Director, Alliances (Chief of Staff) at Leadership for Educational Equity - flexible location
colleen...@educationalequity.org
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
The Director, Alliances (Chief of Staff) supports the overall management of the Alliances team and oversees key development and communications projects to ensure LEE’s greatest impact. This role sits on the Alliances leadership team. The entire Alliances team consists of 9 staff who work to lead communications efforts for all teams within the organization and to support and grow our operating budget. The Alliances team leads the external operations and execution of LEE by telling the story of our 40,000+ members concisely and consistently to high-impact partners, as well as framing the perception of LEE to the world at large. The team constantly strives to meet the highest standards in teamwork and for running an impactful, effective, efficient non-profit organization. All aspects of our work are meaningfully rooted in the belief, knowledge, skills, and mindsets of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
Responsibilities:
- Overall team management (25%)
- Consistently and continuously monitoring progress toward goals across departments;
- Managing the Alliances team to the organization-wide strategic planning process;
- Team DEI mission, vision, strategy-setting and performance and impact management:
- Supporting Alliances leadership team (with special focus on supporting the VP, Alliances) and partnering with LEE Strategy team to develop the team’s long-term and annual DEI mission, vision, goals (member- and staff-facing) and strategies in alignment with the organization’s DEI mission, vision, goals and strategies;
- Ensuring that Alliances team is aligned with team DEI mission, vision, and goals and that goals are met; and
- Partnering with staff to assess team culture and take steps to create inclusive team culture, in line with the LEE org wide culture.
- Building long-term funding alliances with donors (45%)
- Growing a portfolio of grants, supporting all phases of donor cultivation from prospecting, cultivation, convincing and stewardship;
- Working with the VP, Alliances; the Supporter Relations team; and other LEE teams to develop and fully execute prospecting and donor cultivation strategies;
- Preparing grant reports (e.g. metrics, narrative, financials) and proposals ensuring narrative is compelling and engaging;
- Participating in donor meetings, as needed, from cultivation through stewardship phases; and
- Supporting on all follow-up items coming out of funder meetings, including special projects.
- Collecting, curating and maintaining LEE member story bank (30%)
- Owning the LEE story bank, a collection of member stories to be used by Alliances team for communications and development purposes, that “tells the story of LEE” through an ongoing collection of member stories to be used externally and internally; and
- Ensuring that stories constantly and consistently reflect LEE’s core values.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree required
- At least 5 years of professional experience
- Communicating effectively with others and influencing others toward achieving outcomes: Proven ability to build relationships with diverse audiences and work effectively across teams
- Demonstrated ability to plan strategically, prioritize time, and manage implementation of plans in fast-moving, changeable environments
- Ability to work creatively and effectively with limited oversight
- Fundraising experience, generating minimum revenue of $250,000 per year
- Excellent writing and verbal skills
- Ability to work across lines of difference with curiosity and care
- Demonstrated interest or experience in development and/or communications
- Demonstrated cultural competence, both learning and execution
- Demonstrated experience managing diversity, equity and inclusion within a team or organization
Preferred Qualifications:
- 7 years of professional experience
- Experience managing teams toward results
- Experience managing teams in geographically dispersed environments
- Ability to scale or make bodies of work more efficient through technology
- Extensive training in diversity, equity, inclusion and/or social justice
- Fundraising experience, generating minimum revenue of $1M per year
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.