Executive Director - Alabama Region

Braven • Birmingham, AL

7d • $170,000 - $212,500 • Hybrid

About The Position

Braven is a national nonprofit that prepares promising college students to secure a strong first opportunity after college graduation through a career-accelerating program. We work with higher education and employer partners to offer a life-changing experience that begins with a semester-long course for college students, followed by support that lasts through graduation. Together, our ambition is to help rebuild the middle class and revitalize the American Dream.

In order to achieve its ambition of serving 80,000-100,000 Fellows over the next decade, Braven is hiring an Executive Director (ED) in Alabama (AL). This person will lead our efforts to launch and oversee Braven’s potential new AL region, including its first potential new higher education partner within AL. The ED will also work with the Central External Affairs team and the future AL External Affairs Director to raise roughly $9M for the first three years of programming before the launch of the new school site, among other external priorities.

Should a partnership with a higher education institution in the AL solidify, this temporary position would become a permanent full-time regional role and lead the AL team as the region’s most senior-level executive and the face of Braven. They will be responsible for all major outcomes in the region and set the vision and direction for how Braven comes alive successfully in their region. They build and lead the regional program team and a regional advisory board, guide expansion decisions alongside their regional board, manage their External Affairs Director and lead their External Affairs strategy in close collaboration with the central External Affairs team, serve as a Braven organizational leader on the Alignment Team (AT) and ensure they and Braven are the primary thought leaders in the college-to-career space in their region.
The ED will initially report to the Chief of Regional Success and Innovation and ultimately transition to report to the Founder & CEO and be part of Braven’s Alignment Team (AT), the organization’s leadership body.

Requirements

• BS/BA
• 7-10 years leadership experience as an Executive, leading a department, or similar, with a verifiable track record of achieving successful outcomes while maintaining an inclusive, equitable, and sustainable team culture.
• Authorized to work in the U.S.

Nice To Haves

• 1-3 years in non-profit, higher education, economic or workforce development, or a chamber of commerce
• Proficiency in Google Suite, Slack, Asana, Salesforce, Jira, Confluence
• You have a demonstrated commitment to and understanding of the experiences of first-generation college students and students from low income backgrounds.
• You exemplify Braven’s core values
• Your experiences have informed your belief in Braven’s mission and have prepared you to work with or for Braven’s student Fellow population
• Motivation and drive to fundraise and ensure the financial sustainability of the region; an ability to mobilize people and to create champions of an organizational mission
• Experience building and working in partnership with partner organizations, funders, a Board of Directors, and other key constituents
• Strong presence, communication skills, relationship-building skills, and maturity that engender respect and facilitate a strong partnership with very senior-level staff and Faculty, high-profile community stakeholders and civic leaders, Braven staff, Fellows, and Leadership Coaches
• High level of personal responsibility, professional maturity and humility, commitment to personal growth, and self-awareness of one’s own leadership style and its impact on others
• Ability to make strong data-informed decisions because you excel at drawing actionable insights from analyses and translating for yourself and others how these insights further your strategy
• Experience that has informed your belief in Braven’s mission and has prepared you to work with or for Braven’s student Fellow population.

Responsibilities

• Implementing a comprehensive multi-year strategic plan to reach our vision for scale and excellent outcomes with our prospective partner and future AL region, higher education partners.
• With the Regional Senior Director, ensuring strong program execution resulting in both positive experiences and outcomes for Fellows, volunteers, and partners
• Building, managing, and expanding a regional advisory board that will help maximize the AL region’s impact, narrative, and sustainability
• Ensuring the health of key stakeholder relationships at both university and employer partners, including university and corporate executives
• Raising Braven’s brand awareness through thought-leadership, awards, public speaking, social media, and press pieces
• Explore the local political landscape and engage in critical policy efforts when relevant
• Raising roughly $9M prior to the launch of the new school, among other external priorities.
• Deepening our political capital and thought leadership to ensure that our region maintains its meaningful position in the educational fabric of the community
• Focusing on significantly growing and diversifying a sustainable funding base that will include gifts from individuals, corporations, foundations, and government
• Attracting, hiring, and developing a team of diverse and talented staff members
• Directly manage and develop the Regional Senior Director and Director, External Affairs
• Coaching and developing regional staff members to exhibit strong cultural leadership skills and orientations
• Serving as the model and leader of Braven culture within the hub
• Serving on the organization’s Alignment Team to influence organization-wide impact, growth, and sustainability

Benefits

• Unlimited vacation time in addition to org-wide holidays and three team-wide, week-long shutdowns in Spring, Summer, and Winter (this is a minimum of 24 days per year)
• $25,000 in lifetime Carrot benefits for fertility, family-building, and hormonal health
• Match of your 401K contribution up to 5% of your base annual salary, starting your first full month
• Coverage of 85% of health insurance premium for employee and dependents
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• A one-month paid sabbatical after 4 years on staff

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive