Executive Director

 

Executive Director, CT Students for a Dream

Job Announcement

January 2024

 

Connecticut Students for a Dream (C4D) is the
only undocumented youth-led statewide organization in Connecticut
that fights and builds power for the rights and dignity of
immigrants and communities of color. We do this by organizing,
empowering, and advocating with undocumented young people and those
impacted by the immigration systems so that together we win lasting
real change for our communities. Whether we’re organizing in the
streets, clearing pathways to education and fighting for education
equity, stopping deportations, running advocacy campaigns to win
legislation, or creating alliances across social movements, C4D
puts immigrants and youth of color at the forefront. We are driven
by the priorities and needs of our members and our
community.  

 

C4D is a fast-paced, collaborative, and dynamic organization
with a solid membership of youth leaders, a strong history of
organizing wins, and committed and passionate staff and board team.
Our grassroots-driven approach has a proven record of
accomplishment and C4D has become a leading voice in social change
in Connecticut.   Since our founding in 2010, C4D has proudly
grown to a staff size of 8 full-time staff people, and we now work
in 4 areas in Connecticut: New Haven, Danbury, Hartford, and New
Britain. For more, see our website: www.ct4adream.org .

 

C4D is fiscally sponsored by United We Dream (UWD), the largest
immigrant youth-led network in the country.  

 

POSITION OVERVIEW

C4D is seeking a dedicated and passionate Executive Director,
committed to building power with and for young people of color
while centering experiences of undocumented youth and their
families. Reporting to the C4D Board of Directors, the Executive
Director will serve as the key management leader for the
organization and work with our staff and board to bring overall
strategic and operational capacity to support C4D’s staff,
programs, and execution of its mission. The Executive Director will
be responsible for these primary areas working with key staff:
vision and organizational development, staff management and
supervision, development and fundraising, financial
oversight,  board coordination, and external partnerships. The
Director supervises and works closely with a team of senior
full-time staff that leads C4D’s internal infrastructure and
community programs: Organizing Manager, Development Manager, and
Operations Manager. The ideal candidate will possess leadership
qualities or the willingness to grow in the areas of staff
management, organizational development, and organizing.  This
is a full-time exempt position with a salary range of
$85,000-$93,000 and a comprehensive benefits package. This position
requires a willingness to travel within Connecticut and
occasionally out of state. 

 

C4D’s outgoing Co-Executive Directors, Camila Bortolleto and
Anghy Idrovo, have powerfully led C4D since March 2020. For more on
the transition, please see our website. During this
transition, C4D is thrilled to have welcomed Rosa Velasquez as our
Interim Executive Director who will take on the role as C4D
searches for our next permanent ED, please
read here for more about Rosa. 

 

RESPONSIBILITIES

 

Strategy, Vision, and Organizational Development:
(20%)

Drive forward C4D’s vision and
mission in collaboration with C4D’s staff, board, and members to
ensure that organizational goals and priorities are met;
Provide visionary leadership and
collaboratively work with C4D’s leadership to build consensus
towards C4D’s strategies to build power of immigrant and youth of
color, win social change for our communities, manage internal
systems, and achieve movement-building objectives;
On a day to day basis, Manage C4D’s
structure including overseeing that our programs run smoothly as
well as working with our fiscal sponsor to manage C4D’s internal
operation  needs;
On an annual basis, Manage the
creation and implementation of C4D’s annual organizational and
departmental goals, as well as implementation of C4D’s strategic
and vision plan alongside the staff team. 
Lead annual Staff Retreat and
Leadership Retreat planning to align organization on vision and
strategies;

 

Staff Management & Supervision: (25%)

Manage overall staff structure,
including chairing full-staff and manager-level staff
meetings;
Supervise 3 full-time staff,
including Operations Manager, Development Manager, and Organizing
Manager, as well any needed consultants; 
Support staff’s creation of quarterly
work plans with the goal to align staff work plans to
organizational and departmental goals 
Provide leadership and oversight in
personnel hiring to add capacity to organization as needed, and if
necessary, termination of personnel; 
Work in collaboration with Operation
Manager and fiscal sponsor’s Human Resources Dept as needed to
carry out key HR functions such as managing hiring processes and
on-boarding,  implementing year end staff evaluations, 
etc;

 

Development & Fundraising: (15%)

In collaboration with Development
Manager, manage C4D’s overall development and fundraising strategy
including grants management, foundation relationships, individual
donors program, and special events; 
Review written grant applications and
reports prepared by Development Manager for submission, and support
writing process as needed
Oversee and cultivate foundation and
institutional funder relationships in partnership with Development
Manager;

 

Financial Oversight: (15%)

Work with C4D’s fiscal sponsor to
manage the financial health of the organization, including managing
overall finances to ensure adequate cash flow and funds; 
Oversee the creation and management
of the organization’s annual budget utilizing best practices
alongside staff and board;  
In collaboration with Operations
Manager, oversee the day to day management of financial matters,
including overseeing financial tracking on accounting database and
approving expense reports;

Create Year-End Finance Report for
staff and board;

 

Board of Directors Coordination: (15%)

Communicate and coordinate with Board
of Directors to ensure success of organization; 
Work with Co-Chairs of the Board in
board planning, monthly Board meeting agendas, and strategy
retreat;
Provide support for Board development
and board recruiting;
Ensure that the Board of Directors
has the information necessary to fulfill its responsibility by
providing regular programmatic and financial reports;
As needed engage appropriate staff to
advise and support the board and its committees; 

