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Chief Operating Officer, Grads of Life with Year Up!

April 17, 2018 No Comments

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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New Search Announcement! Sales Director, West Coast for Year Up!

May 31, 2017 No Comments

Pillar Search is pleased to have been selected by Year Up to manage their search for the Sales Director, Western Region. For more information on this excited opportunity, or for immediate consideration, please contact Pillar Search’s Founder, Cindy Joyce, at cjoyce@pillarsearch.com.

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION:

Year Up is an award-winning national 501(c)3 organization striving to close the Opportunity Divide by providing urban young adults 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 training program, Year Up provides urban young adults ages 18-24 with a unique combination of hands-on technical and professional skills, college credit, and corporate internships.

Year Up is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Voted one of the Best NonProfits to Work For in the country by the NonProfit Times, Year Up is a rewarding place to work. The Year Up staff is passionate, supportive, mission-driven, and committed to positive change and continuous learning. Year Up sets high standards for both themselves and their students, and live by a set of core values that reflect an unshakable belief in the talent and full potential of young people. The work they do is life-changing, and Year Up knows that their team is the greatest asset in achieving their mission.

Please visit http://www.yearup.org to learn more about Year Up.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

Year Up seeks an experienced and dynamic Sales Director, Western Region to lead its Corporate Engagement and Internships initiatives for several national accounts. Reporting to the National Director of Corporate Engagement, this individual will lead the effort to expand and broaden our relationships and internship placements in select accounts on a national basis. The Sales Director, Western Region will work with major Fortune 500 corporations in need of entry-level talent to provide trained, high-potential urban young adults with high-quality internships, and will ensure a program of support and professional development for these young adults on their internships. The ideal candidate should desire to leverage his or her demonstrated experience in sales, strategy, and for-profit management practices within our mission-driven social enterprise.

To be successful in this role, you will develop and implement a strategic internship sales plan to achieve revenue targets, manage client accounts and relationships, and design robust engagement strategies. You should have the ability to adjust strategies and priorities in response to organizational growth and needs, as well as the demands of the evolving market. In addition, as an ideal candidate you’ll be able to remain flexible within your work, and seek out areas for collaboration across the organization.

In keeping with Year Up’s values, the Sales Director, Western Region will also have the opportunity to interact with colleagues and students regularly to help create and sustain a positive educational environment.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Leadership and Direction Setting

Provide strategic direction in response to market and scaling needs
Design plans, set milestones, and oversee implementation and follow through of team projects
Leverage influence skills to work effectively within the team and across departments to obtain input, move groups to consensus, and build buy-in
Collaborate with colleagues at the National and Site levels, as well as across the Year Up network

Revenue Generation

Develop and implement annual business goals; analyze trends and outcomes against revenue goals
Drive new business acquisition plans in response to market trends and relevancy to Year Up
Lead internship sales forecasting activities for existing and prospective accounts
Review and deliver effective proposals that feature Year Up’s innovative model and past successes for solving corporate entry-level talent needs
Regularly prepare reports showing internship volume, potential internship sales, and areas of proposed expansion
Utilize Salesforce.com to maintain accurate records of all sales and prospecting activities including sales calls, presentations, closed sales, and follow-up activities

Internship Program Management

Sustain a strong internship program that meets the business needs of corporate partners and affords Year Up interns the opportunity to apply their learning in a supportive, professional environment
Promote internship retention strategies that result in increased completion and satisfaction levels for both partners and young adults
Drive cross-functionality with dexterity and flexibility in support of the internship program
Ensure knowledge transfer and management over internship program for data capture and quality assurance, including internship readiness assessments, matching processes, on-boarding, announcements, etc.
Set benchmarks for increased internship to hire rates across network of corporate partners

Relationship Management

Design and implement effective strategies for driving engagement with your assigned accounts

Set and meet targets for increasing corporate partner status from partner to advocate and advocate to champion  Lead the team to effectively manage all aspects of corporate relationships, interfacing with partners, students, and staff members as needed

Establish and maintain relationships with industry influencers and key strategic partners

Engage with C-level executives and decision makers in a variety of formal and informal settings

Serve as a lead on high-level and/or critically sensitive corporate engagement situations that arise

