropic investment from corporate partners and private donors who see Long Beach as a rising city rather than an LA satellite.
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ExecSearches.com maintains the most comprehensive index of nonprofit executive job listings in Long Beach and across California. Whether you’re seeking your next CEO role, a Chief Development Officer position, or a VP of Programs leadership opportunity, our platform connects mission-driven leaders with the organizations that need them. Search Long Beach nonprofit executive jobs now or browse all California nonprofit leadership opportunities.
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Port & Maritime Economy
The Port of Long Beach is the anchor of the regional economy and a growing source of nonprofit funding through community benefit agreements, air quality mitigation funds, and zero-emission transition grants. Environmental justice organizations, workforce training nonprofits, and community health agencies with port-adjacent footprints are among the best-resourced in the city. Executive roles in this corridor increasingly require fluency in both environmental policy and community organizing.
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LGBTQ+ Services & Community Organizations
Long Beach’s LGBTQ+ community is one of California’s most established, sustaining organizations ranging from health clinics and youth centers to housing services and senior care agencies. The Long Beach LGBTQ Center is among the most prominent anchor institutions. Demand for bilingual, culturally affirming executive leadership is high, and organizations in this sector have grown their budgets significantly through state and county LGBTQ+ health equity funding.
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Higher Education-Adjacent Nonprofits
California State University Long Beach (CSULB) and Long Beach City College (LBCC) together serve more than 75,000 students annually, creating rich partnerships with workforce development, college access, and student support nonprofits. University-aligned foundations, scholarship organizations, and research-to-practice institutes employ nonprofit executives who can navigate both academic culture and community partnerships. The Cal State Long Beach Dirtbags baseball program even has an associated booster foundation — illustrating the breadth of the sector.
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Arts, Culture & Environmental Education
The Aquarium of the Pacific draws 500,000+ visitors annually and anchors a growing cultural economy on the downtown waterfront. The Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) is the only museum in the United States dedicated exclusively to contemporary Latin American art. Together with smaller performing arts organizations, galleries, and heritage organizations serving the city’s Cambodian, Filipino, and Latino communities, Long Beach’s arts nonprofit sector is growing in both scale and philanthropic support.
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Health & Human Services
Long Beach operates its own city-level health department, one of only a handful of California cities with this capacity. This structure, combined with the presence of MemorialCare, Molina Healthcare (HQ’d in Long Beach), and a dense network of Federally Qualified Health Centers, creates a robust health-adjacent nonprofit ecosystem. Community health organizations serving immigrant families, unhoused populations, and underinsured residents are among the most actively hiring in the city.
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Environmental Justice & Sustainability
Long Beach sits at the epicenter of California’s most ambitious air quality and zero-emission mandates. Port-adjacent communities in West Long Beach face some of the highest diesel particulate burdens in the state, generating sustained demand for environmental justice advocacy organizations, health equity coalitions, and green workforce development nonprofits. State and federal climate funding is flowing into this corridor at an accelerating pace, creating well-funded, growing executive roles.
Long Beach compensation reflects the city’s position as a mid-tier California market — meaningfully above national nonprofit averages but 10–18% below Los Angeles proper. Organizations with government contract portfolios, federal healthcare designations, or significant port mitigation funding tend to pay at the top of each range.
| Role | Small Org (<$2M) | Mid-Size ($2M–$10M) | Large ($10M+) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Director / CEO↑ +6% YoY — port sustainability & LGBTQ+ sector driving premium | $80K–$108K | $128K–$172K | $175K–$248K |
| Chief Development Officer↑ Major gifts & corporate port partnerships raising demand | $72K–$98K | $115K–$155K | $158K–$210K |
| CFO / VP Finance→ Stable; government contract complexity elevating floor | $70K–$95K | $110K–$148K | $152K–$202K |
| VP Programs / COO↑ Environmental justice & port mitigation program expansion | $65K–$88K | $100K–$135K | $138K–$182K |
| Communications / Marketing Director↑ Bilingual & multicultural communications premium growing | $60K–$80K | $82K–$112K | $116K–$150K |
| Development Director→ Competitive; maritime & environmental major gifts preferred | $65K–$88K | $90K–$122K | $126K–$165K |
| HR Director↑ DEI, multilingual workforce compliance & labor relations driving growth | $60K–$80K | $82K–$110K | $114K–$148K |
| Note: Ranges reflect base salary only. Total compensation packages at larger organizations often include performance bonuses (5–15%), retirement contributions (403b/457b), healthcare, and professional development allowances. LGBTQ+ service organizations and community health centers with government grants tend to pay at the top of their size tier. Data sourced from ExecSearches.com placement history, IRS Form 990 filings, and California nonprofit compensation surveys. Updated Q1 2026. | |||
Long Beach is a charter city with its own health department, port authority, and transit agency — an unusually autonomous set of institutional employers that operate adjacent to the nonprofit sector and frequently recruit mission-driven executives from the same talent pool.
