Chief Executive Officer

PowerMyLearning is a 25-year-old nonprofit
organization with a mission to empower each student, particularly
those from historically marginalized communities, to thrive
academically, socially, and emotionally by working hand-in-hand
with educators to foster equitable learning environments.

With 35 full-time staff and an operating budget of $8 million,
PowerMyLearning partners with schools and districts nationwide that
collectively serve more than 700,000 K-12 students. Their programs
are comprised of professional learning for teachers and school
district leaders, as well as an award-winning math practice
technology tool.

What sets PowerMyLearning apart from other organizations is
three-fold: (1) Its proven results in the areas of both student
academic achievement and social-emotional learning (SEL), (2) Its
commitment to activating the exponential power that occurs when the
trio of teachers, students, and families collaborate on the same
learning goals, and (3) Its evidence that its products successfully
support multi-lingual learners (MLLs).

PowerMyLearning is at an important inflection point: Over the
next 3-4 years, the organization will focus on reversing the
decline in math outcomes, especially among student groups that have
been historically marginalized. PowerMyLearning has decided to
focus on math to “meet the moment” and offer a direct response to
the dramatic drop in math scores during the pandemic, as
highlighted in the 2022 Nation’s Report Card.

PowerMyLearning seeks a Chief Executive
Officer to lead the organization through this important
moment, including articulating the organization’s vision and
approach for improving math outcomes, building on the successes of
its current model, and growing the organization’s reach across the
country. The next CEO will have five direct reports and an
administrative assistant.

Strong candidates will be deeply passionate about advancing
educational equity for K-12 students in math. The next CEO will be
a seasoned leader who has led significant growth with a focus on
innovation, gathering evidence, and continuous improvement. They
will be the external face of the organization, elevating
PowerMyLearning’s unique value proposition. They will be an
effective and skilled fundraiser, leveraging deep networks to
cultivate new partnerships and donors. The next CEO will embody
PowerMyLearning’s four values of strengthening relationships,
embracing learning, advancing equity, and embodying humility.

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

History:  PowerMyLearning was founded in
New York in 1999 by Elisabeth Stock, the departing CEO, and Daniel
Dolgin, the original board chair. The organization has since grown
to include two regional hubs in New York City and Greater Los
Angeles while also working with school districts in other parts of
the country, including Washington, D.C., and Texas.

Values:  PowerMyLearning has four values that
represent the core beliefs held by the organization: strengthen
relationships, embrace learning, advance equity, and embody
humility. These four values act as guiding principles that provide
purpose and direction for PowerMyLearning and set the tone for
interactions with the constituents they serve, with their own
staff, and with supporters.

Impact:  PowerMyLearning has demonstrated
a positive
impact on student’s academic mastery and social-emotional
learning skills and is in the midst of a large random controlled
trial (RCT) funded by a U.S. Department of Education, Education
Innovation and Research (EIR) grant.

Key Programs:  PowerMyLearning’s
evidence-based
programs and services meet requirements for the American Rescue
Plan (ARP), ESSER, Title I, Title II, and Title IV-A funds. In
addition, PowerMyLearning is an official vendor for the Los Angeles
Unified School District (LASUD) Partners for Student Success and
its Black Student Achievement Plan programs. More information about
this work with LAUSD can be found here.

YOUR OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPACT AND SUPPORT FOR YOUR
SUCCESS

The CEO will chart the organization’s next chapter and solidify
its next strategic plan. Below is a description of opportunities
for impact as well as a description of the support the CEO will
receive from PowerMyLearning’s board. The five direct reports to
the CEO are mentioned below—they are (1) Chief Program and Strategy
Officer, (2) Chief Growth Officer, (3) Chief Administrative
Officer, (4) Executive Director – Greater Los Angeles, and (5)
Executive Director – New York City.

Strategic Growth in Impact and Reach

The CEO will provide a compelling strategic vision around
PowerMyLearning’s ability to reverse the decline in math outcomes
(especially among student groups that have been historically
marginalized) and thereby position the organization’s programs as
essential for school districts (rather than as a “nice to have”).
The CEO will leverage PowerMyLearning’s expertise and strong
evidence base to lead growth in impact and reach. They will offer
big-picture thinking around how PowerMyLearning can sequence and
prioritize new programming to align with future K12 educational
trends and funding. The CEO will partner with the Chief Program and
Strategy Officer to innovate, including refining PowerMyLearning’s
professional learning model to consistently deliver improvements in
student academic and SEL outcomes and leveraging AI and tech toward
the same end. The CEO will also work with the Director of Research
and her supervisor, the Chief Program and Strategy Officer, to set
the research agenda.

Revenue Model and External Relations

The CEO will be responsible for increasing PowerMyLearning’s
revenue via a robust revenue model. Their primary responsibility
will be working with the national development team to increase
support from foundations and individual donors. They will also
partner with the Chief Growth Officer to support fee-for-service
efforts and support the Executive Directors for New York City and
Greater Los Angeles in their respective efforts to secure
philanthropy. In concert with these revenue activities, the CEO
will focus on elevating PowerMyLearning’s visibility and brand. The
CEO will be an active, visible, and trusted leader within the
ecosystems in which PowerMyLearning operates and will leverage
opportunities to serve as a thought partner for PowerMyLearning’s
largest funders, promote PowerMyLearning’s programs, and be a vocal
advocate for improving math outcomes for students.

