Managing Director – Community Impact

Role Overview

• Create and lead DREAM’s organizational advocacy and community engagement vision and strategy, aligning policy, partnerships, and family engagement to drive results and advance equitable outcomes for students and families;
• Serve as a senior leader shaping DREAM’s external engagement, representing the organization in public, policy, and community-based spaces;
• Build, manage, and scale a high-impact portfolio of community partnerships that address family needs across basic necessities, workforce development, healthcare access, and civic participation;
• Manage relationships with partner advocacy organizations, elected officials, and key stakeholders in education policy;
• Monitor and analyze education policy developments at local, state, and national levels;
• Represent DREAM at external events and in coalitions focused on education policy and advocacy;
• Set and maintain the vision for systems and supports that ensure all families can access stable basic needs, including food, housing, and other essential resources;
• Design and lead strategies that support families in securing family-sustaining wages, pursuing career pathways with opportunities for long-term advancement, obtaining health insurance, and regularly utilizing primary care and preventative health services;
• Design and lead strategies that support families in reducing chronic absenteeism and help students to thrive at school, ensuring families are equipped and supported to act as allies with their children and with DREAM in achieving the organization’s graduate vision;
• Advance civic engagement by supporting eligible families to register and vote, and by empowering families to engage as advocates and leaders within their communities;
• Foster strong, trust-based relationships across the DREAM community, including families, school leaders, staff, policy-makers, and external partners.
• Provide strategic and day-to-day leadership of the Community Impact Team (across both Advocacy and Family Services functional areas) ensuring clarity of vision, priorities, roles, and accountability across all workstreams for 6+ direct and skip-level reports;
• Collaborate with executive leadership, school leadership and cross-functional teams to integrate community impact priorities into DREAM’s broader strategic and operational goals;
• Establish metrics, monitor outcomes, and use data to assess impact, drive continuous improvement, and inform strategic decision-making;
• Lead, develop, and manage staff and/or consultants supporting community impact and advocacy efforts.
• Other responsibilities related to the running of the organization as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in public policy, education, social work, public health, or a related field strongly preferred;
• 8+ years of progressively responsible leadership experience in community impact, advocacy, social services, education, or a related field, including experience managing complex initiatives;
• 4+ years of experience leading and managing teams;
• Bilingual fluency (Spanish/English), preferred;
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing organizational advocacy or policy strategies at the local, state, or national level;
• Adaptive & inspirational leader; able to effectively influence and engage various stakeholders;
• Proven success building and sustaining cross-sector partnerships that lead to strong outcomes, including nonprofit, government, healthcare, and workforce development partners;
• Exceptional strategic thinking and problem-solving skills; ability to set detailed vision and direction across large, complex sets of work;
• Strong understanding of issues impacting historically underserved communities, including economic mobility, housing stability, healthcare access, and civic engagement;
• Exceptional relationship-building, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage families, community leaders, organizational partners, and senior executives;
• Experience using data and outcomes to drive strategy, accountability, and continuous improvement;
• Deep commitment to DREAM’s mission, values, and graduate vision, with a strong belief in the power of families as partners and leaders.
• Ability to operate with strategic vision while also ensuring strong execution and follow-through in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.

Benefits

• Flexible Medical Health Plans, subsidizing the majority of costs for the employee, their spouse/domestic partner and children;
• The ability to select between a variety of medical plans according to what best suits the employee’s needs;
• Dental and vision plans;
• Disability benefits;
• Life insurance;
• Up to 12 weeks fully paid of Parental Leave;
• Flexible spending account options;
• Pre-tax commuter benefits (parking and transit);
• Fitness and entertainment discounts;
• A variety of support through our employee assistance program (EAP);
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer match starting at 4% after one year, with increases tied to DREAM tenure;
• Referral, performance, and tenure milestones bonuses;
• Discounted school meals through our in-house Scratch Food Program;
• Tuition reimbursement support;
• Access to a professional development fund;
• All full-time Network Support Team employees are eligible for approximately 48 days off throughout the year including holidays, sick days, personal days and summer Fridays.
• Benefits are subject to change.