Search Success! Ashley J. Oguadimma, M.Ed. Joins JVS Boston as Vice President of Academic Services

JVS Boston and Pillar Search & HR Consulting are proud to announce the appointment of Ashley J. Oguadimma, M.Ed. to the role of Vice President, Academic Services. Ashley joins JVS on March 1, 2021.

As Vice President of Academic Services, Ashley will be a member of the Leadership Team and will lead a team that provides JVS clients with academic pathways and services necessary for economic independence. This crucial work includes a high school diploma program through JVS’ partner, Boston Public Schools Central Adult High School, and multiple Bridges to College pathways that provide students with the knowledge, academic skills, and guidance they need to succeed in college and on the job.

Most recently, Ashley was the Academic Director at Year Up, where she provided vision and leadership for the Academic team, working closely with national and local program and academic staff to shape and implement national academic program goals. Ashley collaborated with higher education providers to help establish Year Up as a dynamic educational partner while also ensuring quality staffing, curriculum, professional development, and student assessment data. Prior roles included teaching at Codman Academy Charter Public Schools and Dean of Students at Conservatory Lab Charter School.

Ashley has a master’s degree in education from Boston College focused on education through an urban and special education lens and a bachelor’s degree from Spelman College.

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 operates on annual budget of more than $15 million, of which is derived equally from public and private sources. For more information, please visit www.jvs-boston.org.

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. For more information, please visit www.pillarsearch.com.

New Search: Vice President of Academic Services at JVS

JVS has partnered with Pillar Search & HR Consulting on the Vice President of Academic Services search. Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their resume to Cindy Joyce at cindy@pillarsearch.com. This is an ideal role for a seasoned educational leader with experience in nontraditional/alternative education.

ABOUT JVS: JVS is a non-profit, non-sectarian agency. Our mission is to empower individuals from diverse communities to find employment and build careers; and to partner with employers to hire, develop, and retain productive workforces.

JVS provides a broad range of workforce development services including adult education, skills training, job readiness training, job placement, and support, and access to post-secondary education. JVS assists employers in their search for well-qualified job applicants and their initiatives to upgrade the skills of their incumbent workforce. JVS’s unique education and career pathway model has been widely recognized by funders, policy makers, and practitioners in Massachusetts and nationally.

POSITION SUMMARY: Under the leadership of the Chief Operating Officer, the Vice President of Academic Services is charged with developing and leading agency Academic services based on identified needs of clients, employers, funders, and other stakeholders.

The Vice President of Academic Services is responsible for the following key initiatives:

  • Adult Diploma Pathway, which helps participants earn a free high school diploma from Boston Central Adult High School in 18 months to three years
  • Bridges to College and Career, a program that builds participants’ academic skills, apply for college, and kickstart their career after graduation

In collaboration with agency senior leadership, the Vice President sets the vision, goals, and performance expectations of Academic Services programs, teams, and staff. The Vice President is responsible for the fiscal health of Academic Services programs, program budgets, and budget modifications, as well as annual revenue and expenditure projections and assisting with development efforts to support academic services.

The Vice President is part of a larger JVS team, all of whom are supporting the education, training, and employment needs of clients and employers. The Vice President serves as an active member of senior leadership team, thereby equitably contributing to agency performance goals and working to support the overall mission and philosophy of JVS and its programs.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: 

Agency Leadership

  • Execute agency strategic plan for Academic Services
  • Develop long-range plans and strategies to ensure the agency’s continued success in fulfilling its mission and achieving short- and long-term goals for Academic Services
  • Ensure all contract requirements are met
  • Generate strategy and solutions in response to unforeseen and planned changes, setbacks, and challenges
  • Expand scope and impact of program services, and develop new services based on partner organizations’ and client feedback
  • Ensure JVS Academic Services are accessible, customer-centered, and providing options
  • Communicate and provide program updates, reports, and metrics
  • Increase internal and external visibility of Academic Services programs
  • Hire, train, supervise, develop, and set performance expectations for Academic Services leadership team
  • Provide oversight and leadership of Academic Services
  • Set an example and inspire staff, colleagues, and other members of leadership to excel in their roles
  • Provide management support to other areas when needed

Build Relationships, Collaboration, and Teamwork

  • Ensure programmatic alignment across JVS programs
  • Manage agency level external relationships relevant to Academic Services (BPS, DESE, colleges. philanthropy, state, federal)
  • Support and promote the mission and philosophy of JVS both internally and outside the agency
  • Establish relationships with key stakeholders (clients/students, employers, partner organizations, funders) and work collaboratively in a structured and on-going manner
  • Work collaboratively with and encourage collaboration between JVS departments and divisions to ensure agency performance goals are met
  • Represent JVS at stakeholder and other professional events
  • Collaborate with Development staff on grant proposal activities
  • Engage with the JVS Board of Directors including regular Board meetings, sub-committee(s) and Board member requests
  • Provide leadership and support to all JVS departments when needed

