Deputy Director of Community Impact

SOMOS Mayfair is thrilled to be expanding our senior staff team and recruiting for a Deputy Director of Community Impact, overseeing our Leadership Development, Community Organizing and Alternative Systems Departments. This is an opportunity for a highly skilled senior level leader to help shape the next phase of impact of a dynamic organization whose budget and staff have grown three-fold in recent years, and whose programs continue to grow in complexity, scale, and reach.

SOMOS Mayfair was created in 1997 (originally as the Mayfair Improvement Initiative) to address the chronic crises that resulted from the high rates of poverty in the Mayfair neighborhood of east San José. In the early years SOMOS partnered with government, corporate and nonprofit allies to renovate community infrastructure, catalyze new community investment and develop new coalitions. Over the years SOMOS revamped itself to most effectively operate as the needs of the community and the opportunities for regional partnerships evolved. In the past five years, this has led SOMOS to focus our efforts on building the power of our community through leadership development, programming for multi-generational families, and community organizing.  

EXPANDING OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM: The time is right for SOMOS Mayfair to bring on a Deputy Director for Community Impact. Alongside the Executive Director and Deputy Director of Operations, they will embody the values at the heart of our work and bring the range of skills and experience needed to achieve our five-year Strategic Plan and continued growth.

In close partnership with our Executive Director and senior management team, and with input from Leaders throughout the organization, our two Deputy Directors will support SOMOS Mayfair in building out the strategy, infrastructure, and systems to accommodate recent and anticipated expansion. This includes providing the guidance and resources needed for us to achieve impact at the highest level internally and externally; creating opportunities to continue contributing innovative solutions to the movement; identifying and implementing best practices related to staff recruitment, hiring, development, and retention; creating the climate and structure needed to ensure communication, integration, and alignment across teams, regions, and initiatives; and ensuring that more robust finance, technology, and human resources systems and practices are in place to support us as we move forward.

CANDIDATE PROFILE: We are excited to be joined by a deeply skilled and experienced senior leader who will partner with our department directors to advance our work in this pivotal phase of our development.

The successful candidate for the position will be a thoughtful leader who brings relevant life experience as well as deep demonstrable experience in program development and implementation; program alignment; planning and evaluation; community partnerships; staff supervision, professional development, and team building; training and facilitation; internal and external relationship building.  

They will likely have gained this experience as an Executive, Deputy Director or Department Director in a progressive, social justice policy or activist organization or movement. Whatever track they have taken to this point, they will also bring alignment with our strengths-based, values-driven approach. They will have a commitment to and grounding in anti-racist/intersectional approaches, leadership development, popular education, as well as a deep desire to work in an organization whose mission and culture are rooted in courageous action and transformative practices.

KEY AREAS OF FOCUS: This is a senior level position. Priorities may shift over time, but will include:

LEADING PROGRAM STRATEGY, DEVELOPMENT, COORDINATION, AND OVERSIGHT: As we expand across multiple issues and offices, the Deputy Director of Community Impact (DDCI) will:

• Ensure a strategic coordinated approach to implementing our Strategic Plan and Theory of Change.
• Support the alignment, development, and efficacy of individual staff, teams, and initiatives.
• Provide direct coaching and supervision of three director-level reports for the following programs: Leadership Development, Alternative Systems, and Community Organizing.
• Serve as a high-level thought partner to the directors leading this work, providing overall strategy, planning, development, and oversight of these programs and related initiatives.

LEADING INVESTMENT IN OUR PEOPLE, PRACTICE, AND CULTURE AS WE GROW AND EVOLVE: In close partnership with the Executive Director and Executive Leadership Team, the DDCI will:

• Plan for evolving staffing needs in collaboration with the Deputy Director of Operations (DDO); develop recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and retention practices aligned with our vision and values.
• Promote internal staff leadership by designing and implementing organization-wide performance management practices including leading the annual performance evaluation process; ensuring proactive leadership pipeline plans; and providing ongoing guidance to managers to support their intentional and effective supervision and support for all staff.
• Oversee and lead the integration of our foundational learnings in popular education, root cause analysis, and leadership development, ensuring staff are trained in and implementing these concepts and systems across the organization.
• Maintain and deepen our culture of continuous learning - identify and address staff training needs; design retreats, training, and practices that facilitate alignment, learning, experimentation, and celebration of accomplishments across the organization.

ENSURING EFFECTIVE ORGANIZATION-WIDE PLANNING, DECISION-MAKING, AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT PROCESSES. With overall responsibility for developing inclusive, decisive, and nimble processes, the DDCI will:

• Lead our annual organizational-wide planning processes that effectively integrate program level work planning into an overall plan; monitor and evaluate our progress against our Strategic Plan; and research 501(c)4 process and considerations.

