About JFF

Jobs for the Future (JFF) drives transformation of the U.S. education and workforce systems to achieve equitable economic advancement for all. Seeing that millions of people are unfairly shut out of quality jobs and the chance for a better life, our goal is to align education, workforce, and employment changemakers toward a shared North Star: In 10 years, 75 million people facing systemic barriers to advancement will work in quality jobs.

To achieve that goal, we design solutions, scale best practices, influence policy and action, and invest in innovation. With a staff of more than 300 people across the country working remotely and in offices in Boston (headquarters), Washington, DC, and Oakland, California, we operate at the national, state, and local levels, forging deep partnerships with employers, investors, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and education and workforce development providers to break down barriers and reimagine what’s possible.

We’re on a path of ongoing growth and expanding impact. We have an operating budget of $105 million, and we’re funded by dozens of leading government agencies, foundations, and corporations. Learn moreabout JFF and join us as we build a future that works—for everyone.

DEIBW at JFF

Diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and well-being (DEIBW) are core to JFF’sNorth Star and mission. We employ and build diverse teams across race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity and expression, age, and lived experiences and are constantly working toward ensuring these differences are celebrated and included. We aim to cultivate a culture that centers the overall care, well-being, and success of the employee through flexible work hours, balanced workloads, professional development, and equitable career advancement opportunities.Learn more about what DEIBW looks like in practice at JFF. 

We look to invest in and learn from those who represent the communities we serve, particularly individuals from populations who have been explicitly or implicitly excluded from the workforce. Knowing its importance to the success of our work and the engagement of our staff members, we aspire to attract and retain a diverse team and welcome people of all backgrounds to apply to our open roles. JFF is a fair chance employer and in alignment to ourNorth Star, we strongly encourage individuals whose highest level of education attained is less than a 4-year degree; People of Color; and people with records to apply. 

About the Center

JFF is excited to launch a new Center for Career Navigation to mobilize the field around a bold vision for building the bridge from learning to work for Gen Z. Over the next decade, Gen Z will enter an evolving workforce with new opportunities and challenges. So, it is more imperative than ever that they can find, evaluate, finance, secure, and flourish in opportunities that lead to high-quality jobs they can trust. We believe in the power of building connections between learners and workers aged 16 - 24, training providers, and employers so that Gen Z can navigate non-degree and degree pathways and work-based learning opportunities. 

By 2030, this Center will realize our vision to impact more than 20 million Gen Z learners, providing them the tools, access, and experience needed to confidently navigate various pathways. The Center aims to mobilize the field in youth career navigation and launch a digital solution that helps young people across the US bridge the education-to-career cliff. The Center’s work will focus on:

• Engaging JFF’s networks across the learn to work ecosystem
• Driving thought leadership
• Building and launching impactful digital marketing campaigns across key stakeholder groups
• Engaging in advocacy work with federal and state policy 

About the Position

Reporting to the Chief Solutions Officer, the Vice President (VP), will build, scale, and lead the Center. As the VP, you will spearhead JFF’s efforts to improve the quality and accessibility of equitable career navigation strategies and opportunities to Gen Z learners. In the first 12-24 months, you will focus on developing the Center’s concept and plan, launching the Center, helping establish the team, creating a sustainability plan, and ensuring successful execution of all workstreams. 

You will lead a small team of changemakers in the Center who are subject matter experts, responsible for generating ideas and solutions that drive impact in the field. You will provide thought partnership and vision-setting for the team to align the Center’s work with JFF’s theory of action and strategic priorities. This important work will drive equitable outcomes and address systemic barriers to equity and opportunity for Gen Z.

As the Center becomes fully integrated into JFF’s Solutions Group, your work as the VP will transition to developing and executing fundraising and business development strategies, securing resources from corporate, foundation, and government sources to build and scale programs, as expected of all Center and Practice leaders across JFF.

This role is ideal for an innovative and strategic leader who is energized by and has expertise in the Gen Z career navigation landscape. As an expert in career navigation, product development, and leading public, private, and innovation-oriented actors in the field, you will influence national and state-level strategies, policies, infrastructure, and funding mechanisms. This is an exciting opportunity to build a new team and leverage existing assets across JFF to create solutions to engage Gen Z and the field at scale. 

