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Happy Birthday to Pillar Search & HR Consulting!

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It is hard to believe that it has been five years since I started Pillar Search & HR Consulting. It has been a labor of love, a source of joy and purpose. My nonprofit and mission-driven clients are awe-inspiring and do amazing work in education, workforce development, the arts, sustainability, women’s rights, economic empowerment, and so much more. I consider myself so fortunate to help them to advance their missions by hiring for their important roles and developing and empowering their teams.

I intentionally chose July 16, 2015 as my founding date because it was the birthday of one of my best friends, Sharon Mulcahy, who had died unexpectedly the year prior. Sharon and I met the day we moved into Regis College as freshman, and were friends for over 25 years. Sharon was an entrepreneur and cofounder of Jackrabbit Design. Watching her grow her business, which included many nonprofit clients, taught me so many wonderful lessons that have helped me in my own entrepreneurial journey. In the past few years, when I face a challenge, I often wonder “what would Sharon do?” and feel her somehow guiding me in the right direction. 

In honor of Pillar’s 5th anniversary and my dear friend who inspired its founding date, I have made a donation to Regis College’s Diverse Educator’s Scholarship, which honors the mission of Regis and its commitment to diversifying the education profession by offering a select group of undergraduate education students the opportunity to attend Regis through merit-based aid. Upon graduating, these students serve underrepresented populations in education.

Thanks to all who have helped me along this journey. Here’s to another exciting five years!

A woman-owned company based in Boston, Pillar Search & HR Consulting provides executive search and human resources consulting expertise to nonprofit and mission-driven organizations, working with senior leaders and boards of directors to hire and develop the very best talent across all functional areas of the organization. For more information, please contact Cindy Joyce at cindy@pillarsearch.com.

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Exciting News from Jewish Vocational Service (JVS) Boston and Pillar Search & HR Consulting

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Jewish Vocational Service (JVS) Boston and Pillar Search & HR Consulting are proud to announce the appointment of Jim Santiago to the role of Chief Information Officer. Jim joins JVS on July 13, 2020.

As CIO, Jim will be a member of the Executive Team, and will establish the mission and vision of JVS’s technology organization to foster a value-added, user-focused mindset. He will implement technology, process, and engagement steps to optimize staff productivity, support consistent cross-program delivery, and foster an information-driven culture.

Jim was selected following an extensive search based on his unique qualifications. He was recognized as the 2012 CIO of the Year – Nonprofit by the Boston Business Journal / Mass High Tech. He brings extensive experience from positions with leading organizations, including The New England Center for Children, State Street Global Advisors, and FLIR Systems.

Notably, while CIO at The New England Center for Children, which is the global leader in providing effective, evidence-based educational services to children with autism, Jim successfully created business opportunities, improved the technology infrastructure, and updated technology to enhance traditional teaching methods and improve business processes.  

In addition to Jim’s impressive professional experience, he has a strong commitment to the JVS mission of empowering individuals from diverse communities to find employment and build careers, while partnering with employers to hire, develop and retain productive workforces.

“We look forward to Jim’s leadership as JVS evolves into an agency with a fully integrated, highly effective tech infrastructure and systems which will optimize staff, client and alumni success,” said Kira Khazatsky, JVS Chief Operating Officer.

About JVS Boston:

For 80 years, JVS has helped tens of thousands of individuals with barriers to economic success secure financial independence through training, education and employment services.  As the largest provider of adult education and workforce development services in the region, JVS is a nationally recognized leader in workforce development, and is a key part of the poverty alleviation strategy for the greater-Boston area.  In order to reach people in need of assistance on their pathway to meaningful employment and financial independence, JVS targets most of its services to low-income individuals who are unemployed or underemployed and to low-wage workers in need of career advancement services.  Many have multiple support needs ranging from limited English proficiency and lack of education to disabilities, criminal records, lack of childcare and transportation.  JVS’s annual operating budget of more than $15 million is derived equally from public and private sources.

