24 School Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02108
●
empowerschools.org
Position: Development and Operations Manager
Position Summary
Reporting to our President and working closely with other members of the Empower Schools
team, your time will be spent approximately as follows: fundraising efforts for Empower Schools
(50%), general operations of our organization (30%), and other projects as needed (20%). This
includes (1) identifying and cultivating prospective donors with the capacity to support the
work of Empower Schools with investments of $25,000+ (2) preparing and tracking grant
proposals and supporting documents, as well as ongoing grant reporting (3) managing
internal processes such as budgeting, expense reporting, and general operations.
Who We Are
Building on our work as the design and launch partner for the Lawrence Public Schools
turnaround effort, Empower Schools partners with communities to help them get the schools
they want with the results students need. We focus on Powerful Schools that have the
flexibilities they need to effectively prepare students, and the educators with the skills to use
those freedoms well. We work with policymakers and education system leaders to adopt
Open Systems that allow for schools of all types, including both traditional district schools and
schools led by proven and promising independent leaders. We capture and share the most
promising practices to inform and shape the national conversation on education reform.
We have received financial support from one of the nation’s largest foundations and are
driving Open Systems forward in Salem and Springfield. For example, we partnered with DESE
to create the state’s first Empowerment Zone to support eight chronically underperforming
middle schools in Springfield that are at risk for state takeover. This new governance structure
allows individual schools and leaders to make decisions about hiring, scheduling, budgeting,
and curriculum in order to best meet the needs of their students. Collectively, these schools
educate 4,400 6th, 7th and 8th graders – over 80% of all middle school students in Springfield. We
are pioneering this work, from designing the structure to creating and implementing the
strategic plan to dramatically improve outcomes for students in these schools.
Who You Are
You are committed to working to improve educational outcomes, particularly for underserved
students, and are motivated by big ideas and challenges. You are eager to apply your
experience as a professional fundraiser to accelerate the pace of education reform in the
United States. You have a track record of owning the full cycle of major funding proposals to
foundations, corporations, and individuals, and are looking to apply your successes in the
broader realm of organizational management and development. Your initiative, attention to
detail, and administrative skills allow you to develop and implement complex projects
involving multiple stakeholders. You enjoy working individually and as part of a team, with a
sense of humor to keep the work in perspective. In short, you thrive in a high-stakes, deadlinedriven entrepreneurial environment with rapidly-evolving conditions. A background in
education will enhance your ability to execute toward our mission.
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24 School Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02108
●
empowerschools.org
How You’ll Help

Identify, cultivate, and develop solicitation strategies for prospective funders

Write, edit, and present compelling proposals, concept papers, and letters of interest
for five- to seven-figure grants

Manage, track, and prepare all required reports for foundation grants

Maintain system for organizing, managing, and reporting on fundraising activity

Work with the President to create and implement an annual development plan as part
of a multi-year development strategy

Work with the President to grow and support our advisory and governing boards

Support our communications plan to broaden awareness of our work

Provide organizational and project budgeting support, manage external relationships
with vendors such as finance, bookkeeping, technology, payroll, and human resources

Provide support to Empower Schools on other initiatives as needed
What You’ve Done

3-5 years of work experience in development, preferably with foundation and
corporate giving

Demonstrated interest in education reform and strong mission alignment

Must be articulate, tactful, and able to successfully manage relationships with external
organizations, vendors, and community leaders

An entrepreneurial mindset (i.e. flexible, resourceful, and creative) and deep
motivation to drive toward high-quality outcomes

Excellent written and oral communications skills, including the ability to translate ideas
into clear, compelling documents (e.g. in PowerPoint and Word formats)

Strong organizational skills and the ability to set priorities, handle multiple tasks in a
deadline-driven environment, be comfortable with some ambiguity, and complete all
tasks with attention to detail, accuracy, and quality

BA/BS required, advanced degree preferred
Salary and Benefits
Commensurate with experience.
Application
Interested and qualified applicants should send a cover letter and resume
[email protected]. Please note the job title in the subject matter of your e-mail.
We support equal opportunity for all people and we strongly encourage people of color to
apply for positions in our organization.
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