Marketing and Communications Executive Director
Job Description
Leadership of this small educational non-profit is primarily focused on fundraising, operations, and coordinating a talented team
About the Organization
The Adams Street Foundation (ASF) is a grassroots non-profit organization that functions as the in-house college advising and student enrichment arm of the Urban Assembly School for Law and Justice (SLJ), consistently among the top unscreened public high schools in New York City. Though many students enter below grade level, by senior year all apply and are admitted to college. Recent admissions include full scholarship offers to Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, and Franklin & Marshall.
Success at SLJ begins with strong academics and community support but depends just as heavily on the college preparatory and enrichment programs provided by ASF. These include the After-School Learning Academy, Young Men’s and Women’s Initiatives, Summerbridge, professional internships, pre-college programs, academic supports, leadership opportunities, service learning, study abroad, and individualized college and career advising.
About the Position
Leading ASF requires an energetic and confident approach to fundraising; a detail-oriented approach to planning and financial oversight; and strong interpersonal and management skills. Above all, it requires a dedication to working collaboratively with our diverse team of educators and administrators to constantly carry out several high-impact programs at once.
The role will appeal most, and offer greatest fit, to a former or current manager or director of development whose primary passion is for the relationships, processes, and structures of organizational fundraising, and who either has complementary experience in operations and human resources or is ready to take that on as a next challenge and opportunity.
Responsibilities
Development
- Craft and implement a detailed and ambitious annual development plan
- Plan and execute a major annual fundraising event
- Manage seasonal giving campaigns and appeals to corporate and individual donors
- Pursue grant funding and work closely with existing institutional supporters
- Deepen relationships with key donors and supporters
- Communicate SLJ’s goals and successes to a broad audience as chief spokesperson
- Guide a high-functioning Board of Directors to deliver on its duties and commitments
- Support and expand a Junior Board
Operations and Administration
- Manage financial and human resources in consultation with the Board and SLJ’s principal
- Oversee complex operations and maintain sophisticated systems and databases
- Organize compliance and performance data and maintain tight procedural controls
- Collaborate with SLJ’s principal on strategic planning for program development
Program
- Coordinate the activities of the College Services Director and Enrichment Program Director
- Support relationships with existing program partners and develop new partnerships
- Collaborate with SLJ’s staff to target programs to SLJ’s students needs and aspirations
Qualifications
To succeed in the role of Executive Director, you should perceive as we do the extent of inequity in public education and share our commitment to the work of reversing this trend. Our community will rely on your skills in fundraising, grant acquisition and donor networking, project management, and operations, as well as your leadership and enthusiasm for our organization and for our mission to create opportunity through education.
You bring high-level perspective and experience, but you are also eager to roll up your sleeves and work side by side with staff, students, and families. You understand there are institutional barriers that perpetuate poverty and lack of resources for many in our community. You are eager to lead program expansion and new initiatives in a period of growth.
Additionally, you:
- Hold a Bachelor’s Degree (Master’s preferred) from an accredited college or university
- Have at least three years’ experience in fundraising, including data management and record-keeping (preferably in a youth-serving context)
- Are confident with a variety of fundraising strategies and environments
- Understand operations and are able to work with numbers, systems, and policies
- Have very strong writing and communication skills and enjoy interacting with others
- Have event planning skills and like to be responsible for events
- Are proactive, deadline-driven, and detail-oriented
- Can face a demanding workload with high productivity and good humor
- Believe passionately in urban education and in closing the achievement gap
How to Apply
Email your resume and cover letter to ASFrecruitment@283adams.org with “ASF Executive Director” in the subject heading. In your cover letter, provide concrete examples of achievements that would suggest success in this role, and discuss how ASF’s values align with your own. We offer a competitive salary commensurate with experience. ASF is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. For more information, visit www.sljhs.org and www.283adams.org.
