About Community Youth Advance:

Community Youth Advance (CYA) was established in 2018 from the merger between Community Tutoring and Mentoring to Manhood. Community Youth Advance mission is to harnesses the power of community to transform out of-school time to Teach, Reach and Keep youth on the path to success. Community Youth Advance provides extended day learning, one-on-one mentoring, and STEAM-based summer experiences to students in grades K–12 of all learning levels.

Since its merger, Community Youth Advance has experienced significant growth. Currently, CYA provide out-of- school time services in ten schools in Prince George's County and one school in Washington, DC serving 1100 students annually. Community Youth Advance’s annual budget is $3.5 Million with 100 teachers and four full-time administrative staff members, two programming part-time staff members, consulting grant writer and development firm. Lastly, Community Youth advance partners with an outsourced accounting firm to handle accounting and grant compliance management.

The Opportunity

The Executive Director will bring exceptional leadership and strategic abilities, strong understanding of the youth development and education sector, and a deep sense of respect for the power of social change to advance youth advancement. This dynamic leader will display excellent emotional intelligence and will have senior-level experience, which will be used to skillfully manage the staff and leverage the Board of Directors.

Key responsibilities:

Vision, Strategy Development, and New Initiatives

• Work closely with the Board to develop and implement the strategy for how the CYA can best accomplish its vision.
• Ensure that strategy is documented and shared within the organization, and fully owned and embraced by all staff.
• Initiate new projects and programs that can catalyze change and build on core strengths, while ensuring consistency with strategic direction.
• Protect and advance strong organizational reputation and brand.

Fundraising

Work closely with board and staff to:

• Lead the fundraising efforts of the CYA, including hiring high-performing development staff and supporting the Board’s involvement in fundraising.
• Establish a coherent fundraising strategy in partnership with staff and Board and set action able timelines and goals for implementation.
• Personally cultivate, maintain, and nurture relationships with major individual/institutional donors and solicit support as needed.
• Expand visibility and support within corporations, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, and other target donor constituencies.
• Drive visibility of CYA within key audiences (corporations and others) and encourage the development of philanthropic initiatives in partnership with various partners.

External Visibility and Representation

• With support from staff and board, be the lead public face for the organization in support of key visibility, development, and influence goals.
• Ensure positive relationships with partner organizations, policymakers, media, and others.
• Represent the organization by participating strategically in key associations and organizations, serving on committees, boards, and advisory groups.
• Speak in major public settings and to high profile business, policy, and philanthropy forums to sustain and build organizational visibility and influence.
• Play key role in garnering major media attention, engaging in strategic and high-profile media opportunities as appropriate.
• Represent the CYA in a positive way within the organization and in interactions with individuals and organizations external to the CYA.
• Maximize outreach and impact using a variety of social media and digital tools, data metrics, and analysis.

Leadership & Management

• Provide leadership for entire organization, including staff and volunteers.
• Lead by example in modeling vision and core values of the CYA as well as advancing strategic direction and plan with all staff.
• Model effective leadership with CYA Executive Team, staff, Board, and outside constituents.
• Supervise, support and mentor the CYA staff.
• Develop and implement a staffing structure and personnel policies that support the efficient delivery of programs and services, accomplishment of major goals identified in the strategic plan, and effective overall management that represents the core values of the organization, and is inclusive and diverse.
• Ensure retention, development, and growth of staff talent.

Programs

Work with the staff to:

• Manage the programs of CYA, including hiring high-performing staff with knowledge of programmatic priorities and deep understanding of grantee partners and their contexts.
• Oversee the creation, development, and implementation of programs and services that best advance the mission of the CYA.
• Sustain and build the organization’s strong relationships.
• Advance effective organizational advocacy, communications, and campaign activities that build visibility, influence, and engagement among key audiences on critical issues of youth development.
• Ensure positive relationships with partner organizations, policymakers, media, and others.
• Speak effectively to the direct impact of all programs with donors and partnership organizations.

Impact and Effectiveness

Work with the staff to:

• Manage the impact and effectiveness function of the CYA, including hiring high-performing staff with knowledge and expertise in systemizing the evaluation of key elements of the work.
• Ensure the organization sustains a clear theory of change, that is well understood internally and externally and that evolves as necessary.
• Ensure effective monitoring, evaluation, and assessment structures are built into design of grant writing initiatives.
• Ensure the development and implementation of an organization-wide learning, monitoring, and evaluation framework to capture information regarding CYA short-term and long-term impact.

