Executive Director

OPPORTUNITY 

The Alliance for Decision Education (“the Alliance”) is seeking
an Executive Director to lead the organization in an exciting time
of growth. As a visionary and passionate leader, the Executive
Director will be steering an organization working to build,
catalyze, and promote the field of Decision Education in order to
improve lives by empowering students with essential skills and
dispositions for making better decisions. The Executive Director
will be the face of the organization, interfacing with a broad
constituency of stakeholders, engaging in fundraising, building
relationships, and bringing awareness to the importance of Decision
Education. The Executive Director will further develop and execute
the strategic plan in partnership with the Board of Directors (the
Board) and a strong leadership team. As they continue to build the
organization, the Executive Director will oversee the operational
processes of the Alliance and will manage the complexities
that come with a high-growth environment, building on a culture
where staff meaningfully embrace the mission.

The Executive Director is expected to adhere to the Alliance’s
local hybrid work schedule, working both remotely and from our
office in Bala Cynwyd, PA at least two days a week. 

The Alliance offers a comprehensive total rewards package
inclusive of competitive compensation that is commensurate with
experience, generous Paid Time Off (PTO), an Employee Assistance
Program (EAP), and employer-paid medical, vision, dental, life, and
disability insurance. Employees may also contribute to a Flexible
Spending Account (FSA), as well as a 401(k) plan with a
dollar-for-dollar match up to 5%.

*The position is based in the United States.

*The posted salary range for this position reflects our good
faith estimate of what ideal candidates for this position are
likely to expect. Any offer will be based on the selected
candidate’s relevant experience, knowledge, and skills as well as
any other factors that may prove relevant.

ABOUT THE ALLIANCE FOR DECISION EDUCATION

The Alliance is a national nonprofit organization driving a
revolutionary shift in the way we think about education, leading
the growing call for Decision Education to be part of every
student’s learning experience. Its mission is to improve lives
by empowering students with essential skills and dispositions for
making better decisions. The decisions they make shape their lives
and those of the people around them. Therefore, there is no more
important set of skills that can be taught to today’s youth than
how to improve the decisions they make.

Backed by experts in the decision sciences, business, and
education, including several Nobel laureates, the Alliance believes
that better decisions lead to better lives and a better
society.

The Alliance is committed to an inclusive, supportive, and
collaborative culture. Their team is made up of diverse, dedicated,
and driven educators, researchers, subject matter experts, and
other professionals who have come together from different
backgrounds for a common purpose. It is a proud Equal Opportunity
Employer.

The Alliance for Decision Education was founded in 2014 as the
How I Decide Foundation through the vision and generous support of
two accomplished decision-makers, Annie Duke and Eric Brooks. Both
realized that the skills they were leveraging every day with highly
successful results were rarely taught to K-12 students, creating a
meaningful gap between children’s potential and their reality. They
founded the Alliance to close that gap. Over the next four years,
the organization built effective and engaging Decision Education
programs that reached tens of thousands of teachers and students
and had measurable and positive results. That success ignited a
drive to scale the work of How I Decide to a national level to
benefit millions of students. To achieve this, How I Decide became
the Alliance for Decision Education in 2018, refocusing and
committing to becoming a field builder and catalyst, sparking and
growing support for Decision Education to be implemented in schools
nationwide.

 Toward that end, the Alliance is actively building:

• Public awareness
• Innovative pilot programs
• Standards and frameworks for curricula and pedagogy
• Policy commitments at the state, federal, and local level
• Professional development and support for teachers and
  administrators
• Research and evidence on the efficacy of Decision
  Education
• Partnerships with like-minded leaders and organizations
• An ongoing commitment to identifying, coordinating, and
  amplifying all of those related efforts

To drive this critical work, the Alliance has implemented
significant changes in strategy, staffing, and operations, while
maintaining the same steadfast mission.

Currently, the organization has 37 employees with a plan to grow
to 40-45 employees in 2024. The Alliance had unrestricted revenues
of $6.2M in 2022. In addition, in 2022, they received $10M in
restricted funding for research.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors.

