SUMMARY:
Mission Economic Development Agency - Building on its 39-year history, MEDA is advancing innovative approaches to asset development. Its efforts are focused on serving low-income, Spanish-speaking San Franciscans. Our direct service programs serve 6,000 individuals each year through homeownership counseling and foreclosure intervention, business development, digital literacy, workforce development, financial education and free tax preparation. We also devote resources to research and evaluation, community organizing and advocacy. In the process, MEDA is helping to develop best practices in the field.
In December 2012, MEDA was awarded a 5-year implementation grant from the Department of Education to implement the Mission Promise Neighborhood (www.missionpromise.org), a neighborhood based effort to improve education and create family economic stability for Mission District families through a cradle- to college- to career continuum of services. This initiative involves 26 community based organization partners, as well as the San Francisco Office of Mayor Ed Lee, City of San Francisco government agencies, and the San Francisco Unified School District as close collaborators in the implementation effort. MEDA is the lead agency, fiscal agent and project manager for the Mission Promise Neighborhood.
This initiative seeks to improve academic achievement and family economic success in the lowest performing schools in the Mission district of San Francisco. The four schools targeted for first phase of the Mission Promise Neighborhood implementation are all Persistently Lowest-Achieving schools that have adopted either the Turnaround or Transformation models, and include: César Chávez Elementary School, Bryant Elementary School, Everett Middle School, and John O'Connell High School.
Job Description Overview – MEDA is seeking a senior level, experienced and effective leader for the Mission Promise Neighborhood Project Director position who is passionate about education, social justice and community economic development. The MPN Project Director will lead this major neighborhood-wide effort with the support of MEDA's Executive Director and Management Team, managing its $6 Million + annual budget, supervising staff and ensuring that outcomes and deliverables are met by both MEDA and partner organizations. The MPN Project Director will also play a crucial role in public relations and sustainability efforts, serving as key liaison with the federal government, point of contact with government officials and CBO executives, and participating in conversations with prospective corporate, foundation and individual donors. This position will report to MEDA's Executive Director.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Program Implementation
- ·This position holds primary responsibility for the effective implementation of the Mission Promise Neighborhood implementation plan, which specifies results to be achieved through the implementation of solutions in: Early Learning & Development, School Improvement & Student Achievement, College- Career Success, Strong & Safe Neighborhoods, Technology and Family Economic Success.
- ·Participate as a member of MEDA's Management Team, ensuring the Management Team is aware of and able to effectively make decisions on matters related to the MPN implementation.
- ·Supervise and manage a team of approximately 20 staff members to coordinate the implementation, partnership development, partner organization capacity building, community organizing & advocacy & evaluation efforts of MPN.
- ·Work closely with Finance, Development, Evaluation, Marketing/Communications and other MEDA departments to ensure the needs of MPN are effectively served through these functions.
- ·Serve as key point of contact and liaison with partner agency Directors on matters related to the Mission Promise Neighborhood.
- ·With MEDA's Executive Director, convene and structure the work of the MPN Advisory Board, and MPN Community Advisory Board.
- ·Serve as key point of contact in interacting with and utilizing the resources of the Department of Education's technical assistance partners, and national evaluator.
- ·With Finance Manager, oversee the expenditures of the $6 Million annual MPN implementation budget and $12 million annual match commitments from partner agencies and organizations to ensure alignment and compliance with approved budgets and implementation activities.
Evaluation & Reporting
- ·With the Director of Evaluation and Stanford University's John Gardner Center for Youth & Their Communities, lead the structuring and implementation of evaluation efforts for the MPN, to capture and analyze "what works".
- ·Working with the Director of Programs and Program Area Coordinators, ensure that programs are effective and adjustments are made where necessary to meet projected outcomes.
- ·Ensure that ongoing, consistent, accurate data collection, analysis and evaluation systems are created and implemented, and adhered to by all staff and partner organizations in collaboration with the MPN Evaluation Team, which consists of a Director of Evaluation and three Evaluation Analysts.
- ·Manage reporting process for all MPN reporting to the federal Department of Education. Lead and structure the design of reports and organize staff member input where needed; serve as key point of contact for reporting process and follow up.
Policy & Advocacy
- ·Manage community organizing function of the Mission Promise Neighborhood through direct supervision and structuring the work of the MPN Leadership Academy Director and two community organizers. This work includes parent engagement, a "promotoras" program and policy advocacy.
- ·Manage and structure organizational capacity building activities for MPN partners through supervision and structuring the work of the MPN Leadership Academy Director and relevant MEDA team members, and consultants.
- ·With the MPN Advisory Board and Director of Policy, identify relevant policy issues that affect the outcomes and work of the Mission Promise Neighborhood, and propose policy actions and advocacy efforts that address these issues.
Public Relations & Sustainability
- ·Serve in a key speaking role for press conferences, media opportunities, conferences, community meetings, and other events.
- ·Participate in meetings related to fundraising and sustainability of MPN with corporate, foundation, and government representative as well as individual donors.
- ·Serve as key point of contact with the Department of Education on all matters related to the federal contract.
- ·Attend and participate in the national Promise Neighborhoods conference in Washington DC and other conferences where appropriate, to serve as a spokesperson for the Mission Promise Neighborhood.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- §Doctorate or Master's degree (at minimum) in Education or a related field
- §Prior Experience as an Executive Director, Deputy Director of Associate Director of a non-profit organization and/or high level experience in preK-12 education, and experience in managing large, complex, multi-stakeholder projects.
- §Substantial experience in program design and implementation, with demonstrated track record of successful results for programs in education, early learning & development, asset development and/or community development
- §Minimum 10 years of experience in management of a mid-size team and multi-million dollar budget, and managing federally funded projects
- §Strong public speaker comfortable speaking in front of large audiences with proficiency in both English and Spanish
- §Familiarity and a history of service with the landscape of education, community development, and social services networks, and providers in San Francisco and the Mission District, and working with Spanish speakers and/or English Learners and individuals with disabilities.
- §Minimum 10 years of experience supervising professional staff and volunteers
- §Bilingual, fluent written and spoken Spanish/English is required for this position
TO APPLY: Please email a copy of your resume and cover letter to: Susannah Sallin, Executive Search Consultant to Non-Profits at mpnprojectdirector@gmail.com
We will respond to all applicants.
