Executive Director Year Up Philadelphia

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1 LEADERSHIP PROFILE Year Up Philadelphia To close the Opportunity Divide by providing urban 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 SEARCH Year Up seeks an experienced and accomplished leader with a deep affinity for its mission to serve as the new for its Philadelphia Delaware Valley Market (including the current site in Philadelphia). This is an outstanding opportunity for an entrepreneurial, growth-oriented leader to join Year Up. The position requires leadership, confidence and vision, thoughtful risk-taking, outstanding analytic and communication skills and a passion for creating successful career pathways for urban young adults. Founded in 2000, Year Up is a nonprofit organization with a mission to close the Opportunity Divide by providing urban young adults with the skills, experience and support that will empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education. Year Up recognizes that the Opportunity Divide specifically, historical barriers to education and professional work is driven by race, ethnicity, national origin and socio-economic status. Year Up seeks to close the divide by helping to connect motivated young adults with meaningful professional opportunities and partners. The will report to the National Site Director of Year Up, and manage an annual budget of $1.2 million - which is expected to grow as Year Up Philadelphia expands its footprint throughout the Delaware Valley

2 Page 2 of 8 region. The is accountable for a staff of 10 who, under the ED s leadership, are responsible for developing a market strategy that aligns with Year Up s organizational strategy. Functional areas are Program and Academics, Admissions, Development, Corporate Engagement and Operations. The site is located on the campus of Peirce College, an institution of higher learning for working adults with a rich heritage and 150-year history. Further, the role will be adept at working across reporting structures and will facilitate strong relationships and partnerships with colleagues in the Greater Philadelphia community and Delaware Valley region. The will be a member of Year Up s organization-wide Management Committee, participate in the organization s quarterly Strategy Sessions and periodically be called upon to participate in shaping the longerterm organizational strategy. Founded in 2013 and serving 120 young adults annually, the Philadelphia team has assembled an impressive portfolio of corporate partners that includes JP Morgan Chase, Capital One, Bank of America, Pfizer, Iron Mountain, University of Pennsylvania and Comcast. As a Professional Training Corps site (PTC), Year Up Philadelphia has been built on a lean and scalable co-location business model that seeks to leverage the assets of working in tandem with a college partner. Relationships with leaders in the college administration are critical, and partnership and alignment with colleagues at Peirce are key components of the Philadelphia PTC s success. Since graduating its first class, Year Up Philadelphia has served a talented and motivated group of young professionals whose drive, talent and leadership has made a major impact in the city. Currently over 85% of graduates get jobs paying $35,000 a year or enroll in school full-time. The successful candidate is likely to bring experience leading a multidimensional, growth-oriented organization and is authentically excited by the mandate to grow partnerships, relationships and revenue. They will have strong business acumen, credibility in the corporate sector and will work in tandem with the local and national corporate engagement team to create successful partnerships with executives in the Greater Philadelphia and

3 Page 3 of 8 Delaware Valley region. Their work will drive impact while also solving labor market demands and creating career pathways for Year Up students. She or he will demonstrate a strong commitment to working with young adults, policy makers, educators, and business leaders to close the Opportunity Divide. The new will articulate a vision to lead and scale the organization while demonstrating the capacity to provide guidance for internal programs and operations through management of the Philadelphia office. She or he will have the vision and drive to build Year Up Philadelphia s momentum, to creatively address challenges, seize opportunities and to inspire the organization to ever greater heights. BACKGROUND Year Up was founded in 2000 by Gerald Chertavian, who, after a successful business career, became a social entrepreneur. While he was in college, Chertavian began volunteering as a mentor and Big Brother to low-income youth. He did this for decades. He was impressed by the ambition and talents of the young people he got to know. But he saw that they had little opportunity to plug in to the mainstream economy. It wasn t just that some had attended poor schools or lacked college credentials; they lacked exposure to professional culture and this, as much as any skill gap, kept them marginalized. Through a one-year intensive training program, Year Up provides low-income urban young adults, ages who have a high school diploma or equivalent (General Equivalency Degree) a unique combination of hands-on technical and professional skills, college credit, and corporate internships. Year Up lives by and adheres to a core set of values that reflects an unshakable belief in the talent and full potential of young adults. With a $86 million operating budget, Year Up will serve more than 2,700 students in 2015 across 17 sites: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, New York City, Baltimore, Bay Area (San Francisco and Silicon Valley), Seattle and Washington, D.C., and Year Up college-based Professional Training Corps (PTC) sites located in Miami, Philadelphia, Jacksonville and Phoenix with 3 new PTC sites being launched in In the midst of the economic crisis in 2009, when 75% of non-profits either did not grow or remained flat, Year Up grew its revenue by 23%, enabling them to increase the number of students served by 56%.

