We believe the effort for educational justice is composed of many local movements, and thriving local movements require teams and leaders who know and are accountable to their communities. At Teach For America, we seek to empower our Executive Directors and teams to lead in a way that reflects deep partnership and understanding of their community. Our regional boards are one way our 53 regions can live up to our commitment of being supported and held accountable by our local communities. The Director, Board Governance will ensure Teach For America has a strong, diverse board in every region by partnering with and supporting the VP, Board Governance in four key areas:
- Refining and implementing our regional governance model that increases accountability and partnership with local communities
- Fostering leadership and shared learning within the National Council, the collective group of all regional board chairs
- Partnering with Regional Field Executives, Executive Directors, and Board Chairs to strengthen boards through targeted resources, support, and learning opportunities
- Integrating the vision and aspiration for regional boards with key teams and initiatives across the organization to ensure we are maximizing the full potential of regional boards
As Director, Board Governance, you will consult on key organizational priorities when it comes to regional boards and in doing so, will play a key role in shaping the longer-term direction and aspiration for regional boards. In the shorter term, you will help refine our approach to National Council engagement by ensuring the VP, Board Governance has accurate and comprehensive data that for setting vision and strategy. Specific priorities may include but are not limited to: creating and maintaining data systems, evaluating current knowledge management systems and making recommendations for improvements, organizing and codifying existing resources, and building out planning structures and systems in partnership with the Office of the Chief Operating and Program Officer.
Teach For America’s operating model has evolved to empower more local decision-making, and regional boards are a key part of bringing that aspiration to life. To achieve this, you will:
- Manage and drive all communications to Teach For America’s National Council by ensuring there is a clear plan to track and plan for all newsletters and also directly drafting the content
- Develop and maintain a system for keeping track of current board chair contact information, transitions, and updated data
- Manage all knowledge hubs related to Board Governance, including the National Council hub – our website built specifically for National Council members – and any internal folders or drives used to house and organize Board Governance information and resources
- Manage our contract with BoardSource, an external leader in nonprofit board governance, and ensure we are utilizing their resources to the fullest extent and bringing them to Executive Directors, Regional Field Executives, and Teach For America in general
- Adapt or create high-quality learning experiences and resources that can be used field-wide or for specific requests and contexts
- Support the VP and the Chief Operating & Program Officer in stewarding the National Council, by planning and executing on quarterly calls, optional learning calls, drafting one-off communication tees, and annual in-person meetings
- Logistically support the needs of the Board Governance team through managing the calendar, tracking expenses, and developing systems to share and receive updates across the Executive Leadership & Learning team
- Own all data related to Board Governance, including serving as the main project manager and driver of the annual board assessment – our primary way of gauging board progress field-wide
- Managing regions to keep updated and current regional board information in TFACT
- Partnering with other national teams (i.e. Marketing, Development) to ensure we are bringing the most relevant and updated materials, resources, and best practices to National Council members
Prior Experience
- Has a minimum of 5 years professional work experience
- A track record of managing multiple projects to completion and working with key stakeholders
- A strong familiarity with data tracking and maintaining information tracking systems
- Experience in learning and development for adult audiences
- A history of operating and leading in the spirit of our Core Values and commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusiveness
Skills
- Knowledge Management: Knowing the importance of keeping accurate data and also how to look at data from the lens of the user by tailoring the collection and presentation
- Strong Communicator: Conveying information clearly and concisely, anticipating questions or responses, and thinking through the customization of a message based on audience, avenue, or specific context
- Detail Oriented: Pays special attention to the look and feel of final work products, double and triple checking work to ensure the final products being shared with National Council members, Executive Directors, and Regional Field Executives are meticulous, clean, and comprehensive.
- Relationship Builder: Builds connections between the Board Governance team and key stakeholders and partners, knowing that the work of the team is ultimately grounded in relationships and the ability to partner and move work through multiple layers
Work Demands
- Ability to travel 2-3x per year
- Flexible location – will need to be able to work across time zones