Executive & Administrative Headquarters (117 West 124th St)

$200,000 - $250,000 / yr

At Children’s Aid, we believe that all kids have limitless potential. Our dedicated staff provide comprehensive supports for nearly 50,000 children and families in targeted, under-resourced New York City neighborhoods. We know what it takes to ensure children grow up strong and healthy, and ready to thrive in school and life: excellent education and health care, social-emotional support, and strong, stable families.

With 2,000 plus staff members at more than 40 locations across New York City – including early childhood education centers, public schools, community centers, and community health clinics – and an annual budget of nearly $170 million, we are a solutions-driven, multi-service agency employing a holistic strategy that serves children and their families at every stage of development. The chief of staff serves as a key advisor to the president and CEO and, as a member of the executive team, is charged with driving Children’s Aid’s cradle-through-college agenda and improving overall organizational effectiveness. The chief of staff is responsible for building and sustaining an effective support structure for the CEO and ensuring that Children’s Aid senior staff members are operating in alignment with the priorities set by the CEO.

Working closely with senior leaders of the organization, the Children’s Aid Board of Trustees, and external and internal constituencies, the chief of staff coordinates cross-functional processes and provides oversight on critical and time sensitive issues and initiatives that include organizational strategy, cross-divisional activity, and board management. As a trusted advisor to the president and CEO, the chief of staff acts in her stead, as appropriate, including representing her in meetings and discussions both internally and externally.

Direct Reports: Director of Public Policy, Director of Performance Management, Board Liaison and Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff, Executive Assistant

Responsibilities:

Advisor to CEO

• Strategize with CEO on organizational opportunities and challenges
• Perform analysis and strategic consultation on major issues impacting the organization
• Plan, direct, coordinate, and evaluate the overall operational effectiveness of the executive office to achieve CEO goals

Organizational Strategy and Cross-Functional Activity

• Coordinate Executive and Leadership Team meeting agendas
• Facilitate annual organizational planning process to ensure alignment with strategic priorities
• Monitor progress towards annual goals of CEO’s direct reports
• Initiate and manage critical and highly visible projects, including coordination of resources and external consultants to ensure successful implementation
• Foster productive and collaborative relationships internally and externally on behalf of the CEO

Board Management

• With CEO, lead board of trustees strategy
• Oversee board of trustee meeting preparation and execution
• Supervise Board Liaison, who coordinates all aspects of board activities

Communications

• Work closely with VP of marketing and communications and the chief development officer to ensure that communication from the president and CEO is accurate, timely, and coordinated
• Provide leadership on development of speeches, presentations, and talking points for the CEO on an array of topics and for a breadth of constituencies
• Convene Crisis Communications Team as needed

Public Policy

• Supervise director of public policy for the purpose of elevating Children’s Aid as a key player and thought leader at the local, state, and federal levels on policies that support children and families living in poverty

• Supervise director of performance management for the purpose of ensuring sustainable data-driven operations in programmatic and central divisions in order to increase effectiveness and achieve mission-driven outcomes for children
• Supervise staff to manage president and CEO’s calendar in accordance with strategic priorities
• Coordinate resources to ensure president and CEO is prepared with appropriate content, messages and documentation
• Respond to and meet with a broad range of internal and external individuals, frequently related to matters of immediate concern, and coordinate responses, solutions, and follow-up

• Supervise staff to manage president and CEO’s calendar in accordance with strategic priorities
• Coordinate resources to ensure president and CEO is prepared with appropriate content, messages and documentation
• Respond to and meet with a broad range of internal and external individuals, frequently related to matters of immediate concern, and coordinate responses, solutions, and follow-up

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required, relevant advanced degree preferred
• Interest and commitment to Children’s Aid’s mission, values, and history
• Uncompromising belief in all children’s potential, and in the ability and promise of all children to succeed
• Minimum of 10 years of experience successfully leading cross-functional teams
• Exceptional project management and organizational skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a complex environment
• Deep commitment to DEI and anti-racist values; dedication to dismantling systemic racism.
• Excellent analytical, verbal, and written communication skills along with a high level of diplomacy, discretion, and problem solving ability
• Proven success in developing collaborative relationships, and a successful track record of providing sound advice and counsel to senior leaders
• Leadership, influencing, and negotiation skills a must
• Experience working with media and in press relations, and policy and advocacy preferred

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