Executive Director

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 immigration 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 Bridgeport 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.