About Pillar Search & HR Consulting:

A woman-owned business based in Boston, Pillar Search & HR Consulting provides executive search/recruiting and human resources consulting expertise to nonprofit and mission-driven organizations, working with senior leaders and boards of directors to hire and develop the very best talent across all functional areas of the organization. To learn more, please contact Cindy Joyce at cindy@pillarsearch.com.

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Diversity & Inclusion Certificate

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Last month, I successfully completed the Diversity & Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University‘s eCornell. I learned so much in this program, with courses on improving engagement, identifying interventions to counteract unconscious bias, and strategies for diversity and inclusion in the workplace. My personal favorite was focused on fostering an inclusive environment. I am excited to share these learnings with Pillar Search & HR Consulting‘s clients! 

Hire the best!  Pillar provides search expertise for exceptional nonprofits and mission-driven organizations, working with senior leaders and boards of directors to find the very best talent across all functional areas of the organization. In addition, Pillar provides human resources consulting on an ongoing or project basis. For more information, please contact Pillar’s CEO, Cindy Joyce at cindy@pillarsearch.com.

 

Chief Information Officer nonprofit Boston, JVS Boston jobs, nonprofit executive search firm boston

New Job Opportunity! Chief Information Officer for JVS Boston!

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Executive Search Boston

Pillar Search & HR Consulting is proud to partner with Jewish Vocational Services (JVS Boston) on hiring their new Chief Information Officer.

Organization Overview: 

For 80 years, Jewish Vocational Service (JVS Boston) has helped tens of thousands of individuals with barriers to economic success secure financial independence through training, education and employment services.  As the largest provider of adult education and workforce development services in the region, JVS is a nationally recognized leader in workforce development, and is a key part of the poverty alleviation strategy for the greater-Boston area.  In order to reach people in need of assistance on their pathway to meaningful employment and financial independence, JVS targets most of its services to low-income individuals who are unemployed or underemployed and to low-wage workers in need of career advancement services.  Many have multiple support needs ranging from limited English proficiency and lack of education to disabilities, criminal records, lack of childcare and transportation.  JVS operates on annual budget of more than $15 million, of which is derived equally from public and private sources.

After completing a $6 million Capital Campaign and moving to a new Center for Economic Opportunity in 2015, JVS took on the first-in-the-nation Pay for Success project in workforce development.  In the coming years, JVS will continue to expand its impact, offer the high-quality programs that have shaped its reputation, as well as build innovative new initiatives to move into the next phase of its growth.

 

Position Overview: 

To support its ongoing growth in program development and infrastructure investments, JVS is seeking a highly strategic, forward-thinking, and experienced Chief Information Officer (CIO). Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the CIO will be a member of the executive team. JVS’ strategic plan is focused on growth, including investments in infrastructure. The CIO will be responsible for updating agency hardware, transitioning the agency to a new central software, and defining and centralizing technology spending.

 

Responsibilities:

  • The CIO will establish the mission and vision of JVS’ technology organization to foster a value-added, user-focused mindset.
  • Implement technology, process, and engagement steps in order to optimize staff productivity, support consistent cross-program delivery, and foster an information-driven culture.
  • Implement a single, accessible, fully integrated business operations platform that will power the informed, end-to end, prospect to alumni journey of clients across JVS service segments.
  • Identify IT or technology commonalities across business lines and standardize methods while being mindful of the need for flexibility. These include, but are not limited to, case management, programs, and fundraising.
  • Develop and maintain an appropriate IT organizational structure to ensure appropriate support of the organization’s needs, define and communicate plans, policies and standards for system implementation; ensure continuous delivery of IT services.
  • Assume leadership role in the development and implementation of the JVS disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
  • Ability to recognize and define problems, invent and implement technology solutions, track and evaluate results against goals, and communicate metrics to senior leadership.
  • Manage the annual technology budget.
  • Manage all IT vendors

