Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Innovation

Position Type: 100% FTE, Exempt

Compensation Range: $130,000 - 140,000 Annual Salary

Benefits Overview: Medical, vision, dental and life insurance, vacation and sick time off, paid federal holidays, and retirement plan (See full job description for more details).

Organization Size: 50+ employees

Reports To: President and Chief Operating Officer

Location: Primary designated work location will be Modesto or Stockton in the San Joaquin Valley Region, however, we are open to taking applications from candidates in Watsonville, Salinas and Gilroy locations in the Monterey Bay Region for secondary consideration. 

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW:

Digital NEST is a workforce development center that has welcomed thousands of youth from working-class, farmworker communities to develop the technical and professional skills they need to achieve their dreams. It is an exciting time for the NEST. We are focused on growth and expansion to five communities across The Monterey Bay (MBR) and San Joaquin Valley (SJVR) Regions in Northern California by the end of 2024. Digital NEST has Centers in the heart of Watsonville, Salinas, Gilroy and Modesto. The final Digital NEST Center is expected to launch in Stockton in the fall of 2024.

JOB OVERVIEW:

The Vice-President (VP) of Strategic Partnerships and Innovation (SPI) is a new position within the executive team.  This is a pivotal position, as it will spearhead our efforts to achieve the bold goal of placing 100% of bizzNEST interns in their first entry level professional role, which will position them on a path towards a wealth-building career.  bizzNEST is the creative agency of Digital NEST, which employs interns to provide marketing, video, graphic design, and web design services to businesses and nonprofits. This year we are employing over 50 interns and we are expecting to grow in subsequent years. 

The VP will also be the key leader who drives the development of an organizational culture of innovation and stays informed about emerging technologies that may influence and improve systems, practices, and program and training offerings to ensure our interns are competitive in the workforce. 

The VP is responsible for leading the overall vision, development, and daily management of the following critical areas to meet the goal of 100% placement of interns:  

1) Provide top-level leadership in bizzNEST, including overseeing its client services and products, professional certification attainment, case management of the interns, and collaborating with the Career Services department to deploy the career development activities.

2) Develop the vision and strategy for successful implementation of an employer engagement plan and seek out new partnerships and alliances that support both employer innovation efforts. 

3) Develop the vision and strategy to create a culture of innovation within the organization, with a specific focus on organizational efficiencies, programs and training, and to encourage and support experimentation and reward new ideas and ways of thinking. 

The Vice President will be a strong relationship builder, strategic connector and an innovator in all aspects of their work. They will work in close collaboration with the VP of Programs and VP of Center Operations and Community Engagement, as well as the executive team.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

bizzNEST Program Management, Development & Growth, and Business Development (40%) 

• Develop and direct a sustainable, profitable business model that continuously produces high-quality client service packages in design, web development, video production, and marketing.
• Provide leadership of business functions of bizzNEST including marketing, client cultivation, management and generating business analytics.
• Develop a marketing plan to promote services for prospective and new clients.
• Increase revenue opportunities and exceed target revenue goals.
• Collaborate with leadership to develop and implement a scalable, replicable cohort-based job training internship program for young professionals from marginalized communities, from a model currently serving 60+ interns per year to one serving 100+ interns per year across five Centers.
• Ensure program strategic and tactical plans and goals are developed, aligned and executed according to approved timelines. 
• Continue to build on or improve structures, initiatives, processes and practices necessary for the smooth operation and replication of the bizzNEST program model across a total of five Centers.
• Drive and manage program growth for bizzNEST, consulting with other staff as needed to ensure smooth integration with other Digital NEST programs.
• In collaboration with the Evaluation Department, conduct data collection and evaluate program outcomes on a regular, ongoing basis and provide strategic recommendations for continuous improvement as related to the organizational strategic goals and key performance indicators. 
• Prepare and manage program budget, including strategic oversight of monthly revenue and expenses.
• Oversee the development of funding proposals to support core programs and new directions/program strategies. 
• Provide management of client databases.

• Continuously conduct cost-benefit analyses to assess the potential value of new or existing activities and program strategies. 
• Establishing clear processes for generating ideas, creating prototypes and producing them.
• Evaluating and balancing risk/reward for innovation and organizational objectives.

