Job Description

Director of Strong Households (Impact)
Louisville, KY, United States of America

Overview

Metro United Way Vision and Mission The vision of Metro United Way is that our regional community will be the most vital, caring community in the nation. Our mission is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of our community.

METRO UNITED WAY
 
Metro United Way (MUW) is a force for positive change. We work every day to lift our community by mobilizing people and maximizing resources to advance opportunity and equity for all. MUW brings together businesses, nonprofits, government agencies, foundations, and individuals to engage in the kinds of collaboration that changes lives. With this support, we are uniquely positioned to make a significant, lasting impact in our fight for the education, financial independence, and health of every person in the seven-county region we serve. 

For more than 100 years, MUW has united and empowered communities by investing in the full potential of individuals and families to ensure positive, sustainable change. We use data-driven insights to identify our community’s greatest needs and address systemic challenges with a focus on advancing equity and sharing opportunities for all. Together, we fight to improve the disparities that persist in early care and education, economic mobility, home ownership, racial equity, and public policy in Jefferson, Bullitt, Oldham and Shelby counties in Kentucky and Clark, Floyd, and Harrison counties in Indiana. 

MUW will continue to unite community partners around critical programs and initiatives tailored to meet the specific needs of each community. These include programs and initiatives in early childhood development, economic empowerment & mobility, policy advocacy to support systemic reform, workforce development, homelessness prevention, mentoring and facilitation of neighborhood networking. In 2020, MUW received a one-time gift of $20 million from activist and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, which was a testament to its continuous investment in programs and services that combat racial and social injustice.

There is no single solution, and we strongly believe that the key to social change is working together beyond individual efforts to impact widespread progress. That is why our approach is so effective - we are on the ground, leading collective action that drives results at scale.


Job Skills / Requirements

POSITION SUMMARY

 The Director of Strong Households supports the mission and vision of Metro United Way and the community by leading and supporting work within the Strong Households pillar. This includes innovative ways to advance our portfolio of work and to lead collective impact throughout our seven counties. The Director of Strong Households will work with key community partners to grow public and private investment in our pillar work and will engage in robust relationship management with local and state-level stakeholders around common goals. This position has content expertise in human services, economic mobility, skill development, community care systems, and supports the entire seven-county region.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES/ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
 

The Director, Strong Households’ job responsibilities include:

Pillar Daily Work 

  • Ensure key projects and initiatives are aligned with MUW’s organizational-level impact goals and strategies. Share best practices, research, and outcomes of MUW’s Strong Households initiatives, and look for ways to integrate strategies aimed at closing the wealth gap across MUW’s seven-county region.
 
  •  Provide leadership related to long-term planning for United Community, a  community resource that leverages technology to remove barriers to access 
 
  • Oversee the 2-1-1 information and referral line, including managing the relationship with Center for Women and Families, and the related contracts.  Ensure the certification required is maintained and updated as necessary.
 
  • Provide budgetary planning, guidance, and oversight of Metro United Way and grant funded Strong Households projects and initiatives.
 
  • Coordinate and link/layer activities within programs/projects within the Strong Households pillar and across the Thriving Kids and Equitable Community pillars.
 
  • In partnership with department leadership, develop an equity and transformation lens to apply to programming. 
 
  • Research on best practices and evidence base within Strong Households pillar.
 
  • Support project/program management staff in evaluating programming fit with MUW’s vision.
 
  • Support project/program management staff in implementing transition plans for projects/programming as needed.
 
  • Support project/program management staff in developing new SOPs/processes for programs.
 
  • Support innovation of new programming as needs are identified.
 
  • Assess current state organizational vision for Strong Households.
 
  • Review multiple kinds of data - conversations, reports, secondary data to shape a narrative about what is happening and what is needed early care and youth success; make data informed decisions
     
     
Subject Matter Expert / Public Policy Support

  • Act as a subject matter expert in Strong Households and related areas. Provide expertise both internally and externally as it relates policy, programming, and best practices. Keep abreast and knowledgeable about issues, trends, and public policies in related fields.
 
  • Coordinate with MUW’s policy team on developing policy agendas and being responsive to legislative activity related to the Strong Households portfolio.
 
  • Maintain current knowledge of and relationships with community resources that support Strong Households work – including other non-profits, government entities, hospitals and JCPS.
 
Coalition Building / Relationship Management 
 
  • Act effectively as a facilitator and lead coordinator of a backbone organization within a collective impact model.
 
  • Lead creation of a collective impact coalition related to Strong Households.
 
  • Coalition Building: 
 
  • Build new relationships through active listening.
  • Identify motivations and concerns of individual members within a coalition.
  • Set core values and support development of common coalition goals.
  • Identify action steps and strategies for a coalition.
 
Managerial / Supervisory Work 
 
  • Oversee the strategic and daily work of the Strong Households team.
 
  • Lead, direct and supervise assigned staff by developing and coaching the staff to create a motivated, high performing team that can reach the strategic goals and objectives of Metro United Way.
 
  • Other duties as assigned by the Deputy Chief Equity and Impact Officer
 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

  • Education/Experience: minimum of five years’ experience in a large non-profit, corporation, or similar organization with a level of complexity and visibility consistent with Metro United Way
  • Strong knowledge of community issues, resources, and efforts
  • Experience in project management, including working with budgets, and performance measurement of community work. General knowledge of community issues and efforts as they relate to Strong Households
  • Facilitation Skills:  Experience with community planning, community organization and working in a team planning process preferred
  • Previous supervisory experience preferred
  • Must be able to take initiative, create and execute strategies, demonstrate leadership, work independently and produce consistently high-quality work.
  • Strong research skill
  • Ability to effectively manage grants and associated reports
  • Knowledge of the human service system
  • Excellent attention to detail
  • Demonstrated ability to supervise employees
  • Demonstrated skill in oral and written communication
  • Demonstrated skill with MS Office tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc.)
  • Must be a hands-on, independent self-starter who is effective in a fast-paced environment and capable of prioritizing multiple, changing tasks
 
BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS

1.      Embraces the Metro United Way Values:
 
a.      Champion Equity – Commits to operationalizing and integrating diversity, equity and            inclusion into our culture every day, because without equity our other values are                    incomplete.
b.      Think We Before Me – Prioritizes team and community over self; is a consistent                    ambassador of MUW both inside and out of the office.
c.      Build Up – Cultivates growth in self, colleagues and community through succeeding           and failing forward.  
d.      Break Through – Demonstrates courage, innovation, and resiliency by embracing                 change and encouraging and acting on new ideas.  
e.      Own It – Takes personal responsibility and accountability for one’s role and actions.  

Additional Information / Benefits

Benefits: Medical Insurance, Life Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, Paid Vacation, Paid Sick Days, Paid Holidays, Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, 401K/403b Plan, Educational Assistance

This is a Full-Time position 1st Shift.

Number of Openings for this position: 1