Teach For America
Executive Director, Colorado
This job is now closed
Job Description
- Req#: REQ-202307-2266
- Form, execute and iterate an inspiring strategy to reach our local 2030 goal
- Build relationships to inspire and galvanize action across staff, members, board, and the broader education, civic, and philanthropic communities.
- Translate the vision into long- and short-term priorities, strategies, and goals, adjusting as needed
- Deliver local impact by leveraging capabilities of TFA’s central teams while maximizing local relationships, partnerships and expertise.
- Act as an organizational steward to help us improve our impact and culture in the region and beyond. This includes leading and stewarding organizational strategy, decision-making, and learning and creating trust and transparency between central teams and the region.
- Provide leadership, in partnership and coalition with local organizations, in pursuit of education policy and innovative solutions necessary to reach our local 2030 goal.
- Initiate, cultivate, and extend relationships with the organization’s portfolio of individual, foundation, and corporate supporters with an emphasis on developing new partnerships aligned to emerging strategic efforts.
- Lead efforts to generate philanthropic support in collaboration with the Development team, leveraging the local TFA Colorado board and their relationships.
- Generate interest in engaged philanthropy with an emphasis on establishing and nurturing new partnerships with potential funders.
- Enlist champions and supporters to cultivate strong relationships and continued support for the organization’s core priorities.
- Engage strategically with elected and appointed members of state government in order to ensure Teach For America’s continued ability to operate in Colorado and ongoing support for public funding.
- Promote the work of TFA in creative ways including communications, thought leadership and events to elevate the work of the organization to others.
- Manage strong relationships and partnerships with the Board, particularly the Chair, maintaining regular and ongoing communication with the entire Board, and providing support and guidance to members to support effective governance of the organization.
- Work closely and openly with the Board, ensuring ongoing communication of risks, issues, successes, and emerging opportunities.
- Build a diverse regional board and leverage board members and their networks to support financial sustainability.
- Model the organization’s core values to approach challenges, ensuring the organization grows and retains its people.
- Grow and evolve a culture that is strategic, agile, and determined to deliver for students in partnership with our communities.
- Recruit, mentor, and develop a diverse team of high quality and highly functional leaders who are aligned with the mission and vision of the organization.
- Actively coach and develop direct reports to be effective in their roles and in the management of their teams and functions. Provide deep thought partnership, stewardship and cover as needed to direct reports and team members engaged in the cultivation of emergent work aligned to the region’s strategic direction.
- Inspire, demonstrate belief and hold self and others accountable for providing strategic clarity and direction and for reaching high quality learning outcomes for all students.
- Navigate complex environments and act with integrity, honesty, transparency, and courage in the best interest of students.
- Facilitate and secure buy-in for a clear and compelling vision of leadership and excellence.
- Solicit, elevate, understand, and value--either through personal experience or empathy--the perspective of a wide variety of stakeholders.
- Build and maintain a culture of success grounded in the core values of the organization.
- Navigate complex political environments, relationships, and dynamics to challenge ideas and enable thoughtful decisions and positive outcomes for students.
- Aware of the political nature of this work and can develop, maintain, and strengthen partnerships in service of the TFA’s short and long-term goals.
- Build positive relationships and coalitions with key education leaders, political officials and other key stakeholders that inspire and drive investment in the organization.
- Communicate purposefully and effectively, tailoring messages for the audience, context, and mode of communication.
- Maintain visibility and presence in the organization and greater community, using your voice to change public opinion and convince others to take action in the face of political tension, conflict, or controversy.
- Use a wide lens to identify, analyze, and leverage information and connections to advance broader systems change
- Envision the possibilities that others may not see and offer innovative solutions to seemingly intractable problems.
- Anticipate challenges and opportunities in order to set priorities and focus efforts to execute on the organization’s strategy.
- Analyze complex, nuanced data and information from multiple angles and exercise judgment in making critical decisions and communicate the implications to diverse audiences.
- Exhibit a strong focus on short and long-term goals, accountability, and results; establish clear metrics for success.
- Monitor progress and demonstrate persistence to overcome obstacles to achieve goals.
- Address matters of equity, race, and bias in decision-making with clarity, sincerity, and an understanding of historical context.
- Foster and promote inclusion across the organization and the community.
- Build trust and authentic relationships across lines of difference through self-reflection, self-awareness, openness, vulnerability, empathy, and a clear sense of personal identity.
- Acknowledge race and power dynamics that play out within the organization, school systems and community and continuously interrupt those inequities with action, courageous dialogue, and honesty.
- Elevate the performance and tap into the potential of others to achieve ambitious goals.
