Senior Manager, Events and Digital Programming (Apply by: September 19, 2024)

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:

The Strategic Engagements team provides strategic and programmatic leadership for key initiatives across JFF and JFFLabs. JFF’s annual summit, Horizons, 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. The Strategic Engagements team also hosts several smaller events, including Hub City Dinners, throughout the year, as well as appearances at the GSV Summit, SXSW, and other key industry events.  

Reporting to the Director of Strategic Engagements, the Senior Manager, Events Programming will join our growing Strategic Engagements team to lead content strategy, content development, and speaker engagement. At a high level, the Senior Manager, Events Programming will identify and manage speakers, architect and design content strategies and sessions, organize event sessions, manage the flow of activities with the broader Horizons summit team, and ensure all content aligns with the event's objectives. 

This position is a great opportunity for a strategic thinker eager to take part in growing and scaling JFF’s convenings and make meaningful impact in the field. Ideal candidates bring experience conducting market research, particularly in the workforce development and education space, and will leverage subject matter expertise to develop content and convene speakers in a strategic way. The ideal candidate will also bring experience building and managing external relationships and engaging in thought partnership with key stakeholders.  

What You'll Do:  

Lead and manage impactful programs and projects 

• Manage all programmatic- and event-related content, plan and execute associated events, and develop a calendar for distribution, promotion, and impact measurement
• Own and manage all aspects related to guest speakers: identifying new speakers, understanding guest speakers’ niche and expertise, sharing a data-driven perspective for which top tier speakers to feature at upcoming events, and more
• Consult and build related infrastructure for all event content including content publication schedules, deliverables, and a speaker database for scale and growth
• Manage timelines, workflow, communications, production of deliverables, and other aspects of project implementation
• Strategically utilize knowledge management and project management tools such as Salesforce, Asana, and other similar tools

Drive strategic and analytical thinking to inform projects and deliver results 

• Leverage an understanding of the market, JFF’s audience, market segments, and accurately interpret data insights to inform program strategy, content strategy, and approach
• Perform market scans and conduct research to understand market trends, competitive insights for the target audience to inform future recommendations 
• Produce outputs (data reports and content plans) with JFF’s audience in mind in order to create a value-added, meaningful, engaging experience for JFF’s general audience 
• Develop and implement a content strategy aligned to business goals, audience needs, translating methodologies and processes into action
• Prepare and present a variety of deliverables such as content briefs, plenary memos, reports, tools, case studies, and talking points

Build and manage relationships with key internal and external stakeholders 

• Act as point person to stay engaged with speakers; coordinate across the Strategic Engagements team regarding travel, accommodations, or technical needs to ensure speakers are prepared and equipped for the day of the event
• Engage effectively and demonstrate strong follow-up ability with internal and external stakeholders to support ongoing collaboration 
• Partner with Strategic Engagements Directors on identifying curated content deliverables which can be built once and re-used across multiple initiatives
• Communicate content strategies and performance metrics concisely with relevant context to both internal and external stakeholders
• Collaborate across the Strategic Engagements team, project teams, and JFF to support partners, project staff, funders, and other stakeholders to help them achieve their 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 experience with content development, content trends, and market research involving large scale program and event management, particularly in the workforce development and education space (New hires at the Senior Manager level at JFF typically bring 5-10 years of prior professional experience through a combination of full-time, part-time, internship, and/or freelance positions)
• You have a track record of effective program management and ownership of consistent delivery on commitments, including experience developing and managing content scope, timeline, and deliverables
• You bring knowledge of and experience with content strategies, development, and design, particularly in the workforce development and/or education field
• You have experience developing learning content and documentation with the goal of crafting programs and agendas at strategic events with engaging breakout sessions
• You leverage strong communication skills, both oral and written, to develop written content, deliver strong presentations, and build effective relationships with key external stakeholders and guest speakers
• You are a proactive problem-solver who finds creative solutions and can aggregate information for continuous improvement
• You thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment and can seamlessly pivot between being an individual contributor and working in close collaboration with others
• 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 desire to continuously improve in your work and approach
• You are energized by stewarding JFF’s DEIBW values and practices within your day-to-day work, including embracing the differences and celebrating the diversity that each individual brings to JFF
• You value building positive and collaborative relationships with others, including people whose identities and backgrounds differ from your own
• You possess high energy and passion for JFF’s mission and North Star, and the ability to apply JFF’s core values to all areas of your work
• You are able and willing to travel up to 30% (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 $80,000 - $100,000 annually, in alignment to JFF’s Senior Manager 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, Strategic Engagements, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position. 

We are accepting applications through September 19, 2024, at 5:00 pm ET. Applications submitted by that date will be reviewed and candidates will receive updates on their candidacy by the week of October 14, 2024.   

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.