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With over 5,300 employees across 23 departments, the City of Long Beach is the dominant public employer in the region. The Health and Human Services Department, Parks, Recreation & Marine, and the Department of Economic Development all hire leadership roles that overlap substantially with nonprofit sector competencies. The city’s commitment to equity, multilingual services, and environmental sustainability makes it a natural destination for mission-driven executives.
City of Long Beach Employment Opportunities →
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The Port of Long Beach (Harbor Department) is one of the most significant public employers in Southern California, with robust programs in environmental sustainability, community relations, and workforce development. The Port’s zero-emission cargo transition initiative and community grant programs are generating new leadership roles that bridge public administration and community impact. Executive professionals with environmental policy or community engagement experience are in high demand.
Port of Long Beach Jobs →
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Long Beach Transit (LBT) operates bus service across the city and into surrounding communities, employing transit planners, operations executives, and community engagement professionals. As public transit agencies increasingly function as equity and access institutions, LBT’s leadership pipeline draws from both public sector and nonprofit backgrounds. The agency’s focus on zero-emission bus operations aligns with the city’s broader sustainability mission.
Long Beach Transit Careers →
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LA County operates numerous department offices and service centers within Long Beach, particularly through the Departments of Health Services, Social Services, Mental Health, and Children & Family Services. These county operations represent significant leadership employment opportunities for executives with public health, social services, or community development backgrounds. LA County is one of the largest employers in the United States and offers competitive executive compensation and benefits.
LA County Health Services Careers →
Long Beach’s higher education institutions are among the largest employers in the city and maintain extensive networks of foundations, community partnerships, and affiliated nonprofits. CSULB in particular operates one of the largest social work programs in California, creating a substantial pipeline of mission-driven graduates who fuel the regional nonprofit workforce.
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CSULB is the most-applied-to campus in the CSU system, with more than 40,000 students and a nationally recognized social work, public health, nursing, and business programs. The university employs significant numbers of administrators, program directors, and research center leaders whose roles are functionally equivalent to nonprofit executive positions. The CSULB Research Foundation separately manages sponsored programs and community-facing research initiatives. CSULB’s diversity — including a large first-generation college student population — shapes the university’s equity-centered institutional culture.
CSULB Employment Opportunities →
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Long Beach City College serves approximately 35,000 students annually and is one of the most diverse community colleges in California, with a majority Hispanic/Latinx student body. LBCC’s Workforce Development division maintains active partnerships with port-adjacent industries, healthcare employers, and community-based organizations. The college employs program directors, deans, and workforce development managers whose skills are highly transferable to the nonprofit sector — and vice versa.
Long Beach City College Careers →
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California State University Dominguez Hills, located in nearby Carson, serves a student population with strong ties to Long Beach communities. CSUDH operates social work, nursing, and education programs that feed directly into Long Beach’s nonprofit workforce. The university’s commitment to equity and access creates institutional partnerships with Long Beach community organizations, making it a relevant part of the regional nonprofit employment ecosystem.
CSUDH Career Opportunities →
Long Beach’s healthcare sector is anchored by a set of distinctive institutions — including Molina Healthcare’s national headquarters — that create leadership demand ranging from community health center executives to managed care administration roles with nonprofit-aligned missions.
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Long Beach Medical Center, part of the MemorialCare health system, is one of the largest hospitals in Southern California and a major nonprofit employer in the city. MemorialCare operates as a regional not-for-profit health system and employs executives across clinical administration, community health, foundation/development, and population health management. The system’s Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach is a major regional resource and separately staffed leadership center.
MemorialCare Long Beach Careers →
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Molina Healthcare is one of the nation’s largest managed Medicaid and Medicare plans, headquartered in Long Beach. As a publicly traded company with deep roots in the community health and safety-net healthcare mission, Molina employs significant numbers of community health executives, care management leaders, and population health administrators whose work is structurally aligned with nonprofit health organizations. Molina’s Long Beach presence makes it one of the city’s most significant health sector employers.
