Director, Growth Initiatives (Apply By: Wednesday, March 5, 2025)

About JFF

Jobs for the Future (JFF) drives transformation of the U.S. education and workforce systems to achieve 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: By 2033, 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. 

Equal Employment Opportunity at JFF 

Inclusion, belonging, and well-being are core to JFF’s North Star and mission, and we seek to invest in and learn from those who represent the communities we serve as it is important to the success of our work and the engagement of our staff members. 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 career advancement opportunities for all.

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 to our open roles.

About the position: 

The Director, Growth Initiatives, will play a significant role in the future and continued success of JFF. As part of a small team reporting to the Chief Strategy and Impact Officer (CSIO), the person in this position will work in support of JFF’s efforts to expand its role as an impact platform and establish transformative partnerships to expand its impact and achieve our North Star. With this team’s support, JFF is poised to bring to life creative thinking and bold actions that transcend the traditional education and workforce space and build bridges to the fields of technology, innovation, and investment.

This person will work closely with the CSIO and other members of the Executive Team to advance JFF’s mission and vision by helping to define and execute the organizational growth strategy. This wide-ranging portfolio will include mergers and acquisitions, cross-cutting and cross-organization growth opportunities, development of key partnerships, unique game changing opportunities with substantial funding for high growth, and other impact areas for JFF. The person in this market-facing position will have extraordinary skills in operationalizing new kinds of partnerships and initiatives and managing internal and external relationships and stakeholder engagement.

They will bring familiarity with the private sector and the innovation ecosystem in education and workforce development, and the ability to deliver high-quality results in a fast-paced environment. The ideal candidate will have experience operating in a variety of contexts, including the nonprofit and private sectors.

What you'll do: 

Deliver impactful results through effective project leadership & relationship management’ (75%)

• Partner with the CSIO, CEO, and other senior leaders to develop, lead, and monitor new initiatives that enable expansion and increased impact
• Lead cross-organizational teams executing multiple, concurrent high-profile, strategic growth initiatives with new partners or coalitions, with accountability for high quality deliverables and timely results
• Ensure the success of multiple complex projects by providing mentorship, direct feedback, thought partnership, and coaching to internal and external stakeholders
• Contribute to business and partnership development through design and scoping, proposal development, relationship management, and opportunity pursuit in keeping with JFF’s strategic priorities
• Build JFF’s internal capacity (systems, teams, and skillsets) to institutionalize, sustain and scale growth initiatives, handing off projects and opportunities over time to new leadership within program units or JFFLabs
• Collaborate with colleagues to address organizational changes needed to support successful implementation of new initiatives, including structures, processes, and systems 
• Troubleshoot complex challenges that arise during implementation efforts
• Partner with the Marketing and Communications team to leverage JFF platforms and networks to make sure our deal/parentships announcements build JFF’s influence in the ecosystem as a trusted and innovative partner
• Prepare proposals, reports, and presentations to advance and accelerate JFF’s impact

Lead and direct bold growth strategy development and execution (25%)

• Lead portfolios of work centered around mergers, acquisitions, and execution of new business ventures
• Set a vision and strategy for organizational growth aligned to the North Star goal, impact framework, strategic plan, and revenue goals for JFF – in partnership with CSIO, S&I team, and Executive Team
• Anticipate and monitor trends and events in the broader workforce, education, tech, and corporate space
• Based on market insights, support the identification, exploration, and execution of new business ventures or operating models for the organization, including issues related to structure, funding, and mission-alignment
• Partner with the operations, finance, program, and people teams to support the overall alignment of capabilities and capacity to the strategy
• Lead the development and maintenance of key external partnerships on behalf of and as directed by the CSIO
• Drive revenue and growth by enabling us to close deals/partnerships to meet JFF's impact and revenue goals

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 bring a wealth of experience in mergers, acquisitions, and execution of new business ventures, ideally within the education and/or workforce development ecosystem; New hires at the Director II level at JFF typically bring 12+ years of prior professional experience through a combination of full-time, part-time, internship, and/or freelance positions
• You have experience directing multiple workstreams and delegating work across various projects to support team and organizational priorities
• You have a track record of success with operationalizing new and bold ideas, bringing clarity to ambiguous situations by taking in multiple inputs at the same time, evaluating the choices on the table, and charting a path forward
• You have experience leading change management efforts, including success in helping teams, functions, and organizations navigate transformative change and growth
• You have led complex strategic planning processes including designing, implementing and evaluating new initiatives and can positively impact both strategic and tactical work
• You possess comfort and facility in exercising influence without authority and know how to effectively engage, motivate, and communicate with cross-organizational teams and external partners
• You are analytical, highly organized, and proactively problem-solve in the face of challenges or changing priorities; You thrive at managing up, asking questions, and raising concerns.
• You have the ability to take initiative and are comfortable working independently and as a team player who can productively engage with others at varying levels of seniority within and outside your organization
• You possess high energy and passion for JFF’s mission; ability to apply JFF’s core values to all areas of your work
• You model inclusive leadership, working effectively with staff, and building and stewarding an organizational culture that embraces belonging and well-being
• You build positive, effective, collaborative cultures and teams wherever you work
• You are a curious and adaptive learner, with a willingness to take in new information, perspectives and data to inform your work
• You demonstrate a growth mindset and a desire to continuously improve in your work and approach
• You are willing to travel on occasion; 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 $120,000 - $150,000 annually, in alignment to JFF’s Director II 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 response to the application question as indicated on the job posting.

We are accepting applications through Wednesday, March 5, 2025. Applications submitted by that date will be reviewed and candidates will receive updates on their candidacy by the week of March 10 or March 17, 2025.

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.