Director of Collaborative Learning

New Left Accelerator (NLA) imagines a world where millions of people historically ignored by political parties are mobilized to re-aligned power in our country. Where grassroots, multiracial coalitions in every community across the nation have the power to advance and protect policies that strengthen our democratic institutions and liberate everyone from systemic oppression. And where social, racial, and economic justice is won.

Building on the momentum of the 2020 election and the barrier-shattering work of progressive grassroots organizations, NLA is positioned to expand its services for greater impact. NLA now seeks a Director of Collaborative Learning to join the team as its third full-time hire to strategically lead the development of a learning strategy that addresses the needs of dynamic organizations working across a diverse political ecosystem. The Director will be values aligned and have a passion for creating inclusive, networked learning spaces in service of greater systems change. The Director will have previous experience developing and managing dynamic training or curriculum focused on building capacity of progressive leaders or organizations, building trust-based relationships with a diverse set of leaders, and be a curious learner. They will be an excellent communicator and collaborator adept at balancing multiple priorities and will enjoy a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment. This is an exciting opportunity to partner with dedicated, values-driven leaders committed to leveraging their collective power toward progressive, impactful change.

For the full position description and to apply, please visit: https://recruitcrm.io/apply/25024296

More information about New Left Accelerator may be found at: https://www.newleftaccelerator.org/

Organizational Overview

New Left Accelerator (NLA) empowers progressive leaders to transform their ideas into impact through an accelerator program, technical assistance, and by serving as a learning resource and hub for grassroots power-building organizations.

Founded in 2016 following the tremendous growth in progressive, power-building organizations after the election, NLA Founder Deborah Barron began directing her legal expertise to assess and build organizational capacity with new and existing organizations using innovative mechanisms to build progressive power and influence. With support and seed funding from Open Society Foundation, Deborah created NLA, which provides capacity-building resources to emerging progressive leaders. NLA's second hire was Jennifer Cheyne, who serves as the Director of Operations & Acceleration.

NLA also has a national team of networked leaders with extensive backgrounds in operating accelerator programs and providing organizational development, strategic planning consulting, leadership coaching, and technical assistance. NLA works with a nationwide network of diverse consultants with deep experience across social justice and organizational change work to meet the unique needs of individual organizations or state ecosystems. NLA’s programs are highly collaborative, leveraging the strengths and extensive knowledge of leaders and partners, and centering deep collaboration.

Over the last four years, NLA has worked, learned, and grown with partners and leaders across the progressive ecosystem. In 2019, NLA paused to re-ground their work in their values. NLA staff, board, and stakeholders engaged in a six-month process to explore how NLA might develop and live by a set of core values that guide their internal practices and partnerships. The values are a commitment to create systemic change; collaborate with stakeholders and leaders to build power, equity, and sustainability within the progressive ecosystem; and address systematic oppression.

NLA has a 501(c)(3) called The Capacity Shop (TCS).

NLA’S PROGRAMS

NLA currently serves the field through three core programs:

Accelerator Program

NLA runs the only capacity building accelerator program to support progressive multi-entity organizations, groups that use or are forming multiple legal entities – often 501(c)(4)s, corporate entities or PACs in addition to traditional 501(c)(3)s, to build power to make lasting change. Cohorts consist of 6-8 diverse organizations working in different states, requiring different levels of support over a 20-month period. Using a network of consultants and mentors, NLA provides cohorts with coaching, strategic planning, organizational development, and financial and legal compliance assistance. The Accelerator Program is co-designed and led with RoadMap, a nationwide network of diverse consultants with deep experience in equity and social justice work. The cohort experience is tailored to the needs of each organization and the state political environment in which they are operating in. Past cohorts are the New American Majority Cohort and the Progressive Infrastructure Cohort.

Technical Assistance

NLA and the Capacity Shop provide technical assistance (TA) to leaders on a range of issues from forming a 501(c)(4) to finding consultants to help with operating multiple legal entities. NLA defines TA as sharing expert knowledge, tools, and resources to help a nonprofit carry out its work and connect to the support it needs. NLA’s TA offerings include:

• Technical Assistance & Coaching Packages for Leaders and Organizations: NLA partners with leaders to create and scale the full range of legal entities they need to build power, maximize impact, and win.
• Funder Partnerships to Provide Technical Assistance:  NLA works collaboratively with (c)(3) and (c)(4) funders to design capacity-building programs that meet the unique needs of hybrid organizations.
• Free Technical Assistance for Emerging Organizations:  NLA provides free, rapid, one-on-one TA support to emerging progressive organizations in one-hour appointments. NLA also offers referrals to vetted experts and consultants.

Empower and Protect State Pilot

In order to strengthen the ecosystems that support multi-entity organizations, NLA runs a collaborative project to design and execute capacity building support in three states. In 2020, NLA ran a pilot project to provide state-specific solutions, resources, and infrastructure to meet the unique needs of hybrid organizations in Arizona, Wisconsin, and Georgia. This project will continue into 2021 and may be replicated in other states in the future.

