Closed for Review

Overview

Catalyst:Ed is looking for a Senior Associate to join our Programs team. In this role, you will be responsible for the day-to-day management of one of our key programmatic initiatives, the Higher Ed Equity Network, and for helping education agencies or organizations strengthen their capacity to address critical priorities with a focus on underserved student populations.

This position reports to the Partner, Programs.

Who We Are

Catalyst:Ed is a national nonprofit that helps education organizations build capacity and deepen their impact by connecting them to the expertise, resources, and hands-on support they need to drive transformational outcomes for students, especially those from underserved communities. Our team is purpose-driven, innovative and inclusive, with a supportive culture where all team members have the opportunity to grow and contribute. Founded and led by a woman of color, Catalyst:Ed is committed to being a space where diversity is valued and all team members are able to bring their full, authentic selves to work.

The Programs Team @ Catalyst:Ed delivers high-quality services that meet authentic needs of field leaders and help organizations grow their capacity and deepen their impact to drive transformational outcomes for students, especially those from underserved communities. In order to deliver on this promise, the Programs team will:

• Work in partnership with organizations to understand their needs and connect them with expertise, resources, and support to grow their capacity and deepen their impact. This includes leading the strategic direction, management, and execution of our project matching services provided to the general public, within Catalyst:Ed’s Exchanges and Expert Hubs, and via other forms of capacity building services, and managing intensive support opportunities like cohorts and networks.
• Deliver coordinated, streamlined, thoughtful, and high-quality customer service to organizations and providers
• Support the development of providers in the Catalyst:Ed network through engagement in community and learning activities.
• Assure that organizational values and equity-orientation are represented across all programmatic efforts
• Maximize organizational learning and quality improvement, and field-facing learning by developing and disseminating various forms of content to Catalyst:Ed’s staff and stakeholders.

About this role

This Senior Associate position is responsible for overarching project management, communications with external stakeholders, and information management and process improvement for one of Catalyst:Ed’s priority projects, the Higher Ed Equity Network (the Network), for which Catalyst:Ed serves as Network Manager. The Network is a group of 31 national education nonprofits, institutions of higher education, and postsecondary partners whose vision is for higher education to be a launching pad that dramatically improves the economic and social mobility of the Black, Latino/a/x, Indigenous, and other students whose communities are marginalized, excluded, discriminated against, and minoritized by the status quo. Achieving this will require changes in postsecondary policy and practice, and as such, the Network plans to influence and align the efforts of postsecondary leaders and advocates to create a change movement – one that energizes people and focuses on action.

Key Components of Your Role

• Support Catalyst:Ed team and partner organizations with communications, project management, relationship management, and financial tracking and reconciliation. 

• • Develop and further relationships with team leadership and key external stakeholders to ensure efficient scheduling and communication, as well as project timeliness. 
  • Manage the calendaring for key network and network-wide meetings, collaborating with external partners to align schedules and priorities for meetings. 
  • Manage invoicing and reimbursement processes for network activities, collaborating with the Operations and Product teams to identify process improvements based on funder & network guidelines and network member capacity and feedback. Track expenses over time in our financial management system, analyze financial data to answer questions, and contribute to periodic financial reporting.
  • Support CE team members in the management of external vendors (ie: for event-related activities, including agenda development, travel logistics)
  • Provide project management support for network-related projects stemming from network priorities.
  • Project-manage logistics for in-person or virtual meetings, convenings, and/or events.
  • Serve as the point of contact for questions of all varieties (logistics, meetings, tasks, projects, etc.) from network members, funder contacts, and internal staff team.

• Provide project management, operational, and administrative support for Catalyst:Ed’s project matching services, including:

• • Enter, edit, and ensure accurate information and tracking for projects from initial listing through completion. Includes:
    • Learning to use and leverage our proprietary project matching platform and database.
    • Pulling information and ensuring proper data at each stage of the process.
    • Following up with each task accurately and on time, from drafting project scopes to scheduling interviews between the client and providers to sending reminder emails to make sure the project moves forward in a timely manner, and more.
    • Fielding questions from relevant stakeholders and providing timely and accurate responses.
  • Request survey completion and monitor responses to ensure service quality and satisfaction by partners and providers. Flag issues for follow-up. 
  • Draft and execute contracts for projects, and ensure all project deliverables and timetables meet and/or exceed contract terms, including follow up on action items for working group meetings.

