Working under the direction of the Director, Income Security, the Social Entrepreneur in Residence will apply a lean startup methodology and entrepreneurial methods to develop and scale social innovations to meet the needs of low-income older adults, with a particular focus on financial health and resilience. Additionally, the Social Entrepreneur in Residence will provide daily operational support and be a strategic advisor on a portfolio of programs designed to reduce income insecurity among low-income older adults. The Social Entrepreneur in Residence will work in concert with other Social Entrepreneurs and Program Managers (focused on Income, Housing, Food Security, Workforce and Social Connectedness) and across the AARP Foundation (with Development, Communications, Technology, Litigation and Innovation) to identify and integrate solutions to the biggest challenges facing the low-income 50+ and their families.
AARP Foundation as a leader in financial health innovation on a national-level. The role also involves a strong analytical component, requiring the ability to repeatedly review, critique, upgrade and provide constructive feedback on new initiatives and opportunities. This position will have a very high impact on AARP Foundation’s ability to execute its strategy and reach both its short and long term goals.
Critical responsibilities include:
- Supporting the achievement of large scale, systemic and sustainable social change through new innovations, a different approach, a more rigorous application of known technologies or strategies, and / or a combination of these.
- Innovating by finding new products, new services, or new approaches to social problems – particularly focused on financial health and resilience.
- Continuously refining and adapting approaches in response to feedback, research and insights.
- Contributing to ensuring sufficiency of new initiatives in the Foundation's innovation pipeline each year to meet the Foundation's annual innovation goals.
- Serving as a key advisor on scaling effective solutions.
- Exhibiting a heightened sense of accountability to the constituencies served and for the outcomes created.
- Mission-driven commitment to building income security for low income older adults and the power of innovation to drive social impact.
- Continually understand the income insecurity and financial health field to drive strategic differentiation and partnerships.
- The drive to work in cross-functional teams and to engage different units across the Foundation and AARP enterprise to drive innovation to achieve AARP Foundation’s mission.
- Focus on being an integral part of a high performing team.
- 5+ years’ experience in social entrepreneurship, social enterprise development – a focus on income security, financial health, and financial technology strongly preferred. Evidence of building a social enterprise preferred.
- Experience in scaling solutions through various pathways.
- Excellent business judgment, a familiarity with a wide variety of business models both in the for-profit and non-profit sectors, and the ability to see the potential application of these models in the context of social innovation.
- Excellent communication skills both oral and written; ability to produce high-quality reports and presentations.
- Well-networked in the financial health and social-entrepreneurship fields with an ability to engage these resources to assist the Foundation in its mission; this includes knowledge of and experience in developing shared value and collective impact with multiple stakeholders.
- Proven experience of managing relationships in and across complex organizations.
- Strong familiarity with both quantitative and qualitative research and analysis as well as quantifying return on investment.
- A preference to take responsibility, manage multiple projects at once, and deliver professional work-product promptly and on-deadline.
- Highly self-motivated.
AARP offers competitive benefits with a 401K, 100% company funded pension plan, health, dental, vision and life insurance, STD/LTD, paid vacation and sick, and other benefits.