• Own and lead executive and staff team meetings, ensuring strong communication lines and practices, and cross-team planning and collaboration.

• Build processes that help us adapt nimbly to growth and change and enable us to evaluate program opportunities and requests against alignment with vision, values, and resources.

REPRESENTING SOMOS MAYFAIR IN A LEADERSHIP ROLE INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY. Along with all members of the Executive Team, the DDCI will step into leadership in all ways as needed, and will:

• Serve as strategic thought partner and advisor to the Executive Director, inform and advise on overall strategy, troubleshoot challenges, and step in as needed during major staff transitions.
• Represent SOMOS Mayfair at key meetings with allies and funders; attend conferences and convenings; and develop compelling materials, reports, and presentations about our work and impact, and that of our partners.

SENIOR LEADERSHIP:  Along with all members of the Executive Team, the DDCI will step into leadership in all ways as needed, and will:

• Serve as high-level strategic thought partner and advisor to the Executive Director and Board as requested; step-in as needed during the ED’s absence; and troubleshoot reassignment of duties and functions when staff transition.
• Serve as a key member of the Executive Team with shared responsibility for achieving the organization’s vision and goals; inform and advise the team on programmatic strategy and evaluation; and growth management and trajectory; collectively explore opportunities that strengthen and/or challenge our capacity and resources.
• Participate in staff retreats and our mind-body practices.

QUALIFICATIONS AND QUALITIES OF OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE: We intend to bring on a candidate with as many of the following qualifications and qualities as possible:

• Previous experience as an Executive, Deputy Director, Associate Director, Director of Programs or equivalent senior level position with at least 7 years of combined executive/senior level experience.
• Direct experience in social justice, organizing, and/or movement building organizations; experience with racial, immigrant, gender, and reproductive justice.
• Experience leading the development of collaborative, cross-functional teams; proven ability to coach and inspire the leadership capacity of team members.
• Strong people management, training, and supervision experience, including knowledge of professional development systems and practices.
• Strong strategic thinking and analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong training, facilitation, and curriculum development experience.
• High degree of ease utilizing project management software and tools.
• Excellent interpersonal and written and verbal communication skills.
• Previous experience developing or building a 501(c)4 as a staff or board member is a plus.
• Ability to adapt as needed, self-manage, and to prioritize between and manage multiple demands.
• An earned reputation for being trustworthy, with excellent judgment and discretion.
• Optimistic and resourceful, with strong self-awareness, cultural competence, emotional intelligence, and humility; grounded and flexible with a high degree of integrity and transparency.
• Experience working with our core constituencies: women and non-binary people of color, immigrants and indigenous communities; lived experience that reflects our communities is highly desirable.
• Kindness and strengths-based leadership: someone who sees value in every person and communicates respect and encouragement to people at all levels; a passionate investment in the wellbeing and success of our staff and our organizational partners.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience working in community organizing and/or advocacy for policy change
• Fluency in English and Spanish (written and spoken)
• Strong computer literacy skills
• Valid California Driver’s License and proof auto insurance

COMPENSATION, HOURS, LOCATION, AND TRAVEL: This is a full time, exempt, salaried position based in San Jose, CA. Your schedule may vary based on need and could extend into the early evening, with some weekend hours on occasion. Salary will be determined upon hiring but will be in the range of $95K to $115K. Benefits are generous, with fully paid employee and dependent coverage for health, vision, and dental; and long-term disability insurance. Paid time off includes sick, vacation, personal days, and holidays. Must be able to travel by public transportation or car, and by air at least 3-4 times a year for periods of 2-3 days.

RESPONSE TO COVID-19

The Deputy Director of Community Impact position would normally operate out of SOMOS office located in the Mayfair neighborhood of East San Jose. Due to circumstances caused by the novel coronavirus, most of the SOMOS team is currently working remotely. Recognizing that this is a highly unusual and rapidly evolving situation, questions or concerns around location and work logistics will be openly addressed during the hiring process. Candidates should, however, expect to work on site at SOMOS office whenever it has been deemed safe to return to work by government officials.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: SOMOS Mayfair is an equal opportunity employer that supports and lives diversity in our staffing and values. We strongly encourage and seek applications from women; people of color; immigrant, bilingual, and bicultural individuals; and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and gender non-conforming communities. SOMOS Mayfair complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.

HOW TO APPLY:

The position will remain open until filled. Please apply by submitting a cover letter and resume, via e-mail at: jobs@somosmayfair.org with “DD of Community Impact Application” in subject line or to:

Human Resources

SOMOS Mayfair

370-B South King Rd.

San Jose, CA 95116

We encourage you to forward this announcement to others who may be interested.

SOMOS Mayfair is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, disability or veteran status.

For more info contact us at (408) 460-2751 or learn about us at:

www.somosmayfair.org