Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Affiliate Executive Director, Higher Achievement - Pittsburgh, PA

Posted: 4/6/11

Higher Achievement provides middle school students year-round academic training and extends learning opportunities for middle school youth, guaranteeing underserved yet motivated students equal access to success in both school and life.  Research from across the nation consistently shows middle school to be a time of extraordinary risk for children. As early as 1975, the founders of Higher Achievement saw the gross educational inequities and the vulnerability of youth during middle school transition.  In response, they developed an intensive, rigorous, year-round academic enrichment program for middle school youth that promotes a culture that values academic achievement and a theory of change that is rooted in academic opportunity.   Higher Achievement is partnering with new communities to bring its model to address the middle school challenge and the achievement gap in disadvantaged, urban communities

The organization has received numerous awards, but the most important measure of success is the results achieved by the Higher Achievement scholars. These results have driven a national growth plan to expand to multiple cities in the next 10 years. Pittsburgh will be Higher Achievement’s third replication community. Higher Achievement will hire its Affiliate Executive Director for Pittsburgh by July 2011 and will open its first Achievement Centers in June 2012. 

Higher Achievement is currently seeking a dynamic, entrepreneurial leader to lead the Pittsburgh expansion. This is an exceptional opportunity for a seasoned executive and proven builder who is committed to improving the lives of children with limited means but unlimited promise. The Affiliate Executive Director will work collaboratively with Higher Achievement’s National Office as s/he develops  local champions, partners, staff, and funders.

The Position and its Priorities

The Affiliate Executive Director is responsible for the establishment and growth of Higher Achievement’s Pittsburgh operations, ensuring that the program is generating the high quality scholar outcomes that come from implementing the model with fidelity. Key to this success will be the ability to develop resources and funding pipelines while building solid relationships at the district, community and local school levels.  S/he will be responsible for identifying, cultivating and stewarding local foundation and corporate funders as well as developing and leverage a President’s Council comprised of major donors.

Candidates for the position must have a well-developed understanding of, and connections within, the Pittsburgh community as well as strong managerial experience relevant to building effective fiscal and programmatic operations.  S/he will demonstrate both a sense of urgency and a determined patience to render change in the lives of disadvantaged youth in the Pittsburgh area, and a working knowledge of the public education landscape, the out-of-school time sector, and/or other educational program areas. The Affiliate Executive Director will report to the National Office.

Specifically, the priorities for the Affiliate Executive Director are to:   

Establish Higher Achievement’s Pittsburgh Presence and Build Community Relationships
The successful candidate will be able to effectively articulate a vision that attracts city-wide support, building connections and expanding the sphere of influence at the school, district and community level.  S/he will, communicate and implement Higher Achievement priorities, goals and objectives, consistent with national objectives and the Pittsburgh expansion plan. 

Lead and Manage Resource Development
The Affiliate Executive will work collaboratively with the National Office, the Pittsburgh Presidents Council and his/her local development staff to cultivate relationships with funders, investors and partners to develop a pipeline of financial support.  S/he will oversee government grants, contracts, and a fee-for-service program while developing a private funding base of individuals and institutional partners. S/he will also represent Higher Achievement to the broader community, fostering and maintaining productive relationships with public, independent school, and university partners; volunteers; funders; community organizations; government partners; and program participants.

Launch Higher Achievement’s Pittsburgh Operations and Provide Organizational Management & Oversight
The Affiliate Executive Director will implement a plan for staffing and launching Higher Achievement in Pittsburgh. To do this, s/he must recruit talented staff to lead program operations, while building and maintaining a supportive, high performing, active-learning culture and encouraging increased accountability to program outcomes, performance, and efficiency. S/he will assume responsibility for effective program management, assessment and scholar success by ensuring top-quality outcomes-based performance that aligns with Higher Achievement’s strategic goals.  The Affiliate Executive Director’s commitment to success includes the implementation of the core program model with a fidelity that is essential to achieving proven results.  With national office oversight, the successful Affiliate Executive Director will also ensure sound financial management and financial accountability for the Pittsburgh operation.

Desired Skills, Characteristics, and Experience
Higher Achievement is looking for a results-driven, entrepreneurial leader and manager with superior judgment, analytical skills, and an open communication style.  S/he will be expected to work with the National Office to transform the vision for Pittsburgh into a successful operation. S/he must possess a deep understanding of and commitment to the compelling social and academic needs of the families and children served by Higher Achievement.  Higher Achievement is an equal opportunity employer.  Persons of color are strongly encouraged to apply.

The ideal candidate would possess many of the following professional and personal abilities, attributes, and experiences:

• Tested managerial experience with demonstrated success leading people and partnerships toward the realization of performance outcomes.
• Entrepreneurial creativity and drive that is married to both personal persistence and a commitment to service-orientation; the ability to engage supporters and build relationships.
• Strong strategic thinking skills with the ability to translate strategies into well-managed and well-funded operations. 
• Highly-developed budgetary skills and the ability to demonstrate a history of significant and successful fiscal management.
• Experience working with the education community and its constituencies.
• Passion, energy, and the courage to make hard decisions; the ability to elicit the respect and trust of staff essential for leading an organization through a period of change.
• Deep and relevant connections within Pittsburgh’s leadership community and a proven track record of mobilizing a regional network.
• The ability to act creatively and nimbly in response to the unexpected. 
• An unwavering commitment to providing high-quality academic opportunities and upholding a culture of high expectations for youth from disadvantaged communities
• Knowledge of educational interventions, middle school, and/or youth development programs. 
• Demonstrated success raising funds froma variety of sources. 
• Experience working with and leveraging the talents and time of staff andvolunteers.
• Exceptional oral, written, listening, and interpersonal communications skills. 
• The integrity, wisdom and humor necessary to address the practicalities of nonprofit life and the courage and creativity to launch and grow a new organization.

TO APPLY: 

Please visit our website at www.higherachievement.org and click on Join Our Team. Resumes and cover letters can be submitted online. Please include your salary requirements in the cover letter.

Higher Achievement Program is an equal opportunity employer. Women and candidates of color are encouraged to apply.

Please mention that you heard about this opportunity from Dewey & Kaye Jobs Watch in your cover letter when applying for this position.

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