College Summit is looking for Executive Director

Executive Director, Los Angeles, College Summit

College Summit offers a unique market-based entrepreneurial approach to dramatically increase college access for America’s low income youth. Recognized by Fast Company magazine in 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 as one of the top 25 groups that are “changing the world,” College Summit has successfully launched in California, Colorado, the National Capital Region, Missouri, South Carolina, and West Virginia. The New York Times also recognized College Summit for combining “market savvy and a social conscience with an overwhelming ambition to see their ideas become part of the cultural bedrock.”

The organization’s mission is to increase the college enrollment rate of low-income students by ensuring that every student who can make it in college makes it to college, and by putting college access “know-how” and support within the reach of every student. For ten years, College Summit has significantly increased the college enrollment rate of low-income students, and enabled high schools to generate lasting, structural reforms in their college access and transition systems. College Summit students have enrolled in college at nearly twice the rate of low-income high school students nationwide (79% vs. 46%), and stay in college at a rate of 80%.

College Summit has created market-based demand for its fee-for-service products while continuing to refine and expand its donor-centered fundraising program. Corporations, foundations and communities have quickly recognized College Summit’s benefit to students, to employers hungry for a diverse and well-educated workforce and to communities who are working to break cycles of poverty.

College Summit is driven towards excellence and fortunate to be staffed by leaders with extraordinary vision. All members of the College Summit team share this passion and we seek those who find within themselves an insatiable desire to open the doors of opportunity to all who would walk through.

For more information, visit www.collegesummit.org.

Position:

The Executive Director will lead College Summit’s growth in the Los Angeles region, responsible for embedding a strong college-going culture and increasing college enrollment results within the community. The Executive Director will take responsibility for overall regional success, including programmatic results, staff management, fundraising, partner cultivation and public relations and will focus on developing robust relationships with partners across the region, including school districts, potential funders, community organizations and individual school administrators. As the external ambassador for College Summit’s regional site and the internal infrastructure builder, the Executive Director will continue to expand College Summit’s impact and sustaining a successful, efficient organization with strong roots in the community.

Responsibilities:

The Executive Director will be responsible for specific results and will:
• Ensure the programmatic and financial success of College Summit in the Los Angeles region.
• Establish and maintain fee-for-service relationships with superintendents and school district personnel.
• With the support of the national office, establish and maintain local infrastructure to meet regional goals.
• Manage the Program Director, who is primarily responsible for enhancing local school relationships and managing the day-to-day operations of high-quality, on-budget program execution.
• Work closely with the Regional Director of Development to establish an ongoing stream of locally-raised philanthropic revenue that will cover the fixed costs of local operations.
• Establish and strengthen partnerships with senior-level community partners, including business leaders, local community organizations, and government officials.
• Inform and advance public policy initiatives for the region.
• Maintain and enhance the image, brand, and ideals of College Summit.

Qualifications:

• At least 10 years of professional experience in education, non-profit, or the private sector, with proven visionary leadership and strong strategic planning capability; strong experience managing a highly capable team
• Demonstrated success working with the top leadership of local educational initiatives and school systems
• Experience building a successful fundraising operation that increases the recurrence and predictability of contributions
• Significant experience with managing via measurement and goal-setting
• Knowledge of the Los Angeles community and existing relationships with education-focused entities
• Experience producing results in a rapidly growing, deadline-driven, fast-paced, dynamic environment
• Entrepreneurial self-starter and creative thinker
• Willingness to travel as needed
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred

To Apply:

Please upload a resume and thoughtful cover letter, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position and stating how you heard about this opportunity, both in Word format and addressed to Randy Shillingburg, at http://jobs.cgcareers.org/application.aspx?id=1265. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

College Summit is an equal opportunity employer.
Diversity candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Compensation:
Salary is commensurate with experience. In order to attract highly qualified candidates, College Summit offers competitive benefits package, including health, 401(k), disability and life insurance, vacation, and professional development benefits.