ABOUT US

The Aspen Institute

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Since its founding in 1949, the Institute has been driving change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most critical challenges facing communities in the United States and around the world. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Institute has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, and an international network of partners.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

To achieve our mission of a more free, just, and equitable society, we commit to working proactively to advance the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion across our myriad endeavors such as the recruitment, compensation, training, and advancement of staff. The best people-serving institutions make this commitment, and we seek to be a leader in the ways that we do so and learn from others. Visit our website to learn more about our commitment and recent actions taken toward building and nurturing a diverse and inclusive environment.

Forum for Community Solutions and Opportunity Youth Forum

The Forum for Community Solutions (FCS or Aspen), a program of the Aspen Institute, launched the Opportunity Youth Forum (OYF) in 2013 as part of its vision to build a future where communities create their own vibrant and lasting solutions to the social and economic challenges they face, rooted in the belief that if communities have more power to lead change, we will create a more just and equitable society. To this end, the mission of FCS is to promote collaborative, community-based efforts that build the power and influence of those with the least access to opportunity. We support communities to come together to expand mobility, eliminate systemic barriers, and create their own solutions to their most pressing challenges.

The goal of the Opportunity Youth Forum is two-fold: 1) to build strong evidence of success for utilizing the collective impact community collaboration strategy to build and deepen pathways that achieve better outcomes in education and employment for Opportunity Youth (young adults 16-24 who are connected neither to education nor work), and 2) to make the case for increased adoption of collective impact and community collaboration as an effective model for community change. The OYF supports a network of more than 40 urban, rural, and tribal communities in their efforts to scale reconnection pathways that achieve better outcomes in postsecondary education and employment for opportunity youth. To accomplish these goals, the Opportunity Youth Forum has identified seven areas of work that community partners take on as part of this initiative. The seven areas of work are: Collaborating for Impact; Building Effective Pathways; Rigorous Measurement and Impact; Leveraging Funding to Support and Sustain Innovation; Developing Supportive Policies; Youth Leadership and Engagement; and Equity (cultural equity, racial equity, and gender justice).

ABOUT THIS ROLE

This purpose of this position is to lead and grow the next phase of impact-related work across the OYF national network. Impact within OYF can take on many forms, but the primary focus of the position will be on improving youth outcomes throughout the OYF network of local collaboratives and other partners, specifically focusing on increasing youth completion of high school and college credentials, and/or attaining employment. This new position is reflective of OYF’s 10-year commitment to reduce the number of OY in OYF communities by 50% by 2033. The Director of Impact will have lead responsibility for attainment of that goal, and support program design and execution, a technical assistance strategy, advocacy and fundraising to make that goal a reality. The position will require collaboration across the entire OYF team, with other Directors, Associate Directors, and Senior Program Managers, and consultants.

The Director of Impact will guide the investment in, and expansion of system change, and program-level interventions aimed at increasing the impact of OYF as a national network as a whole, and the individual impact of partners within the OYF network. This position will also help to identify and spur the adoption of impact strategies across the national network and broader field leading to systemic changes in education and workforce development that ensure all young adults have an equitable opportunity to achieve their potential. In addition, the position will work with the OYF team to raise resources and build the OY movement by lifting-up best practices and lessons learned that can be shared nationally.

This position reports directly to the Managing Director and Executive Director. The salary range for this position is $146,000 - $187,500. This role preferred location is to based in Washington, DC, with a hybrid work arrangement (2+ days a week in the office). Remote locations (within the US) will also be considered.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Leadership, Strategy and Management

• Provide thought leadership, collaboratively with other OYF leaders, on OYF-wide topics related to increasing, demonstrating, and communicating impact
• Manage staff, technical assistance partners, and consultants related to this body of work
• Lead strategy development and management of current impact-related programs, and lead design processes for future bodies of work
• Support fundraising strategies to increase impact and funding for impact
• Work with national OY partners to strategize and implement OY movement impact goals

Program Implementation

• Supervise all aspects of OYF impact-related strategies, such as Data for Impact and new programs currently under development
• Lead funder engagement and reporting activities for investments in this area
• Co-design implementation of new projects, including RFP design and grant management approaches

Learning and Convenings

• Support development of content for semi-annual convenings of the OYF network, particularly focusing on learning needs related to impact
• Support programmatic design for overall OYF learning agenda and development of learning strategies/tools
• Supervise development of learning ‘communities of practice’ of the OYF including work with OYF members, partners, national, regional and local experts to identify, promote and implement learning goals for cohorts of OYF members

Research, Data, and Assessment:

• Work with internal and external colleagues and partners, support strategies for developing rigorous measurement of impact
• Review and analyze data and information specific to the projects and cohorts of OYF members your team manages
• Oversee preparation of briefing materials, for funders and others, on a range of topics related to your duties
• Stay current on critical issues and opportunities within the OY field, and provide background research and message points to OYF and FCS team members

Communications:

• Design and manage an approach, alongside the FCS Communications Manager and others, to document, codify and disseminate key learnings from this body of work
• Contribute to written public products including reports, briefs, whitepapers and blogs
• Represent OYF at conferences, meetings and other venues

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO THRIVE:

• Minimum of ten years of related professional experience, preferably in the nonprofit sector with track record of effective management, accomplishment, and growth; advanced degree is a plus, college credential required
• Experience managing direct reports and contractors
• Fundraising experience
• Strong writing and editing skills
• Prior experience in a job that focused on youth and young adult education and/or workforce issues; prior experience working with education and workforce data preferred
• Ability to quickly review, analyze, and summarize research, data and issues relevant to the Opportunity Youth Forum’s work
• Strong analytical skills, including experience supporting strategy development, review, and refinement processes
• Strong program and project planning and administrative skills; the ability to plan, organize and follow through with staff and a variety of constituencies
• Lived experience that is proximate to the issues of structural and systemic racism and values related to fostering belonging, inclusivity, equity, justice, accountability and love
• Collaborative spirit and ability to reach consensus with a wide-range of constituencies; ability to work with diverse audiences
• Ability to dive into details of a project when needed and synthesize learnings to inform design of national learning agenda
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in a high-performing environment
• Strong customer service orientation: patience, listening, resourcefulness, and attention to detail
• Entrepreneurial spirit and drive
• Ability to work autonomously and with a small team
• Good interpersonal skills, including a desire to learn, sense of humor, and creativity
• Willingness and ability to travel, at minimum 3-4 times per year

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Aspen Institute offers a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, and prescription benefits, retirement benefits, and paid leave.

The Aspen Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all District and federal laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or protected veteran or disabled status and will not be discriminated against.

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