Mentor Florida President & Chief Executive Officer

ABOUT MENTOR

Potential is equally distributed; opportunity is not. A major driver of healthy development and opportunity is who you know and who’s in your corner. 30 years ago, MENTOR was created to expand that opportunity for young people by building a youth mentoring field and movement, serving as the expert and go-to resource on quality mentoring. The result is a more than 10x increase in young people in structured mentoring relationships, from hundreds of thousands to millions.

Today, MENTOR activates a movement across sectors that is diverse and broad and seeps into every aspect of daily life. MENTOR, in collaboration with its local Affiliates, is connecting and fueling opportunity for young people everywhere they are, from schools to workplaces and beyond through:

• Providing training and technical assistance to mentoring programs

• Elevating the mentoring field and leading national recruitment efforts

• Advocating for increased local, state, and federal investment in mentoring

• Leading research on the youth mentoring field

• Fostering collaborations to transform systems.

MENTOR currently has 25 local Affiliates across the country and two Affiliates in development in Florida and Illinois.

MENTOR FLORIDA

Today, we are thrilled to launch MENTOR Florida in collaboration with MENTOR National and a statewide Steering Committee of partners including Broward County Public Schools, Laurel Civic, Miller Electric Company, 9th Bridge Jacksonville, and Take Stock in Children Palm Beach County. MENTOR Florida will be an advocate for the expansion of quality mentoring and a resource for mentors and mentoring initiatives across the state.

MENTOR Florida will work collaboratively across sectors to support existing and emerging organizations that provide mentoring services to youth by:

• Expanding the capacity of agencies to provide high-quality mentoring programs

• Ensuring quality standards in all mentoring efforts

• Significantly increasing the number of youth in quality mentoring relationships

• Convening local mentoring providers, and promoting networking, collaboration, and shared learning

• Leveraging and expanding the human, financial, and in-kind resources dedicated to mentoring initiatives

• Expanding the number and types of organizations – nonprofits, faith communities, corporations, schools, civic groups, and universities – that are equipped to start, manage, and expand a mentoring initiative

• Advocating for legislation, policies, and funding that support the mentoring movement locally and statewide.

MENTOR Florida will play an important role in building the state’s mentor base, coordinating and streamlining existing mentoring efforts where services are overlapping, identifying funding streams to reach youth in communities not currently reached, and connecting organizations to high-quality training opportunities delivered through an equity lens.

THE POSITION 

We seek a well-connected, experienced, visionary leader to launch MENTOR Florida. The President and CEO will be instrumental in developing the statewide strategic plan, engaging a broad cross-section of stakeholders to support the work, and building a sustainable and effective initiative. A successful President and CEO will build and strengthen mentoring and youth development networks and partnerships, lead fundraising efforts, and inspire a team of senior staff. Successful candidates will balance “big picture” strategic thinking with the administrative know-how of a results-oriented manager and a track record of building partnerships and community collaborations.

The MENTOR Florida President and CEO will report to the Chair of the MENTOR Florida Board and work closely with Colabria as fiscal sponsor. As President, they will act as a key member of the Advisory Board. As Chief Executive Officer, they will oversee the nascent organization as it moves towards greater autonomy in the next 5 years including building a team of 3-5 staff and several consultants and trainers to support the effective implementation of a strategic plan. To learn more about the need and opportunity ahead of MENTOR FL, please click here to read the feasibility overview.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Strategy and Leadership

• Spearhead the strategic planning and start-up effort of MENTOR FL in partnership with local stakeholders including philanthropy, nonprofit organizations, corporate executives and government agencies to guide the organizational plan, benchmarks, and outcomes

• Develop, maintain, and support a strong governance committee of key donors; serve as ex-officio and seek and build committee involvement with strategic direction

• Develop, maintain, support and grow the MENTOR FL Advisory Board

Fundraising, Advocacy, and Communications

• In partnership with MENTOR’s national fundraising team, create and implement a fundraising strategy that builds on existing relationships with philanthropy, supports the implementation of the strategic plan, and leads to organizational sustainability

• Create a marketing and communications plan that elevates the issue of mentoring, drives mentor recruitment, and positions MENTOR FL as a key community resource

• Advocate and build public awareness, both individually and with partners, to mobilize leaders for support of youth mentoring at the local and state levels with MENTOR FL and with MENTOR at the federal level

Programmatic and Operational Management

• Implement initiatives and projects that galvanize key stakeholders including mentoring program providers, corporations, government agencies, schools, institutions of higher education, and faith-based organizations and develop the appropriate services, trainings, or technical assistance needed by various sectors

• Hire, supervise, and support staff to deliver on strategic outcomes and maintain a positive climate that attracts and motivates a diverse staff

• Oversee and manage all aspects of day-to-day operations, including financial management, office administration, facilities management, human resources, compliance, and insurance

• Actively participate in MENTOR’s Affiliate Network and engage in building competency related to the key core functions of a MENTOR Affiliate

• Promote research-based best practices in Mentoring and Youth Development including awareness and practice of cultural competence

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE 

There are innumerable ways to learn, grow and excel professionally. We respect this when we review applications and take a broad look at the experience of each applicant. We want to get to know you and the unique strengths you will bring to the work. This said, we are most likely to be interested in your candidacy if you can demonstrate the majority of the qualifications and experiences listed below:

• Substantial leadership experience, including at least ten years of managing a team to reach challenging objectives. Experience working with or within both the FL state legislature and private sector is a plus

• Experience with and passion for leading an organization serving youth and/or promoting mentorship

• A proven ability to work effectively with a board of advisors and volunteer committees

• Knowledge of the FL philanthropic community as demonstrated by a well-developed professional network that stretches into community-based organizations and the youth development space

• Proven fundraising experience (or clearly transferable skills) that can be leveraged to raise monies from corporations, foundations and individual contributors

• Demonstrated ability to create an inclusive team culture by leveraging team members from diverse backgrounds and with diverse points of view

• Entrepreneurial self-starter; capable of self-management in a complex environment with multiple stakeholders

• Excellent presentation, verbal and written communication skills that can be adapted based on audience

• Strong strategic thinking and organizational development skills with an ability to use data to make decisions and to translate strategy to action

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS: 

MENTOR FL offers a comprehensive compensation package, with a salary range of $140,000-$150,000, commensurate with lived and professional experience. The President and CEO will receive support in accessing a learning community to support their ongoing professional development. Colabria offers comprehensive benefits including health care, dental, vision, and retirement options. A full benefits overview is available here.

The MENTOR FL President + CEO can be based anywhere in the state, with a preference for those currently residing in major metropolitan areas. The President + CEO will be expected to work from home and travel throughout FL approximately 15% of time and twice/year for MENTOR’s National Mentoring Summit (January) and MentorCon (June). 

MAKING THE DECISION TO APPLY

To apply to this position, please prepare a resume and apply through the application portal run by our recruitment partners at Positively Partners. For confidential inquiries or for assistance in completing the application, please contact Rose Costello at rcostello@positivelypartners.org.

TIMELINE AND HIRING PROCESS

We will review and respond to all applications received. While subject to change, candidates selected to advance will progress through a process that includes initial conversations with Positively Partners and interviews with members of the MENTOR FL Steering Committee and MENTOR National leaders. Anticipated start date is Spring 2024.

Enterprise Palm Beach dba Colabria is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, volunteers, and program participants. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status in any of our activities or operations. We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences who share our dedication to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment.

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