 

Qualifications:

  • Expert knowledge of information systems principles and best practices.
  • Ability to innovate, develop new strategies, and drive a best-in-class technology organization.
  • Bachelor’s degree required.
  • Deep experience developing and implementing organization-wide information management strategies to support the achievement of strategic business imperatives.
  • Demonstrated ability to think strategically while executing tactically; strong project management and execution skills.
  • Demonstrated ability to become the subject matter expert and trusted technology advisor to senior stakeholders.
  • Exceptional relationship building and interpersonal skills.
  • Strong staff management skills, with the ability to foster inclusiveness, a sense of team accountability, and high performance.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage complex vendor/customer relationships.
  • Flexible and adaptive work style, with the ability to uphold a high degree of personal accountability, as well as exercise solid judgment and proactively address problems as they arise.
  • Understanding and past experience with workforce development issues preferred, willingness to learn essential.
  • Ability to translate complex technical issues into language and concepts that key stakeholders can use to make fully informed decisions.
  • Ability to thrive in a dynamic, mission-driven, and collegial culture, as well as model enthusiasm for an organizational shift to be more goal-oriented, forward-thinking, and innovative.

 

Additional Information: 

JVS is strongly committed to diversity and a workplace environment that respects, appreciates and values employee differences and similarities. By providing and supporting a work culture that fosters and builds upon diversity and its strengths, JVS will better serve our local communities and continue to provide quality services.

JVS is an employment at-will organization and an equal opportunity employer committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital/civil union status, ancestry, place of birth, age, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation, genetic information or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws.  Additionally, JVS prohibits retaliation against an applicant or employee because he or she has engaged in protected activity under the statutes prohibiting discrimination in the workplace.

 

To Apply to the Chief Information Officer Opportunity: 

JVS has partnered with Pillar Search & HR Consulting on the CIO search. Please submit your cover letter and resume to Cindy Joyce at cindy@pillarsearch.com.

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Chief Operating Officer, Grads of Life with Year Up!

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Executive Search Boston

Pillar Search has partnered with Year Up on their search for a Chief Operating Officer, Grads of Life.

OVERVIEW:

The Chief Operating Officer, Grads of Life (Boston, MA) reports directly to the Principal, Grads of Life and will assist in building and leading Grads of Life’s work to help employers build Opportunity Youth talent pipelines.

Grads of Life was incubated by Year Up and is a separate program and team focused on influencing the human capital strategy and processes of large employers.  As a result of the Grads of Life media campaign and public service announcement, which has garnered $90M in donated media support and attracted more than 800,000 visitors to its accompanying website, employers of all sizes and industries are coming to Grads of Life for tools, solutions, and support in tapping into the Opportunity Youth talent pool. This new employer demand represents a critical opportunity to engage business in closing the Opportunity Divide, which separates 6 million young adults from accessing stable, viable careers. Employers want to find their next great talent – and they need the help of Grads of Life to find, grow, and retain Opportunity Youth.

The Chief Operating Officer, Grads of Life (Boston, MA) is part of a three-person executive leadership team of Grads of Life. This position will work to operationalize the strategic vision for Grads of Life.  In order to be successful in this role, you will thrive in a fast-paced environment that requires you to triage myriad new opportunities and lead across multiple large-scale projects at once.  You will have a strong business focus and decision making skills that enable effective allocation of talent and resources to maximize learning through corporate pilots. Given the need to lead across diverse innovation pilots in an emerging market, you’ll also be a veteran leader who can predict and problem solve skill or resource gaps to ensure success.

