Call for Applications: ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
Be a part of something bigger. Put your passion and talent to work helping education nonprofits thrive. At City Scholars® Foundation, we’re on a mission to do just that, as we bring corporate and community leaders together to strengthen and accelerate the impact of critical education nonprofits that collectively give over 58,000 low-income youth each year a better chance to learn and achieve against the odds.
To expand our impact and influence throughout Southern California and beyond, we’re looking for a strategic, collaborative, proactively motivated and organizationally gifted ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR to join our team. With sleeves up, hands on and a heart for helping nonprofit leaders and the children they serve succeed, our ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR works closely with our Founder & President to ensure the on-target, on-time and on-budget implementation of the Foundation’s strategic game plan and the continued exponential impact of our signature investment, the City Scholars® Fellowship for Education.
If you’re a strategic administrator, project manager and effective communicator who (1) thrives managing a diverse portfolio of priorities, projects, meetings and events, (2) finds joy zooming out to see the big picture and zooming in to achieve operational excellence; and, (3) would love joining forces with a small dedicated staff and a growing community of collaborative, fun-loving executive volunteers who, together as TEAM City Scholars®, make the Foundation’s mission possible, then we look forward to reviewing your application.
WHO WE ARE:
We are City Scholars® Foundation, a small yet growing philanthropic organization founded in 1993. We believe every child deserves a quality education regardless of their zip code or family income. In high-poverty, under-resourced communities, education nonprofits play a critical role helping youth succeed both in and out of the classroom. That’s why we’re passionately committed to helping education nonprofits thrive.
WHAT WE DO:
To survive and thrive, quality education nonprofits depend upon resourceful, resilient, and collaborative leaders who need more than heart to keep the lights on and the doors open. Because education counts and leadership matters, we’ve partnered since 2014 with a growing corps of executive volunteer donors, corporate and foundation partners and other supporters to sponsor the City Scholars® Fellowship for Education.
As a collaborative leadership institute and impact network, our Fellowship for Education invests in and partners with a diverse community of highly-motivated nonprofit CEOs (distinguished as City Scholars® Foundation Fellows) to grow out-of-school time and school-based education nonprofits (currently 24) from survival to success to significance. Together, our Foundation Fellows and the education nonprofits they lead empower over 58,000 low-income, high-potential youth each year throughout the five-county Greater Los Angeles region to succeed in school, at work and in life. Be inspired at www.cityscholars.org.
WHAT YOU’LL DO:
As ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, you’ll play a key role in shaping the future of the Foundation by leading and managing efforts to ensure operational excellence across the organization while also supporting the continued development of our Fellowship for Education’s vibrant and diverse leadership community.
As our “chief implementer,” you’ll report to and work closely with our Founder & President who, as a salaried board officer, continues to serve as “chief architect” driving impact for the Fellowship for Education and as “chief evangelist” promoting and engaging support for the Foundation.
You’ll also collaborate day-to-day with our Executive Coordinator and Foundation Intern(s); interact extensively with TEAM City Scholars® executive volunteer donors (Board & Executive Council), corporate, foundation and community partners and other supporters; and represent the Foundation with professionalism and integrity at all internal and external events. Core accountabilities for this high-impact, multi-faceted role include among others:
- Program Implementation: Managing the nomination and selection process; organizing and helping facilitate monthly in-person and virtual convenings; designing, implementing and evaluating an online Fellowship for Education resource and communications hub; and, maintaining consistent communication with Foundation Fellows to monitor progress, share resources and provide support.
- Impact Reporting & Communications: Designing, organizing and curating our Fellowship for Education’s impact library; and, producing and distributing through various communications channels mission moments, impact profiles, snapshots and spotlights and an annual impact report.
- Executive Volunteer Engagement: Collaborating with our Founder & President to recruit, onboard, optimally engage and recognize the contributions of TEAM City Scholars® executive volunteer donors who serve as facilitators for our Fellowship for Education, leadership advisors for our Foundation Fellows and as advocates and ambassadors for the Foundation; and leading team efforts to plan, organize and host an annual TEAM City Scholars® Leadership Summit (Board, Executive Council & Staff).
- Philanthropy Outreach: Organizing, tracking and supporting team efforts to research, cultivate, engage and recognize a growing community of institutional partners (corporate and foundation) and individual donors (primarily those contributing $500 or more annually).
- Operations Management: Overseeing, managing and hands-on supporting core internal operations (finance, HR, IT, corporate affairs) to ensure the Foundation runs smoothly; identifying, implementing and monitoring systems and process improvements; mentoring and supervising our Foundation Intern(s); and, supporting our Founder & President with strategic planning, organizational management, board engagement, team development, budgeting and forecasting.
WHO YOU ARE:
To thrive and achieve significant impact in this multi-faceted role, you:
- share our passion for helping education nonprofits thrive serving thousands of low-income, high-potential youth as demonstrated through your professional and/or volunteer service.
- have earned a Bachelor’s degree; and, can draw upon at least five (5) or more years of progressively responsible professional experience effectively managing operations, projects, events, programs and/or people in a philanthropic, nonprofit or business environment.
- are a versatile, flexible, “let’s do this” team player who enjoys being both strategic and hands-on and is highly self-accountable, impact-driven and excels working independently and collaboratively in hybrid, small team office environments. Experience with or exposure to leadership development, nonprofit capacity building and/or impact communications is a plus.
- think BIG while implementing projects both large and small with excellence; take ownership and initiative; balance focus with flexibility and enthusiasm with patience; have strong analytical and problem-solving skills; demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication skills; are extremely detail-oriented; thrive managing multiple (sometimes changing) priorities and projects with minimal supervision; and, handle confidential matters with discretion.
- are highly proficient with Microsoft Office and Google Workspace. Proficiency with or ability to quickly learn other office and communications technology, creative design tools and various social media is essential. Experience with nonprofit accounting and budget planning is strongly preferred but not required.
- have a dedicated, secure workspace and reliable, high-speed internet for remote work and collaboration; possess a valid driver’s license; own or have access to a dependable automobile with proof of insurance and valid registration; and, can lift 20 lbs.
