Director, College & Career Ready (2-year grant funded position)

UNITED WAY OF GREATER ATLANTA•Atlanta, GA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

United Way of Greater Atlanta (UWGA) is in the midst of transformational change and is embarking on new and different ways to raise and earn revenue so that it can accelerate and scale its mission to drive sustainable and equitable improvements in the well-being of children, families, and individuals in greater Atlanta. The mission remains the same: To bring together people and resources to drive sustainable and equitable improvements in the well-being of half a million lives across Greater Atlanta. The value proposition is to Unite Greater Atlanta to create, amplify and accelerate solutions that promote child well-being by addressing our communities’ most complex social challenges. These solutions and the backbone behind them are all in service of the organization’s bold growth ambition: Triple unrestricted revenue by 2029 to be the best-in-class investor in child well-being in Greater Atlanta, ultimately eliminating the barriers of one’s zip code as a hindrance to future success. This transformation will unleash the next generation of UWGA, putting UWGA on a growth pathway that will significantly amplify its impact by increasing its investment in solutions that can make a lasting difference for Child Well-Being in Greater Atlanta. The Director of College & Career Ready will focus on developing and implementing strategies that center belonging, meaning, wellbeing, and purpose (BMWP) for young people across Greater Atlanta region. The position will lead College and Career Ready grantmaking and policy/advocacy efforts. Additionally, this role requires an in-depth understanding of system-involved youth to lead various projects and activities including data analysis, strategy development, and stakeholder engagement.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required, with a Master’s Degree in Social Work, Education, Human Services or related fields preferred.
Three to five years of relevant work experience with a proven record of accomplishment in managing complex and collaborative programs with a wide variety of stakeholders.
Strong organizational and project management skills
Skilled at critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making, even in ambiguous situations
Possesses a broad understanding of social determinants of health, policy/advocacy, community-based work, and philanthropy
Demonstrate ability to work effectively in collaborative environment fostering teamwork and mutual support.
Effective verbal and written communication skills to prepare reports, manage grant processes and conduct presentations of complex concepts to diverse audiences.
Knowledge of youth advocacy, youth-driven practices, and experience in working with youth
Well-versed in Microsoft Suite, social media platforms and other communication platforms.
Effectiveness of BMWP framework to enhance stakeholder engagement and the impact of advocacy on youth outcomes.

Responsibilities

Develop clear and effective strategies to align BWMP framework into College and Career Ready efforts with a specific focus on grantmaking and youth advocacy.
Develop and implement strategies to help program partners to incorporate BMWP into their programs e.g., social-emotional wellbeing of participants, fostering a sense of belonging and purpose.
Lead the Small Grants Program in partnership with Hilton Foundation’s Foster Youth Initiative, national sites, and United Way of Greater Atlanta.
Refine College and Career Ready strategies to align with foundation goals and outcomes.
Monitor and evaluate program effectiveness, suggesting improvements and innovations to meet the evolving needs of the youth, while aligning with the BMWP framework.
Provide regular updates to the Associate Vice President.
Mapping advocacy efforts around foster youth, including both collaborative members and other actors in the ecosystem including but not limited to existing agenda priorities, types of advocacy tactics used e.g., base building, education, canvassing, policy maker education, testimony, or public comment on specific policy proposals.
Stay informed about best practices and emerging trends in youth development, youth advocacy, and career pathways.
Provide insights, research, and recommendations on topics of interest to Hilton and other College and Career Ready funders, such as developments in services for youth with experience in foster care to inform our funders’ strategies.
Conducting focus groups, surveys, or discussions with participating entities to establish a baseline of collaboration among local and regional stakeholders regarding advocacy initiatives.
Serve as a member of the planning team for the Youth Advocacy Initiative, acting as a thought partner to United Way, Hilton Foster Youth (FY) Initiative staff, and the initiative evaluator, Child Trends, to support strategy development, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
Participate in advocacy collaborative meetings, partnership meetings with existing grantee partners, and other learning events, including webinars and convenings, that align with strategic priorities.
Working with advocacy collaborative members between quarterly meetings to review data, brainstorm ideas, and facilitate meetings about specific aspects of the work between collaborative members.
Serve as a liaison between various components of the Youth Advocacy Initiative (YAI), such as stakeholders and advisors, the advocacy collaborative, and the youth, ensuring a multi-directional flow of information, insights, questions, and feedback may include evening and weekend events to gather and share information.
Provide advice to Hilton and United Way in identifying potential grantees, government, nonprofit stakeholders, and other collaborators and serve as a technical assistance resource to grantees during the life cycle of the grant.
Prepare monthly written briefs that include a summary of key learnings including any new developments or changes in the work of organizations and communities that impact foster youth while highlighting strategic grant-making opportunities as they arise and possible implications/impacts on Hilton Foundation's existing grant-making portfolio.
Participate in regularly scheduled conference calls to share and discuss learnings with the Foster Youth initiative team and across areas e.g., New York and Los Angeles.