Manager, Fair Chance Initiatives (Apply by: Wednesday, June 5th) at Jobs For the Future in Washington, Washington DC

Job Description:

Jobs For the Future

Jobs for the Future is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to diversity in its workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status. Jobs for the Future requests priority referrals of Protected Veterans for this job opening, and all other externally posted company employment opportunities.

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: By 2033, 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 whats possible.

Were on a path of ongoing growth and expanding impact. We have an operating budget of $105 million, and were funded by dozens of leading government agencies, foundations, and corporations. Learn more about JFF and join us as we build a future that worksfor everyone.

DEIBW at JFF

Diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and well-being (DEIBW) are core to JFFs 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 seek 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 Position

This Manager role will report to a Director on a FIT Cluster within our Field Implementation Team (FIT). The Manager will initially work to support projects alongside JFFs Center for Justice & Economic Advancement (CJEA). CJEA partners with employers, education and training providers, corrections agencies, and others to promote education, training, and fair chance hiring for people in corrections facilities and in communities. The Center promotes economic mobility for people with records of arrest, conviction, and incarceration through a multipronged strategy to:

• expand talent development opportunities;
• equip employers to implement fair chance hiring practices;
• establish state and federal policies that normalize opportunity; and
• create and curate research

This role will offer the chance to collaborate on a new initiative, Fair Chance to Advance, where JFF will bring CJEAs three impact areas Talent Development, Employer Change, and Policy & Systems Change together in a place to help stakeholders in a set of states to build strong fair chance ecosystems. The Manager will coordinate and manage projects that support the implementation of this comprehensive strategy in the identified states. The Manager will work closely with a diverse set of systems stakeholders (i.e., education, workforce, and corrections, employers, policy makers, and experts across these sectors who are directly impacted by these issues). While this role will initially provide support to scale Fair Chance to Advance and other initiatives under CJEA, over time, this Manager could be deployed across projects sponsored by different Practices and Centers at JFF; this would be based on JFF's evolving needs and your skill sets and interests.

This is a great role for a strong project manager who is interested in deepening experience and subject matter expertise in fair chance hiring, postsecondary education in prison, and equitable pathways to economic mobility. Plus, youll have the chance to learn from thought leaders in this field, all while working on a project team with passionate, collaborative, and mission-driven colleagues.

What You'll Do

Guide projects to success through effective project management:

• Provide project support for the initiative, including scheduling meetings, crafting and distributing meeting agendas, and developing meeting materials (i.e., summaries, notes and minutes, and next step documents)
• Partner with project leaders to establish project plans, including tasks, timeline for deliverables, and KPIs; support processes to monitor project plans and external partners; and evaluate project plans, tasks, resources, deadlines, and any post-project needs
• Conduct primary and secondary research to identify and analyze best practices and learnings from the broader fieldto support the initiative implementation
• Coordinate with internal business partners on fiscal, project management, communications, and development support
• Coordinate planning and facilitating virtual and in-person meetings, workshops and events across the project teamof internal JFF partners as well as for external partners and stakeholders

Coordinate effective partnership through network management and stakeholder engagement:

• Support planning and design of processes and tools to identify critical stakeholders in the states, develop landscapes of potential partners, and map existing partnerships to support collaboration and networks within and across states
• Build and maintain effective relationships across CJEA and the initiative team and with internal and external project and Center partners to facilitate ongoing collaboration between network members in the states participating in the initiative
• Ensure timely and responsive follow-up with partners and stakeholders, coordinating with and drawing in appropriate staff as necessary, to ensure the initiative meets objectives

Contribute to knowledge management and information sharing across teams:

• Maintain accurate and timely information in Salesforce (CRM) of all stakeholders and stakeholder engagements so CJEA and project team understand and can track partner engagement across networks participating in the initiative and across the field
• Capture and share information on identified needs and strategies implementedthroughout project lifecycles
• Documentengagements, services, challenges and results, to support ongoing strategies and drive continuous improvement
• Prepare project related correspondence including memos,reports, and presentations;document and summarize key points addressed at conferences, events and meetingsto support information sharing

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 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 bring experience supporting or managing programs/projects, preferably within the corrections, reentry, education, workforce, economic development, and/or other social impact setting, with a demonstrated understanding of the systems that people with records must interact with to navigate career and economic mobility (New hires at the Manager level at JFF typically bring 3-5 years of prior professional experience through a combination of full-time, part-time, internship, and/or freelance positions)
• You have exposure to or bring experience working with stakeholders with a shared agenda/initiative (i.e., employers, community-based organizations, advocacy organizations) and of federal and state policy issues related to economic mobility for people with records
• You have exposure to conducting, managing, or participating in research projects related to post-secondary education opportunities for people with records, corrections education, and understanding the needs, experiences, barriers, and strategies for overcoming barriers, of people with records, especially recognizing the heterogeneity within the population, including young people and women
• You are eager to take advantage of professional development and other learning opportunities to grow your subject matter expertise
• You have experience developing effective relationships with your colleagues and external stakeholders in order to collaborate successfully on projects, including people whose identities and backgrounds differ from your own
• You bring experience using project management tools and CRM software, ideally such as Asana and Salesforce
• You have experience organizing bodies of work for your team to support your organizations strategic goals and priorities
• You seek out opportunities to find new ways of doing things, make meaningful contributions, and support your team and organizations mission

• You know how to use your good judgment, clear analytical thinking, and strong decision-making skills to independently manage your day-to-day work
• You possess strong interpersonal, active listening, and communication skills to support others in a way that promotes psychological safety
• You set ambitious and achievable goals and manage your time effectively to consistently deliver high-quality outputs and fulfill commitments that align with an initiative or projects strategic goals and outcomes
• You demonstrate awareness of your performance, impact, and of those around you with respect to the cultural context of your organization
• You are an active listener who communicates clearly, openly, honestly, and respectfully.
• You take ownership of your projects by keeping yourself and others focused and accountable to the work, deadlines, and intended outcomes
• You possess high energy and passion for JFFs mission and North Star, and the ability to apply JFFs core values to all areas of your work
• You are energized by stewarding JFFs DEIBW values and practices within your day-to-day work, including embracing the differences and celebrating the diversity that each individual brings to JFF
• You value building positive and collaborative relationships with others, including people whose identities and backgrounds differ from your own

What We Offer

At JFF, were 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 in order 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 $68,000 - $85,000 annually, in alignment to JFFs Manager salary band and our compensation philosophy. Starting salaries for new hires will be determined based on a combination of the new hires relevant experience and market demands.

To Apply

As part of your application, please include your resume and a thoughtful cover letter, addressed to Jenna Dreier, Director, Field Implementation Team, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position.

We are accepting applications through June 5, 2024 at 5:00 pm ET. Applications submitted by that date will be reviewed and candidates will receive updates on their candidacy by the week of June 17, 2024.

At JFF, were 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.

PI240937523

Salary:

$68,000.00

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