Vice President, Strategic Initiatives

POSITION: Vice President, Strategic Initiatives

REPORTS TO: President & CEO

LOCATION: Chicago, IL

FLSA: Full- Time Exempt

POSITION OVERVIEW

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the Vice President, Strategic Initiatives is accountable for leading United Way’s external facing civic efforts including United Way’s public programing, public policy, and special initiatives – specifically overseeing the implementation and strategic growth of 211. This position will play a key role in building and stewarding relationships with multiple external stakeholders and partners by collaborating on the execution of new ideas around how to build public awareness of the work to build a stronger, more equitable Chicago region. This role will serve as an important thought partner for the senior team. This position will divide in-person work time between United Way of Metro Chicago and 211 Metro Chicago.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

50% 211 Metro Chicago

• Provide strategic direction to 211 Metro Chicago Executive Director and 211 Management Team on contact center operations, board governance, fund development, and community engagement. Champion organizational and 211 specific goals, policies, and procedures.
  1. Closely partner and coordinate with United Way’s Community Impact department to effectively integrate 211 data to inform United Way’s grantmaking and community development efforts.
  2. Collaborate with other department heads to align strategies and provide recommendations for how to resource them appropriately.
• Coordinate results-focused, collaborative partnerships:
  1. Cultivate relationships with community stakeholders, including human service providers, Metro Chicago residents, and other leaders at the City of Chicago, Cook County, State of Illinois, and local health and human service agencies.
  2. Build and maintain a robust, bi-directional governance structure to ensure budgetary and programmatic priorities align with United Way’s values and strategic efforts.
  3. Provide facilitation, strategic thinking, and project management in multi-partner coalitions and partnerships of which 211 participates.
  4. Equip partners with data and analytics from 211’s databases to inform their planning and resource allocation processes.
  5. Keep apprised of trends and emerging directions in Metro Chicago's health and human service sector and identify and execute strategic opportunities.
• Represent 211 needs in United Way's organizational goal setting, planning and implementation.
  1. Keep sight of the big goals and future opportunities while also attending to the details related to execution/implementation of current priorities.
  2. Develop 211 goals, strategies, and performance measures, with input from staff, the 211 Metro Chicago Advisory and Executive Boards, partners and other stakeholders across the regional and state systems.
  3. Make meaningful and consistent progress on established goals and strategies.
  4. Seek out the right data to generate insights and identify opportunities to organize, interpret, and visualize data in ways that foster collective learning and inform policy decisions.
• Collaborate with the 211 Executive and Advisory boards, United Way Resource Development to identify and secure funding opportunities that support and complement 211 priorities.
• Maintain strong working knowledge of all aspects of 211 operations for purposes of adapting to evolving landscape and advance innovation.
• Serve as 211 Metro Chicago’s advocate and spokesperson for both internal and external audiences.
• Serve as a liaison to other 211 centers across Illinois to ensure statewide alignment and available resources are being used to the region’s highest and best use.

20% Public Programming and Development Programs

• Leverage United Way’s deep community, civic and higher education connections to scope and create new relationships and programs that drive key stakeholder and public understanding of United Way and our community-led, place-based community strategy.
• Participate and coordinate with United Way’s Racial Equity, Diversion and Inclusion (REDI) Committee and shape United Way’s holistic equity program to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion are embedded in all aspects of United Way’s core business operations and public facing programs.
• Identify measurable goals for each public program to evaluate its success, e.g., does the program meet agreed-upon visibility goals, revenue goals, etc.

20% Strategic Partnerships

• Leverage United Way’s resources and infrastructure to support salient, aligned, and time-bound civic initiatives such as the Partnership for Safe and Peaceful Communities, Chicago Funders to End Homelessness, and Community Leadership Fellows.
• With the United Way senior leadership team, scope strategic partnerships that align with United Way’s longer term strategic goals and provide opportunities to best leverage United Way’s assets and amplify United Way’s visibility as a key, civic partner.

10% Public Policy

• Partner with UWMC’s Director, Public Policy in creating and implementing United Way of Metro Chicago advocacy and policy efforts.
• Partner and coordinate with United Way of Illinois to support the visibility and sustainability of United Way of Metro Chicago, specifically with 211 Metro Chicago.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Strong preference for candidates with strong relationships with and demonstrated knowledge of key civic, philanthropic, corporate, and community leaders across the Chicago region.

• Bachelor’s degree in related field and/or combination of equivalent employment and education experience.

• Proficient with Microsoft Office (Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Valid driver’s license or access to reliable transportation and an ability to travel within the Chicago region.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

• Guided by a clear set of Core Values and Behaviors – Equity Minded, Passionate About the Work, A Good Teammate and Curious, you will join an impressive group of individuals and contribute your diverse set of experiences, skills and characteristics to the organization
• Accepts guidance and responds well to feedback
• Displays maturity, good judgment, enthusiasm and personal motivation
• Strong interpersonal skills including the ability to anticipate workload and effectively cultivate and leverage relationships with colleagues to meet deadlines
• Collaborative entrepreneurial spirit, ability to multi-task and prioritize concurrent projects and day-to-day tasks within a high production and fast-paced environment

BENEFITS OFFERED

• Medical, Dental and Vision
• Life and AD&D Insurance
• Disability Leave

• Paid Parental Leave
• Paid Family Leave
• Employee Assistance Program

• 401k Plan
• Paid Time Off including Personal Time, Sick Time & Paid Holidays

TO APPLY:

Diverse candidates are encouraged to apply. Candidates must officially apply through our website with a cover letter and resume along with two writing samples that best demonstrate their recent work.

The responsibilities listed above are intended to describe the general nature and scope of work required in the role. The above is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required. The incumbent may be asked to perform other duties as assigned.

We believe the term “diversity” incorporates all the characteristics that make us both alike and unique: our backgrounds, abilities, cultures, nationalities, lifestyles, identities, gender, points of view, approaches to solving problems, ways of working, and views of personal and career success.

It is the intent of United Way to follow both the letter and the spirit of local, state and federal laws governing Equal Opportunity Employment as those laws exist today and as they may change in the future.