4 Page 4 of 8 Year Up has been recognized at the national level through participation in the Clinton Global Initiative, visits from President Obama and other senior policymakers, and was recently featured in a 60 Minutes segment where some 15 million people heard the Year Up story which has triggered growth opportunities in every city. THE PROGRAM MODEL During the past decade, Year Up has developed and employed a highexpectation, high-support program which combines marketable job skills, stipends, corporate internships and college credits. It addresses students social and emotional development and provides appropriate support to place these young adults on a viable path to economic selfsufficiency. During the first six months, students attend intense, classroom-based career training led by faculty from the college partner in Information Technology or Finance at Year Up, learning technical professional skills that prepare them for success in a corporate environment. In addition, Year Up staff and faculty supplements the technical coursework with professional skills training that helps students with the interpersonal aspects necessary to be successful in the workplace. During the second six months, Year Up students gain experience in internships at leading companies in the region. After graduation, students continue to receive support and build their professional networks through Year Up s alumni association. A national model for economic and social impact, the Year Up program gives companies a cost-effective solution for recruiting entry-level employees, while providing young adults with the essential stepladder for success. Year Up has rapidly become a nationally recognized program with proven results. 100% placement of qualified Year Up students into internships. Over 90% of Corporate Partners would recommend Year Up to a friend or colleague. 85% of graduates are gainfully employed or attending college fulltime within four months of completing the program. Employed Year Up graduates earn an average of $15 per hour - the equivalent of $30,000 per year.

5 Page 5 of 8 Year Up has also received national and local recognition. Year Up was rated one of the Top 10 non-profits in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. One of the 50 Best Nonprofits to Work For by the NonProfit Times (2011 and 2012). One of the Best Nonprofits to Work For by Opportunity Knocks. Fast Company Magazine s Social Capitalist Award for innovative business model and social impact in 2005, 2007 and In 2009, the Harvard Business School published a case study on Year Up s origins and success. Please visit to learn more about Year Up. THE POSITION The will be a genuine and authentic servant-leader with credibility in the Philadelphia marketplace, passion for the mission of Year Up and the proven growth-oriented leadership, the ability to help build meaningful and economically viable corporate partnerships and fundraising and management experience to deliver results for the Philadelphia market. The Executive Director will have a passion for working with urban young adults and an unshakeable belief in their potential. Year Up Philadelphia works with several corporate partners including JP Morgan Chase, Capital One, Bank of America, Pfizer, Iron Mountain, University of Pennsylvania and Comcast among several others. Over half of Year Up s revenue comes from fee-for-services paid by corporate clients, requiring the program to meet a corporate market need to sustain itself and scale appropriately. The new will take Year Up to its next level of impact by expanding the number of young adults that are served, increasing corporate partnerships, developing and deepening donor relationships and expanding community partnerships. The growth focus will occur by working with and through partnerships with employers and colleges. By doing so, Year Up Philadelphia will become an even stronger asset to serve young adults and the broader community, helping to close the Opportunity Divide in Philadelphia

