Job Description

ABOUT ROOM TO GROW*
Room to Grow is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the vision that one day all parents will have the resources they need to unlock their families' potential and become champions for babies and their community. Its mission is to offer structured parent support, material goods, and community connections to support parents as they activate their natural strengths and expand their knowledge, so children thrive from the start. Room to Grow was founded in New York in 1998 and expanded to Boston in 2005, currently partnering with over 1,500 families with an annual budget of $5M and a team of 50 passionate and dedicated staff members.

Room to Grow uses a two-generation, preventative, and strengths-based approach to engage families. Through its unique program, parents and caregivers partner with program staff to develop strategies to support their child's development, select the material items that their child needs, and connect with community resources that can expand their support network. Room to Grow program staff work alongside parents and caregivers as they build upon their existing skill sets and parenting styles and promote the well-being of their children and family.

As an impact-driven and growth-oriented organization, Room to Grow is in the midst of an exciting period of development, as it continues to expand its reach and impact in New York and Boston, and plans to expand to a third region in the near future. In 2020, Room to Grow adapted and digitized parts of its model to continue supporting families during COVID-19, and it will continue to leverage best practices and resources to support low-income communities families return to placed based supports in Room to Grow's community based centers. For more information, please visit our website.

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ABOUT THE POSITION*
Room to Grow is seeking a passionate and driven individual to lead Room to Grow's fundraising, community relationships, and communications work. Reporting to the CEO, the Chief External Engagement Officer (CXEO) is a member of Room to Grow's leadership team and will lead a team of twelve through five direct reports. The CXEO will be responsible for implementing a strategy that will raise $6M in philanthropic funds in 2023, deepen community partnerships and in kind support for families, and oversee RtG's brand and visibility. Over the next three years, Room to Grow will scale to serve 1,850 families across three cities with an operating budget of $9M. The CXEO will be an integral driver of this growth by serving as a lead external champion of the organization and its work, both with donors and in the community.

The CXEO and their team play a critical role in supporting the New York and Boston regions in achieving their external affairs goals, serving as a thought partner, coach, and advisor. Additionally the CXEO will play a vital and external role in fundraising for the National office and helping RtG expand to its third region, developing the fundraising strategy and relationships needed to scale in a soon to be announced new market. This is an ideal opportunity for a strategic, external, and results-oriented leader to drive significant impact in a dynamic and growing non-profit setting.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Fundraising

• Serve as the architect of RtG's fundraising strategy to secure $6M in revenue in 2023 growing to 9M by 2025, cultivating individual, foundation, and corporate donors
• Support the Director of Development and the Manager of Events in expanding and diversifying the donor base to meet regional fundraising goals, implement streamlined but differentiated strategies for national and local markets
• Develop a strategy for raising revenue and developing community partnerships in RtG's newest region for a successful launch in 2025
• Build strong relationships with the Board and work with the CEO and regional leadership to expand and strengthen the Board and its capacity to fundraise

Organizational Leadership and Management

• Work closely with the CEO and RtG's leadership team to design and implement a comprehensive external strategy for achieving RtG's ambitious growth goals by focusing on deepening RtG's base of financial support, brand, and community relationships
• Establish clear development goals that are consistent with organizational priorities. Motivate the team to accomplish these goals, and establish clear performance standards and benchmarks for success
• Be an active participant in helping to set strategic initiatives organization-wide. Spearhead RtG's external functions to ensure it has the resources and relationships it needs to partner with more families
• Serve as a fundraising coach and advisor to RtG's regional executive directors, support them and their teams in stewarding and developing donors and external partners critical for impact
• Manage, coach and develop a cross functional team, supporting their ongoing professional development and growth
• Serve as an external representative of Room to Grow's vision and mission, working with key external partners and donors as needed

Community Engagement

• Support the Director of Community Engagement in building a partnership strategy that generates in kind donations and creating new pathways for inventory generation, quality improvement, and volunteer recruitment including the execution of pilot initiatives, team training, and processes
• Build and refine Community Engagement tools and processes for inventory events and activities, enabling the Community Engagement team to easily activate their regional strategies
• Create and execute national campaigns to help meet annual volunteer goals and emergency inventory needs (e.g. Spanish-language book drive, Volunteer Month celebration)

Communications

• Support the communications team in the development and implementation of a comprehensive and actionable communications strategy that builds Room to Grow's brand and public reputation
• Ensure the timely creation of all print and electronic collateral (e.g. annual reports, fundraising appeals, one pagers, presentation decks), and ensure that content is accurate, up-to-date, and accessible
• Elevate Room to Grow as a leader in the early childhood field and local nonprofit landscape by identifying and managing PR and media opportunities (e.g. media training for leadership staff)
• Develop a strategy to endure RtG's growing communications teams effectively support the regions, working with the Communications Director to develop effective systems and processes

CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS:

• A minimum of ten years of work experience, including at least five years of experience in senior external leadership / fundraising roles
• Track record of fundraising success in a nonprofit or private sector setting required with significant additional experience in either communications or community engagement
• Previous people management experience, with the ability to recruit, develop, and retain a high performing team, set priorities, delegate responsibilities, hold teams accountable for outcomes, and provide thoughtful, learning-oriented feedback
• Experience with successful partnership development and management
• Excellent relationship building skills, with a demonstrated ability to work well with people from a wide variety of backgrounds
• Strong capacity to lead on issues of diversity, equity and inclusion
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to act as a compelling advocate for the work of Room to Grow
• Demonstrated strategic thinking and problem-solving skills
• Ability to achieve goals and align interests through influence and collaboration
• Experience in the fields of early childhood development (and the zero-to-three space in particular), social work, K-12 education, and/or poverty alleviation highly preferred

LOCATION:
New York, NY (preferred) or Boston MA

TO APPLY:
Room to Grow is partnering with On-Ramps to conduct the search for our Chief External Engagement Office. Please submit your application via https://www.on-ramps.com/jobs/2791

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: Up to $200,000.00 per year

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