Manager, Higher Education Partnerships

Job Title: Manager, Higher Education Partnerships

Team: External Affairs 

Location: Hybrid in Atlanta (GA), Chicago (IL), Newark (NJ), New York City (NY) or Washington (DC)

Employment Type: Full-time

FLSA Classification: Exempt

Start Date: Fall 2024

About Braven

Braven is a career-accelerating program that prepares promising young people—many of whom are people of color, from low-income backgrounds, and the first in their families to attend college—to secure a strong first opportunity after college graduation. 

We work with higher education and employer partners to offer a life-changing experience that begins with a semester-long course for college students followed by support that lasts through graduation.  

Together, we are helping to open up access to the American Promise, empowering a generation of leaders who mirror the diversity of our country.

To learn more, take a look at Braven’s Impact Report and Jobs Report.

About the Role

In order to achieve its ambition of serving 80,000-100,000 Fellows over the next decade, Braven is hiring a Manager, Higher Education Partnerships who will develop and support the implementation of strategies to strengthen our existing Higher Education Partnerships (HEP). This role will develop and enhance strategy, tools and systems that support our regional teams to build champions at each of our partner campuses, ultimately expanding impact.

This role is on the Higher Education Partnerships subteam on the External Affairs team and reports directly to the Managing Director, Higher Education Partnerships.

Requirements

What You’ll Do

Operations & Management (45%)

• Develop and improve HEP-related systems and tools to support central and regional execution of HEP meetings and relationship building including but not limited to Salesforce and Asana data entry and progress tracking
• Create compelling communication materials (emails, presentations, talking points, etc.) to support HEP strategy and regional stakeholder relationship management for a portfolio of HEPs
• Actively collaborate with members of the external affairs team and regional teams (weekly calls, ad hoc problem solving, etc.) to move shared goals forward, providing excellent customer service

Data Analysis & Strategy (30%)

• Build excellent briefs on new higher education initiatives and potential partners at existing HEPs 
• Conduct and coordinate interviews, research and analysis in partnership with higher education partners to help deepen our understanding of the challenges and barriers we face with adding Braven as a for-credit course and explore potential pathways to scale
• With the support of Braven’s data team, analyze data for the team and create data visualizations to convey key concepts to an external higher education audience

Event Planning and Support (25%)

• Support the planning of our annual convening of higher education leaders across existing, new, and potential sites, including event logistics, securing speakers, etc.
• Support ad hoc custom events involving higher education leaders within your portfolio of regions and/or nationally

Minimum Requirements

• BA or equivalent degree
• At least 2 years of full-time work experience

Preferred Qualifications

• At least 1 year of data analysis and data visualization experience
• Engaging, clear, and succinct verbal and written communication skills with the ability to adapt to fit the audience
• Ability to create and successfully execute project plans through effective planning, prioritization, project management, and follow through
• Strong and proven ability to prioritize the most important work to achieve one’s vision and goals, navigating competing priorities
• Ability to proactively communicate what support is needed to successfully meet expectations and create contingency plans as needed
• Experience building positive working relationships, including with people who have a range of identities, personalities, and ways of operating
• Strong commitment to collaboration evidenced by seeking out opportunities to collaborate with and learn from others who complement the limits of our own experience
• Experience gathering relevant data and using it to make decisions and solve problems, especially in ambiguous and fast-paced environments
• Demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion
• Exemplification of Braven’s core values
• Experience that has informed your belief in Braven’s mission and have prepared you to work with, or for, Braven’s student Fellow population

Please know that no one ever meets 100% of the preferred qualifications. If much of this describes you, we encourage you to apply.

Work Demands

• Ability to work in-person in Atlanta (GA), Chicago (IL), Washington D.C,  Newark (NJ), or New York City (NY) at least 3 days per week
• Travel ~2-3 times per quarter for Braven team meetings and/or external convenings
• Some west coast (PST) support for higher education stakeholder meetings may be needed as frequently as 1-2x per month. This may occur after hours depending on your time zone and portfolio of regions.

Additional Requirements

• Authorized to work in the U.S.
• Must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide proof of such by the date of hire. Individuals may claim exemption from the vaccine requirement for medical or religious reasons.

Application & Interview Process

While the interview process may vary slightly, the general process will be:

• Phone screen with Talent Team member
• Interview with Hiring Manager
• Performance Task & Panel Interview with Key Partners
• Reference Checks

Benefits

Compensation and Benefits

The salary for this position, which depends on prior work experience and our assessment of your demonstrated fit for the role, will likely be between $59,300-$74,100 in Atlanta,$62,300-$77,900 in Chicago or Washington D.C, and $68,600-$85,700 in New York/Newark. Braven offers competitive base salaries based on the midpoint of the market among not-for-profit organizations of similar size, with opportunities for salary growth over time. We believe in compensating staff members fairly in relation to each other, their qualifications, and their impact on behalf of the organization, and take internal and external equity seriously. Given our commitment to equity, Braven does not negotiate salary offers; instead each salary offer is determined carefully using external and internal benchmarking. You will have an opportunity to discuss salary in more detail after you begin the application process.

Braven also provides competitive, comprehensive benefits, recognition, and career development. While Braven reserves the right to change benefits at any time, current benefits include: 

• Unlimited vacation time in addition to org-wide holidays and week-long shutdowns in July and the end of the calendar year (this is a minimum of 19 days per year)
• Match of your 401K contribution up to 5% of your base annual salary, starting your first full month
• Coverage of 85% of health insurance premium for employee and dependents
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• A one-month paid sabbatical after 4 years on staff

Location

We gather in the office at least 3 days per week (on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) and often work remotely 2 days per week (although certain commitments might adjust that from time to time). Therefore, this role requires teammates to live within commuting distance of one of our hubs: Atlanta, Chicago, Newark,  Washington DC, Delaware or New York City. We believe in the magic, connection, and collaboration that happens when people work together face-to-face and we believe in giving people flexibility to focus, balance personal priorities, and save themselves two commutes per week.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 

At Braven, we are committed to attracting, engaging, developing, and retaining a diverse team. Braven operates in the context of our American culture, against the backdrop of systemic racism and oppression of marginalized people since our country’s founding. We are committed to assembling leaders at our organization who have emerged from everywhere, with a particular emphasis on those who share the racial and income backgrounds of our Fellows, and creating an inclusive culture that allows all teammates, of all experiences and identities, to thrive.