Senior Director- College Access and Completion

Kauffman Foundation • Headquarters, KY

12d

About The Position

At the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, we first listen to the communities we serve, tap into our learnings and relationships, and bring everyone together to build and support programs that improve education, boost entrepreneurship, and help Kansas City thrive. Senior Director- College Access and Completion The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a private, nonpartisan foundation that provides access to opportunities that help people achieve financial stability, upward mobility, and economic prosperity – regardless of race, gender, or geography. The Foundation uses its grantmaking, research, programs, affiliates, and initiatives to support the start and growth of new businesses, a more prepared workforce, and stronger communities. Our work is grounded in the principles of racial equity, diversity, and inclusion and is consistent with the aspirations of our founder, Ewing Marion Kauffman. Based in Kansas City, Missouri, the Kauffman Foundation is one of the largest foundations in the United States with an asset base of approximately $3 billion. While striving to have national impact and global reach, the Foundation is deeply committed to Kansas City, as evidenced by work on initiatives that reach into neighborhoods and enrich the community and quality of life in the region. For more information about the Foundation, please visit the website at www.kauffman.org. Reporting directly to the Chief Impact and Strategy Officer (CISO), the Senior Director serves as the key programmatic, operations and administrative director for the College Access and Completion strategy, responsible for translating the College Access and Completion strategy into actionable grantmaking relationships, frameworks, resources, and results. The Senior Director will lead the day-to-day activities of the College Access and Completion team while forging strong relationships and alignment with the impact leadership team, officers, and other stakeholders inside and outside of the Foundation. This role builds a culture of shared accountability, strong communications, and decision-making transparency. The Senior Director is responsible for strong collaboration with peers, and a commitment to delivering a highly coherent grantmaking strategy under the direction of the CISO. They build trust with grantees and thought leaders in the space and have a sophisticated understanding of the college access, persistence, and completion field. Reporting directly to the Chief Impact and Strategy Officer (CISO), the Senior Director serves as the key programmatic, operations and administrative director for the College Access and Completion strategy, responsible for translating the College Access and Completion strategy into actionable grantmaking relationships, frameworks, resources, and results. The Senior Director will lead the day-to-day activities of the College Access and Completion team while forging strong relationships and alignment with the impact leadership team, officers, and other stakeholders inside and outside of the Foundation. This role builds a culture of shared accountability, strong communications, and decision-making transparency. The Senior Director is responsible for strong collaboration with peers, and a commitment to delivering a highly coherent grantmaking strategy under the direction of the CISO. They build trust with grantees and thought leaders in the space and have a sophisticated understanding of the college access, persistence, and completion field

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in related field or equivalent combination of education and/or experience that demonstrates possession of competencies is required.
• At least ten years of supervisory and education program leadership experience, and deep experience developing, leading and executing college access and completion related programs.
• Qualified candidates for this position must be highly motivated, capable of self-direction and able to work collaboratively in a team.
• Candidates must exhibit a keen sense of responsibility and enjoy working with multiple demands, shifting priorities, and constant change.
• Has a passion for advancing equitable and transformative solutions for communities served by the Foundation.
• Possesses a strong understanding of best practices and areas for opportunity in the college access and completion landscape regionally and nationally.
• Is experienced with managing staff or teams, using strong coaching and mentoring skills.
• Leads with a commitment to equity, innovation, and impact.
• Has excellent collaboration and communication skills, including well-developed interpersonal, written, listening and presentation skills.
• Is comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty, and with the ability to adapt nimbly and lead others through complex situations.
• Prioritizes and multi-tasks effectively using excellent organizational skills with keen attention to detail.
• Possesses strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Has the ability to function well in a high-paced and at times, stressful environment.
• Possesses a passion for “doing what is right,” with unquestioned integrity, positive ethics and values reflective of the Kauffman Foundation.
• Has strong computer literacy skills, including word processing, spreadsheets, and business applications.

Nice To Haves

• Graduate degree in relevant field preferred.
• Philanthropic or nonprofit sector experience, and experience managing grantmaking portfolios, preferred.
• Possesses a network of best-in-class experts and practitioners in the College Access and Completion field who could be tapped to inform the Foundation and enhance impact in the region.

Responsibilities

• Informs and implements the strategic goals for college access and completion activities and operations, while building coherence across all three of the foundation’s grantmaking priorities: College Access and Completion, Workforce and Career Development, and Entrepreneurship.
• Supports and oversees highly effective grantmaking strategies that are grantee-centric, focused on individual and community outcomes, are equity-focused and are explicitly aligned to the Foundation’s grantmaking philosophy, funding priorities, and focus areas.
• Manages a team of Impact Officers who support all the foundation’s grant pathways, with a focused perspective on college access and completion.
• Provides strong leadership to the team, fostering a collaborative, communicative, and innovative team environment and encourages continuous learning and professional growth.
• Attracts, develops, coaches, and retains high-performing associates, empowering them to elevate their level of responsibility, breadth of engagement, accountability and performance.
• Ensures coordinated and strategically coherent grantmaking that advances the Foundation’s equity agenda.
• Monitors the operational and financial performance of grantees and holds them accountable.
• Allocates resources effectively, manages workload and ensures deadlines are met.
• Serves as spokesperson and participates in conferences, symposia or other convenings as a representative of the Foundation.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees