Address
Form of workGuilford Education Alliance (GEA), an independent nonprofit organization that galvanizes the community to support quality public education for all students in Guilford County, NC, seeks an experienced nonprofit management professional with expertise in the public school system to serve as its next President.
Great communities have great schools. This foundational principle guides the impactful work of the Guilford Education Alliance, which takes a relentlessly optimistic approach to shaping the future of education in Guilford County and ensuring bright futures for all children. Their work, advocating for 127 schools within Guilford County, is centered on alliance-building collaborative relationships between the community and schools, a crucial component of public-school success.
The President, who serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Guilford Education Alliance, reports to the Alliance's Board of Directors and is responsible for consistently achieving its mission and financial objectives. The next President will lead the organization's efforts in community engagement, support, collaboration, and advocacy. They will unify the community around a shared vision. The President must be passionate about education and must have knowledge of how public-school systems operate, a keen understanding of the impact of systemic inequities, and experience communicating and partnering with various stakeholders (community members, the school system, potential funders, elected officials, business leaders, etc.).
The Alliance's highly engaged Board of Directors seeks in their next President, a leader who is:
- a strategic innovative thinker with the demonstrated ability to think out of the box;
- an experienced, strategic fundraiser;
- experienced project manager with a demonstrated track record of projects completed on time and within budget;
- maintains an energetic, positive working environment;
- known as a compassionate and empathetic individual with demonstrable experience engaging in respectful communication, navigating conflicts with ease;
- skilled leader who can leverage talent and resources to maximize efficiency and impact;
- adept in navigating the role and function of a nonprofit Board of Directors, ensuring collaboration, cohesion, and accountability between the Board and organization;
- experienced in influencing policy and legislation for public education through targeted advocacy work at the local, state, and federal levels;
- develop and maintain critical partnerships with community, business, institutional leaders, and elected officials;
- nimble and flexible with an open-minded orientation; and,
- curious and demonstrates a willingness to learn to propel the organization forward.
Guilford Education Alliance, located in the Piedmont, NC, area of Greensboro,is committed to maximizing support for Guilford County Schools (GCS) so that all children thrive and are prepared for the future. Governed by a 21-member Board of Directors, GEA's efforts focus on engaging, advocating, supporting, and collaborating.
GEA engages community members in programs and events that build a collective, research and experience-based understanding of the complex issues and dynamics that shape public education policy and practice. They advocate for strong investment in GCS and other critical issues that impact GCS educators, students, and families. The Alliance supports teachers by funding professional development and the Teacher Supply Warehouse. They collaborate with people and organizations to connect community resources with the needs of Guilford County Schools students, educators, and families.
The Teacher Supply Warehouse is an essential resource for Guilford County Schools (GCS) educators. This community collaboration provides over $500,000 of free supplies to GCS educators throughout the year and offsets funds that teachers often take out of their own pockets to purchase classroom supplies. Each year, the Warehouse serves approximately 3,000 GCS educators.
GEA's comprehensive programs and initiatives include an annual Education Summit, the Teacher Supply Warehouse, the High Point Schools Partnership, a podcast, and the Get SMART speaker series. These engage the community in thoughtful discussions about the critical issues that shape education policy and practice in Guilford County.
Learn more about GEA and its programs and services here.About the Position:
The next GEA President will successfully manage the organization's $2.3M+ budget and a team of 9 employees, including six direct reports: Vice President, Director of Development, Bookkeeper, High Point School Partnership program coordinator, Office/Program Assistant, and the Teacher Supply Warehouse manager. The organization's lean operating expenses (1% of the organization's budget) allow the organization to direct 75% of funds raised to Guilford County Schools projects and the Teacher Supply Warehouse.
The President will support the ongoing implementation of the organization's short, mid, and long-term priorities, as recently identified by its Board of Directors:
- Communications & Narrative: Spreading good news in the community, combating false information, and using social media and innovative platforms and events to drive the narrative.
