Chief Strategy and Expansion Officer

First Place for Youth•Los Angeles, CA

3d•$170,000 - $210,875•Remote

About The Position

First Place for Youth is a leading non-profit organization dedicated to supporting foster youth in their transition to adulthood, with a focus on education, employment, and housing. They believe that all young people deserve the opportunity to thrive and lead successful, independent lives. Their comprehensive programs empower foster youth to overcome the unique challenges they face and build the skills, confidence, and connections they need to succeed.

Requirements

A bachelor’s degree (required); Master’s, JD, or advanced degree preferred.
8+ years of progressive senior leadership in child welfare, human services, or a related field — with experience managing multi-level teams and driving organizational growth.
A strong dedication to cultural competency that creates conditions that remove barriers
5+ years leading business development for a government-contracting organization, with demonstrated success in revenue growth and program expansion across multiple states required.
Deep knowledge of the foster care system, extended foster care policy, and the landscape of services for transition-age youth.
Strong command of public sector funding mechanisms, particularly Title IV-E and workforce development streams.
Experience as a member of an executive leadership team, with a proven ability to manage multi-site, multi-state operations.
Exceptional communication skills — you can move a room, articulate a compelling case for First Place for Youth, and simplify complex policies for any audience.
An entrepreneurial mindset: you see opportunity, take initiative, and execute with both urgency and care.
Prior program budget management experience is required for this role
Computer/Software skills.
Availability for occasional evening and weekend work and some travel as needed.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a comprehensive expansion strategy — including affiliate and brick-and-mortar growth — into new states and regions, grounded in data, market analysis, and mission alignment.
Identify and prioritize new markets based on policy environment, funding landscape, and potential for impact.
Collaborate with the national team to launch My First Place programs with quality and fidelity.
Cultivate relationships with senior government officials, child welfare leaders, workforce development champions, and legislative allies to secure public funding and advance program integration at state and county levels.
Lead government contracting and procurement strategy, with deep expertise in Title IV-E and workforce development funding streams.
Partner with Development on grant proposals and philanthropic strategies that diversify and grow revenue.
Represent First Place for Youth on key national boards, coalitions, task forces, and working groups focused on foster care reform, child welfare, and transitional-age youth.
Monitor and translate federal, state, and local legislation to identify opportunities and risks for our programs and funding.
Serve as a credible, compelling voice for systems change on behalf of transition-age foster youth.
Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing national and policy team, building capacity in strategic analysis, scaling operations, and implementation excellence.
Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and deep commitment to the young people we serve.
Establish cross-departmental collaboration that maximizes organizational expertise and accelerates growth.
Define and track KPIs for revenue, expansion, and impact — providing regular, transparent reporting to the CEO, executive team, and Board.
Leverage data to drive decisions: prioritizing markets, evaluating partnerships, and adapting strategy in response to a changing landscape.
Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

15 days of vacation time in the first year
12 days of sick time
2 floating holidays
15 paid holidays
Employee’s choice of Kaiser or UCH HMO/PPO with up to 90% of the premium covered by First Place on certain plans
Principal dental and vision coverage with up to 90% of the premium covered by First Place
Healthcare and Dependent care FSA plans
Principal basic life and voluntary life insurance coverage
Employee Assistance Program
401(k) retirement savings plan
Paid sabbatical