The Executive Director currently manages several department
heads (e.g., Director of Philanthropy, Director of Operations, and
Director of Public Policy) and leads a small team as part of the
Executive Office, which includes a Director of Organizational
Development and an Organizational Project Manager. The Executive
Director will have an opportunity to shape the organizational
structure to meet the growing and changing needs of the
Alliance.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership and Strategy

• General leadership
• Set and execute the vision for the organization, in
  collaboration with the Board.
• Lead the Alliance in a manner that supports and guides the
  organization’s mission as defined by the Board.
• Update and implement a strategic plan to ensure the Alliance
  can successfully fulfill its mission and goals.
• Lead the organization’s efforts to build, catalyze, and promote
  the field of Decision Education and to bring together various
  stakeholders in this movement.
• Serve as the Alliance’s primary spokesperson to the
  organization’s constituents, the media, and the general
  public.
• Staff Leadership
• Lead the staff through organizational growth.
• Guide the leadership team and oversee organizational efforts in
  all departments.
• Further develop and embed a culture of Decision Science among
  the staff.
• Foster a positive and inclusive culture that encourages
  collaboration, innovation, and support.

Board Relations and Governance

• Communicate effectively with the Board of Directors and
  provide, in a timely manner, all information necessary for the
  Board to function properly and to make informed decisions.
• Work collaboratively with the Board in various areas, including
  strategic planning, fundraising, and Board membership.

Financial Management

• Oversee the fiscal integrity of the Alliance, including
  submission to the Board of a proposed annual budget and quarterly
  financial statements.
• Oversee the fiscal management of the Alliance, including
  operating within the approved budget, ensuring maximum resource
  utilization, and maintaining the organization’s positive financial
  position.

Fundraising and Relationship Management

• Cultivate relationships and meet with a variety of external
  partners, including major gift donors, prospects, and other key
  stakeholders.
• Strategize with the Development Department and Board about how
  to diversify funding sources and revenue streams.

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience, Skills, and Knowledge

Note: Candidates do not need to meet all of the
qualifications below to be considered.

• Required
• Previous experience as an Executive Director, CEO or other
  senior leadership position.
• Entrepreneurial mindset and track record of innovation (e.g.,
  leadership experience with start-ups, fast growing organizations,
  and/or multiple and diverse sectors).
• Preferred
• Leadership experience with non-profit organizations.
• Experience in K-12 education and/or ed tech.
• Decision Science Knowledge.
• Prior experience building movements or fields (or other similar
  work raising awareness and aligning, coordinating and amplifying
  the efforts of like-minded organizations and individuals towards a
  common vision or goal).
• Degree and/or work experience in any of the following fields is
  preferred: math, statistics, science, economics, law, or other
  fields involving quantitative thinking or critical reasoning.
• Experience in academic research, public policy, and fundraising
  is preferred.
• Helpful
• Knowledge or experience in cognitive psychology, neuroscience,
  behavioral economics, or similar fields.
• Advanced degree in education.
• Experience with STEM, SEL, or other educational movements.
• Understanding of experience design and/or curriculum
  design/development.
• Experience in related fields to K-12 education, such as higher
  education.

Qualities

• Alliance Ambassador and Stakeholder Manager
• As the face of the organization, the Executive Director
  represents and promotes the Alliance and the field of Decision
  Education in a variety of public contexts, including talks,
  presentations, events, and media opportunities.
• Possesses excellent interpersonal and communication skills to
  allow for easy collaboration with the Board of Directors, Advisory
  Council, and various stakeholders.
• Possesses exceptional abilities to cultivate relationships and
  fundraise.
• Visionary and Passionate Leader
• Understands what it takes to innovate and motivate a team to
  achieve organizational goals and really make a difference.
• Understands how to measure success with a critical eye.
• Passionate about the importance of Decision Education.
• Strategic Organization Builder
• Possesses strategic thinking and creative problem solving
  abilities, which are key in managing the complex growth process of
  the organization and the field.
• Values-Aligned and Emotionally Intelligent Leader
• Displays the Alliance’s three core values:
• Rationality – truth-seeking, curiosity, active open-mindedness,
  and intellectual humility.
• Education – genuine growth mindset and prioritizes learning and
  professional development for the team.
• Humanism – self-awareness, empathetic and empowering leader and
  manager. Passion for working with people with diverse ways of
  thinking and backgrounds and cares deeply for others.
• Driven and conscientious with high integrity and
  accountability.

TO APPLY

Please email the following to Ramin Mohajer, Director of
Organizational Development, at [email protected]: (1)
a resume/CV, and (2) a cover letter describing your relevant
experience and interest in the Alliance.