Community Member

Demonstrate genuine commitment to the mission, vision, values and culture of Year Up
Ensure collaboration across departments
Work closely with Program, Academic, and Career and Alumni Success leadership to ensure that student learning and development strategically aligns to corporate partners needs

QUALIFICATIONS:

At least 7+ years professional experience in strategic account management and/or sales to enterprise level accounts (e.g. sales, client service, development)
Consultative sales approach and background in technology or technology enabled solutions preferred 
Demonstrated ability to generate leads, close business, and manage annual sales targets of $5M+
Proven ability to influence, develop, manage, support and empower employees to achieve objectives within a team
Documented strengths in meaningful relationship building, management and growth to scale
Demonstrated ability to set direction and manage complex teams, projects, and processes
Strong organizational and time management skills with exceptional attention to detail
A professional and resourceful style with the ability to work independently and as a team player, to take initiative, and to manage multiple tasks and projects at a time
Ability to collaborate across teams, facilitate difficult conversations, and resolve issues
Ability to lead, willingness to be led, and comfort with situational leadership
Consummate networking skills with an ability to move comfortably and credibly in the community
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and development databases; Salesforce.com experience preferred
A commitment to diversity and inclusion
A willingness to travel at least 50% of the time, as needed
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

TO APPLY:

Please submit a thoughtful cover letter and resume to Cindy Joyce at cindy@pillarsearch.com. Note that applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

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Executive Search Success! Pillar Search for Year Up in the Bay Area!

June 16, 2016 No Comments

Pillar Search is proud to have successfully partnered with Year Up on the search for their new Associate Director of Business Development and to announce the placement of Joshua Harrison.

Year Up is an award-winning national 501(c)3 organization striving to close the Opportunity Divide by providing urban 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 training program, these young adults complete a unique combination of rigorous, hands-on technical and professional skills training, college credit, and corporate internships.

Working in the Year Up Bay Area San Jose office, Joshua will connect top corporations in need of entry level talent with professionally trained, high-potential urban young adults. As a member of Year Up’s Corporate Engagement team, Joshua will develop and follow leads, close sales, and connecting grads with professional jobs.

Born and raised in San Jose, Joshua joins Year Up from Primerica Financial Services where he sold financial products. Earlier roles include H&R Block, The U.S. Department of Commerce, and Jackson Hewitt Tax Services.

Joshua serves on the Executive Board of the San Joaquin Urban Chamber of Commerce. He has also volunteered with Operation Hope, Our Wisemen, and San Francisco Achievers.

With personalized service and proven results, Pillar is your partner in executive search and human resources consulting. With over 20 years of experience, Pillar provides retained executive search and recruiting services for exceptional non-profits and foundations and early-stage or rapid growth for-profit firms. A woman-owned business, Pillar is based in Boston, MA, and works on both local and national searches. To learn more about how Pillar can assist with your hiring needs, please contact Cindy Joyce at cindy@pillarsearch.com.

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New Search Announcement! Associate Director of Business Development for Year Up, A Best Nonprofit to Work For!

March 17, 2016 No Comments

Pillar Search is pleased to announce the search for Year Up’s Associate Director of Business Development in San Jose, CA

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION:

Year Up takes three approaches to closing the Opportunity Divide. Their core sites are based on their founding program model – direct service programming where facilities, staff, infrastructure, academics, and all other aspects of the program are managed by Year Up staff. The Professional Training Corps (PTC) is a community college based model that provides an opportunity for students to engage in meaningful workforce training. In this model, students are dual-enrolled in the community college and Year Up; technical skills are taught by college faculty, while Year Up staff provide professional skills and other wrap-around services. Lastly, their Employer Based Solutions are created in collaboration with employer partners; custom solutions are developed to meet critical business needs and solve for skills gap challenges in the marketplace.

Consistently voted one of the Best Nonprofits to Work For by the Nonprofit Times, Year Up is a rewarding place to work. Their staff is passionate, supportive, mission-driven, and committed to positive change and continuous learning. They set high standards for both themselves and their students, and live by a set of core values that reflect an unshakable belief in the talent and full potential of young adults. The work they do is life-changing, and they know that their team is the greatest asset in achieving their mission.

