Full-Time Executive Director
Job Description
The Newark Trust for Education (The Trust) is an independent non-profit dedicated to coordinating and focusing ideas, people, and resources; and holding all of us responsible for providing a quality public education for all children in Newark. The Trust was launched in January 2011 to help to facilitate a shared vision for high quality public education and to support information-sharing and collective action strategies aimed at improving education outcomes for children in Newark. This is achieved by brokering and strengthening relationships that harness the energy, expertise, and passion of people and organizations so that all children have access to a high-quality public education.
The Trust’s key contributions to education reform in Newark are:
● Serving as a neutral convener and a credible source of data;
● Elevating the level of civic discourse;
● Supporting system-wide interventions based upon best practices in education, and input from cross sections of civic leaders, parents, and community members; and
● Creating and managing high impact cross-sector collaborations and aligning support for big ideas.
To this end, The Trust is seeking an Executive Director to join a creative and highly motivated team at a key moment in the organization’s development. The ideal candidate should be an expert in backbone organization administration and collective action efforts with a successful history of building and convening community-based partnerships and collaborations, preferably in the field of public education. The Executive Director will possess a deep understanding of the challenges facing urban education and the ability to identify innovative solutions to systemic barriers and systems-level change. As a passionate and optimistic public spokesperson the ED will have a demonstrated ability to convene public events and influence civic dialogues without being center stage in the spotlight. S/he will bring an extensive knowledge of contemporary research in education as well as a deep appreciation of the use of data to inform the community and support effective decision-making across stakeholders. This position presents an exciting opportunity for a seasoned and collaborative leader who possesses a passion and vision for the future of Newark’s public education system.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Leadership
● Act as a catalyst to The Trust’s development as a backbone organization, while expanding the reach, scope, and impact of the organization on the City of Newark’s public education system.
● Identify opportunities for growth; initiate new, original programs, projects, partnerships and collective impact initiatives that improve public education for all students in Newark.
● Understand and clearly articulate the mission of The Trust while cultivating a shared vision for the organization’s future development.
● Motivate, develop, and mentor The Trust’s staff.
● Develop a results-driven work environment through the use of clear metrics to measure and demonstrate the organization’s success in improving public education in Newark.
● Inspire confidence in the community’s role in improving public education through consistent optimism.
Community Relations/External Communications
● Establish a strong community presence that clarifies The Trust’s central role in supporting and improving public education in the City of Newark.
● Articulate the importance of The Trust’s role as a backbone organization in the City of Newark while supporting and inspiring collective action initiatives through a variety of media outlets.
● Act as the organization’s key point of contact in the Newark while encouraging and supporting The Trust’s Board, leadership, staff, and stakeholders to build the organization’s presence and reputation through a variety of media and public engagement opportunities.
● Ensure that The Trust’s web presence remains up-to-date and reflects the best practices of backbone organizations, including establishing a network of personal trust in the community.
Human Resources/Internal Communications
● Cultivate a positive, motivated, and collaborative workplace environment for The Trust.
● Be an effective liaison by fostering greater internal communication, engage with staff to identify growth opportunities, and communicate their ideas to The Trust Board.
Fundraising and Development
● Publicize the activities and mission of the organization to private and public donors to secure additional funding for future programming.
● Foster relationships with current and potential The Trust donors, and pursue additional fundraising partnerships at the national level.
● Provide strategies to the Board for expanding fundraising efforts and increasing outgoing grant proposals to support ongoing operations and finance new operational initiatives.
● Create benchmarks for success; set clear goals and maintain a rubric or other metric for measuring and communicating the success of the organization.
Financial Management
● Develop the annual budget for The Trust, report progress to the Board, while ensuring compliance with all financial reporting and audit guidelines.
● Implement organization’s business and revenue plans and initiate new revenue streams.
Board Governance
● Work closely with Board members, leadership, and staff to increase The Trust’s success as a backbone organization.
● Assist the Board of Directors in planning, identifying capacity gaps and recruiting to ensure the continued and sustained leadership of a highly engaged Board.
QUALIFICATIONS
Industry Experience
● Prior experience in backbone organization administration and collective action efforts.
● A deep understanding of the challenges of urban education and poverty, with experience addressing the needs of “the whole child.”
● Extensive knowledge of contemporary research in education as well as a deep appreciation of the use of data to inform the community and support effective decision making across stakeholders.
● Proven track record of fostering and supporting cross-sector community collaboration.
Community Engagement
● History of building and maintaining community-based partnerships and collaborations, preferably in the field of public education.
● The ability to identify innovative solutions to systemic barriers and systems-level change.
● Experience developing a strong community presence with an ability to speak to a variety of diverse constituents and stakeholders, particularly within the public education community.
● Demonstrated political savvy and experience in advocacy, and public policy work on the local, state, and national level with the ability to stay “above the fray.”
● Experience as a spokesperson and a demonstrated ability to convene public events and influence civic dialogues without being center stage in the spotlight.
● An excellent writer and strong communicator through multiple modes and media.
Non-Profit Management
● Minimum ten years senior-level organizational leadership experience in a non-profit and/or community-based setting including direct supervision of at least 5 staff members and an operating budget of at least $1 million.
● Proven track record of successful, results-driven institutional advancement.
● History of effective program planning and the ability to implement strategic vision and optimism for the future of public education.
● Proven management and leadership skills with the ability to galvanize and build strong teams as well as develop and mentor staff through leading by example.
● Experience playing multiple roles within the office environment simultaneously; with a willingness to engage and assist staff members at all levels.
● Strong internal communications skills.
● Experience working with and developing a high-level, engaged, founding Board.
Revenue, Fundraising and Development
● Record of successful fundraising development with demonstrated growth and a history of building strong donor relationships.
● Experience identifying, securing, and managing government and foundation grants and contracts, as well as corporate sponsor partnerships.
● Experience with national level funding partners highly preferred.
Project Development
● Experience in program management and expansion within a backbone organization or community collaborative organization that fosters and supports collective action initiatives.
● Experience building community recognition and reputation for an organization through designing and implementing effective communications and marketing strategies.
Business Management
● Strong financial acumen and budget management experience including the ability to operate on tight margins.
● Experience creating and implementing data-driven management systems to improve internal operations and track performance.
Technological Capability
● Experience using innovative technology to advance an organization’s mission and success.
Education
● Advanced degree in education, urban systems, public policy, or related fields preferred.
COMPENSATION
The successful candidate will be offered a competitive compensation package.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Applicants should reply with a resume and cover letter that references their experience in relation to the qualifications listed in the position description. No phone inquiries will be accepted; all inquiries and resumes should be submitted via email to [email protected]
Visit The Trust’s website at http://www.newarktrust.org/ to learn more.