We understand that people gain skills through a variety of professional, personal, educational, and volunteer experiences. We encourage candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications below. If you believe you have the transferable skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of this role, we encourage you to apply.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Opportunity Optimization

  • Optimize staff and resource allocation to drive success across Grads of Life deploying a clear decision framework for making tough trade-offs
  • In partnership with Grads of Life executive leaders triage new opportunities against investor commitments, system change potential, and available resources
  • In partnership with Grads of Life executive leaders, cultivate strategic vision for scalable and sustainable business practices for Grads of Life and/or other market players thus driving systems change
  • Refine Grads of Life business model based on market learning and pilot experiences
  • Optimize marketing and communication activity as an effective tool for systems change and business development
  • Assess opportunities for potential skill or resource gaps that could impede success and then problem solve to fill gaps
  • Keep abreast of market innovations and other players to inform system change thinking, marketing strategy, product direction, and potential collaboration and partnership opportunities

Performance Management

  • Work closely with Grads of Life team to ensure all ongoing activities are moving forward in alignment with strategic direction
  • Lead team to deliver against Grads of Life investor milestones and internal annual goals, deploy lead and lag indicators of progress to avert surprises
  • In consultation with pilot leaders, create corrective plans for pilots that are off track
  • Manage internal burn rate of capital and steward financial and human resources to maximize number of quality pilot opportunities
  • Oversee building, or modifying of existing, administrative systems and processes to enable efficient workflow and management across Grads of Life
  • Oversee performance reporting to key investors, Year Up corporate, and other key stakeholders
  • Work closely with team to manage and monitor external evaluation process

Talent & Culture

  • Foster a culture that attracts extraordinary talent and create team practices for coaching and developing talent in partnership with Grads of Life executive leaders
  • Create supportive processes and structures that scaffold a performance culture
  • Optimize staff roles and responsibilities and align activity against Grads of Life annual goals for all staff
  • Model an approachable and supportive management style that elicits full potential from staff
  • Solidify and promote a unique Grads of Life culture inside of Year Up that is defined by nimbleness, innovation and entrepreneurism in partnership with Grads of Life executive leaders

Influence Team Member

  • Participate as an Influence team member by engaging in team meetings and helping to onboard new staff

QUALIFICATIONS:

Business Focus & Strategic Thinking

  • Knowledgeable about financial issues and responsibilities and exposure to a range of business models
  • Start-up or innovation experience with a focus on delivering the best outcomes creatively using the resources available
  • Ability to proactively seek more efficient ways of doing business while balancing investments in systems or processes with current and potential future scale of work
  • A clear focus on the activities and projects that bring the best return on advancing system change in this emerging market
  • Predisposition to take a long term view and entertain a wide range of possibilities in developing a vision for the future

Leadership skills & Decision Making

  • Ability to inspire a strong desire to succeed across team members and lead others to successful goal/milestone accomplishment
  • Strong and calm presence and can provide the team with a clear sense of direction, especially in times of high stakes activity
  • Experience and comfort with making quick and sound decisions based on consideration of the (sometimes incomplete) data and alternatives available
  • Ability to predict future skill or resource gaps which could impede success for a pilot or Grads of Life and proactive address gaps
  • Commitment to promoting diversity of thought and experience on the team and in how members interact to achieve the best outcomes for Grads of Life
  • Belief in the power of diversity and excitement for working in a diverse culture and on diverse teams

Coaching & Developing Others:

  • Experience with improving other’s skills and talents by providing directly and creating culture and systems to encourage constructive feedback , coaching and training opportunities
  • Understanding of how to empower others by investing them with the authority and latitude to accomplish tasks effectively
  • Self-awareness of strengths and weakness and how that impacts decision making, comfort with proactively seeking additional experience or skills to guide work

Mission / Cultural Fit:

  • Passion for systems change activities (i.e. campaign organizing, advocacy and coalition building, media, and public relations)
  • A passion for working with urban young adults, an unshakable belief in their potential and a strong commitment to the mission of Year Up
  • Understanding of the Opportunity Divide and its drivers
  • Commitment to diversity and inclusion

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

  • Salary: Competitive and commensurate with education and experience
  • Benefits: Competitive package including 100% healthcare coverage, dental, and 401(k) match
  • Vacation: Three weeks paid vacation in first year of employment; four weeks after initial year
  • Professional development: Funds available to support staff in achieving career objectives

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION:

Year Up is an award-winning national 501(c)3 organization striving to close the Opportunity Divide by providing young adults ages 18-24 with the skills, experience, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education. Through a one-year intensive program, Year Up utilizes a high support, high expectations model that combines hands-on technical and professional skills, educational stipends, college-level coursework, and corporate internships at more than 250 top companies.