What You'll Do

Lead bold strategy, vision and thought leadership for the Center 

• Create, evolve and position JFF’s point of view and theory of action for the Center, and its work around career navigation, within the broader ecosystem of players 
• Set and communicate strategic goals and priorities for JFF and ensure that key initiatives, resources and budgets are aligned to them
• Define the Center’s research agenda in collaboration with JFF’s Research team 
• Provide organizational and national thought leadership on issues related to domains of expertise, including through speaking engagements at high-profile events, op-eds, publications, and social media; represent JFF on the national stage 

Lead vision and execution for career navigation solutions

• Lead comprehensive market research efforts to identify user needs, preferences, and market trends with the Gen Z demographic
• Lead product development process from ideation to prototype creation for potential digital solutions designed for Gen Z learners 
• Utilize design thinking methodologies to support development of innovative solutions that address challenges and opportunities present in the Gen Z market
• Work closely with internal and external partners to define and prioritize product features based on user feedback and business objectives 
• Build and monitor key performance indicators and analytics to measure the success of the prototype and identify areas for further optimization 
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders including senior leadership, key internal and external partners, to provide updates on project progress, solicit feedback, and gain buy-in for product decisions 

Cultivate and build collaborative partnerships with external partners and across JFF to support the work of the Center 

• Cultivate and manage high-level relationships with external partners, funders and clients; with accountability for executing on outcomes and key results, achieving annual business development goals for the Center, and contributing to shared business development goals for the Solutions Group
• Design, build, and curate key networks within the sector in accordance with JFF’s overall network strategy
• Contribute to strategic planning and decision making for the Solutions Group, and for the organization, working with colleagues to continuously strengthen JFF’s performance and impact
• Lead with equity and model inclusive leadership, stewarding a team culture that celebrates the diversity of everyone and ensures that each person has equal opportunity to thrive at JFF 
• Serve on JFF’s Executive Leadership Council, JFF’s senior leadership team, comprising the Executive Team, all Vice Presidents, and JFFLabs Managing Directors

Who You Are 

The qualifications listed within the job description are intended as a guide and we do not expect candidates to bring all experiences and skills listed. Research supports the idea that self-selecting out of potential professional opportunities is particularly common among individuals with identities that are marginalized in professional spaces. So, if you believe that you can meet the overall expectations of the position, we encourage you to apply so that we have an opportunity to learn more about you and the unique strengths you would bring to the work.

• You are an innovative, subject matter expert in the career navigation landscape with a track record of success championing and executing innovative strategies for learners and workers within the learn to work ecosystem (New hires at the Vice President level at JFF typically bring 20 years of prior professional experience through a combination of full-time, part-time, internship, and/or freelance positions) 
• You bring proficiency in product management principles, methodologies, and best practices, including a deep understanding of ideation, prototyping, testing, and iterating stages of development 
• You have a strong proficiency in conducting market research, which includes leveraging competitive analysis, and customer interviews to gather insights and inform thought leadership and product decisions 
• You have leveraged KPIs and metrics to measure product success and drive business growth, particularly of new product models 
• You have proven success in sales and fundraising for new and continuing initiatives and are comfortable pitching ideas, managing relationships, shaping proposals, and getting creative in negotiations 
• You are skilled at connecting people, projects, and resources in alignment to the mission and strategies of your organization, and bring a background in working with complex organizations, and establishing processes and systems to improve work and deliver services 
• You are a curious, creative, and growth-oriented leader, eager to learn, adapt, and innovate in response to the ever-changing labor economy and social-political landscape 
• You excel in managing senior expert leaders, partnering with cross-functional teams, and collaborating with a diverse range of decision-makers; you bring a proven ability to motivate, inspire and mobilize staff to produce strong outcomes 
• You have high energy and passion for JFF’s mission and North Star, and the ability to apply JFF’s core values to all areas of your work 
• You are energized by stewarding JFF’s DEIBW values and practices within your day-to-day work and you model inclusive leadership, working effectively with stakeholders from a diverse range of backgrounds, and building and stewarding an organizational culture that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion
• You have a willingness to travel (up to 30%) to maintain and develop new client relationships and present to diverse audiences and stakeholders

What We Offer

At JFF, we’re fueled by the desire to create a world where everyone has equal opportunity for economic advancement. Our team works hard to push the boundaries of what is possible, and in return, we provide a gratifying work experience, competitive salaries, and a comprehensivebenefits program that includes flexibility and choice as core values to support people wherever they are in their lives and careers.

JFF has offices in Boston, Oakland, and Washington, DC; employees are welcome to use JFF office space to work in-person or hybrid, or completely remote. To improve the employee experience and promote productivity while working remotely, JFF offers an annual home office stipend to all regular full-time and part-time employees. In addition, new employees receive office equipment as needed.

The hiring range for this role is $200,000 - $250,000 annually, in alignment to JFF’s Vice President salary band and our compensation philosophy. Starting salaries for new hires will be determined based on a combination of the new hire’s relevant experience and market demands.

To Apply

As part of your application, please include your resume and a thoughtful cover letter outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position. We are accepting applications through 5pmEST on April 5th.

At JFF, we’re also committed to accessibility and want to ensure that everyone, including people with disabilities, can fully access and engage with our application and hiring process. If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability and/or have specific access/accommodation needs in order to fully participate in our hiring process, please contact us at hiringaccommodations@jff.org.

Positions at JFF are not eligible for employer-visa sponsorship or open to F-1 student visa holders.