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 more about 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’s North 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 seek 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 our North 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 Position

JFF’s Education Practice, led by the Vice President (VP), Education, leads national strategies and initiatives to transform policies and practices, build capacities, and drive behavior change of existing education systems, institutions, and providers, including K-12 schools, postsecondary institutions, traditional certificate/credential providers, and adjacent organizations, in service of equitable economic advancement for workers and learners. This includes the design of, investment in, and networking of innovators of new secondary and multiple postsecondary pathways; that optimize the relationship between skills, career outcomes, credentials, and labor market demand; integrate learning and earning, speeding entry into high-quality jobs; engage diverse organizations in the ecosystem that can provide and/or support student success in education and training; and enable more efficient and effective attainment of further education as desired.

Reporting to the Vice President, Education, the Associate Vice President (AVP) will be a critical leader in the Education Practice’s work to design and scale up the next generation of JFF’s postsecondary education and training strategy. They will focus on creating solutions, transforming systems, and redesigning institutions that improve learner success and career connection into, within, and across the broad-access higher education sector (community colleges and non-selective 4-year colleges). This leader will spearhead new work and build upon existing program work, including leveraging critical JFF assets such as deep postsecondary networks and trusted reputation. Like all members of Centers and Practices across JFF, the AVP will be accountable for business development and fundraising, cultivating relationships and partnerships, and building inclusive initiatives to drive JFF’s postsecondary portfolio of work forward in the field. Internally, the AVP will play a key role with other members of the Education Practice in setting the strategic direction for the Practice.

This role is ideal for a strategic, equity-oriented, and collaborative leader, who is eager to advance JFF’s influence and leadership in the field through championing innovative and impactful programs and initiatives. A successful candidate is a recognized subject-matter expert in the field who has implemented ambitious postsecondary system change initiatives. They have a proven track record of delivering high-quality results in a fast-paced environment and leading others through collaboration and influence.

What You'll Do

Scale up the next generation of JFF’s postsecondary education and training strategy

• Build upon the Education Practice’s strategy and advance a vision for postsecondary education and training that inspires key leaders in the field to action 
• Position JFF’s point of view and theory of action for postsecondary education and training within the broader ecosystem of players and design and build impactful programs, policies, and initiatives that drive equitable outcomes and address systemic barriers to opportunity
• Define a research agenda in collaboration with Research & Analytics Unit
• Provide national thought leadership on issues related to postsecondary education and training, including through speaking engagements at high-profile events, op-eds, publications, and social media; represent JFF on the national stage
• Work closely with the Education Practice team, Vice Presidents, and the Chief Solutions Officer to help set the strategic direction of the Education Practice
• 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

Drive program and practice influence within JFF and across the field

• Serve as a subject matter expert for strategic advising and program design to field partners and clients as well as colleagues at JFF
• Sponsor and/or lead all major projects, initiatives, and bodies of work centered on postsecondary sector change, closely coordinating with others in the Education Practice and with the Lifelong Learning Innovation work being incubated in JFFLabs
• Lead internal project teams to develop content and design replicable solutions or frameworks
• Seek ways to integrate initiatives, foster connections and exploit synergies across JFF that leverage the broad expertise of our staff to achieve greater impact
• Develop strong partnerships with the VP, Solutions Design & Delivery, and the directors of teams within Solutions Design & Delivery to ensure strong, consistent, high-quality execution on project work 
• In partnership with the Finance team, manage budgets and the performance of the team’s portfolio of projects and budgets

Expand and engage in strategic partnership development

• Engage funders and strategic partners in the development and funding of new ideas and initiatives, with accountability for achieving annual business development goals for the Practice and contributing to shared business development goals for other Practices and Centers
• Work closely with the Development team to raise funds, including proposal development, capture management from cultivation through award, and relationship management aligned to goals and priorities in JFF’s strategic and operational plans
• Design, build, and curate key networks within the sector in accordance with JFF’s overall network strategy
• Cultivate and manage high-level relationships with external partners, funders and clients

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 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 a field-recognized leader who brings deep knowledge in, and vision to, postsecondary innovation and systems change (New hires at the AVP level at JFF typically bring 15 years of prior professional experience through a combination of full-time, part-time, internship, and/or freelance positions) 
• You have implemented ambitious postsecondary change initiatives as a higher education or system leader that have advanced equity for learners and have built the capacity of faculty and administration to leverage changes demanded by new technologies, performance-based funding, and/or direct assessment competency-based education.
• You are skilled at designing and carrying out strategic advising, capacity building, and program design with and for partners, and coaching others to do so; you have demonstrated success sponsoring complex projects and delivering exceptional outcomes
• You possess 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, including working effectively with colleagues from a diverse range of backgrounds, and building and stewarding an organizational culture that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion
• You model and build a culture of empowerment and accountability to deliver on commitments consistently and at high quality 
• You have demonstrated success cultivating and managing relationships with existing and new funders, writing or leading the development of concepts and proposals, and raising money that advances an organization’s work
• You have a demonstrated ability to manage disparate and competing priorities with multiple timetables and deliverables, and to keep work on track and on budget
• You have excellent written and verbal communication skills including the ability to synthesize and communicate complex issues to a variety of audiences in a variety of media and settings 
• You are able and willing to travel up to 25% (The frequency will vary according to mix of projects.)

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 comprehensive benefits program that includes flexibility and choice as core values in order 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 $160,000 - $200,000 annually, in alignment to JFF’s Associate 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, addressed to Joel Vargas, Vice President, Education,outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position.

We are accepting applications through 5pmEST on Friday, May 31st. Applications submitted by that date will be reviewed and candidates will receive updates on their candidacy by the week of June 10th.

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.