Jobs

Want to work for the Dignity in Schools Campaign?

Job Announcement:

Program Director, Dignity in Schools Campaign – Due August 31st

The Dignity in Schools Campaign (DSC) is a national multi-stakeholder coalition of youth, parents, educators and advocates that works to end the school-to-prison pipeline and school pushout. DSC is hiring a Program Director, a new position created to expand the operational capacity of the coalition. The Program Director will work closely with the DSC’s Coordinating Committee, a key 13 member leadership body, to oversee general management of coalition activities, supervise four staff, carry out fundraising and support our campaign strategy.

Because DSC is a coalition, not its own 501c3 organization, DSC is a program anchored by Partners for Dignity & Rights (formerly NESRI), an organization dedicated to building a broad movement for economic and social rights, including health, housing, education and work with dignity. Therefore, all DSC program staff are employees of Partners for Dignity & Rights (PDR). The DSC Program Director will be supervised by the PDR Co-Executive Director (Liz Sullivan-Yuknis) and the DSC Supervision & Governance Committee made up of Coordinating Committee members. Our staff work within a democratic, member-led coalition structure that places affected communities at the center of our decision-making. We value dedication, a collaborative work ethic, and accountability to our grassroots membership bases. 

Responsibilities:

1. Staff Supervision (30%)

1. • Coordinate and supervise the current DSC program staff of four and any consultants, including managing the division of roles and tasks among the team which is located across the country.
   • Facilitate weekly staff meetings and supervisor check-ins with each staff person.
   • Provide staff support for the Supervision & Governance Committee made up of DSC Coordinating Committee member organizations, including supporting the Committee Co-Chair to facilitate and send reminders for monthly calls, coordinating staff evaluation processes, drafting job descriptions and taking notes.
   • Review publications and other major materials produced by staff.

2. Fundraising (30%)

1. • Work with and provide staff support to the Fundraising and Finance Committee made up of DSC Coordinating Committee member organizations, including to develop and carry out a fundraising strategy to support the coalition’s growing target budget of $1.5 million.
   • In collaboration with the Coordinating Committee, engage in relationship building with funders, including grant cultivation, meetings with prospective funders and attending conferences.
   • Draft and finalize fundraising products, including letters of inquiry, grant proposals and reports.
   • Cultivate individual donors and oversee grassroots fundraising plan.
   • Ensure fundraising is in alignment with membership priorities and strategies. This includes identifying and integrating new ideas brought up by members into the plan. 

3. Financial Management (20%)

1. • Manage the budget, income and expenses, including preparing budgets and other financial materials for member decision-making.
   • Work with staff at the anchor organization, Partners for Dignity & Rights, to ensure accurate reporting and budget allocations in Quickbooks.
   • Work with DSC staff to oversee and analyze spending and reporting on expenses for events and activities to be as cost efficient as possible while balancing member needs. 

4. Coordinating Committee Relationship (10%)

1. • Support the Coordinating Committee in making decisions, including overseeing staff preparation of materials for approval by the Coordinating Committee.
   • Support planning processes with the Coordinating Committee, including annual retreats.
   • Be accountable to the Coordinating Committee for carrying out coalition strategies and goals. 
   • Work with the Coordinating Committee Liaisons to facilitate the relationship between the DSC and its anchor organization, Partners for Dignity & Rights.

5. Campaign Strategy (10%)

1. • Oversee campaign strategies and activities developed by members and the Coordinating Committee, such as carrying out policy campaigns, organizing our Annual National Week of Action, and holding our Annual Membership Meeting.
   • Maintain a birdseye view of the campaign and all the moving pieces (for example, when one idea comes up on a committee or call, identify where other discussions need to happen to move the idea into action). 
   • Represent DSC at events, in different coalitions and ally spaces and in conversations with policymakers and the media.
   • Oversee staff and members to ensure the DSC strategic plan is updated and carried out.
   • Help carry out some Field Organizer duties while the position is vacant (we need to raise enough funding in 2020 to rehire for this position).

Experience/Qualifications:

• Experience working with a coalition at a national or regional level.
• Ability to analyze the coalition’s existing structures, policies, operations and systems to assess and make recommendations.
• Lived experience as a person impacted by school pushout preferred.
• 3 to 5 years of demonstrated experience in a supervisory leadership role required.
• Demonstrated editing and writing skills required.
• Strong facilitation skills required, including experience facilitating committee decision-making processes.
• Strategic planning and program evaluation experience preferred.
• Ability to prioritize while moving forward on multiple projects at one time.
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational and very strong interpersonal skills.
• Strong team-building skills to promote cohesion amongst the staff and coordinating committee.
• Willingness to travel often for work.
• Knowledge of federal policy on education and legislative processes preferred.
• Experience in scaling up fundraising and financial management capacity.
• Ability to manage a budget of $1.5 million, with experience in ensuring transparency in the allocation and tracking of finances.
• Experience with conflict resolution/mediation.
• Culturally competent and comfortable working with people of many backgrounds and identities, including experience working with low-income communities, people of color, and LGBTQ communities, and supporting their leadership roles in the work, including in multi-stakeholder coalitions.
• Commitment to social justice movement building, anti-racism, addressing anti-blackness and promoting a human rights framework.
• Bachelor’s or other degree in a related field a plus.

Salary and Benefits: This is a full-time position with a salary of $80,000. This position includes a generous benefits package with fully covered health insurance, needs-based stipends (staff are eligible for medical and commuting reimbursements, dependent or family care stipends and education expense stipends), retirement plan and 20 paid vacation days. 

Location: The Program Director can be based at our New York City offices, or work remotely from anywhere in the continental United States.

Safeguarding Policy: DSC is committed to safeguarding children, youth and other vulnerable populations in our work and we have clear policies and procedures to ensure that individuals who participate in our programs are safe from harm. Therefore, during the interview process we will ask you about your experience working with young people that demonstrates ethical behavior, good judgement and appropriate boundaries, as well as a commitment to following safeguarding policies. We will also ask for professional references that will affirm your experience and commitment to protecting young people from harm.

Application Process: 

We are prioritizing applicants for the DSC Program Director position who come from DSC member organizations, but the process is open for others to apply as well.

Please email a resume, one-page cover letter, a short writing sample, and contact information for three professional references to [email protected] by August 31, 2020