Senior Director of Place-Based Partnerships

Oakland Thrives

Senior Director of Place-Based Partnerships

Job Description

Reports to: Chief Strategy Officer

About Oakland Thrives

Oakland Thrives is a collective impact backbone organization focused on advancing well-being and equity for Oakland children, families, and communities and is linked to the Youth Ventures Joint Powers Authority (YVJPA). The YVJPA includes the County of Alameda, City of Oakland, Oakland Unified School District, Alameda County Office of Education, Peralta Community College District, and First 5 Alameda County, and was established as a public sector collective impact forum to improve outcomes for Oakland youth. Over the years, Oakland Thrives broadened into a public/private partnership, including participation from business, nonprofit, philanthropy, and community leaders from across Oakland.

As a collective impact organization, Oakland Thrives brings these leaders together to plan and implement initiatives that create the conditions for Oakland’s children, families, and communities to be the healthiest in the nation. Oakland Thrives works across the city on high-priority community needs in the areas of health, wealth, education, safety, and housing. Our current priority initiative is Rise East, a multi-year collective impact effort to improve the health and well-being of Black children and families in East Oakland. 

Position

Oakland Thrives is seeking a Senior Director of Place-Based Partnerships. This individual will be responsible for developing and strengthening partnerships with community leaders to ensure that neighborhood-based social and economic well-being strategies move forward successfully. The Senior Director of Place-Based Partnerships will be the principal Oakland Thrives liaison with Rise East through the Oakland Thrives’ partnership with the 40x40 Council and other Rise East partners.

This role will involve a wide range of programmatic, advocacy, governmental affairs, partnership, and contract management skills, including the development and execution of partner support contracts and the implementation and monitoring of contracting processes to support the Rise East work. This position reports to the Chief Strategy Officer.

Duties & Responsibilities

In coordination with the Chief Strategy Officer, the Sr. director will play a key role in the organization by focusing on Oakland Thrives strategic and place-based partnerships, with a focus on Rise East, by performing the following:

• Support, guide, facilitate, and monitor the Rise East community-led efforts to plan and implement the neighborhood-based strategies identified in the Rise East plan
• Develop a deep understanding of community partner program objectives and contribute to community partner programmatic success by removing barriers, providing technical assistance, and forging new relationships. Be the “eyes and ears” on the ground for Oakland Thrives, regularly triage issues and opportunities to appropriate Oakland Thrives staff, and escalate issues as needed to the CEO or CSO.
• Project manage elements of the Rise East strategies as necessary
• Convene Rise East partners and/or attend Rise East partner meetings on a regular frequency to assure alignment among the partners and Oakland Thrives 
• Be attuned to philanthropic goals associated with Rise East and facilitate connection of Rise East partners with philanthropic opportunities
• Create and monitor short and long-term plans for collective progress with community partners, report the results of such plans to the CEO, CSO, Oakland Thrives Leadership Council, and other groups as requested
• Develop, coordinate, implement, and oversee Oakland Thrives partner agreement and contract management functions, including the development of contract scopes of work that align with the Rise East plan, budgets, and reporting requirements, ensuring that provider contracts meet all applicable performance, compliance, record keeping and financial requirements to ensure the continuation of grant and philanthropic funding commitments.
• In collaboration with partners, identify opportunities for partner capacity development and provide or arrange for capacity development support as needed.
• Be attuned to the issues and needs of all Oakland flatland neighborhoods, and seek opportunities to support and provide benefits to leaders and residents of those neighborhoods.
• Be aware of, implement, and share learnings about best practices in collective impact and community development.
• Working with the CSO and CEO, leverage Oakland Thrives executive team, donors, partners, and staff to connect with Rise East key stakeholders and constituents for the purpose of advancing the Rise East plan.
• Work closely with Oakland Thrives finance and administrative team to facilitate appropriate financial and administrative business processes.
• Supervise partnership and contract associates when they are recruited and hired.
• Represent Oakland Thrives and its interests with member associations, coalitions, and networks.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will have:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent general knowledge required; Master’s degree or equivalent specific knowledge preferred 
• Minimum 5-7 years of professional work experience supporting or implementing a neighborhood-based initiative, with support and partnerships with public sector institutions, and key leadership by community-based organizations
• Demonstrated ability to develop rapport and work successfully with a broad range of stakeholders, including community members, nonprofit leaders, issue advocates, and elected and appointed officials, among others
• Demonstrated experience with financial management as related to contracts and grants, budget development, scope of work preparation, reporting, record keeping, and invoicing
• Demonstrated skills in the areas of interpersonal interactions, professional discretion, confidentiality, and accountability 
• Demonstrated project management skills, familiarity with project management platforms preferred
• High degree of initiative, individual accountability, and strategic problem-solving
• Demonstrated written and verbal communication skills and the ability to prepare and present presentations using various platforms such as PowerPoint
• Experience with supervision of staff
• Ability to work and thrive in a fast-paced, often-changing environment 
• Deep-lived and/or professional experience in East Oakland preferred

Oakland Thrives is an equal-opportunity employer.

Oakland Thrives is committed to providing a work environment free of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and disrespectful or other unprofessional conduct based on sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), sex stereotype, race, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), color, gender (including gender identity, gender expression, and transgender), national origin (including language use restrictions and possession of a driver's license issued under Vehicle Code section 12801.9), ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, registered domestic partner status, age, sexual orientation, military, and veteran status or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law or ordinance or regulation. It also prohibits discrimination, harassment, disrespectful or unprofessional conduct based on the perception that anyone has any of those characteristics or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics.

Additional Details and How to Apply

This role has a salary range of $145K-$160K based on experience.

This position is a hybrid role with an expectation of working in-person in Oakland 2 days per week. 

The Sr. Director of Place-Based Partnerships will be joining a small and growing team. Oakland Thrives has eight staff members and plans to expand to 11 by summer 2024. The Sr. Director will work closely with all team members and report to the Chief Strategy Officer.