LEADERSHIP PROFILE Executive Director - Dallas Year Up Dallas, Texas To close the Opportunity Divide by providing young adults with the skills, experience, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education. ~ Year Up Mission THE OPPORTUNITY Year Up is an award-winning, national nonprofit that guides promising 18-24 year old young adults from low-income jobs to professional careers in the span of one year. One in five young adults in Dallas--over 27,000 people--are disconnected from mainstream educational and employment opportunities. At the same time, employers are challenged to recruit motivated, talented entrylevel employees. Year Up Dallas has established strong corporate partners and the opportunity to supply talent for their growing needs is substantial. Launched in 2016 on the campus of El Centro College, Year Up Dallas has a budget of $4M, a strong team of 18, and significant growth potential. Year Up seeks an Executive Director able to seize this opportunity and effectively strengthen and scale its program to increase its impact on the region s urban young adults. Dallas is the first Year Up location in Texas, and is a high-priority, highpotential Year Up market:
Page 2 of 7 Dallas has a broad-based, growing economy with high demand for talented entry-level employees. The city is a hub for finance and technology sectors where Year Up graduates have thrived. Multiple Year Up partners, including JP Morgan, AT&T and Bank of America, have large operations in the area. Dallas ranks in the top 10 markets in philanthropic support. Click here to view a Year Up 60 Minutes segment. In November 2017, Year Up Dallas was recognized by the Dallas Business Journal for its role in bridging the skills gap. Click here to read the article. THE ORGANIZATION Year Up was founded in 2000 in Boston by business executive and social entrepreneur Gerald Chertavian. Chertavian s vision for Year Up grew out of his experiences during college as a mentor to low-income youth. He was impressed by the ambition and talents of the young people he came to know, but realized they had little access to the mainstream economy. A combination of educational disadvantage and lack of exposure to corporate America kept many from entering the economic mainstream. Year Up was founded to bridge the Opportunity Divide. The organization sees historical barriers to education and professional work the Opportunity Divide as driven by race, ethnicity, national origin and/or socio-economic status. Year Up seeks to close the divide by offering resilient, motivated young adults the opportunity to develop marketable technical and professional skills in a setting of high expectations and high support that prepares them for professional careers and further education. The Year Up program has become a national model for economic and social impact. Companies gain a cost-effective solution for recruiting entry-level employees, while young adults gain access to a ladder to career success. Corporate Partners who employ Year Up students
Page 3 of 7 find the students motivated and talented, and over 90% of partners express satisfaction with the program. Year Up is an integral strategy for growing their pipeline of future employees, particularly in the areas of information technology, finance and customer service. Year Up interns are described by employers as highly motivated, dedicated and energetic, with an enthusiasm that's almost infectious. Year Up s year-long training puts young adults onto a path of selfsufficiency through a combination of hands-on skills development, college credits, corporate internship experience and social/emotional development. Students receive mentoring and a modest stipend throughout the program. During the first six months, the program consists of intense, classroombased career training in information technology, finance and other key skills that are in demand by employers. During the second six months, students work with leading corporate partners who support internship placement. After their Year Up graduation, students are supported in their job search (90% succeed) and in developing professional networks through Year Up local and national alumni associations and YUPRO, a staffing firm owned by Year Up. Year Up is committed to measuring outcomes and impact. Mark Elliott of Economic Mobility Corporation says Year Up has the most exciting evaluation results we've seen in youth employment in 20 or 30 years." Year Up has been rated one of the top 10 nonprofits in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, and has won numerous accolades for its results. These results include: 100% placement of qualified Year Up students into internships. 90%+ Corporate Partner satisfaction. 90% of graduates gainfully employed or attending college full-time within four months of completing the program. Employed Year Up graduates earning an average $18 per hour - the equivalent of $36,000 per year.