Organizational Management

The CEO will lead a dedicated staff of 35 and an operating
budget of $8 million. They will hold an enterprise-level view of
the organization, using sound business and financial management
practices to ensure the organization’s overall financial health and
effectiveness. In partnership with the Chief Administrative
Officer, the CEO will continue to optimize business operations
around decision-making, DEI, risk management, performance
management, and talent development systems. The CEO will be a
seasoned people leader who knows how to leverage their external
networks to provide intel and expertise when needed. The CEO will
also have a strong background in ensuring all staff understand and
are working collaboratively toward shared organizational goals.

Organizational Culture

The CEO will be skilled at casting vision, engaging staff, and
making PowerMyLearning a top “employer of choice.”
PowerMyLearning’s culture is guided by its four core values:
strengthen relationships, embrace learning, advance equity, and
embody humility. Building on these organizational values, the CEO
will also model a culture of continuous improvement and innovation,
seeking the right balance between change and stability to attract
and retain talent. The CEO will work with the Director of DEI,
Culture & Org Learning, and his supervisor (the Chief
Administrative Officer) to celebrate wins, enhance staff’s feeling
of connection and belonging in a remote environment, and deepen
PowerMyLearning’s commitment to DEI.

Support from PowerMyLearning’s Board

PowerMyLearning’s board is committed to helping the new CEO
succeed in the role. The board chair has extensive board experience
and will be an excellent strategic partner. The board itself is
comprised of 16 voting members from various sectors who bring
financial support and expertise to the organization. The board
currently meets four times per year (including one full-day
retreat) and has committees that meet in between board meetings.
PowerMyLearning enjoys very high attendance at board meetings, and
board members work well together. The outgoing CEO currently serves
on the board as a non-voting member but will step off the board
once the new CEO has joined the organization. The new CEO will have
an opportunity to join the board as a non-voting member and
nominate future board members.

QUALIFICATIONS OF THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

While no one candidate will embody all the qualifications
enumerated below, the ideal candidate will possess many of the
following professional and personal abilities, attributes, and
experiences:

Organizational & Operational Leadership

• Demonstrated success at casting a compelling strategic vision
  and elevating an organization’s visibility in the K-12 education
  ecosystem.
• Proven experience securing significant revenue from
  institutional donors and individuals. Experience securing funding
  from government sources is a plus.
• Strategic and innovative thinker; experience helping an
  organization prioritize new programming to align with future K12
  educational trends and funding.
• Excitement and interest in K12 professional learning and K12
  EdTech.
• Demonstrated organizational, financial, and management
  expertise of a similar-sized organization or a unit of the same
  size within a larger organization.
• Demonstrated success scaling organizational impact and reach;
  success expanding reach via securing partnerships a plus.

Connection to the Mission

• Passion for PowerMyLearning’s mission to empower each student,
  particularly those from historically marginalized communities, to
  thrive academically, socially, and emotionally by working
  hand-in-hand with educators to foster equitable learning
  environments.
• Demonstrated commitment to advancing DEI and leading candid
  conversations about DEI; self-reflective about one’s own growth,
  relative privilege, and positional power.
• Familiarity with the issues faced by students of color and
  students experiencing poverty through personal or professional
  experience.

Values & Management Style

• Powerful communicator with the ability to inspire internal and
  external audiences; ability to form a connection with staff,
  students, families, educators, funders, and other partners in both
  individual and group settings.
• Demonstrated ability to model and advance PowerMyLearning’s
  four organizational values: strengthen relationships, embrace
  learning, advance equity, and embody humility.
• Relentless driver of high quality while providing the necessary
  systems and supports so team members can meet that high bar with
  pride.
• Collaborative leadership style and commitment to building
  internal leadership; internal management style that fosters esprit
  de corps, mentorship, accountability, respect, mutual learning, and
  cross-team collaboration.
• Transparent and data-driven decision-maker who can strike the
  right balance between inclusivity and making timely decisions.
• Previous experience effectively engaging a high-profile board
  of directors, coalition, or steering committee.

The Basics

• 5+ years of leadership experience in a nonprofit with 10+ years
  of leadership experience total across nonprofit, community-based
  organizations, related for-profit organizations, EdTech, or
  educational institutions/systems.
• An understanding of the structures and functions of K-12
  education systems, including barriers to educational equity;
  experience working in or partnering with the education system as a
  teacher, administrator, policymaker, or educational partner
  preferred.
• A proven fundraiser who is creative and compelling and
  understands how to move relationships to commitment.
• Has diligently cultivated a professional network of colleagues
  with varied expertise that can be tapped for advice.
• Ability to travel each year to 5+ conferences, 4 board
  meetings, 1 all-staff retreat, 5+ in-person funder meetings, and 3+
  trips to see PowerMyLearning’s work in action.

TO APPLY

More information about PowerMyLearning can be
found at www.powermylearning.org.

This position offers a competitive salary range of $230,000 –
$250,000 and a robust benefits package, including PTO,
health/dental/vision insurance, disability/life insurance, flexible
spending and retirement options, employee assistance, and remote
work reimbursements. The CEO is a remote (work-from-anywhere)
position.

This search is being conducted by Julian Jackson and Alejandra Villa of the
national search firm NPAG.
Candidates may submit their cover letter outlining their interest
and qualifications, along with their resume, via NPAG’s website.

PowerMyLearning is committed to building a diverse and
inclusive organization in which they give voice to and meet the
needs of the teachers, families, and students they serve.
PowerMyLearning encourages applications from individuals of all
backgrounds, especially people of color and members of other
historically marginalized groups. PowerMyLearning is committed to
providing equal employment opportunities and does not discriminate
on any basis prohibited by applicable law.