We are seeking a visionary and strategic executive director to chart the course for Teach For America Alabama that continues to strive for educational excellence for students throughout Alabama. As the Executive Director, you will lead in alignment with Teach For America’s Foundations, ensure the long-term sustainability of the region by delivering on strong programmatic results and maintaining the region's financial health, while ensuring that Teach For America Alabama maximizes local opportunities to meet community needs while also positioning the region to impact the state-wide conversation on education equity.
As Teach For America Alabama approaches its ten year anniversary, the regional organization is poised to leverage its decade of wins and lean into new opportunities throughout the state. The incoming executive director will be charged with enhancing the vision for Teach For America Alabama, meeting a $2.6M fundraising goal and continuing to make programmatic strides for Teach For America Alabama’s 60 corps members and 250 alum who will aim to increase outcomes for Alabama students. The executive director will also partner with a dedicated 10-person team and 15-person regional board, which will grow to a 21-person regional board under the executive director’s cultivation and stewardship efforts.
Teach For America’s Executive Directors are part of the national senior leadership team at Teach For America and are at the forefront of improving the state of education in this country, impacting the future of thousands of children. You would report directly to the Senior Vice President, Regional Field Executive and will partner with a dedicated local board to work within Teach For America’s evolving operating model.
As the Executive Director of Teach For America Alabama, you will:
- Inspire staff members, corps members, and alumni to achieve inclusive and equitable outcomes for students grounded in the region's vision for impact
- Ensure the long-term financial sustainability of Teach For America Alabama by meeting the region’s $2.6M fundraising goal and increasing state funding by leveraging legislative relationships
- Strategically create and participate in diverse community coalitions advancing shared aims for the students, families and communities of Alabama
- Operate with a results orientation and pursuit of excellence by maintaining high expectations, setting challenging goals, leveraging resources, and creating systems to hold oneself and others accountable
- Take a systems-thinking approach to developing the vision and aligned strategies for the next chapter of TFA-ALA's work that is informed by developing strategies and actions informed by one’s deep understanding of the regional and state education and political landscape enhanced by the diverse perspectives of:
- Key stakeholders, their interests, and regional power dynamics
- Legislative, economic, social and political trends and developments and its impact on the organization and our network
- Exemplify our Foundations in all actions, decision-making, and interactions with all internal and external constituents
- Strategically uses the four levers available to EDs to achieve outcomes (yourself, regional team, regional board, and the national network)
- Nonprofit leadership experience (minimum of 7 years) or relevant skills to manage a high-performing team toward ambitious outcomes in a mission-driven organization
- Ability to develop a compelling vision for impact in partnership with others and align resources to achieve this vision
- Demonstrated achievement in growing a funding base, strategic partnership development or external affairs, including an ability to mobilize people and create champions to support organizational mission
- Working knowledge of ways to partner with a Board of Directors, in addition to possessing a strong understanding of the roles of the Executive Director and the board
- Outstanding interpersonal skills and an ability and desire to develop and maintain deep relationships with variety of diverse constituents
- Understanding of the complexity of the local political climate that impacts Teach For America-Alabama
- Experience navigating the political process as it pertains to elected officials, legislators, school district officials, and school board members
- Excellent strategic thinking skills to understand and lead in a complex environment
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
Personal Characteristics
- Strong personal alignment with and commitment to the mission and Foundations (core values, core tenets and diversity, equity and inclusive commitment) of Teach For America
- Operate with a sense of urgency and thoughtfulness around accomplishing goals and objectives
- Clarity of vision and the ability to invest others within the organization and in the broader Alabama community in that vision
- Extraordinary cultural leadership and credibility
- Strong sense of self-awareness and understanding of one’s strengths and areas for development
- Commitment to exploring issues of race, class, and privilege
- Ability to deal with ambiguity or in situations where conflict is present
- Excellent judgment and sound decision-making skills
- Willingness and ability to learn about the Alabama education landscape and establish oneself as a key partner in the local movement to fight educational inequity
- Ability to work some evenings and weekends
Ability to travel within the region daily and ability to travel to in-person meetings in various U.S. cities quarterly