Leadership for Educational Equity job - Director, Venture Growth

[colleen...@educationalequity.org]

Apply online at LEE's website:  https://educationalequity.org/careers/director-venture-growth-new-ventures

Position:  Director, Venture Growth, New Ventures

Team:  New Ventures

Position Location:  Flexible

Travel Requirement:  20%

About Leadership for Educational Equity

Leadership for Educational Equity (LEE) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan leadership development organization dedicated to developing its members’ potential to ensure every child has the opportunity to receive an outstanding education.

Our kids and communities need more leaders who believe that educational inequity is a solvable problem. We believe that when our members are organized and reach positions of leadership, they’ll serve as a transformative force for students, communities and the broader movement for educational equity.

LEE is a diverse team of passionate and talented individuals committed to making a difference. We are a high-growth, results-oriented organization that operates in an entrepreneurial environment deeply invested in continuous improvement. If you would like to become part of our team and join the fight for educational equity, or if you would simply like to learn more about what we do, please visit http://educationalequity.org/careers.

Position Summary

Leadership for Educational Equity (LEE) seeks a Director, Venture Growth, New Ventures.  LEE’s New Ventures team helps LEE members to plan, pilot, prove and scale new organizations aimed at changing policies or systems to further educational equity. We:

• Foster a pipeline of LEE members capable of building and leading high impact civic ventures.
• Guide members seeking to fill gaps in civic ecosystems by planning and launching new ventures.
• Support established ventures to help them demonstrate, deepen and scale their impact.

The Director, Venture Growth, leads a key piece of this work by building an interconnected community of capable leaders taking high-impact organizations to scale and directing all of LEE’s programs, strategies and supports for members who have launched civic ventures.  The Director will develop methods and materials for providing coaching and support to members; independently assess, coach and provide technical support to a portfolio of later-stage venture leaders; lead the design, selection, execution and evaluation of our later-stage programming and supports; and continuously improve our strategies, curriculum, tools and methods for growing and providing supports to venture leaders through reflection, analysis, and iteration.

Responsibilities

• Venture coaching and technical assistance (30%):
• Support a portfolio of 8-12 venture leaders with high-impact, mission-critical technical assistance projects and leadership coaching on individual goals, including developing six-month work plans, in-person site visits, and a recurring schedule of calls;
• Learn, apply and continuously improve our coaching and technical support methodology and materials to help venture leaders assess and grow leadership competencies, and achieve, measure, sustain and scale the impact of their ventures;
• Cultivate and manage supports to the New Ventures team by creatively connecting members with programs and staff expertise from across LEE in support of their leadership development and venture growth goals; and
• Design and implement systems for tracking and reporting progress on work plans and member/venture development.
• Direct and develop all programs and supports for venture leaders (20%):
• Plan, manage and develop program opportunities for venture leaders ready to launch, prove or scale civic ventures. This currently includes managing and continuously improving:
• Venture Fund & Fellowship: Application, selection, assessment, fund disbursement, coaching/technical assistance and reporting on impact of the program on our members and their ventures on educational equity. 
• Advanced Supports: Develop and deliver structure for providing coaching, technical support and/or access to programming to Fellow alums and other established venture leaders. 
• Design and direct trainings for venture leaders and other EDs (20%):
• Design and manage Executive Boot Camp, a program specifically for executive leaders to tool them up for proving and scaling high-impact policy, advocacy, organizing and political organizations;
• Further develop program curricula with some sessions to be co-designed/ facilitated by LEE colleagues from other teams, members, partner organization staff, and/or consultants; and
• Develop tools and resources for members to advance their leadership and technical skills in areas such as fundraising and financial-, project- and people-management.
• Showcase and connect ventures to potential funders to scale and sustain their impact (20%):
• In coordination with LEE colleagues, identify, cultivate, engage and connect with potential funders to learn about, advise and consider funding member-led ventures; and
• Organize a Philanthropic Relationship-building Workshop and Venture Showcase, which is the capstone project of the Venture Fellowship and a final convening of the Fellows. It will include pitch preparation and coaching, workshops with philanthropic partners, and a public showcase for educational equity stakeholders.
• Special projects and miscellaneous (10%):
• Other projects and responsibilities to support and collaborate with colleagues, and/or in service to members’ leadership and venture development.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• Six years of professional experience
• At least two years of experience in an executive leadership role starting and/or running a social change organization (e.g. founder, executive director, COO, nonprofit VP) or in a related position developing a similar skillset (e.g. executive coach, nonprofit or government consultant, philanthropic executive/program officer)
• Coaching experience and/or demonstrated ability to work with adult learners to build trust, assess leadership competencies, and guide adult leaders in setting and reaching leadership development goals through individualized and/or cohort coaching sessions, all through a lens of diversity, equity and inclusion
• Ability to assess, develop instructional materials for, and teach technical skills required of founders/executive directors of civic change organizations such as best practices in fundraising, communications, strategic planning, team- and project-management

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong skills in designing, adapting and revising curriculum for different audiences and formats (e.g., online, in-person, and live virtual delivery) that aligns with LEE’s methodology
• Knowledge and understanding of the civic change sector and a strong understanding of best practices for changing policies and systems through advocacy, organizing, policy and political action

Benefits and Salary

Salary for this position is competitive and depends on prior experience.  In addition, a comprehensive benefits package is included.

An Equal-Opportunity Employer with a Commitment to Diversity

Leadership for Educational Equity is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and as an organization committed to diversity and the perspective of all voices, we consider applicants equally of race, gender, color, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, disability, political affiliation and national origin. We reasonably accommodate staff members and/or applicants with disabilities, provided they are otherwise able to perform the essential functions of the job.

An affirmative action equal opportunity employer.

The statements in this description represent typical elements, criteria, and general work performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for the job.