Finance and Administration

Work closely with staff and outsourced accounting firm to:

• Manage the operations of the CYA, including hiring high-performing staff to manage human and financial resources.
• Develop realistic annual financial goals and plans as well as make decisions consistent with those goals and plans as approved by the Board.
• Develop financial guidelines and controls to monitor spending and hiring practices, ensuring organization stays within its approved budget for spending.
• Work in direct partnership with the Board to keep them apprised of any budget challenges, improvements, or necessary changes with a forward-looking mindset to adjust for any significant deviations from the annual budget in a timely manner.

Core Competencies:

• The Executive Director will be highly energetic and passionate, with a track record of achievement in previous leadership roles in philanthropic organizations, a commitment to youth development, established regional networks and relationships within the youth development sector, and demonstrated business acumen.
• The Executive Director will be skilled at working in close partnerships to develop and set the strategic direction of a philanthropic institution. While respecting the historic grant portfolio, this seasoned, confident leader will effectively bring new approaches forward that will enable CYA to achieve continued impact with its philanthropy.
• The Executive Director will bring strong academic discipline to the role, with a postgraduate degree preferred.
• The Executive Director will show respect and sensitivity for cultural differences; and promote a harassment-free environment. The Executive Director will treat people with respect and dignity, work with integrity and ethically uphold CYA’s mission, values, standards of employee conduct, and Code of Ethics.
• The Executive Director will have a true passion for the mission of CYA and an optimistic commitment to championing youth development on a regional scale. In addition, ideal candidates will have the following professional competencies and personal characteristics: 

Strategic and Visionary Leadership: 

• The Executive Director will, with the Board of Directors and staff, set and articulate an ambitious, inspiring, modern vision for the next chapter of CYA and how it can effectively deploy its human and financial assets towards championing gender equality. This resilient executive will understand the full potential, power, and impact of CYA to use both its leadership and grant-making in combination to meet the needs of young people across and throughout the region. The Executive Director will display intellectual curiosity and critical thinking and have a history of being creative, innovative, and bold in identifying and responding to the needs of marginalized communities and capturing new opportunities for effecting systemic change worldwide. This leader will be skilled at engaging staff, the Board of Directors, and the broader community in strategy and execution.

Expertise in Fundraising: 

• The Executive Director will have a measurable track record of success in and genuine enthusiasm for development, and the expertise and mindset to build strong relationships with current and potential donors and the Board. This leader will have demonstrated expertise with various fundraising and communications channels, and the ability to engage with all of CYA's constituents throughout the world, including foundations, individual donors, community leaders, and other supporters. The Executive Director will be a flexible, self-motivated team player who will offer insight as appropriate to the Board of Directors in identifying and devising development strategies for CYA in order to strengthen its resource base.

Exceptional Communication, Collaboration and Relationship-Building: 

• A natural bridge and coalition builder, the Executive Director will have the ability and sophistication to inspire trust and confidence with a diverse range of stakeholders, including staff, donors, the Board, funders, and partner organizations, and build connections between them. This individual will be flexible, energetic, positive, creative, and ambitious and will be experienced in successfully establishing strong working relationships and partnerships in furtherance of the organization's mission. The Executive Director will be an inclusive leader who builds and supports a culture of collaboration and trust among the Board and staff. This individual will be a mature leader who embodies humility, wisdom and strength of character.

Operations Management & Business Acumen: 

• The Executive Director will be a seasoned executive with strong staff and financial management experience. This will be an executive who takes pleasure in being a "hands-on" manager of an organization during a period of transition and growth. The Executive Director will excel at leading teams and have demonstrated success in attracting, managing and retaining top-tier staff with a diverse set of skills and providing them with a productive work environment and professional growth opportunities. A thorough and transparent communicator, this individual will demonstrate the ability to provide clear expectations and accountability measures for staff deliverables while encouraging innovation and initiative. This natural leader will understand the strengths of the leadership team and staff and will deploy them effectively to meet organizational goals.
• The Executive Director will have a strong business sense and a thorough understanding of operations and finance to implement against CYA vision. This executive will strategically prioritize resource allocations and will creatively examine CYA current business model with an eye to how to sustain and grow the organization and venture into new areas. Technologically savvy, the Executive Director will understand how best to use new and existing technologies at CYA to increase impact.

Compensation and Benefits:

The salary range is $120,000 - $130,000.

Community Youth Advance offers a comprehensive compensation package that includes premium-cost sharing for medical, dental, and vision insurance; 12 PTO days, 3 Paid Holidays Breaks to include the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's, 10 paid holidays annually, a company cellphone, and a 3% contribution to a 401K retirement savings account. 

Expected Time Commitment:

The Community Youth Advance hybrid work arrangement is such that staff works primarily remotely, and in-person attendance twice per month and for required for specific meetings and events, including board meetings, team building and strategy sessions, funder partner meetings and events, and other activities for which in-person participation is preferable.