Industry Partnerships (30%)

• Develop a robust industry engagement and partnership plan to secure employment pathways for the bizzNEST internship.
• In collaboration with the Employer Engagement Manager, develop and foster relationships with employers to secure employment opportunities for Digital NEST youth. 
• Building a strong network of connections who can engage with programs, provide mentorship and provide valuable feedback on innovation processes.
• Create a team of Industry Advisors who can provide relevant and timely advice and provide feedback on training curriculum. 
• Stay current on bay area and regional workforce industry/innovation trends and communicate those trends to internal stakeholders. Work closely with the programming team to strategize on how to integrate learning into programs.
• Identify workforce skill needs and communicate those skill needs to organizational and programmatic leadership. 
• In collaboration with the Development team, identify funding opportunities from industry partners.
• Assess competition and maintain overall market awareness.

Technology Innovation (20%)

• Stay current on the emerging technology innovation trends and communicate those trends to internal stakeholders. 
• Collaborate with organizational leadership to determine the adoption of innovations and develop strategies to implement selected innovations within the organization and/or programs. 
• Create an innovation portfolio and roadmap to drive growth and spur investment to drive organizational efficiencies and relevant programmatic training. Ensure garnered support from industry and external stakeholders (e.g. industry, customers).
• Develop technology briefs to the C-suite executive team.
• Ensure adopted innovation(s) provides value to external stakeholders and cultivate long-term relationships with them.
• In collaboration with the Chief Impact Officer, serve as a Digital NEST representative at technology and relevant industry conferences. 

Staff Supervision and Leadership (10%) 

• Oversee the hiring, training, and mentoring of all bizzNEST staff across all Centers throughout the regions, to ensure that they have the information and support to succeed in their respective roles.
• Supervise and evaluate the performance of personnel: Supervise bizzNEST leads, direct them on the design, implementation, quality assessment, results measurement and continuous improvement of programs in alignment with organizational strategic priorities, goals, and key performance indicators.
• Attend identified meetings and collaborate on leadership and management activities (e.g. annual budget development).
• Establish staff training and professional development to ensure the department leadership team are instructors that can effectively train and support interns on the technical and professional skill development, as well as, instructional strategies and positive youth development practices that will allow them to successfully enter into and complete the bizzNEST program projects and build their professional portfolios. 
• Champion change management.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in business management, business communications or a field strongly related to the duties and responsibilities of this position.
• At least 15 years of full-time, professional experience providing digital media services to paying clients.
• At least 8 years managing programs focused on youth development.
• The cumulative equivalent of at least 7 years, full-time, supervisory experience.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Advanced knowledge of business models and practices.
• Availability to work and travel occasional nights and weekends.
• Self-starter with a high degree of initiative, creativity, and proven ability to work independently.
• Ability to lead and collaborate effectively during times of uncertainty, ambiguity, and rapid change.
• Exceptional time management skills and ability to meet deadlines.
• Professional demeanor and the ability to use tact and diplomacy when interacting with donors, NEST staff, clients, and other stakeholders.

PREFERRED-BUT- NOT REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bilingual/biliterate English and Spanish.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Passion for the mission of Digital NEST and belief in upholding the organization’s core values.
• Understanding of and sensitivity to issues of culture/ethnicity/race, gender, sexual identity, class/SES, and immigration status. 
• Ability to be an ally to people of color, women and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and intersex individuals and their allies (LGBTQIA). 
• Candidates must have a valid CA driver's license, pass a background check, and be able to travel and work evenings or weekends occasionally, or as needed.

NOTE: The job offer will be contingent upon the successful completion and passing of a background check.

ABOUT OUR BENEFITS: We take a holistic approach to wellness, physical, emotional, and financial. Our comprehensive benefits package includes:

• 100% Agency Paid Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance for the employee
• SIMPLE IRA Retirement Benefit with up to 2% employer match
• 10 Paid Vacation Days for Full-time Employees (non-Director and non-Chief positions)
• 15 Paid Vacation Days for Full-time Employees (Director and Chief positions)
• 13 Paid Holidays Annually Plus Business closure/holiday the week between Christmas Day and New Years Day
• Paid Sick Time Off
• Annual Parking Permit
• Professional Development Opportunities
• Flexible Work Schedule

We understand that no candidate is perfectly qualified for any job. Experience comes in different forms; many skills are transferable, and passion goes a long way. Even more important than your resume is a clear demonstration of dedication, impact, and the ability to thrive in a fluid and collaborative environment. We want you to learn new things in this role and encourage you to apply if your experience is close to what we’re looking for. We also know that diversity of background and thought makes for better problem-solving and more creative thinking, so we're dedicated to adding new perspectives to the team. We look forward to hearing from you.

Digital NEST, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Digital NEST is committed to an inclusive experience for all applicants and will endeavor to make reasonable accommodations in the interview process, to the known physical or mental limitations of qualified employees with disabilities unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of our business.  

Please refer to our career page for more information on how to apply for reasonable accommodations.

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