Schedule: Hybrid; 2 in office days and 3 remote days. Mon - Friday, 9am to 5pm. Some special events will occur outside of regular work hours. Weekend events are required approximately 1-2 times per month throughout the year.
Work environment: Normal office environment. Some work will take place off-site during special events.
Travel: This position requires national, overnight travel approximately 20% of the time for activities such as meetings and events in and out of the DC Metro area and to our sites in Dallas, TX and New Orleans, LA. Must be able to travel (via plane, train, or car).
About Generation Hope:
Generation Hope is a nonprofit organization with a mission to ensure all student parents have the opportunities to succeed, experience economic mobility, and build wealth by engaging education and policy partners to drive systemic change and providing direct support to teen parents in college as well as their children through holistic, two-generation programming. To date, we have provided over $1.5 million in tuition assistance, supported almost 500 teen parents in college, celebrated more than 200 degrees earned through our program, and built relationships with 30+ two and four-year institutions nationwide. For more information, please visit www.generationhope.org.
By joining our team, you will not only work for an organization that lives out and operationalizes our values, we also do the work to create a culture that truly supports every member of our staff. The best part of our organization is the people, from the families we serve to the team we have deliberately cultivated. We strive for excellence while understanding the most valuable asset that we have is our people. We celebrate diversity in all forms, including thought, professional and lived experiences, race, gender - even taste in music. If this sounds like a mission and work environment you would like to contribute to and grow with, please consider joining our team.
Position Summary:
Reporting directly to the CEO, the Chief of Staff (COS) is a pivotal position at Generation Hope. This role serves as a key advisor to the CEO, collaborating with senior leadership and other leaders to manage the execution of critical projects and ensure Generation Hope’s attainment of short- and long-term strategic goals. The COS is responsible for monitoring progress on organizational priorities, leading strategic projects, and implementing processes to enhance Generation Hope's capacity and effectiveness.
The COS is also a key leader in shaping Generation Hope's organizational culture, committed to fostering an environment of excellence and care. Beyond cultural leadership, the COS acts as a trusted thought partner to the CEO, helping to optimize the CEO's time across various organizational priorities.
This multifaceted role requires a strategic mindset, exemplary leadership skills, and a steadfast commitment to advancing Generation Hope's mission and vision.
Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership and Planning:
- Serve as a trusted advisor and strategic thought partner to the CEO on organizational priorities, initiatives, and challenges.
- Collaborate with the CEO, COO, Executive Leadership Team (ELT), and Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to develop, implement, and monitor the organization's strategic plan.
- Oversee the execution of strategic and special initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and objectives, such as new programs, policy changes, or expansion efforts.
- Conduct research, analyze data, and provide insights to inform decision-making.
- Lead the planning of all strategic planning retreats, task force efforts, and events.
- Provide regular updates to the staff on strategic planning progress, including maintaining and updating tactical plans.
Organizational Management and Operations:
- Facilitate communication and coordination among departments and teams to ensure efficient operations and alignment of efforts, including designing and facilitating cross-functional team meetings to ensure effective collaboration and accountability across all departments.
- Manage cross-functional projects and initiatives, ensuring timely completion and achievement of desired outcomes.
- Serve as a member of the ELT and work closely with the larger SLT to identify and address operational challenges or bottlenecks and opportunities to improve organizational processes, systems, and workflows.
- Manage planning, execution, and support of monthly SLT; bi-weekly ELT; and quarterly Management Team (MT) meetings while maximizing the prioritization of and follow up for all work.
- Organize, manage, and own annual SLT, ELT, MT, and All-Staff retreats.
- Manage and maintain organizational calendar to keep track of major events and recurring meetings.
- Monitor organizational performance against key metrics and provide regular updates to the SLT and CEO.
Executive Support and Facilitation:
- Work closely with the CEO to develop clear annual and quarterly priorities and to ensure that the CEO’s time is allocated appropriately to those priorities.
- Work with the Executive Manager, Office of the CEO to ensure all key deliverables due to the CEO are completed by the end of the last week of every month.
- Assist and facilitate completion of projects and tasks required of or initiated by the CEO.
- Work with the Executive Manager, Office of the CEO to ensure the CEO's time is efficiently spent and focused on key priorities, and assist with follow-up for meetings and events, as needed.
- Work with the Executive Manager, Office of the CEO to prepare briefing materials, presentations, and reports for the CEO.
- Represent the CEO in meetings and events including virtual and in and outside of the D.C. metro area, as needed.
- Act as a liaison between the CEO and internal and external partners.
Board Relations:
- Serve as a key point of contact for the Board of Directors and monitor the financial and strategic progress of the Local Advisory Boards in each site.
- Work with the Executive Manager, Office of the CEO on board communications, meeting logistics, and materials preparation.
- Support the SLT in preparing for quarterly board meetings, including agenda-building and driving key meeting action items.
- Support quarterly board committee meetings and ensure follow-up on board directives.
- Maintain discretion and confidentiality in relationships with all board members.
Internal Communications and Culture:
- Work with the Human Resources team to ensure internal communication strategies are being effectively implemented, such as the staff newsletter, intranet, etc., to support effective information flow across the organization.
- Work with the Vice President of Strategy & Operations to foster a positive, collaborative, and inclusive organizational culture that aligns with the organization's values.
Special Projects:
- Independent leadership of special CEO-initiated projects, ranging from written products to be authored to convening thought leaders on various topics. While the vast majority of CEO-initiated projects will find homes among the SLT and their staff, some confidential or time sensitive issues will need to reside within the office of the CEO.
Other duties:
This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee. They may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.
Required Qualifications:
- Minimum of 7-10 years of experience in project management, executive support, or a related role, ideally in a non-profit/mission-driven, healthcare, education, or complex organizational setting.
- Bachelor's degree required.
- Strong experience in managing high-level communications and issues management, including executive briefings and presentations.
- Clear understanding of organizational management principles, practices, and operations.
- Exceptional strategic thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to work effectively with diverse partners, including staff, board members, donors, and external supporters and vendors.
- Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distill complex information into actionable insights, strong negotiation skills, and the ability to communicate effectively and remain calm and courteous under pressure.
- Strong leadership skills, including the ability to influence, motivate, and inspire others.
- High level of integrity, discretion, and professionalism.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, and other relevant software.
- Unquestioned commitment to Generation Hope’s mission and values.
- Personal and professional commitment to understanding and dismantling systemic and institutional racism.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Master's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Business Administration, Nonprofit Management, Public Administration) preferred.
- Experience working with a national nonprofit organization.
- Experience in board relations.
- PMP Certification.
- Knowledge of the student parent experience and/or lived experience as a teen parent or student parent.
Physical demands:
- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
- Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds at times.
Candidates must be located in the Washington DC metropolitan area by the start date.
Salary and Benefits:
Generation Hope provides full benefits, including 403(b), health, dental, and paid time off. More information on benefits can be found at generationhope.org/careers .
EEO Statement:
Generation Hope is an equal opportunity employer. Generation Hope will not discriminate on any basis prohibited by law, including marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibility, matriculation, political affiliation, race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, breastfeeding, or reproductive health decisions), age, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, and disability.