Are you dedicated to empowering and supporting youth, regardless of their background? We're searching for passionate individuals to make a positive impact on the lives of foster youth. Become an integral part of their transformative journey and join the First Place for Youth team.

About First Place for Youth We’re a leading non-profit organization dedicated to supporting foster youth in their transition to adulthood, with a focus on education, employment, and housing. We believe that all young people deserve the opportunity to thrive and lead successful, independent lives. Our comprehensive programs empower foster youth to overcome the unique challenges they face and build the skills, confidence, and connections they need to succeed.

Why Work at First Place For Youth:

• Meaningful Impact:? Help to transform the lives of foster youth on the cusp of adulthood. Your role will support them in their journey to conquer challenges, achieve independence, and fulfill their aspirations.
• Innovative Approach: We thrive on innovation, pushing the boundaries of foster care support. Your voice here matters, and you’ll contribute to programs that redefine the futures of these young lives.
• Collaborative and Supportive Environment: Embrace a dynamic and supportive workplace, where every team member is valued. Together, we're a force dedicated to uplifting youth. Expect professional growth, fueled by teamwork and collaboration.
• Comprehensive Benefits: We value the well-being of our employees and offer a comprehensive benefits package. From health and wellness benefits to retirement plans, we ensure that our team members are taken care of so they can focus on their important work supporting foster youth.
• Culture of Diversity and Inclusion: We celebrate diversity in every form. At First Place for Youth, inclusivity reigns, creating a workplace where all voices are heard, respected, and empowered.

POSITION SUMMARY: Reporting into the CIPO, the Vice President of Education and Employment will oversee both the day-to-day operations and the broad strategic vision of the full continuum of First Place Education and Employment programs, which are being delivered through multiple sites in northern and southern California, and National Affiliate programs. As a member of the leadership team, they will also help to set the agency’s strategic direction, shape policy priorities, monitor relevant shifts in the regional and national landscape, and develop the systems and relationships that will allow First Place to fully capture opportunities for expansion of its innovative, transformational model. They will optimize the quality and effectiveness of First Place’s programs by deepening staff and organizational capacity to create results, assisting staff in analyzing and leveraging evaluative data in order to develop, implement and refine programs, monitoring and coaching to fidelity, and continue to provide the highest levels of service to youth.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Include the following

Strategy and Organizational Leadership

• Serve as a knowledgeable and wise steward of First Place’s resources, bringing proactive leadership and guidance to the organization as a whole. Provide expertise in all matters, working with the Leadership Team to ensure a thorough consideration of the financial, risk and regulatory implications of pending decisions. Actively participate in regular schedule of senior management meetings, agency staff meetings, and individual weekly supervision with the Chief Impact and People Officer, providing recommendations regarding various courses of action.
• Professionally and effectively represent the agency in external meetings, conferences and speaking engagements to build visibility and increase credibility for First Place’s administrative expertise.

Program Management

• Build and promote a rigorous culture of data and continuous learning and shepherd the ongoing internal and external evaluation plan for all agency programs. In concert with the Vice President of Evaluation and Learning and the VP of Programs, the VP of EE will develop programmatic strategies to address issues identified through continuous program evaluation, analysis and reflection, seizing opportunities to improve and/or modify service delivery at the site level.
• Serve as an effective organizational ambassador and spokesperson, raising the profile of First Place as a national model in arenas encompassing government, philanthropy, evaluation and performance management, the media, and other venues that amplify its message and potential for impact. The VP of Education and Employment will leverage external meetings and conferences to both contribute to, learn from field-based best practices, and seek opportunities for First Place to have a voice in key policy and advocacy conversations. They will develop a cogent outreach strategy to raise brand awareness and utilization of First Place’s services, including expansion of the referral network of social workers and other youth-facing entities to drive growth.
• Foster an environment that embraces teamwork, open communication and dialogue, accountability, integrity, and commitment to quality, and establish systems to support and sustain it. The VP of Education and Employment will work with program staff to foster strategic thinking, developing processes and relationships that cultivate an impact- and data-driven learning community. This environment will form a strong foundation for the hiring, training, management, development, and supervision of all departmental staff, including: Regional Program Directors, Employment and Education Managers, and Manager of Housing.
• Hire, manage, develop and supervise administrative staff. Lead team members in setting work goals and maintaining accountability for goal achievement. Ensure that staff are resourced with individual professional development plans. Conduct annual reviews of direct reports.

