Position Summary:

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Coalition for College offers an executive leadership role and an opportunity to be part of a dynamic and transformative organization. The Coalition for College (“Coalition”) is a group of more than 150 distinguished colleges and universities across the U.S. that is committed to increase students’ access to higher education. The Coalition’s diverse member schools are united in their mission to support lower-income, under-resourced, and first-generation students, to provide responsible financial aid, and to bolster students’ success in college and beyond. This is a momentous time to join the Coalition. The notable evolution and rise of the Coalition for College is reflected in both the growing number of distinguished institutions and the increasing volume of student users. The CEO will provide a visionary mindset and act as the driving force behind the continued development and mission of the Coalition with an eye toward growth and sustainability.

 

The CEO will develop and implement short and long-term operational plans in collaboration with the Board, member schools, and various Coalition sub-committees. The CEO will establish partnerships with key stakeholders and vendors, including high schools, school counselors, districts, community-based organizations, corporations, and other nonprofits. Specifically, the CEO will establish annual priorities for engagement with member schools on Coalition initiatives, including but not limited to, inspiring members to partner with the Coalition as part of their institutional access outreach. The CEO is responsible for public media relations and enhancing internal and external communications. Additionally, the CEO will oversee the financial longevity and technical advancements of the Coalition. The CEO will identify and manage complex financial goals, as well as extend the Coalition’s successful fundraising and philanthropic initiatives. The CEO will represent the Coalition publicly to advance awareness and support of the core values of this access-driven organization.

 

Key Responsibilities:

  • Analyze and design long-term strategic plans in collaboration with Board of Directors;
  • Clearly communicate goals and outcomes to the Board, supporters, and stakeholders;
  • Develop and deliver robust communication strategies with the goal of creating greater visibility with high school students and their college counselors, teachers, parents, and community-based mentors, and within and beyond higher education;
  • Lead and inspire a high-performing Coalition leadership staff;
  • Represent and act as a dynamic spokesperson to engage members, sub-committees, and partner organizations;
  • Identify fundraising initiatives and cultivate new philanthropic partnerships;
  • Manage the fiscal sustainability of Coalition’s annual budget;
  • Manage and advance the Coalition’s scope, delivery, enhancements, service, and expenditures in collaboration with CollegeNet and other vendors;
  • Turn data management into knowledge management through proactive and inclusive data reporting and analyses for projections, trends, and modeling;
  • Create and promote a positive, multicultural work environment with a commitment to diversity, access, and racial equity;
  • Recruit and maintain an experienced and hands-on Board that represents the member community; and
  • Maintain compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

 

Position Qualifications and Personal Qualities:

Specifically, the ideal candidate will possess many of the following qualifications, capabilities and experiences: 

  • A master’s degree preferred, plus a minimum of 10 years of leadership experience in higher education;
  • Executes with creativity and a visionary mindset, and offers a hands-on approach to the work with an entrepreneurial outlook and an eye to emerging challenges;
  • Builds relationships with poise and charisma to captivate audiences; demonstrates the ability to serve as a spokesperson and manage the public-facing side of promotion; and have the capacity to anticipate the needs of community partners;
  • Communicates effectively with exemplary written and public presentation skills;
  • Understands the landscape of the college admissions process, higher education industry, applicant tracking systems, or admissions platforms;
  • Demonstrates genuine interest in interacting with a wide range of constituencies and engaging many in dialogue on college admissions trends;
  • Possesses supervisory and superior organizational skills to mentor and empower staff to actualize planning;
  • Has proven customer service focus to further a sense of cohesion and professionalism for all constituents;
  • Assumes ownership of projects as well as independent and creative work with limited direction;
  • Exhibits flexibility and adaptability to new programs in an emerging and changing environment;
  • Is committed to multiculturalism and the ability to interact with diverse populations;
  • Applies strong analytical abilities to strengthen and systematize the use of data to cast projections and measure results;
  • Able to work from home, with flexibility to travel and work nights or weekends as needed; and

·         Personal qualities and descriptors to include:

o   Honest, fair, and true to the organization’s mission;

o   Energetic, bold, and nimble;

o   Capacity for hard work and the ability to find joy in one’s work;

o   Optimistic, confident, and excited about change;

o   Natural collaborator with a presence that is active and inclusive;

o   Proven skills dealing with complex and diverse cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives; and

o   Ability to observe, listen, and clarify needs while engendering trust quickly among various constituencies.

 

 

 

An Overview: Coalition for College

The Coalition for College helps bring students one step closer to achieving their college dreams. Coalition for College was founded in 2015 by a group of dedicated leaders in higher education aiming to improve access to the college application process, particularly for those students from historically under-represented groups. The Coalition provides valuable resources to help students learn about and prepare for college through a suite of free, online application planning tools, informative articles, and digital storage. To be a member of the Coalition, colleges and universities must have a six-year graduation rate of at least sixty percent, including success with low income and under-represented students. Members offer a responsible financial aid package or offer low-cost in-state tuition, and graduate their students with attention to low debt for those who borrow.

 

Detailed information about the Coalition for College may be found at www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org.

 

Contact:

Please submit applications, expressions of interest, and nominations to the Coalition for College.

Interviews will begin in mid-December and continue until the position is filled.  The Coalition for College is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to being the place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come, to stay, and to do their best work.

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