OVERVIEW:

Reporting to the Regional Director of Partner Relations – West, the Associate Director of Business Development – Bay Area, CA is a key member of Year Up Bay Area’s Corporate Engagement team – the epitome of hard business skills in a mission-driven setting. S/he will connect top corporations in need of entry level talent with professionally trained, high-potential urban young adults. The Corporate Engagement team, responsible for generating approximately 60% of our annual budget and connecting alumni with post-program career and education pathways, is seeking an additional member to reach tangible targets in developing and following leads, closing sales, and connecting grads with professional jobs.

To be successful in this role, you will desire to leverage your demonstrated for-profit revenue generation and career placement experience in a mission-driven social enterprise. As an ideal candidate, you are someone who understands sales and thrives in environments that require you to build and maintain relationships. You have a knack for networking and can speak passionately about Year Up’s mission and the students we serve.

In keeping with Year Up’s values, the Associate Director of Business Development will also have the opportunity to interact with students as a mentor, group facilitator, and advocate, participating in building a positive educational environment.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Revenue Generation and Outcomes Business Development:
Lead business development and acquisition by building new corporate partnerships for internship seats and alumni hiring to top companies in the Bay Area while maximizing all opportunities and making recommendations on the various solutions, partnerships, and volunteer opportunities Year Up offers
Develop and implement Business Development strategy that generates internship revenue through the acquisition of new corporate partnerships and leads to increased alumni hires through partnerships with staffing agencies and hiring managers
Engage with C-level executives and decision makers at all organizations, from Fortune 500s to start-ups and small local businesses in a variety of settings from one-one-one meetings to large events
Develop and leverage a database of qualified leads through referrals, telephone canvassing, face to face meetings, cold calling, direct mail, email, and networking responding to territory assignments
Create and conduct effective presentations and proposals that identify Year Up’s innovative model and past successes for solving entry level talent needs at partner corporations through internships and alumni hires
Ensure alignment between graduate skill-set and hiring partnership development, as well as between internship partnership, role development, and intern skill-set
Maintain accurate and comprehensive records (in Salesforce.com) of activities such as sales calls, presentations, closed sales, and follow-up
In conjunction with the Director, develop annual business plan detailing activities to follow during the year, which will focus the candidate on meeting or exceeding sales quota
Relationships Management (External):
Build and drive our strategy to engage multiple special interest groups within partner segment to deepen partnerships and grow pipeline
Plan and implement corporate partner events aimed at deepening engagement, including convening corporate champions across industry verticals
Embrace the mantra of “high expectations, high support” in interactions with corporate partners and interns
Staff and Students Relationships Management (Internal):
Facilitate collaboration across functional teams, specifically, development, academics, and career services
Work closely with program leadership to ensure students strategically align with corporate partners needs
Create greater understanding of the internship program to all Year Up staff members
Site Team/Learning Community Member
Serve as an advisor/mentor for a small number of current students
Join and sometimes facilitate weekly group sessions with students
Participate in staff meetings and trainings

QUALIFICATIONS:

Minimum of 4-5 years of experience preferred
New business sales and account management experience strongly preferred
Bachelor’s degree typical/preferred
Successful achievement of a minimum of $1m in sales targets
Demonstrated successful track record in a direct sales capacity
Demonstrated ability to generate leads and close business
Documented strengths in meaningful relationship building, management and growth
Strong networking skills and the ability to move comfortably and credibly in the community
Strong communication and collaboration skills to ensure alignment across several teams
Strong organizational and time management skills with exceptional attention to detail
A professional and resourceful style with the ability to work independently and as a team player, to take initiative and manage multiple tasks and projects at a time
Ability to thrive in a fluid, dynamic organization with a minimal amount of direction
Ability to plan, introduce and lead a process that enables high quality growth
Ability to lead, willingness to be led, and comfort with situational leadership
Proficiency with Microsoft Office required; Salesforce.com experience preferred
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

TO APPLY:

Please submit a thoughtful cover letter and resume to Cindy Joyce of Pillar Search at cindy@pillarsearch.com. Note that applications without a cover letter and salary expectations will not be considered. We respectfully request no phone calls.