Controls and Compliance Management

• Manage staff and project compliance with First Place operational procedures and systems, in accordance with government regulations, FASB and First Place’s risk and contract management policies, as well as all Federal, State & Local labor laws and First Place Employee Handbook. Ensure that all administrative requirements for funders, such as state registrations and audit reports, are completed in a timely fashion.

Cross-functional and inter-organizational collaboration

• Ensure highly-functional avenues for internal communication between all internal departments within First Place such that staff can access appropriate financial information necessary for developing and monitoring departmental, grant-specific and project-specific budgets, and achieving budget targets.
• Provide cross-functional accountability and resource support to the Program Team to ensure excellent management of all government contracts.
• Collaborate with the Development Team to ensure accurate and timely financial information for grant proposals and reports.
• Maintain positive relationships with Board members, vendors, bankers, funders and others, as needed.
• Other duties as needed and assigned.

Qualification and Requirements:

• Non-profit leadership –Masters in Social Work or related field required. Sophisticated leadership skills and presence developed through a minimum of 8-10 years of progressive program management experience, preferably in a high-growth, best-in-class organization with a youth-facing and/or direct service focus; Demonstrated capacity to lead a multi-site, statewide organization and manage a distributed team.
• Impeccable ethical integrity - Values-based leadership. Highest levels of personal and professional integrity with an ability to maintain confidential information concerning personal, financial, or medical matters.
• People, project and program management skills - Exemplary people management skills, strategic leadership abilities, and the ability to link the development of people with achievement of organizational outcomes. Effective team leadership skills. Cross-functional collaborative capacity. Ability to either take direction or work independently as the situation requires. Strong supervisory skills and proven success supporting staff development and empowerment. Demonstrated experience organizing, managing and evaluating events, campaigns or productions.
• Communication skills – Exceptional oral and written communication skills including the demonstrated ability to research, assimilate and analyze information, compose documents, and present data in a clear and concise manner to appropriate personnel, including ability to effectively present information to top management, program staff and/or Board of Directors.
• Risk management experience - Risk management training certificate or at least five years’ work experience in risk management. Tolerance for and ability to manage risk.
• Positive temperament – Professional, friendly demeanor. Adaptable and able to get along with a broad range of people. Habit of remaining peaceful and positive in a highly demanding work environment.
• Academic/Career experience.
• Computer/Software skills.
• Availability for occasional evening and weekend work and some travel as needed.
• Commitment to cultural competency and diversity – Deep commitment to social justice and systems change that addresses barriers based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity.

Benefits

• Full-time position
• 15 days of vacation time in year one
• 12 days of sick time
• 2 floating days
• 15 paid holidays
• Paid sabbatical
• Paid maternity and paternity leave
• Employee’s choice of Kaiser or UCH HMO/PPO Up to 90% of premium covered by First Place on certain plans
• Delta Dental Premium PPO
• VSP Vision
• 401k Retirement Savings with Match

*We do not offer relocation assistance Local candidates preferred

• Pay will be determined based on Education and Experience.

If you are passionate about making a difference in the lives of transition age foster youth and want to join a dynamic and impactful organization, we invite you to apply. Together, let's empower transition age foster youth to achieve their dreams and build a brighter future. To learn more about First Place For Youth and view our current job openings, please visit our website at www.firstplaceforyouth.org/careers.

We are unable to sponsor work visas now or in the future.

First Place will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and applicable law. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting the California Civil Rights Department Fair Chance Act webpage or reviewing this guidance provide by the City of San Francisco. For additional information regarding your rights, please also review the Summary of Your Rights Under the FCRA.