The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Pauma Economic Development Corporation (PEDC) is the senior executive responsible for the day-to-day leadership and long-term growth of the Corporation's business enterprises on behalf of the Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians. The CEO reports to the PEDC Board of Directors and oversees the Corporation's operating businesses — currently including the Pauma Heritage QuikStop, the Pauma Travel Center Starbucks, and Pauma Tribal Farms — along with finance, human resources, and legal/compliance functions.
The CEO will be accountable for building the internal organization, systems, and financial discipline needed for PEDC to grow into a diversified, sustainable economic engine for the Tribe. This includes strengthening budgeting and reporting processes, improving operating margins across existing businesses, and identifying and vetting new lines of business — including agriculture, retail, hospitality, and government contracting opportunities — that fit the Tribe's assets and long-term goals.
The CEO must have strong general management experience and the judgment, discipline, and work ethic to help a young, growing tribal enterprise mature into a well-run, professionally managed organization. Above all, the CEO should be excited about building something from the ground up and dedicated to helping PEDC meet and exceed the goals set by the Board and the Tribe.
CEO Value: Management and Oversight
The CEO will demonstrate a track record as a results-oriented leader skilled in developing relationships, identifying viable business opportunities, and building a small organization's processes and culture. The CEO should have experience growing and professionalizing an organization, ideally in retail, food & beverage, hospitality, agriculture, or tribal enterprise settings, and be comfortable operating with a lean staff and a hands-on management style.
The CEO must be a leader who can help the team deliver measurable, cost-effective results that make the Tribe's economic vision a reality. Importantly, the successful CEO will have the confidence and communication skills to work closely with the Board, tribal leadership, and community members while running day-to-day operations.
It is essential that the CEO bring efficient, right-sized systems that increase productivity without over-engineering process for an organization of this scale, and that the CEO have prior experience helping a small enterprise grow in a disciplined, sustainable way.
- Creating, communicating, and implementing the Corporation's vision, mission, and overall direction; leading development of the annual budget and business strategy.
- Overseeing the complete operations of the Quik Stop, Starbucks, Tribal Farms, and any future PEDC enterprises in accordance with Board-approved plans and budgets.
- Directly managing or overseeing finance/bookkeeping, human resources, and legal/compliance functions, and any future direct reports as the organization grows.
- Soliciting advice and guidance, when appropriate, from the Board, and providing the Board with timely, accurate financial and operational reporting.
- Formulating and implementing the strategic plan that guides the direction of the Corporation, including evaluation of new business lines.
- Evaluating the financial and operational success of each business unit and taking corrective action where performance lags budget.
- Maintaining awareness of the competitive landscape, market conditions (fuel, retail, agriculture commodities), and opportunities for expansion.
- Representing the Corporation in tribal, civic, and professional settings at the local, state, and national level.
- Demonstrating the leadership necessary to make the Corporation's mission a success, including attracting and developing future talent as PEDC grows.
Desired Skills and ExperienceRequired Qualifications
The CEO has proven experience managing a small-to-mid-size business or business unit, with the operational and financial discipline to help PEDC's enterprises grow profitably.
- Minimum of a BA in business or a related field; MBA preferred but not required.
- Business operations and P&L responsibility for an organization or business unit generating at least $2–5 million in annual revenue.
- Direct experience in retail, convenience store, food & beverage, hospitality, or agriculture business operations.
- Experience working within or alongside tribal government or tribal enterprise structures strongly preferred.
- Strong operational experience: ideally 7+ years in a senior management role, including P&L accountability.
- Demonstrated success in financial planning and analysis, budgeting, and monitoring systems, with experience overseeing finance, HR, and operations functions.
- Skills in organizational development, personnel management, budgeting, and resource planning; demonstrated ability to build systems from scratch in a small organization.
- Excellent people skills, a results-focused, bottom-line orientation, and sound business judgment across analysis, experience, and common sense.
- Exhibits qualities of integrity, credibility, and honesty.
- Flexible and able to multi-task; comfortable in an ambiguous, resource-constrained, fast-moving small-business environment.
- Strategic vision and agility — able to think strategically about new business lines while managing today's operations.
- Leadership and organization — capacity to manage and lead a small team directly, and to scale the organization thoughtfully as revenue grows.
- Action-oriented — enjoys hands-on work, and comfortable being the most senior person handling both strategic and day-to-day tasks in a small enterprise.
Preferred: Agriculture Business Experience
Given PEDC's ownership of Pauma Tribal Farms (avocado and citrus production), a highly qualified candidate will also bring agriculture business experience, including:
- Experience managing or advising an agricultural operation — row crop, orchard, or specialty crop (avocado/citrus experience a strong plus).
- Familiarity with agricultural commodity markets, crop cycles, water rights/allocation issues, and farm labor management.
- Experience navigating USDA programs, agricultural cooperatives, or produce distribution and marketing channels.
- Understanding of the unique regulatory, land-use, and water considerations that apply to farming on tribal trust land.
- Ability to evaluate capital investment decisions in agriculture (irrigation, equipment, replanting) alongside the Corporation's other business lines.
General Abilities, Talents, and Characteristics
- A natural, approachable leader respected by peers, staff, and the Board alike.
- Self-starter who takes initiative, works independently, and resolves issues before they become problems.
- Ability to work successfully with a variety of constituencies and personalities, including tribal leadership and community members.
- Ability to think creatively and calmly in a fast-moving, resource-constrained environment.
- Personable, professional, and calm demeanor with patience and flexibility.
- Strong interpersonal skills, collaborative with a can-do attitude and sense of humor.
Salary: DOE
Pay: $1.00 - $10.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