• Content development and process improvement

• • Engage in strategic conversations with the team to improve processes, identify lessons and insights from our work, plan for important conversations or meetings, or the like. Contribute as a thought partner based on experience at Catalyst:Ed, in previous roles, and knowledge about our work and the field.
  • Analyze information from a variety of sources, including online sources, written narrative, surveys, and more, and translate into documentation for case-making or reporting, 
  • Develop materials for meetings, events, funders, organizations, and experts in the field. 
  • Support the development of knowledge products, program quality initiatives, thought leadership projects, or grant reporting by analyzing data from project-matching database or publicly-available sources. 
  • Support hiring processes such as by scheduling, communicating with candidates, and/or engaging in resume or work product reviews, interviews, etc.
  • Collaborate regularly with team members and other Associates, and join topic-focused, cross-cutting teams formed to advance broader team alignment, coordination, and organizational development through short-term internal projects or initiatives
  • Support team members on any additional asks

Supports you’ll receive from others to be successful

• Associate Group: Associates will have the opportunity to work closely with and build relationships with other Associates on the team, who can provide support for navigating the Associate roles at Catalyst:Ed, or provide support on handling specific tasks related to the project matching process.
• Product Team: Associates will have support from the Product team specifically related to learning to use and leverage our project matching platform, as well as how to execute specific tasks within the platform. The Product team is also available for general tech support and capacity building related to tech systems, though a facility with and willingness to learn about new technologies is required for the role.  
• Manager: Associates will have support from their Manager who helps them prioritize work, provide clarity on the Associate’s responsibilities for specific work streams or projects, and supports their overarching professional growth and development
• Whole Team: Collaborate with team members during cross-team projects or committees. Look to team members for support or advice on projects or work streams depending on their specific expertise or experience with said project or workstream.

Skills and Qualifications

• Experience working in the nonprofit and/or education sector, and an interest in higher education
• Operationally excellent:
  • Responsible, reliable, and able to manage multiple tasks and deadlines, prioritizing time and tasks according to team deadlines and importance, and able to ask for help when this is complicated.
  • Very comfortable independently learning about and working with web applications and technology systems
  • Strong attention to detail
• Equity orientation: Demonstrated equity commitment and a personal ethos around antiracism.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and active listening skills
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills
• Ability to build relationships with others and have a service-oriented mindset
• Growth mindset and ability to learn from experience
• Comfort working in a fast-paced work environment, in both independent and collaborative work settings, and operating in a climate of ambiguity and asking for help/clarification if contextual factors are not clear.
• Education and experience: 3+ years of professional experience

Good to Know

• Compensation: This is a full time, salaried position with full health benefits and retirement. Compensation is commensurate with experience. Salary range: $58,000-$69,000
• Start date: As soon as possible 
• Location: Catalyst:Ed works nationally. We are a remote team with an office in New Orleans. Team members can work from a location of their choosing.
• Travel Requirements: 5% travel (2-3 day trips, once or twice a quarter) required for attendance at in-person team retreats and professional conferences if public health standards allow.
• Physical Demands and Working Environment: The bullet points below are representative of the physical demands and working environment that must be met by a team member to successfully perform the essential functions of this role. Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.
  • Standard/remote office setting; proximity to office equipment that includes electronic devices.
  • Multiple people-facing meetings and interactions a day using Zoom or other video call software
  • Must remain at a workstation for at least 50% of the time; will need to use equipment that includes electronic devices.
  • Perceive and interact with text, media, and people.
  • Communicate and accurately exchange information with text, media, and people.
  • Additional Note: This is a people-facing position, and to be successful, you will need to have comfort interfacing regularly with team members and external stakeholders as well as dealing with a range of personalities across multiple domains.

How to apply

The application is closed for review. We will review applications on a rolling basis shortly after they are received. The selection process includes a work exercise and 2-4 virtual interviews of 45-60 minutes each.

Catalyst:Ed has a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply, particularly folks who identify as people of color, first generation, low income, or LGBTQ.