Executive Director, Philadelphia Financial Scholars
- Employer
- Philadelphia Financial Scholars
- Location
- Pennsylvania, United States
- Salary
- Salary Not specified
- Closing date
- Jun 15, 2021
View more
- Position Type
- Executive
- Fields
- Other Fields
- Employment Type
- Full Time
POSITION DESCRIPTION
POSITION Executive Director
ORGANIZATION Philadelphia Financial Scholars
REPORTS TO Executive Committee of the Board
LOCATION Philadelphia, PA
WEBSITE https://philadelphia.financialscholars.org/
About Philadelphia Financial Scholars
Philadelphia Financial Scholars’ roots date back to 2016, when the
FS Foundation, the philanthropic arm of FS Investments, partnered
with the University of Pennsylvania to create a financial literacy
program for high school students. Since that time, the program has
expanded significantly and now includes in-class financial literacy
education, after-school entrepreneurship training, a summer
business accelerator program at the Wharton School, and a
nights-and-weekends curriculum for the families and caregivers of
students. The program is currently operating in 15 Philadelphia
schools, both public and charter, and has reached more than 1,500
students. It includes five components:
- A financial literacy curriculum delivered in-class to high school students
- After-school entrepreneurship training for high school students
- A summer incubator hosted at the Wharton School for those students who participate I the after-school entrepreneurship program
- Mentorship opportunities for high school students navigating the college application process
- Financial literacy curriculum delivered at nights and on the weekends to the families of the students
More than 700 volunteers from Penn and FS have helped deliver on these components of the program over the past four years.
Building on this proven model, other companies in the Philadelphia financial services community as well several law firms, accounting firms and community organizations have come together to form a new stand-alone non-profit, expand the program, and reach more families and students with these critical financial literacy and entrepreneurship programs.
Philadelphia Financial Scholars plans to accomplish the following with the direction and leadership of the new ED:
- Establish an independent 501 (c) (3) organization and rebrand to “Philadelphia Financial Scholars” from “FS Financial Scholars”
- Recruit other companies to build out the board, provide volunteers, and support the organization financially
- Grow the budget from $155,000 (supporting 15 schools) to $500,000 (supporting 50 schools much of which has already been realized)
- Oversee advocacy to promote standardized financial literacy education and public financial support for school-based financial literacy programs.
Mission
Combat poverty and wealth inequality in Philadelphia.
Vision
Provide financial literacy and entrepreneurship education to Philadelphia high school students and their families to help them develop better financial skills, build greater wealth and achieve financial empowerment.
Board of Directors
Mike Gerber, FS Investments
Brian Gildea, Hamilton Lane
Brendan Clark, Clark Capital
Marc Bryant, FS Investments
Sarah Argosy Capital
Noreen Beaman, Brinker Capital
Sulaiman Rahman, DiverseForce
Ryan Oswald, EY
Josh Deringer, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
Dr. Kelly Davenport, Freire Schools Network
Mia Fioravanti, FS Investments
Dr. Toni Damon, Murrell Dobbins Career & Technical Education
High School
Keith Leaphart, Philanthropi
Mimi Drake, Permit Capital
Bill Sasso, Stradley Ronon
Jeff Wicklund, The Enterprise Center
Rob Zion, TIFF
Job Summary
The Philadelphia Financial
Scholars Executive Director (ED) serves as the chief executive
officer of the organization and is responsible for providing
direction and leadership toward advancing the organization’s
mission to provide Philadelphia high school students and their
families with the tools needed to develop financial skills, build
greater wealth, and achieve financial empowerment. The Executive
Director will report to the Executive Committee of the Board of
Directors to set the strategy and direction of the organization.
The Executive Director should have experience with board governance
and a demonstrated history of communication and
relationship-building between a board of directors and staff. They
will need to adhere to principles of financial controls and ensure
the organization is fiscally sounds and capable of meeting the
needs of its constituents. The Executive Director will work closely
with school partners, donors, and other community organizations to
expand Philadelphia Financial Scholars’ reach in the Philadelphia
community while also developing a model for national expansion.
Responsibilities & Duties
- Provide timely and accurate information to the Philadelphia Financial Scholars Board of Directors
- Work with university partners and Board of Directors to develop and implement strategic plans
- Fundraise and develop revenues necessary to support the Philadelphia Financial Scholars mission; Onboard and manage relationships with corporate supporters and other donors
- Oversee annual budget and provide monthly financial statements to the Board of Directors
- Oversee media relations and communications strategy including oversight of the Philadelphia Financial Scholars website
- Lead with transparency by effectively communicating
- Share their passion and curiosity to learn through shared experiences with community partners and staff
- Serve as Philadelphia Financial Scholars’ primary spokesperson with key constituents including the Board of Directors, donors, school partners, community organizations, and the media
- Recruit and mobilize volunteers; work to build a culture of equity and belonging reflecting diversity and inclusion
- Oversee planning and execution of Board of Directors, Executive Committee and Committee meetings
- Other duties as assigned by the Board of Directors
Qualifications & Skills
- The individual must be an outstanding communicator and someone who possesses exceptional interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence necessary to build and maintain strong relationships within all constituent groups
- A passion for educational advancement and strong interest in financial literacy
- A collaborative leader who has worked equally effectively independently and as a member of a team
- Person with a social entrepreneur mindset who can operate independently and provide leadership at the staff, board, and partner level
- Proven fundraising and financial management experience with a solid track-record of success
- Ten years of senior nonprofit management experience
- Experience working in partnership and supporting a Board of Directors
- Proven ability to develop and implement successful strategic plans
- In-depth knowledge of best practices in management and governance and a history of successfully working in partnership with people of diverse backgrounds, levels of experience/education, and personalities etc.
- Strong aptitude for verbal and written communication
- Bachelor’s degree (master's degree in non-profit administration, education, or related field preferred)
How to Apply
For consideration, please submit a resume and cover letter or nominations may be submitted, in confidence, to:
Mia Fioravanti
mia.fioravanti@fsinvestments.com
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