Page 4 of 7 For more about Year Up, go to www.yearup.org. THE RESPONSIBILITIES The Executive Director will lead and manage the Year Up Dallas site and market growth. The ED will be a compelling, successful leader with credibility in the Dallas market, passion for bridging the Opportunity Divide and a proven track record of leadership, innovation and growth. She or he will have authentic passion for working with urban young adults and an unshakeable belief in their potential. The Executive Director will: 1. Provide leadership and vision. The Executive Director will be a valuesdriven, compelling and influential servant leader with high emotional intelligence. He or she will inspire confidence with staff, peers and the community, and will lead the organization to broad-based success. The ED will provide collaborative, forward-thinking leadership that ensures continuing growth and impact of Year Up in Dallas and nationwide. 2. Build relationships and partnerships. As the market leader for Year Up Dallas, the Executive Director will build high-value, impactful and sustainable relationships with corporate partners, community colleges and the Dallas community. The ED will identify and engage partners and funding sources, energizing corporate and community support and identifying talent and opportunities. The Executive Director will connect in an authentic and caring way with everyone including program participants, legislators, community leaders and corporate CEOs--helping each understand the benefits of the other s success. 3. Grow mission impact, partners and resources in Dallas. The ED will have a track record of growing organizations and resources. Adept at both strategy and implementation, the ED will guide Year Up Dallas to grow in private support, corporate partnerships, participants and measurable impact on lives.
Page 5 of 7 4. Build Year Up visibility and reputation in Dallas. The Executive Director will be a credible, persuasive advocate for bridging the Opportunity Divide, and will spend more than half his or her time externally. The ED will advocate vigorously and effectively for the students and the Year Up program. She or he will be a compelling speaker in all kinds of settings including media interviews, large forums and the corporate boardroom. 5. Be a strong manager of people and the business. The Executive Director will be an experienced, caring and effective manager of people and the business. He or she will bring vision, commitment to staff and students, and the ability to lead fiscal and operational success. The ED will set clear expectations, empower team and individual achievement, and build a culture of accountability, teamwork and transparency. She or he will engage regularly with students as an accessible mentor, advisor and trusted leader. The ED will understand and maximize the performance of the site s fundraising and program activities to ensure the highest level of performance and results. THE CANDIDATE The ideal candidate is a proven servant leader with the drive, motivation, commitment and proven track record of running a growing, entrepreneurial organization. The ED will be an ambassador for Year Up and the students it serves. The ideal candidate will: Have a compelling personal style that inspires others to engage and support the mission of Year Up. Communicate and advocate clearly and persuasively. Be recognized as an experienced peer among potential corporate partners and donors, and bring a strong network and reputation within the greater Dallas area. Have proven competency in relationship building and fundraising. Have a passion for working with urban young adults, strong belief in their potential and commitment to the mission of Year Up. Understand the Opportunity Divide and its drivers, and be passionate about providing a bridge for young adults. Be committed to diversity and inclusion. Be comfortable in a fast-paced, matrixed environment with multiple demands and constituents. Have strong financial, business acumen and decision-making skills. Have the ability to engage, manage, motivate and unite people around common goals and strategies, and to drive teamwork and results.
Page 6 of 7 Have an authentic and approachable style, with the humility of a servant leader. THE RELATIONSHIPS The Executive Director will report to the National Site Director of Year Up, work with a local Advisory Board of Directors and manage the Dallas team. Year Up is a matrixed organization, so the ED will have multiple relationships and partnerships across Year Up. The Executive Director: Reports to National Site Director Manages Site Operations Manager External Relations Manager Site Director, Higher Education -- (dotted line matrix -- Director Corporate Engagement management) -- Senior Director of Philanthropy -- Associate Directors Partner Relations Key relationships El Centro College Corporate partners Year Up students and alumni Community partners Current and prospective donors and partners THE LOCATION Dallas is the ninth largest city in the nation and home to over one million residents and the world's fourth busiest airport. The Dallas metro area hosts 18 Fortune 500 companies and some of the world s most admired institutions. TO APPLY Compelling candidates could come from a variety of contexts. Year Up is an equal opportunity employer, and a diverse slate of compelling candidates is being sought.
Page 7 of 7 For potential consideration or to suggest a prospect, please email YearUpDallas@BoardWalkConsulting.com or call Crystal Stephens or Ayanna Grady-Hunt at 404-262-7392.