Molina Healthcare Long Beach Jobs →
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The Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center is one of the busiest VA medical centers in the United States, serving veterans across Los Angeles County. The VA system employs social workers, program managers, community outreach coordinators, and health services administrators whose backgrounds overlap significantly with nonprofit sector leadership. VA leadership roles offer competitive federal pay, strong benefits, and mission-driven work serving the veteran community.
VA Long Beach Jobs & Careers →
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Community Hospital Long Beach has served the city’s health needs for more than a century and continues to operate as a community-focused health institution. Following a period of closure and reopening, the hospital has re-established its role as a safety-net provider serving North Long Beach’s lower-income communities. Leadership roles at community hospitals of this type require the budget management and mission orientation typical of nonprofit executive careers.
City of Long Beach Health Department →
These five role types represent the highest-demand executive searches in Long Beach’s nonprofit market entering 2026, driven by sector growth, leadership transitions, and new funding streams:
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High Demand
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As the Port of Long Beach accelerates its zero-emission transition and community benefit agreement obligations, organizations in the environmental justice and workforce development corridors are creating new director-level positions to manage relationships with the port authority, oversee mitigation fund utilization, and lead community engagement around air quality and health equity. Candidates with both environmental policy expertise and community organizing experience are exceptionally competitive. Salary range: $95K–$145K.
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High Demand
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Long Beach’s established LGBTQ+ community supports multiple anchor service organizations that are in various stages of leadership transition, budget growth, and strategic expansion. Executives with experience leading LGBTQ+-affirming health clinics, housing programs, youth centers, or advocacy organizations are in significant demand. Bilingual leadership (particularly Spanish-English) adds significant value in this market. Salary range: $90K–$148K.
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Growing
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The Aquarium of the Pacific, Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA), and a growing ecosystem of performing arts and cultural heritage organizations are seeking CEOs and Executive Directors who can capitalize on Long Beach’s waterfront renaissance and growing tourism economy. Leaders who can navigate earned revenue strategies, corporate partnerships, and community engagement in a highly diverse city are highly sought after. Salary range: $110K–$195K.
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Growing
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Long Beach’s network of Federally Qualified Health Centers and community health organizations serving immigrant, unhoused, and low-income populations is expanding as state and federal health equity investments grow. Executive directors who can manage federal grant compliance, clinical-community partnerships, and multilingual service delivery are among the most actively recruited in the city. FQHC experience is highly valued. Salary range: $115K–$175K.
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Emerging
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The intersection of port transition, aerospace evolution, and community college partnerships is creating demand for senior workforce development executives who can design and manage training-to-employment pipelines for Long Beach’s diverse workforce. These roles sit at the nexus of industry partnership, government funding, and community economic development — and increasingly require executive-level government relations experience. Salary range: $100K–$155K.
Selecting the right search partner is critical for Long Beach nonprofit leadership transitions. The firms below have demonstrated track records placing mission-driven executives in Southern California and Long Beach specifically:
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Founded in 1984, Morris & Berger is a nationally respected boutique executive search firm headquartered in Burbank with deep roots in Southern California nonprofit leadership. The firm has worked extensively with higher education institutions, performing arts organizations, foundations, and health and human service agencies throughout the LA region, including Long Beach. Their collaborative, partnership-minded process is particularly well-suited to organizations seeking leaders who will thrive in Long Beach’s relationship-driven civic culture.
morrisberger.com →
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Scion Executive Search is an award-winning Los Angeles-based nonprofit executive search firm that has served mission-driven organizations in the LA metro — including Long Beach — for nearly two decades. Recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Leading Executive Recruiting Firms, Scion specializes in CEO, Executive Director, COO, CDO, and CFO searches for nonprofits, foundations, and educational institutions. Their LA office serves the full Southern California region.
scionexecutivesearch.com →
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Envision Consulting is a Southern California-based executive search firm that works exclusively with nonprofit organizations. Based in Pasadena, they serve the greater LA region and have a particular strength in health and human services, social justice, education, and community development organizations — sectors that map closely to Long Beach’s most active nonprofit hiring corridors. Their data-driven, values-aligned search process is well-suited to organizations navigating leadership transitions.
envisionnonprofit.com →
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Bristol Associates is a Los Angeles-based retained executive search firm with a dedicated nonprofit and arts practice. The firm recruits for middle and senior nonprofit management positions including Vice President, Director, Manager, and Coordinator roles across nonprofit administration functions. Their Southern California networks and nonprofit-sector expertise make them a capable partner for Long Beach organizations in both the arts/culture and social services corridors.
bristolassoc.com →
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ExecSearches.com is the leading national platform for nonprofit executive job listings, with a dedicated index of Long Beach and Southern California leadership opportunities. Organizations posting director, VP, or C-suite searches on ExecSearches reach the largest active audience of qualified nonprofit executives in the country. For candidates, the platform offers the most targeted search filters for Long Beach and California nonprofit positions available anywhere online.
