Executive Director

Organization Description

Founded in 2004 and located in downtown Brooklyn, the Urban Assembly School for Law and Justice (SLJ) is a law-themed, non-charter, Title I public high school. We serve approximately 460 students from across New York City, though many reside in Brooklyn, 70% of whom live near or below the poverty line. Moreover, 75% of our students will be the first in their families to attend college. In 2020, 98% of the senior class graduated of which 91% went on to enroll in college. Key contributing factors in our success are strategic partnerships with nonprofits, government organizations, and businesses such as with our founding partner, Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP.

The Adams Street Foundation (ASF) was founded in 2008 by the administrative leadership of SLJ and the support of the Robin Hood Foundation. ASF is the in-house, non-profit affiliate of SLJ, responsible for integrating pre-college enrichment and preparation for college and career into the school’s curriculum. ASF and SLJ staff work together to provide individualized programming to each student. Core components of this work include SAT prep, college tours, financial aid counseling, essay feedback, mentoring, study abroad opportunities, internships, networking with seasoned professionals, after-school clubs, career site visits, and coaching students through the early admissions process.  In recent years, we’ve begun expanding into college success work.  During the pandemic, our work has primarily been remote.

This is subject to change.For more information, please visit our website: sljhs [dot] org.

Role Overview

Reporting into the Board of Directors, the Executive Director of the Adams Street Foundation ensures that staff have the resources that they need to effectively serve students.  She/he/they will lead an eight-person team of which she/he/they will co-manage the Director of Programs and facilitate periodic check-ins with the full staff.  Fundraising and financial management are critical components of the role.  The ideal candidate will be a driven, resourceful leader who can:

(1) Build relationships with potential funders and community partners.

(2) Create and manage budgets.

(3) Inspire, organize, and recruit board members.

(4) Develop and manage staff.

Compensation

$100,000

Profile

• A passion for social justice and equity and the belief that all students deserve the opportunity for a great education.
• At least 10 years of overall professional experience, with at least 5 years in a management role in the private or non-profit sectors with demonstrated success achieving ambitious sales, fundraising and/or partnership goals.
• At least 5 years of budget management responsibility.
• Exceptional track record of growth and strategic planning as well as operational results.
• Proven track record of initiating, cultivating, and managing relationships with key constituencies.
• Knowledge of New York’s corporations, foundations, community-based organizations, and institutions of higher education.
• Familiarity of the K-12 education field, especially college access.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build, cultivate, and leverage personal and professional networks and relationships, develop and deliver successful presentations, and collaborate and negotiate effectively.
• Bachelor’s degree required; an advanced degree in business, public policy, or education preferred.

​Key Responsibilities

• Ensure ASF continues to fulfill its mission and provide measurable objectives for success.
• Provide strategic leadership for ASF (1 year goals and 3 year goals).
• Raise ASF’s profile through marketing and one-on-one networking with key stakeholders, media outlets, and the general public.
• Create financial reports and projections and ensure their alignment to fundraising strategy.
• Closely manage all bank and credit card accounts.
• Partner with bookkeeper to ensure efficient financial record keeping and audit.
• Review fundraising initiatives, maintain high priority relationships, and expand donor base.
• Oversee various fundraising events, marketing communications, and CRM tools.
• Write reports and proposals for 5-6 figure grants. 
• Supervise management of website and social media.
• Inspire, organize, and recruit board members.
• Inspire, organize, and recruit junior board members.
• Recruit, lead, manage, and inspire ASF staff.
• Manage all human capital needs including, but not limited to semi-monthly staff payroll and semi-annual staff evaluations.
• Collaborate with SLJ Principal on strategic planning for programming.
• Create opportunities to integrate volunteers into ASF/SLJ operations.
• This role reports to the ASF Board of Directors.

Submission Requirements

Submit the following to asfrecruitment [at] sljhs [dot] org with a subject line “Executive Director” by Friday, February 12, 5:00 pm:

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• List of 3 References (we will not contact them until you have advanced to the final round interview)