Executive Director - College Possible Leadership Team

Executive Director

College Possible National Office in St. Paul, MN

About College Possible

College Possible is a growing nonprofit coaching students from low-income backgrounds to and through college to break the cycle of poverty and empower the next generation of leaders. Our model has earned national recognition: the inaugural Evergreen National Education Award recognized our leadership in increasing access to and success in college for students from low-income backgrounds. It also earns top-of-field results: a Harvard study found that the program more than doubles a student's chance of enrolling in a four-year college, and our students are four times more likely to become college graduates than their low-income peers. College Possible has a budget of $25 million, more than 140 full-time employees and more than 270 AmeriCorps and VISTA service members. During the 2020-21 school year, we will reach an estimated 20,000 students in 49 states, at more than 90 partner high schools and at nearly 600 colleges.
College Possible is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, and seeks to build a diverse workforce to create impact in partnership with the communities we serve. We welcome a diverse pool of qualified applicants. For each of its positions, College Possible is mindful about what best serves our students, and seeks to hire staff with relevant experience, skills and aptitude, and a commitment to the power of education. To learn more: Diversity and Inclusion Plan.
Headquartered in Saint Paul, MN, College Possible also operates in Philadelphia, PA; Chicago, IL; Milwaukee, WI; Omaha, NE; Portland, OR; Austin, TX, and Seattle, WA; and has Catalyze partnerships in MN, IA, MD, TN, NY, CA, and OH.
To learn more, visit CollegePossible.org

Your Role as Executive Director

As Executive Director of the St. Paul site, you are the general manager for the site overseeing operations including planning, managing, and executing a comprehensive strategy that drives impact within the site. In addition to regional operations and leadership, the Executive Director serves as the external face of College Possible to the local community and the various stakeholders of College Possible. As such, the Executive Director will lead all fundraising activities, community outreach efforts and support the Local Advisory Board.

As a talent leader and champion, you will be responsible for recruiting, developing, and retaining a full-time staff of 10-12. Moreover, you work to ensure that the proper infrastructure is in place to support the high-performing, results-oriented, mission-aligned team in reaching their goals and contributing to the mission of College Possible. As such, you have highly effective communication and listening skills, set clear and realistic expectations for staff, and possess the ability to inspire and activate individuals across all levels. As a leader, you thrive when it comes to leading with transparency, collaborating, vision-setting, creating accountability, and maximizing the impact of diverse skills, talents and experiences of the team.

As an intentional, strategic, results-oriented, and mission-driven leader, the Executive Director ensures that the organization has the regional strategic priorities and relationships needed to achieve the mission of College Possible.

The Executive Director is integral to the culture, effectiveness, and impact of College Possible:

Overall Site Management
● Serves as the leader of the site, which includes providing overall management of the organization in all operational areas including human resources, information technology, facilities management, purchasing, budgeting, and finance/accounting, directly supervising the site leadership team, and working collaboratively with national staff members in support of ok,
● Works in close collaboration with the Local Advisory Board to develop a strategic plan for the site, and to maintain community relations, determine the programmatic direction, support donor cultivation, and ensure program satisfaction
● Instills and develops the organizational culture, one of the key components to our success as an organization ● Cultivates, recruits, develops and retains diverse, highly effective talent
● Ensures compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, rules, and College Possible policies and standards

Fundraising and External Relations
● Designs and implements funding strategies to support for College Possible's programs in the region
● In collaboration with national leadership, develops strategies to build and cultivate new individual donor relationships, enhance current institutional partner relationships (including foundations and corporations), and increase levels of engagement with the organization
● Actively works to elevate the regional and national brand by serving as a thought-leader on issues of education and college success at various events, meeting with community partners and stakeholders, and acting as a primary external advocate for the organization
● Leads grant-writing efforts, in coordination with and with support from the national office where appropriate
● Schedules and attends meetings with key foundations and individual contacts with national leadership and/or members of the Local Board, as appropriate

Program Development
● Provides programmatic oversight, ensuring alignment in the development and implementation of the College Possible programs in the local service area
● With support from the National program team, maintains and enhances the standard for College Possible, both internally and externally, while ensuring fidelity to our program model and achieving key metrics
● Ensures appropriate evaluation of program efforts and maintains a results-focused orientation across every aspect of College Possible's work in the region

Marketing & Communications
● In close collaboration with the national communications team and regional external relations team, oversees the marketing and communications efforts in the local community and supports the elevation of College Possible's brand identity in the region.
● Serves as the region's main spokesperson in the Seattle community and provides strategic direction for special events and media efforts

What You Bring
● Bachelor's degree (Master's preferred)
● At least 8-10 years of relevant experience, which includes serving as a successful senior leader and creating/enhancing organization culture;
● Evidence of a results orientation in management and a record of achieving desired outcomes;
● Prior fundraising or development experience is required, with a proven track record of building upon and expanding an organization's donor base;
● Experience with the Seattle funder community is preferred;
● Strategic thinker who can communicate and implement the vision/plan for growth of the local organization;
● Outstanding problem solver with an entrepreneurial spirit;
● Demonstrated leadership skills that inspire and motivate both internal and external stakeholders;
● Superior interpersonal and presentation skills;
● Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
● Evidence of excellent collaborative and relationship-building abilities;
● Self-starter with the ability to juggle multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously;
● Flexible and adaptable to change;
● Comfort with budgets and financial management

Computer/Software Skills:
● Strong computer skills, including demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Office, and experience in database management

Physical Requirements:
● Ability to lift up to 15 pounds when needed
● Office environment with limited travel
● Ability to stand and/or sit for a minimum of 7 hours a day

What We Offer
As a committed, diverse, values-based organization, we offer:
● A competitive salary commensurate with experience
● Excellent benefits including complete health, dental, life, short-term and long-term insurance
● 401(k) retirement plan
● Encouraged sustainability through a generous paid time off program
● Personalized professional development and growth opportunities
● An opportunity to have a tremendous impact both internally and across the country

To Join Our Growing College Possible Team
Please apply online at https://collegepossiblelt.applicantpro.com/jobs/, which includes submitting your resume and cover letter.