Vice President, Center for Career Navigation (Apply By: 5pmEST on April 5, 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: In 10 years, 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 look 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 Center  

JFF is excited to launch a new Center for Career Navigation to
mobilize the field around a bold vision for building the bridge
from learning to work for Gen Z. Over the next decade, Gen Z will
enter an evolving workforce with new opportunities and challenges.
So, it is more imperative than ever that they can find, evaluate,
finance, secure, and flourish in opportunities that lead to
high-quality jobs they can trust. We believe in the power of
building connections between learners and workers aged 16 – 24,
training providers, and employers so that Gen Z can navigate
non-degree and degree pathways and work-based learning
opportunities.  

By 2030, this Center will realize our vision to impact more than
20 million Gen Z learners, providing them the tools, access, and
experience needed to confidently navigate various pathways. The
Center aims to mobilize the field in youth career navigation and
launch a digital solution that helps young people across the US
bridge the education-to-career cliff. The Center’s work will focus
on: 

• Engaging JFF’s networks
  across the learn to work ecosystem
• Driving thought
  leadership
• Building and launching
  impactful digital marketing campaigns across key stakeholder
  groups
• Engaging in advocacy
  work with federal and state policy

About the Position  

Reporting to the Chief Solutions Officer, the Vice President
(VP), will build, scale, and lead the Center. As the VP, you will
spearhead JFF’s efforts to improve the quality and accessibility of
equitable career navigation strategies and opportunities to Gen Z
learners. In the first 12-24 months, you will focus on developing
the Center’s concept and plan, launching the Center, helping
establish the team, creating a sustainability plan, and ensuring
successful execution of all workstreams.  

You will lead a small team of changemakers in the Center who are
subject matter experts, responsible for generating ideas and
solutions that drive impact in the field. You will provide thought
partnership and vision-setting for the team to align the Center’s
work with JFF’s theory of action and strategic priorities. This
important work will drive equitable outcomes and address systemic
barriers to equity and opportunity for Gen Z.   

As the Center becomes fully integrated into JFF’s Solutions
Group, your work as the VP will transition to developing and
executing fundraising and business development strategies, securing
resources from corporate, foundation, and government sources to
build and scale programs, as expected of all Center and Practice
leaders across JFF.  

This role is ideal for an innovative and strategic leader who is
energized by and has expertise in the Gen Z career navigation
landscape. As an expert in career navigation, product development,
and leading public, private, and innovation-oriented actors in the
field, you will influence national and state-level strategies,
policies, infrastructure, and funding mechanisms. This is an
exciting opportunity to build a new team and leverage existing
assets across JFF to create solutions to engage Gen Z and the field
at scale. 

What You’ll Do  

Lead bold strategy, vision and thought leadership for the
Center   

• Create, evolve and
  position JFF’s point of view and theory of action for the Center,
  and its work around career navigation, within the broader ecosystem
  of players
• Set and communicate
  strategic goals and priorities for JFF and ensure that key
  initiatives, resources and budgets are aligned to
  them
• Define the Center’s
  research agenda in collaboration with JFF’s Research
  team
• Provide organizational
  and national thought leadership on issues related to domains of
  expertise, including through speaking engagements at high-profile
  events, op-eds, publications, and social media; represent JFF on
  the national stage

Lead vision and execution for career navigation
solutions  

• Lead comprehensive
  market research efforts to identify user needs, preferences, and
  market trends with the Gen Z demographic
• Lead product development
  process from ideation to prototype creation for potential digital
  solutions designed for Gen Z learners
• Utilize design thinking
  methodologies to support development of innovative solutions that
  address challenges and opportunities present in the Gen Z
  market
• Work closely with
  internal and external partners to define and prioritize product
  features based on user feedback and business
  objectives
• Build and monitor key
  performance indicators and analytics to measure the success of the
  prototype and identify areas for further
  optimization
• Communicate effectively
  with stakeholders including senior leadership, key internal and
  external partners, to provide updates on project progress, solicit
  feedback, and gain buy-in for product decisions

Cultivate and build collaborative partnerships with external
partners and across JFF to support the work of the
Center   

• Cultivate and manage
  high-level relationships with external partners, funders and
  clients; with accountability for executing on outcomes and key
  results, achieving annual business development goals for the
  Center, and contributing to shared business development goals for
  the Solutions Group
• Design, build, and
  curate key networks within the sector in accordance with JFF’s
  overall network strategy
• Contribute to strategic
  planning and decision making for the Solutions Group, and for the
  organization, working with colleagues to continuously strengthen
  JFF’s performance and impact
• Lead with equity and
  model inclusive leadership, stewarding a team culture that
  celebrates the diversity of everyone and ensures that each person
  has equal opportunity to thrive at JFF
• Serve on JFF’s
  Executive Leadership Council, JFF’s senior leadership team,
  comprising the Executive Team, all Vice Presidents, and JFFLabs
  Managing Directors

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 the idea 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 are an innovative,
  subject matter expert in the career navigation landscape with a
  track record of success championing and executing innovative
  strategies for learners and workers within the learn to work
  ecosystem (New hires at the Vice President level at JFF typically
  bring 20+ years of prior professional experience through a
  combination of full-time, part-time, internship, and/or freelance
  positions)
• You bring proficiency
  in product management principles, methodologies, and best
  practices, including a deep understanding of ideation, prototyping,
  testing, and iterating stages of development
• You have a strong
  proficiency in conducting market research, which includes
  leveraging competitive analysis, and customer interviews to gather
  insights and inform thought leadership and product
  decisions
• You have leveraged KPIs
  and metrics to measure product success and drive business growth,
  particularly of new product models
• You have proven success
  in sales and fundraising for new and continuing initiatives and are
  comfortable pitching ideas, managing relationships, shaping
  proposals, and getting creative in negotiations
• You are skilled at
  connecting people, projects, and resources in alignment to the
  mission and strategies of your organization, and bring a background
  in working with complex organizations, and establishing processes
  and systems to improve work and deliver services
• You are a curious,
  creative, and growth-oriented leader, eager to learn, adapt, and
  innovate in response to the ever-changing labor economy and
  social-political landscape
• You excel in managing
  senior expert leaders, partnering with cross-functional teams, and
  collaborating with a diverse range of decision-makers; you bring a
  proven ability to motivate, inspire and mobilize staff to produce
  strong outcomes
• You have 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 energized by
  stewarding JFF’s DEIBW values and practices within your day-to-day
  work and you model inclusive leadership, working effectively with
  stakeholders from a diverse range of backgrounds, and building and
  stewarding an organizational culture that embraces diversity,
  equity, and inclusion
• You have a willingness
  to travel (up to 30%) to maintain and develop new client
  relationships and present to diverse audiences and
  stakeholders

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 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 $200,000 – $250,000 annually,
in alignment to JFF’s Vice President 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 outlining how your skills and experience
meet the qualifications of the position. We are accepting
applications through 5pmEST on April
5th.  

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.