Year Up currently serves young adults in Arizona, Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, the National Capital Region, New York City, Philadelphia, Providence, Puget Sound, San Francisco Bay Area, South Florida, and Wilmington and will serve more than 3,000 students in 2017 nationwide.

Voted one of the Best Nonprofits to Work For in the country by The Non-Profit Times for six consecutive years, Year Up is a rewarding place to work. Their staff is passionate, supportive, mission-driven, and live by a set of core values that reflect an unshakable belief in the talent and full potential of young people.

Year Up participates in E-Verify.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY:

Year Up actively engages individuals from all backgrounds. They are committed to embracing diversity within their organization because they firmly believe that diverse employee teams help to achieve the best organizational outcomes and provide the most effective support to young adults as they work to close the Opportunity Divide. They are deeply dedicated to creating and maintaining an inclusive and supportive work environment. Learn more about their commitment to diversity:http://www.yearup.org/about-us/careers/commitment-to-diversity/

As an equal opportunity employer, Year Up is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, parental status, genetic information or characteristics, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

TO APPLY:

Please submit a thoughtful cover letter and resume to Cindy Joyce, Pillar’s Founder & CEO, to cindy@pillarsearch.com.  Note that, per the client’s request, submissions without a cover letter will not be considered.

 

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Major Gifts Officer Pro Bono Posting for Celebrity Series of Boston

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The Celebrity Series of Boston is the region’s leading presenter of the world’s finest music, dance, and family entertainment. Over its 78 year history, the Series has introduced Boston audiences to some of the greatest performing artists of our time, including Sergei Rachmaninoff, Martha Graham and Company, Marian Anderson, the Bolshoi Ballet, Dizzy Gillespie, Luciano Pavarotti, Yo-Yo Ma and Itzh…ak Perlman. Today, the Series pursues the following mission: to present world-class performing artists who inspire and enrich our community. We believe in the power of excellence and innovation in the performing arts to enrich life experience, transform lives, and build better communities. We envision a community of Greater Boston where the performing arts are a valued, lifelong, shared experience – on stages, in schools, in homes – everywhere.

The Major Gift Officer reports to the Director of Development and is responsible for, but not limited to the following functions:

  • Identifying, cultivating and soliciting major gifts
  • Develop and manage a major gift prospect portfolio with a goal of carrying 75 major gifts prospects in an active solicitation cycle
  • Oversee all aspects of the major gift prospects relationship and timely movement through the solicitation cycle in coordination with other team members as appropriate
  • Monitor all prospect contacts to ensure positive and purposeful communications
  • Lead and/or attend donor cultivation and solicitation meetings
  • Plan and execute campaign cultivation events
  • Work collaboratively and strategically with Celebrity Series staff and Board members
  • Participate in and contribute substantively to organizational strategy and planning sessions
  • Maintain donor records and timely reporting in the database
Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 5 years of related development experience
  • Proven record of success in fundraising, particularly in major gift solicitation
  • Highly organized, self-motivated with strong written and verbal skills
  • Ability to work on multiple fronts and meet frequent deadlines
  • Creative and strategic thinker with an ability to manage and present relevant financial information
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint)
  • Proficiency with Tessitura software is a plus
  • Some night and weekend work is required

To apply:
Please send a resume and a cover letter outlining your interest in this position to Celebrity Series of Boston, Inc., 20 Park Plaza, Suite 1032, Boston, MA 02116 or by email to csobdevelopment@gmail.com.