Administration/Communication

  • Manage and oversee full, timely contract implementation including staffing, systems design, and development
  • Ensure JVS programs operate in compliance with applicable local, state, and federal statutes, regulations, policies, and procedures
  • Manage budget of nearly $3 million. Monitor and control budgetary expenses and revenue performance.
  • Manage contract reporting, ensuring that reports are accurate and submitted in a timely fashion
  • Oversee grant application and management. Partner with Chief Development Officer to identify and cultivate funders to ensure current and future philanthropic support for Academic Services programs.
  • Oversee customer satisfaction surveying and evaluation system; serve as a liaison with clients, including hearing and resolving complaints or grievances
  • Analyze and report program progress, successes, and challenges to JVS leadership, funders, evaluators, and other stakeholders
  • Implement agency contracts including oversight, reporting and invoicing
  • Prepare and monitor program work plans, in support of JVS and contractual obligations
  • Perform other duties as requested

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

  • Seven years of program management and supervisory experience, with extensive experience in nontraditional/alternative education
  • Proven program development
  • Experience leading and managing high-performing teams
  • Proven financial management skills
  • Knowledge of DESE ACLS contracting preferred
  • Presentation and facilitation skills
  • Experience in grant and proposal writing and grant management
  • Experience in preparation of budgets, forecasting expenses
  • Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite
  • Interpersonal, communication and organizational skills
  • Ability to work as part of a team
  • Demonstrated ability to work independently
  • Negotiation skills

EDUCATION REQUIRED:

  • BA/BS or equivalent

KEY COMPETENCIES: 

  • Promotes agency
  • Initiative
  • Building relationships, collaboration and teamwork
  • Adapts to change
  • Accountability and results-focued
  • Communication Skills
  • Cultural competency and respect
  • Planning/organizing

JOB COMPETENCIES: 

  • Leadership across departments and services
  • Setting and communicating strategy and vision
  • Strategic program planning
  • Oversight of multiple departments
  • Managing department budgets
  • Grant writing
  • Grant management
  • Quality improvement

WORKING CONDITIONS:

  • Regular local travel, evening hours and some weekend availability required
  • Please note that, due to COVID, this position will be remote until further notice

JVS CULTURE:

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.

APPLICATION:

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

People with disabilities, people of color, women, veterans, Hispanic/Latino/Latina and LGBTQ candidates are encouraged to apply.

AA/ EOE

About Pillar Search & HR Consulting:

A woman-owned business founded in Boston in 2015, 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.

New Search Announcement: Program Director, Cooperative Elder Services (Arlington, MA and Burlington, MA)

Pillar Search and HR Consulting is honored to partner with Cooperative Elder Services, Inc. (CESI) on their search for their next Program Director. This role is split between the CESI locations in Arlington, MA and Burlington, MA.

Mission Statement:

The mission of Cooperative Elder Services, Inc. (CESI) is to empower seniors and adults with medical or cognitive challenges to age-in-place by serving their health and socialization needs and providing support for families.

About Cooperative Elder Services, Inc.: CESI takes a holistic approach to supporting the health of seniors and adults with medical or cognitive challenges. At each of our four adult day health centers, CESI staff works toward a common goal: to empower participants to age-in-place by serving their health and socialization needs and providing support for families. Founded in 1978, CESI currently operates private, nonprofit adult day health programs in Arlington, Burlington, Concord, and Groton. We serve 500 caregivers and seniors and adults with medical or cognitive challenges, who reside in more than 50 cities and towns in the greater Boston area. CESI participants make 42,000 daily visits to CESI’s centers each year.

CESI provides participants with an environment that supports their whole health; one in which they can:

  • Socialize with peers,
  • Participate in meaningful activities,
  • Exercise their minds and bodies,
  • Learn to manage their chronic diseases, and
  • Maintain compliance with physician’s orders.

CESI programming provides participants’ family caregivers with the services and support they need to care for their families; physical, emotional, and financial wellbeing.

CESI’s adult day health centers are staffed by licensed nurses, geriatric care and Alzheimer’s specialists, service coordinators, and program aides, with regular consultation by an Occupational Therapist and Registered Dietician.

Learn more at http://www.elderdayservices.org.

