Director, Strategy & Operations – Center for Lived Experiences

Who We Are

Think of Us (TOU) is a Research + Design lab on a mission to fundamentally re-architect the foster care system as we know it, powered by the data, leadership and insights of people with lived experience. The most challenging social problems we face – homelessness, mental illness, incarceration, and human trafficking – share a common intersection point: foster care. That’s why we are sparking, driving, and co-creating a nimble, responsive foster care system that will ensure every person has the conditions from which to heal, develop, and thrive. We partner with leading organizations driving change across the national ecosystem – from the White House to local providers and agencies – to identify leverage points and build solutions.

Think of Us is driving nationwide, catalytic change via multiple coordinated channels, including:

• Mobilizing and leveraging the collective voice of 38,000 former foster youth into over $400M in Federal pandemic relief funds
• Collaborating with three consecutive presidential administrations to improve Federal policy, participating in 26 engagements with the White House in the last year alone
• Inspiring 22 states to commit to eliminating group homes within 72 hours of releasing our groundbreaking Away from Home report, and partnering with six jurisdictions to make this commitment a reality
• Creating a new model for frontline support, TOU’s Virtual Support Services (VSS) connects individuals impacted by foster care with vital resources. Successfully operating in California, Georgia, and Boston, VSS boasts an <8 hour response time and 95+% of help seekers needs being met.

Our team members share a commitment to driving systems change through creative problem-solving, obsessive curiosity, and a love of quickly driving innovative, measurable, and impactful results.

_{At this time, Think of Us does not sponsor visas for candidates, and unfortunately cannot accept candidates in the US on Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or Optional Practical Training (OPT).}

The Role 

Reporting to the Vice President of the CLE, The Director of CLE Strategy and Operations will play a key role in the development of team strategy, be responsible for effective project and workflow management, and directly lead on special projects and initiatives that cut across the Center’s verticals. The individual in this role will be an experienced project manager, strategic planner, and thought partner to the Vice President and senior team leaders. 

• Reports to: Vice President of the Center for Lived Experience
• Direct Reports: None
• Location: Remote
• Category: Full-time, Exempt

Responsibilities

Project Management (60%)

• Responsible for owning logistical and operational execution for special projects and cross-cutting initiatives, including major grants, convenings, and events led by the CLE team.
• Responsible for establishing a project management framework for the CLE, including drafting project plans and creating project timelines; tracking and communicating deadlines for deliverables; and assisting with assigning and tracking project tasks through Asana.
• Collaborate with other TOU project managers and leadership to identify and implement process improvements to streamline workflow across departments.
• Utility player who is comfortable assisting with project execution.

Strategic Planning (20%)

• Responsible for strategic planning process, including:
• Leading team OKR drafting and refining, and measuring progress on team OKRs.
• Leading impact tracking for the CLE team and facilitating ongoing learning to continuously improve practices.
• Planning and facilitating in-person team offsites and other strategic planning opportunities each quarter.
• Identifying/creating professional development opportunities for junior team members.

Workflow Management (20%)

• Responsible for establishing team norms around workflow, including meeting cadence, agenda setting, and decision making.
• Working with other TOU teams to create intentional space for purposeful collaboration and identify process improvements on cross-cutting issues (e.g., engagement with state policymakers, event planning, strategic communications, accessing data, deliverable design).
• Responsible for creating and maintaining data architecture for the CLE team, including efficient and responsible file storage across team verticals, protocols for storage of new and existing files, and information sharing across TOU teams as needed.
• Identifying and implementing technology solutions to improve workflow and information sharing, including Salesforce tracking, use of PoliticoPro or other legislative tracking tools; and working to integrate different systems used across TOU teams.

About You

• (HANDLES) AMBIGUITY: You deal confidently with unclear or changing situations and switch gears easily in response to deliver results under rapidly or continually changing circumstances. 
• PROBLEM SOLVER: You effectively overcome challenges to find a solution to complex problems and identify underlying causes overlooked by others. You view problems as opportunities for action.
• ORGANIZED: You work and think in a methodical and orderly way, planning assignments and monitoring performance to meet critical deadlines. You are great at structuring workspace, workflow, and projects to support team priorities. 
• DETAIL-ORIENTED: You show rigorous and meticulous attention to detail, applying careful attention to every part of a task and working thoroughly to ensure accuracy.

Experience

• 5-8 years of work experience required, with 2-3 years of experience directly supporting a team in a chief of staff (or similar) role preferred
• Fluency with Google Suite and strong experience creating decks and presentations a requirement
• Past experience planning internal and external events and managing contractors a requirement
• Past experience as a strategy consultant managing different clients, projects and deliverables a plus
• Familiarity with project management frameworks and software tools like Asana a plus

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation

Our compensation philosophy is based on transparency and attentiveness to people’s holistic needs. We believe that fair and competitive compensation is essential for attracting and retaining exceptional talent, which is crucial for achieving our audacious goals. Our compensation packages include both cash compensation and benefits and all decisions are made in accordance with our financial standing as a not-for-profit organization.

The annualized compensation for this role is within the range of $120,000-150,000.

Benefits

• “Build your office” stipend
• Medical / Dental / Vision Coverage – We cover 100% of your premium and 50% of your family’s premium for our “base” plan
• Health Care & Dependent Care FSA
• Employer-sponsored Short Term Disability 
• Employer-sponsored Life and AD&D
• Voluntary Supplemental Life
• Voluntary Long Term Disability
• 8 major holidays + 3 Org wide Breaks over Summer, Thanksgiving, & Winter
• Flexible PTO
• Sick Leave
• Paid Leave of Absence
• 401k for pre-tax retirement contributions
• Individual ($1500 per person) & Organizational-wide Learning & Development
• We put you at the cutting edge of change in the child welfare system.
• We offer you the chance to engage with inspiring leaders in government, foundations, the nonprofit sector, and entertainment who are passionately committed to transforming the child welfare system.

Commitment + Salary

This role is a full-time remote position with 10-15% travel expected. This role has a salary range of $120,000-150,000. We are looking to fill this position immediately – applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.