 

External Relations, Alliance & Movement-Building:
(10%)

Support staff in maintaining external
relationships with stakeholders, coalition partners and
state/national organizations, and as needed be a C4D representative
at coalition meetings and/or a point of contact for external
partners
Promote C4D’s visibility and mission
through relationship building with key partners to ensure C4D’s
voice contributes to cross-movement building strategy; 
Operate from a perspective that
deeply values and understands the intersectionality in our
immigrant community and that seeks to prioritize justice for BIPOC
communities, LGBTQ communities and those impacted by criminal and
immigrantion systems;
Provide analysis of external
political conditions, opportunities, and threats and adjust
organizational needs accordingly;

 

Ideal Candidate Skills, Experience, and
Attributes

We recognize all qualified candidates will possess a mix of the
ideal qualifications below. Candidates willing to grow and learn in
the role are strongly encouraged to apply. 

 

Must-have Qualifications: 

Collaborative Leadership
Approach: C4D encourages input from staff and members when
making strategic decisions; ability to support collective
leadership among staff and membership;
Staff management and
supervision experience: able to supervise and support
staff to succeed in their role. Previous experience supervising
staff and/or managers as well as experience in developing and
coaching newer staff;
Experience leading a team,
department, project and/or campaign to achieve its
goals;

 

• Lived experience and/or community
  ties, including experience working with or community ties
  with immigrant and people of color communities; 

 

Experience with
community-based organizations with justice-driven values
and/or membership organizations with members;
A demonstrated commitment to
racial, gender, and economic justice, and dismantling
systems of oppression including anti-Black racism; ability to bring
intersectional, anti-oppression lens to C4D’s work;

 

• Excellent written and verbal communication
  skills;

 

 

Preferred Qualifications: 

 

• Experience with nonprofit management,
  including strategic planning, fundraising, budgeting, and board
  development;

 

Prioritize leadership
development: Understands the importance of providing
training and coaching opportunities for staff as well as being
intentional about own personal development. 
Understanding of political
climate and issues facing immigrants and undocumented
young people at city, state (Connecticut), and national
levels; 
An enthusiasm for open
communication and building relationships among staff,
across community groups, and with diverse constituencies across
lines of race, class, age, gender, and politics. 
Supports collective care,
accountability and repair. Prioritize self-accountability,
self-reflection, and communication in their own work and in their
work with other staff and community members;

 

• Ability to work under pressure and
  independently;  

 

Bilingual or
multilingual will be an added asset for any
candidate;
Experience working with young
people;
Sense of humor!

 

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

 

ANNUAL SALARY: $85,000-$93,000 

The position is a full-time exempt salaried position with
benefits. The salary range is $85,000-$93,000 depending on
qualifications and previous experience, in accordance with CT
Students for a Dream’s payscale.  

 

BENEFITS: C4D/UWD offers a comprehensive
benefits package including paid vacation, health insurance,
retirement plans, and life insurance:

Time-off benefits: 
Employees who have completed less
than 3 years of service: 10 Vacation days per year
Employees who have completed at least
3 years of service: 15 Vacation days per year
Annual paid summer organizational
closure for 1 week during July
Annual paid Winter / Holiday closure
for last 2 weeks of December
12 Paid holidays throughout the
year

Medical/Dental/Vision/ life coverage
+ dependents
3% 403(B) employer discretionary
contribution
Sick leave
12 weeks of paid family leave
$100 monthly stipend for cell
service/data and utilities 
$500 Reimbursement for office
supplies working from home annually

 

LOCATION:  CT Students for a Dream
currently works on a hybrid (in person and virtual) schedule for
most staff.  C4D has an office in Bridgeport, CT available for
staff use.  Staff are able to work remotely from home if
desired with a minimum of biweekly in person meetings required in
the Brigeport office.  Although the location for this position
is flexible, a Connecticut location is strongly preferred within
transportation access to Bridgeport, New Haven, Hartford, and/or
Danbury, CT.  

 

COVID: C4D takes the threat of COVID-19
seriously. C4D requires all employees to be fully vaccinated
against COVID-19, though reasonable accommodations will be made in
accordance with applicable law. 

 

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS AND DEADLINE:

 

PRIORITY DEADLINE: February 28,
2024  

 

INSTRUCTIONS: 
Please complete your application here.  The application
process includes submitting your application and answering the
application questions.  We will be reviewing applications on a
rolling basis. 

 

This search is being run by NRG Consulting Group. Please
contact [email protected] with any questions. Know
someone that could be a great fit for this position? Fill out

this form, and we’ll take it from there!

 

CT Students for a Dream (C4)  is fiscally sponsored by
United We Dream (UWD). UWD is an equal opportunity employer; people
of color and individuals from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to
apply. UWD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color,
national origin, ethnic background, citizenship status, religion,
political orientation, genetic information, sexual orientation,
age,  disability, or any other characteristic protected by
law

 

Interested in working with C4D but don’t quite fit the box
we’ve described? We are committed to the development of
undocumented youth, womxn of color, Black immigrants, and
individuals from diverse backgrounds and directly impacted
communities. Contact us and we can work with you on your
development