Job Overview:

The Program Director is responsible for oversight of program operations; providing leadership to and management of all staff in assigned sites to ensure that services required by participants are provided and documented as regulated. This includes Program Coordinators, Program Aides, Services Coordinators, and Nurses. The Program Director is also responsible for agency-wide initiatives and projects, including quality assurance and process improvement.

Essential functions of the position:

  • Responsible for oversight and management of all program operations in the Arlington and Burlington sites, including implementing CESI policies and procedures; ensuring compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements.
  • Leadership and management of staff, including hiring, training, and performance evaluations.
  • Ensure coverage levels and performance excellence through recruiting of new staff for both sites.
  • Oversight of program safety and emergency evacuation plans.
  • Adherence to monthly/annual operating budgets, including preparation and monitoring of monthly income statements and program expenditures. Work with staff to respond to revenue deficits and over-expenditures.
  • Responsible for growing attendance and revenue by increasing community/brand awareness and maximizing programming, in order to reach/exceed census benchmarks; review monthly census data by site.
  • Develop and maintain working relationships with existing, past and potential funders.
  • Develop and maintain working relationships with monitoring agencies, other community agencies, and vendors.
  • Responsible for leading agency-wide initiatives and projects, responding to changes within the healthcare industry while also driving targeted efforts related to strategic business partnerships, and keeping abreast of inventive service models and innovative research.
  • Represent the agency at outreach, education, marketing, and community events.
  • Collaborate with administration to access grants and scholarships.
  • Oversight of regulated documentation; key participant in the Quality Assessment and Process Improvement (QAPI) program.
  • Ensure that the multi-disciplinary teams, led by the program directors, are developing care plan objectives for each participant.
  • Other duties as assigned by Director of Services, Executive Director, or their designee.

Equipment:

  • Ensure proper use of medical and participant care equipment to meet the needs of Adult Day Health Center’s participants.

Working Conditions:

  • Extensive participant contact.
  • Possible exposure to infection, blood and blood borne pathogens.
  • May work with hazardous/infectious waste.

Physical Requirements:

( ) Sedentary Work – Lifting 10 lbs. maximum and occasionally lifting and/or carrying such articles as dockets, ledgers and small tools.

( ) Light Work – Lifting 20 lbs. maximum with frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects weighing up to 10 lbs.

(X) Medium Work – Lifting 50 lbs. maximum with frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects weighing up to 25 lbs.

( ) Heavy Work – Lifting 100 lbs. maximum with frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects weighing up to 50 lbs.

( ) Very Heavy Work – Lifting objects in excess of 100 lbs. with frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects weighing 50 lbs. or more.

Qualifications & Skills:

  • Bachelor’s degree in human services or a related field required, Master’s degree strongly preferred, LICSW ideal
  • Minimum 10 years’ experience in a senior management/leadership role
  • Proven experience leading and managing teams, including a strong track record of identifying, hiring and training strong performers
  • Experience growing a program or organization
  • Experience working with seniors strongly preferred
  • Project management experience preferred
  • Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation required
  • Computer proficiency required

Personal Characteristics:

  • Ability to lead as a change agent
  • Comfortable pitching in as needed directly with program participants
  • Proven ability to work autonomously
  • Ability to work collaboratively as a member of multidisciplinary and cross-functional teams.
  • Demonstrated ability to work effectively and collaboratively with a culturally diverse population of clients, other care providers, family and community members.
  • Able to meet and manage to specific benchmarks around fiscal health, program quality measures, and service levels
  • Ability to function under pressure in a fast-paced human service environment.
  • Ability to negotiate and resolve differences.
  • Ability to be flexible, open and responsive to ongoing industry changes.
  • Effective communicator who can articulate and clearly communicate CESI’s mission and strategic direction in a consistent and enthusiastic manner to departmental staff.
  • Ability to identify opportunities and obstacles, and develop effective, creative solutions to pursue opportunities.
  • Results-oriented.

Cooperative Elder Services has partnered with Pillar Search on the hiring of our new Program Director. Please submit your resume and cover letter (required) to Cindy Joyce at cindy@pillarsearch.com. No calls please. Our apologies in advance, but due to the high volume of resumes received we will only respond to those candidates selected for an interview.

CESI and Pillar Search & HR Consulting believe that diversity in all dimensions of the organization supports and bolsters the innovative thinking essential to its success. CESI and Pillar Search & HR Consulting do not make hiring decisions on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, age, disability, religion, political affiliation, or ideology.

About Pillar Search & HR Consulting:

A woman-owned business founded in Boston in 2015, 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.