Operations / Administration President/CEO
Job Description
The DPS Foundation is a catalyst for change in Denver Public Schools.
Our city and our communities are strengthened by each student who graduates ready to lead a successful life. Our goal is to help every student, in every school, have the tools and resources to reach their highest potential.
As the strategic fundraising partner for DPS, we work together to identify and raise funds for the highest impact investments. We help to accelerate progress and we support the most meaningful ways to empower teachers, students and families and fuel engaged learning.
We help change happen faster and funds go further so our students and our city thrive.
We are the only foundation that exclusively raises funds for Denver Public Schools.
We invest strategically in proven and innovative programs to help every student have the resources and opportunities to succeed.
We invest in accelerating progress. We make strategic investments in proven and promising programs that spur growth for our students and schools.
We connect the community to our classrooms. We forge partnerships that bring talent, resources and volunteers together to benefit students and schools across Denver.
We inspire confidence in the promise of public education. We celebrate our students’ triumphs, and demonstrate what’s possible when our students, teachers and schools have access to greater opportunities.
The Board of Directors of Denver Public Schools Foundation seeks an experienced, committed President/CEO to lead DPS Foundation’s next chapter of growth and development.
As DPS’s strategic fundraising partner, the President/CEO is charged with serving as a lead fundraiser to direct and execute a comprehensive and multi-faceted fundraising and community engagement operation to support the long-term vision and annual fundraising goals of DPS Foundation. The President/CEO works collaboratively with the Board of Directors to execute a highly strategic vision and to facilitate relationships with key stakeholders including but not limited to local, state, and national education and philanthropic leaders, corporations, and media as well as the DPS Superintendent and other school district leaders.
The President/CEO works closely with the Superintendent of Denver Public Schools and community leaders to shape programs, provide resources, and implement innovations that accelerate progress in DPS and connect the community to the classroom, while inspiring confidence in the promise of public education.
The President/CEO manages an annual fundraising budget of $5-8 million, an operating budget of $1.65 million, and a team of nine talented professionals.
Leading DPS Foundation successfully requires a multi-dimensional leader who has skills in directing and growing organizations and initiatives. Successful candidates will possess:
Commitment to Mission and Public Education
- Proven commitment to public education, ideally with some experience in K-12 education systems; current or prior connection to DPS and its community preferred.
- Alignment with DPS Foundation Core Values.
- Ability to be credible with educators at all levels of DPS and be part of the national conversation regarding education effectiveness and delivery.
- Knowledge of the Denver education, civic, political, and/or business communities preferred.
Leadership
- Significant organization leadership experience in nonprofit, public service, or private enterprise with large annual budget responsibility.
- Outstanding leadership and skillful management experience in building a strategic vision and articulated roadmap to guide a strong, dedicated, and effective staff.
- Proven ability to organize and manage multiple projects/tasks simultaneously with the ability to work independently and collaboratively and to adapt to changing priorities.
- Strong operations, fiscal management, staff management, and development experience; experience in organization development and how to guide an organization to new levels of impact.
- Knowledge of how to build, engage, and inspire a governing board of directors.
- Effective internal capacity builder and communicator, adept at delegation and sharing information and tasks to engage the entire team in the overall organization momentum.
- Proven experience in building culture and processes that fully embed diversity, equity, and belonging inclusion principles into the fabric of an organization.
Fund Development
- A proven track record and deep understanding of all aspects of a complex, successful fundraising program, engagement of affinity groups and execution of successful special events.
- Successful cultivation and stewardship of major donors, corporations, and foundations.
- Knowledge of emerging fundraising techniques and the effective use of technology to drive new sources of funding.
- Sophisticated world vision with the ability to help donors see how this work shapes the broader community.
Communication and Partnering
- Proven collaborator with outstanding verbal, written, and presentation skills.
- Outstanding public communication skills and proven ability to be an effective “face” of an organization with multiple constituents and in various settings.
- Exceptional relationship development and management skills, matching the interests and passions of donors, board members, and volunteers with the work of DPS Foundation.
- Experience in complex communications to multiple stakeholders and constituents – the ability to translate and market DPS Foundation’s unique role as DPS’s fundraising partner to align DPS’s highest strategy goals with major donors and community members.
Members of DPS Foundation also exhibit these personal qualities on a consistent basis:
- Initiative, flexibility, mission-driven
- High level of energy with a positive can-do attitude; brings appropriate sense of urgency without unnecessary drama
- Highly collaborative, warm, open, good listening skills
- Savvy, recognizing opportunities that others might miss
- Comfortable with complexity
- Values fun in the workplace and in working with teams
Candidates must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and be willing to live and participate actively in the metro Denver community.
Salary and Benefits
DPS Foundation has a flexible, supportive work environment and strives to work with our Core Values at the forefront of what we do. We value each team member and are excited to hear different perspectives and ideas.
DPS Foundation offers a competitive salary range from $165,000-$185,000 commensurate with experience and qualifications. Additionally, DPS Foundation offers a generous benefits package including paid time off (PTO) days, 15 paid holidays annually, 100% paid health, dental, vision, life, and short-term disability insurances, partial parking reimbursement when working in the office, and a fully-vested matching contribution to a 401(k) retirement plan after the first year of employment.