Search Long Beach Jobs on ExecSearches.com →
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Long Beach Cost of Living & Lifestyle Snapshot
ExecSearches.com covers the full California nonprofit market. Explore our city and regional guides:
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<"ca-faq-q">What is the average nonprofit executive director salary in Long Beach, California?
<"ca-faq-a">Nonprofit executive director salaries in Long Beach range from $80,000 for small organizations under $2M budget to $248,000 for large healthcare systems and major community development nonprofits. Long Beach salaries run roughly 10–18% below Los Angeles proper but offer significantly lower housing costs. Port-adjacent organizations, LGBTQ+ service agencies, and health equity nonprofits with government contract portfolios tend to pay at the higher end of the range. The strong talent pipeline from CSULB and LBCC keeps competition high for leadership roles, while the city’s relatively compact nonprofit community means executive candidates are often well-known within their sector before applying.
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<"ca-faq-q">What nonprofit sectors are growing fastest in Long Beach?
<"ca-faq-a">The fastest-growing nonprofit sectors in Long Beach in 2026 are port sustainability and environmental justice (driven by state zero-emission mandates at the Port of Long Beach), LGBTQ+ services and community organizations (supported by expanded state health equity funding), community health centers serving diverse immigrant populations, workforce development linked to the port logistics economy, and arts and culture organizations anchored by the Aquarium of the Pacific and the Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA). Environmental justice organizations in particular are seeing budget growth at rates unseen since the post-recession recovery, driven by state and federal climate investment.
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<"ca-faq-q">How does Long Beach compare to Los Angeles for nonprofit executive careers?
<"ca-faq-a">Long Beach offers a distinct nonprofit market from Los Angeles despite being LA County’s second-largest city. Salaries are 10–18% lower on average, but the cost of living is also measurably lower — particularly housing, where rents average $400–$600 below comparable LA neighborhoods. Long Beach has a highly cohesive nonprofit community anchored by distinct sectors: maritime sustainability, LGBTQ+ services, arts and Latin American cultural institutions, and port-adjacent workforce development. Career competition is less intense than in LA, making it an attractive market for rising leaders ready to step into their first or second executive role. Leadership positions in Long Beach also carry genuine city-level visibility and relationships with a close-knit philanthropic community.
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<"ca-faq-q">What is the role of the Port of Long Beach in the nonprofit ecosystem?
<"ca-faq-a">The Port of Long Beach, the second-busiest container port in the United States, is a major economic driver that creates significant nonprofit demand. Port mitigation funding supports air quality, environmental justice, and community health organizations in surrounding neighborhoods including West Long Beach, which experiences some of the highest diesel particulate burdens in the state. The port’s zero-emission cargo transition program is generating new sustainability-focused nonprofit and quasi-government roles. The port’s Harbor Commission also funds workforce development and education programs that support community college and nonprofit training partnerships throughout the region. For nonprofit executives with environmental policy or community organizing backgrounds, port-adjacent organizations represent some of the best-funded opportunities in Long Beach.
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<"ca-faq-q">Which neighborhoods in Long Beach are best for nonprofit professionals?
<"ca-faq-a">Belmont Shore offers a walkable, beach-adjacent lifestyle popular with younger nonprofit professionals, with a dense restaurant and retail corridor along 2nd Street. Bixby Knolls is a mid-city neighborhood with strong community identity, an antiques district, and more affordable home prices — often a first-time homebuyer destination for nonprofit executives. Naples Island is an upscale canal neighborhood with a unique waterfront lifestyle at a higher price point. Signal Hill sits adjacent to Long Beach with panoramic views and lower property taxes. Alamitos Heights offers historic craftsman homes and quick access to Belmont Shore amenities. All neighborhoods offer significantly lower costs than comparable LA communities while providing easy access to Long Beach’s nonprofit employment centers downtown, near CSULB, and along the waterfront.
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