About JFF
Jobs for the Future (JFF) drives transformation of the U.S. education and workforce systems to achieve equitable 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.
DEIBW at JFF
Diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and well-being (DEIBW) are core to JFF’s North Star and mission. We employ and build diverse teams across race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity and expression, age, and lived experiences and are constantly working toward ensuring these differences are celebrated and included. 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 equitable career advancement opportunities. Learn more about what DEIBW looks like in practice at JFF.
We seek to invest in and learn from those who represent the communities we serve, particularly individuals from populations who have been explicitly or implicitly excluded from the workforce. Knowing its importance to the success of our work and the engagement of our staff members, we aspire to attract and retain a diverse team and welcome people of all backgrounds to apply to our open roles. 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.
About the Position
JFF hosts an annual summit, Horizons, which has continued to expand in scale and opportunity for JFF and its partners – this year, hosting more than 2,000 people in Washington, DC. Horizons has become the “go-to” event for educators, philanthropy, employers, policymakers, workforce professionals, entrepreneurs, and beyond. Reporting to the Director of Strategic Engagements, the Director, Horizons Summit will join our growing Strategic Engagements team to ensure we continue to improve and enhance the experience for our attendees and partners through our ongoing growth. The Director will be a part of the in-person events vertical on the Strategic Engagements team and will be the key point of contact and manager for the Horizons Summit and associated workstreams.
The Director will oversee a team of 3-4 people supporting the Horizons summit and will manage complex internal and external workstreams including summit logistics, sponsor management, vendor relations, content and marketing. Key responsibilities include:
This position is a great opportunity for a creative project manager who is detail-oriented and has experience managing and supporting the operationalizing of large-scale events and conferences. The ideal candidate has experience helping an organization refine and grow existing events and conferences and will bring these skills to help expand the reach of Horizons Summit. The ideal candidate will also have experience with building relationships and engaging in thought partnership with key internal and external stakeholders to help build out a strategy around a yearlong engagement experience for other events.
What You'll Do
Design and implement strategies to help and operationalize, fund, and analyze best practices for the Horizons Summit
Develop content strategy to help expand and enhance the Horizons experience for participants
Create a strategy to cultivate diverse and inclusive relationships and leverage stakeholder expertise to support the Horizon’s summit
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.
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 $100,000 - $125,000 annually, in alignment to JFF’s Director I 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 thoughtful cover letter, addressed to Justine Zawatski, Director of Strategic Engagements outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position.
We are accepting applications through December 2nd at 9 am EST. Applications submitted by that date will be reviewed and candidates will receive updates on their candidacy by the week of December 2nd.
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.
About JFF
Jobs for the Future (JFF) drives transformation of the U.S. education and workforce systems to achieve equitable 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…