6 Page 6 of 8 and building a vibrant future for the Greater Philadelphia and Delaware Valley region. OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The will: Provide vision and leadership The will be a values-driven, inspirational servant-leader with high emotional intelligence. He or she will inspire confidence and provide collaborative, forward-thinking leadership that ensures continuing growth and impact of Year Up Philadelphia. The successful candidate will lead by example and be deeply invested in the Year Up organization, the Philadelphia team and the collective success of mission and outcomes. Articulate the challenges and opportunities around the Opportunity Divide and influence a diverse set of constituents to engage to serve Opportunity Youth. Year Up Philadelphia has established a base of key fundamental relationships with corporate partners, educational institutions, community leaders and donors that it is eager to build on. The will continue to cultivate and expand those relationships while broadening the constituent base to provide more opportunities for serving urban young adults in this market. Given the pivotal role that corporate partnerships play in the overall success of Year up Philadelphia, the must be able to articulate the return on investment to corporate partners as well as philanthropic organizations and donors while also encouraging and strengthening its brand and reputation. The new will continue to heighten Year Up Philadelphia influence within the business, political and leadership communities of the Greater Philadelphia and Delaware Valley region. Be a credible and compelling advocate The will be a powerful presenter and advocate for Closing the Opportunity Divide. She or he will advocate vigorously and effectively for the students and the Year Up program. The will be adept at connecting with others in an authentic and caring way, whether a student or a corporate CEO, and helping each see the benefit of the other s success. Manage a multi-dimensional organization The must have the capacity for strong executive functioning to set clear objectives and hold the staff accountable. She or he will promote a culture of disciplined growth in which there are explicit priorities, management structures and an attention to prudent financial management. The Executive Director must ensure that the organization hits growth and performance

7 Page 7 of 8 targets and is selectively creating and pursuing market opportunities. The successful candidate will ensure that the organization has the appropriate systems, resources, structures and personnel to support highly effective internal and external activities. Hiring, developing and retaining talent across the organization is critical to Year Up Philadelphia s success, while making the organization reflective of the communities it serves. Oversee program management The will understand and maximize the performance of every component of the site s program activities to ensure the highest level of performance for admissions, academics, student services, internships, job placement and alumni services. The Executive Director has a broad and comprehensive role; as the leader of an organization charged with the role of preparing young adults for professional career pathways and continued higher education, s/he will ensure that learning, financial success and growth of the program and increased levels of visibility and engagement from partners and the community are the highest day-to-day priorities. THE IDEAL CANDIDATE The ideal candidate is a proven servant-leader with the drive, motivation, commitment and proven track record of running a growing, entrepreneurial organization who will be an ambassador for Year Up and the students it serves. The ideal candidate will: Have a passion for working with urban young adults, an unshakable belief in their potential and a strong commitment to the mission of Year Up. Experience running a P&L, financial acumen and experience managing budgets. Have an engaging personal leadership style that inspires others to support the mission of Year Up and the ability to communicate and advocate clearly and persuasively how Year Up serves its mission by meeting a market need. Be recognized as an experienced peer among potential corporate partners, donors, and civic leaders with strong ties and a strong reputation within the Philadelphia and Delaware Valley market.

8 Page 8 of 8 Have proven competency in relationship building and fundraising. Have an understanding of the Opportunity Divide and its drivers. Have a commitment to diversity and inclusion. Be experienced managing multiple demands from a variety of constituents. Have an awareness of or appreciation for managing in an academic environment or a similarly complex professional structure Have experience leading in a dynamic, results-driven environment. Be comfortable in a fast-paced environment and adept at making quick decisions. Be a results-oriented manager with proven skills to motivate staff, delegate effectively, and empower others by giving them responsibility and holding them accountable for results. Experience developing and inspiring a talented, diverse and highly motivated staff is critical. Have strong oral and written communication skills; be a persuasive and effective story teller. Comfortable making presentations and working with corporate officers, government officials, the media, volunteers and philanthropic entities and donors. Have an authentic and approachable style with the humility of a servant-leader. Possess a Bachelor s degree; an advanced degree in business is preferable. TO APPLY Please send all inquiries, nominations, referrals and resumes, with a cover letter, to BoardWalk Consulting. We will retain all your information in the strictest confidence. Electronic submission of all material is expected. For potential consideration or to suggest a prospect, please YearUp@BoardWalkConsulting.com or call John Sparrow or Ayanna Hunt at