- Assess team and individuals’ skills, identify development needs, and provide feedback and support to improve practice, build capacity, and maximize talent.
- Collaborate on development and learning experiences which utilize effective adult learning techniques.
- Inspire team collaboration and engagement to ensure successful outcomes grounded in the core values of the organization.
- A minimum of 10 years of professional experience, at least part of which includes experience leading an organization with effective operational and fiscal management as well as building external relationships.
- Deep passion, commitment and alignment with the mission and values of Teach for America, including but not limited to education advocacy and organizing, nonprofit and school system leadership.
- Deep understanding of the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and racial equity that are necessary for leading an organization that serves communities of color across Colorado
- Ability to navigate uncertainty and ambiguity, and to prioritize work efforts to execute overall strategy.
- Deep experience, curiosity, and understanding of the complexity of the local educational and political context in at least one major Colorado city and a curiosity to learn more about other communities in Colorado where TFA works.
- Demonstrated experience building consensus, leading successful campaigns, and mobilizing others to champion the efforts of an organization.
- Exceptional written, oral, and visual communications skills and a desire to develop and maintain deep relationships with a variety of diverse constituents.
- Knowledge of best practices and education policy and research on a national, state, and local level.
- Ability to travel efficiently and frequently (2-3 times per month) across the state of Colorado.
TEAM: Colorado
REPORTS TO: Senior Vice President, Regional Field Executive
LOCATION: Colorado Regional Team
WHAT YOU’LL DO
The opportunity to reimagine public education is now. Since 2007, Teach For America has helped shape the education system in Colorado, driving dramatic improvements for kids alongside partners. From building principals to teachers in the classroom, Teach For America's impact in Colorado Springs and Pueblo grows larger every year. In Denver, our members work inside and outside the educational system toward educational equity. We have alumni who hold elected office and those leading in the policy, advocacy and non-profit spaces. At the same time, we have a deep presence in 75 percent of high-poverty, high-performing schools and account for one in ten teachers and one in five school leaders in Denver.
Since our launch of the Denver region in 2007, the number of students and families who have access to high-performing schools has grown significantly. Still, far too many students and families don’t have access to educational opportunities that lead to economic mobility and true self-determination. The next phase of innovation will require a bold leader, and that’s where you fit in.
WHAT YOU’LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR
TFA is seeking its next Executive Director to lead the Colorado region to achieve the local 2030 impact goal. This leader will work shoulder-to-shoulder with existing champions and enlist new advocates – including our corps members, parents, students, community leaders, donors, and elected officials – as partners in the success of all children. The next leader will lead a strong, accomplished, and innovative regional team and will play a key role in public affairs across the statewide landscape. The next Executive Director’s mission is to evolve and hone the role that Teach for America must play to accelerate educational opportunity for all. The Executive Director will lead a team of 10 staff members and will be responsible for raising more than $4,000,000 per year.
Specific duties and responsibilities include:
Visionary Leadership and Organizational Management
Development, Fundraising & Network Cultivation
Board Leadership
Team Management and Development
YOUR EXPERIENCE
The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following:
Leadership, Vision and Courage to Ensure All Children Receive an Excellent Education
Influence and Relationships
Strategic Planning and Effective Execution
Advocacy for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Racial Equity
Team Leadership, Coaching and Management
Education And Other Experience
YOUR FUTURE TEAM
The TFA Colorado team has three components: Program, Development, and Strategy, Partnerships and Operations. As executive director you will lead a team of ten, including two direct reports, spread across Denver, Colorado Springs, and Pueblo.
YOUR COMPENSATION
Starting pay for the successful applicant will depend on a variety of job-related factors, which may include education, training, experience, location, business needs, or market demands. The expected salary range for this role are set forth below and assumes a work location of Denver, Colorado. These ranges may be modified in the future: $207,800k - $319,600
THE PERKS
By joining staff , you join a network of individuals committed to pursuing equity for all students and developing themselves as professionals in the process. We as an organization value the longevity of our employees and offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits plan. The salary range for this U.S.-based role is based on where the employee works and is aligned to one of 3 tiers according to a cost of labor index in that geographic area. Starting pay for the successful applicant will depend on a variety of job-related factors, which may include education, training, experience, location, business needs, or market demands.
NEXT STEPS
Interested in this position? Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click Apply. For questions about Program Prototype roles, reach out to prototypehiring@teachforamerica.org . If you have questions regarding other non-Program Prototype roles, please reach our to the Talent Acquisition team at StaffHiring@teachforamerica.org or visit www.teachforamerica.org/about-us/careers .
About the company
" The organization aims to accomplish this by recruiting and selecting college graduates from top universities around the United States to serve as teachers.