- Advocacy: Engaging influencers in intentional, strategic advocacy efforts and focusing on key issues at the state and local levels.
- Supporting & Equipping Educators: Funding training and professional development and incentivizing teachers and principals.
- GEA Governance & Operations: These ideas relate to the organization's internal operations and critical organizational partners.
- Invest significant time and energy in learning the organization's culture and establishing trusting relationships with staff, Board members, the community, and other stakeholders.
- Enhance and expand partnerships within Guilford County and strengthen relationships to reinforce the organization as a supportive, collaborative partner of the Guilford County School system.
- Evaluate the organization's funding model, conducting a cost/benefit analysis of its programs, fundraising methods, and events to develop a strategic approach that will diversify funding streams and increase funds and resources while ensuring the best use of staff time and the organization's long-term sustainability and viability.
- In close collaboration with the Board of Directors, conduct a community needs assessment and garner stakeholder input to construct the organization's long-term vision, identifying strategic objectives for addressing the diverse needs of teachers and students within each jurisdiction of the county and ensuring accessibility of services.
About the Community:
Guilford County, with a population of over 541,000, is NC's 3rd most populous county. Among ten municipalities, Greensboro (county seat) and High Point are the largest within Guilford County. Guilford County is a growing and vibrant community with a diverse population and over 100 languages spoken. Demographically, the county is 47.23% Caucasian, 33.15% African American, 9.63% Hispanic of any race, and 5.31% Asian.With a median age of 37 among its residents, Guilford County continues to work hard to develop and promote quality of life choices for all ages with focused efforts in K-12 schools, job training, economic development, employment, and recreation. Guilford County has many higher educational institutions, including UNC Greensboro, Greensboro College, Elon University School of Law, Bennett College, NC Agricultural and Technical State University, Guilford College, Guilford Technical Community College, and High Point University.
Guilford County recently approved a historic $2B school bond investment that has already resulted in 6 new school construction projects. Construction of additional schools and school improvements are also underway. GCS is the 3rd largest school district in NC and is one of the 50th largest school districts in the US. GCS, which serves 70,000 students, pre-K - 12th grade and offers 258 Career-Technical Education programs in 49 schools, boasts a 91.8% high school graduation rate (2022), above the national average and higher than all the largest NC school districts.
From a variety of restaurants, museums, and educational and art centers such as the Steven Tanger Center for Performing Arts, International Civil Rights Center and Museum, and the Greensboro Science Center to Broadway performances and live music, there is something new to experience in Guilford County every day. Outdoor recreation opportunities in the county include various hiking trails, mountain biking trails, greenways, parks, and lakes. Guilford County is also home to the semi-annual High Point Market, the largest wholesale finished goods home furnishings market in the world.
Though the furniture and textile industries helped build Guilford County, the local landscape also includes technology, healthcare, and service industries, with five of the top 60 Fortune 500 companies having a presence in Guilford County, resulting in a vibrant economy. Guilford County has recently attracted new businesses. Toyota Battery is investing over $8B and bringing in over 3000 jobs to the area. BOOM Supersonic is building a 62-acre campus at Piedmont Triad International Airport and will bring over 2000 jobs to the area.
Learn more about Guilford County here.
Salary and Benefits: The hiring range for this position is $100,000 - $125,000. Starting salary is dependent on qualifications and experience. Guilford Education Alliance offers a comprehensive benefits package.
To apply, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/developmentalassociates and click on the title President - Guilford Education Alliance, Greensboro, NC.
- All applications must be submitted online via the Developmental Associates application portal (link above) - NOT the organization's employment application portal or any other external website.
- Resumes and cover letters must be uploaded with the application.
- Applicants should apply by April 24, 2024.
- The Selection Committee will invite successful semi-finalists to participate in virtual interviews and skill evaluation on May 22 - 23, 2024. Candidates are encouraged to reserve these dates for virtual meetings should they be invited to participate.
- Direct inquiries to hiring@developmentalassociates.com.