The Opportunity

The Director of Collaborative Learning will join a small but growing team dedicated to supporting leaders and organizations that create lasting change. Collaborating with NLA leadership and partners, the Director will build, support, and deliver reflective insights, learning curriculum, training, and other resources that reflect the needs of leaders and emerging progressive power-building organizations. S/he/they will bring leadership in the following areas:

Learning Strategy and Design

• Manage creation and execution of learning strategy and capacity building agendas; lead the collaboration effort with the NLA team to design and implement plans to gather qualitative and quantitative data across programs.
• Work with senior leadership, partners, and Accelerator cohort participants to identify organizational capacity needs and develop resources (webinars, toolkits, convenings) that are timely, relevant, and accessible.
• Collaboratively design, develop, test, and improve strategies, curriculum, tools and programs to capture and communicate learning to support leaders and organizations that NLA and their partners serve.
• Design and coordinate communities of practice and other mediums of learning that promote collaboration, evaluation, and continuous improvement.
• Build and maintain a robust knowledge management system and other relevant technology platforms able to adapt with the changing needs of the field and NLA’s growth, including managing information from NLA’s current organizational assessment tool.
• Partner to consider the revenue-generating opportunities for the products with an eye towards long-term sustainability and growth of the work.
• Manage and support efforts to publicize and share NLA’s learning with the field.

Cohort Engagement

• Collaborate with consultants and other ecosystem partners to co-design trainings, resources, and tools for stronger partnerships within cohorts and throughout the field.
• Contribute to assessment and engagement with cohort members to understand and meet their learning needs effectively.
• Build trust through modeling and promoting authentic listening, coordinating peer learning opportunities, and sharing within cohorts and throughout all partnerships.
• Build relationships that encourage feedback to contribute to the improvement of NLA’s programs, resources, and tools.

Management and Execution of Network Learning

• Coordinate and collaborate with consultants and advisors engaged in NLA technical assistance, learning, and capacity building to effectively create safe spaces and execute network learning opportunities that meet the needs of stakeholders, including shared learning around topics like 501c3/c4/PAC fiscal and governance compliance, managing culture on rapidly growing teams, hiring practices, and others.
• Manage and plan for internal team meetings to promote cross-department collaboration and coordination; ensure that all NLA programs are effectively co-designed, implement learning agendas, and gather data effectively.
• Collaborate with accelerator and TA teams to develop and roll out curriculum offerings and tools and to manage and oversee learning communities embedded in NLA programmatic work.
• Oversee program budget and external consultant contract deliverables, work closely with NLA accelerator and TA teams to ensure integrated cross-organizational learning.
• and refine through continuous learning a model for scaling tools, resources, learning for greater impact.

Internal Assessments and Continuous Improvement

• In partnership with external evaluators, develop long and short-term evaluation and learning plans for each NLA program and support and manage continuous organizational learning.
• Work with senior leadership to assess and improve the ongoing effectiveness of NLA’s programs.
• Support NLA in developing high-quality data collection plans, systems, processes, and tools.

QUALIFICATIONS OF THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

While no one candidate will embody all the qualifications below, the ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional and personal abilities, attributes, and experiences:

• Deep commitment to progressive values and NLA’s mission and organizational values; a demonstrated commitment to social, racial, and economic justice, and an understanding of social justice culture.
• Demonstrated success developing or improving learning agendas or capacity building trainings that meet leaders and organizations where they are and reflect the diversity within communities or cohorts.
• Strong understanding of program evaluation methodologies focused on strengthening training, community-led learning, or organizational capacity-building for impact.
• Experience designing innovative curriculum, training, and workshops utilizing a variety of platforms and mediums. Either experience facilitating or managing facilitators.
• Outstanding project management skills with the ability to drive complex, collaborative projects forward in a timely manner; ability to problem-solve, manage generative conflict in the process of creation, and multitask in a dynamic environment.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written; sophistication to convey complex ideas through multiple platforms.
• Solid interpersonal skills and experience managing processes through generative conflict and multi-stakeholder engagement.
• Team orientation and collaborative spirit required in a small, fast-paced, and growing organization; self-starter with the ability to work independently toward common goals and objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to utilize a wide range of technology and systems including databases and Google Suite tools.
• Understanding of the political ecosystem is required; experience with independent political organizations, 501(c)(4)s and/or movement building preferred.
• Minimum 5 years professional experience required leading an advocacy campaign, project, or program - or political campaign; experience working in a non-profit, campaign, and/or mission-driven organization preferred.

Compensation: New Left Accelerator offers competitive salaries commensurate with experience and geographic location, along with a benefits package that supports employees’ overall well-being. The full-time salary range for this role is currently targeted between $75,000 to $95,000, with an exact salary depending on experience and geography. New staff are not expected to start at the top of the range, but particular exceptions will be considered.

TO APPLY

More information about New Left Accelerator may be found at: www.newleftaccelerator.org

This search is being supported by Callie Carroll, Catherine Seneviratne, and Whitney Herrington of NPAG. Due to the pace of this search, candidates are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Candidates may submit their cover letter, outlining their interest and qualifications, along with their resume via NPAG’s candidate portal.

New Left Accelerator is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity. They do not discriminate in employment based on any individual’s race, socioeconomic status, national origin, color, disability, religion, gender, age, marital status, criminal background or arrest record, sexual orientation or gender identity and encourage all candidates to apply.