Job Description
Executive Director, Cradle to Career
The Evanston Cradle to Career (C2C) Initiative is seeking an entrepreneurial, strategic, and experienced leader to serve as its founding Executive Director. C2C is a collective Impact initiative which brings together diverse stakeholders – including school districts, municipal agencies, non-profits, and businesses – to develop a common agenda for solving specific and complex social problems. Ultimately, C2C envisions an Evanston where, by age 23, all young adults are leading productive lives.
The Executive Director will oversee C2C, including developing a long-term work plan, leading communications, staffing committees, facilitating cross-sector partnerships, and managing the initiative budget. The Executive Director will report to the chair of a three-person Personnel Committee appointed by the Operations Team comprised of senior executives from partnering organizations and community representatives. Responsibilities of the Executive Director include:
- Develop and continuously update an 18-month rolling work plan.
- Establish a system of shared accountability for achieving collective impact goals under the guidance of the Operations Team.
- Staff the C2C working groups, including structuring roles and scheduling meetings.
- Build a plan for C2C’s long-term sustainability.
- Continuously update the strategy for C2C under the supervision and guidance of the Operations Team.
- Create a C2C communications plan that focuses both on recruiting new partners and on raising awareness broadly in the community.
- Act as a key spokesperson of C2C in the community.
- Develop a metrics framework for C2C with an emphasis on collecting and analyzing data that already exists.
- Supervise the C2C Data Analyst in setting up and implementing a system for data collection.
- Ensure broad community representation in C2C by supporting the involvement, engagement, and ownership of diverse stakeholders in C2C.
- Manage the C2C budget, including resource development
- Identify emerging issues facing the C2C, and recommend necessary design changes to ensure that the initiative remains relevant and effective.
Qualifications:
This is an extraordinary opportunity for an individual with the following qualifications:
- Bachelor’s required; advanced degree preferred.
- 10+ years of leadership and/or project management experience.
- Demonstrated success in leading new initiatives from vision to operation.
- Proven record of excellent relationship building in a community setting
- Experience in and an orientation toward strategic thinking.
- Strong organizational and time management skills for balancing competing priorities, and for directing complex, multi-faceted projects.
- Experience in and passion for collective impact models.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with exceptional attention to details.
- A highly entrepreneurial and action-oriented personality.
- Demonstrated cross-cultural competence and an ability to work with diverse stakeholders.
- Proficiency in using technology for network facilitation.
- Comfort with ambiguity and a good sense of humor.
- Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and a commitment to and passion for Cradle to Career’s mission.
Compensation
The salary will be in the $75,000-85,000 range and offer a competitive fringe benefit package.
Application
Application deadline is October 6, 2014. Starting date will be January 5, 2015 or on a mutually agreed upon date. All applicants should submit the following:
- A letter of application detailing the applicant’s qualifications for the position
- A current resume, including the applicant’s contact information
- Three current references
Finalists will be required to complete an employment application prior to interviews.
All application materials should be submitted by either hard copy or email by October 6, 2014 to:
Evanston Cradle to Career
c/o Dr. Eric Witherspoon, Superintendent
Evanston Township High School
1600 Dodge Avenue
Evanston, IL 60204