About LEE

LEE is a nonpartisan network of leaders at all stages of life and career. We provide 1:1 coaching, meaningful member-to-member connections, and skill-building opportunities to support and inspire members to increase access and opportunity in their communities. (wearelee.org)

We are a civic leadership development, membership organization. We equip LEE members with the tools, resources, and industry knowledge they need to take collective action and create change in their communities – whether that’s through policymaking, elected leadership, advocacy, or grassroots organizing. LEE believes that effective leaders who are grounded in their values and experiences can make a difference in their communities.

LEE is an outcomes-oriented organization that operates in an entrepreneurial environment deeply invested in continuous improvement. LEE is proud to be certified as a Great Place to Work, and to offer generous compensation, a virtual work setting that includes flexible scheduling, and a values-driven benefits package.

Position Summary

The Senior Director, Special Projects reports to the Executive Director and acts as a strategic "impact multiplier" for the organization. In this role, the Senior Director will drive mission-critical special projects that span high-level analysis, external partnership cultivation, and executive communications. This role will conduct rigorous research to inform organizational strategy, while simultaneously serving as a surrogate for the Executive Director in cultivating new partners and funders. This role requires navigating the intersection of data, strategy, and external affairs to accelerate the Executive Director’s vision.

The ideal candidate is a high-agency, solutions-oriented leader who thrives in ambiguity and possesses an unwavering perseverance to drive past challenges. This individual is analytically sharp and is equally skilled at external relationship building. They demonstrate autonomous ownership of their work products and deliver high-quality communications to Board members and prospective partners.

The Senior Director, Special Projects (Temporary) is a full-time, temporary position for up to 40 hours per week for six months, with the potential to convert to a full-time, regular position. This role is located in New York, NY at the LEE national office in the FiDi with an in-office expectation of 2-4 times per week.

Due to the high volume of applications, the hiring team will prioritize review of completed applications which includes resume submission, a link to a relevant work sample, and responses to two short-answer questions.

Position Location: New York, NY with an in-office expectation of 2-4 days per week, LEE office located in FiDi

Travel Requirements: 10-20% travel for impact opportunities and org-level meetings, including nationwide travel quarterly

Responsibilities:

Growing External Relationships - 30-50%

• Cultivate and grow external relationships with organizations/individuals who can help LEE’s impact and the impact of LEE's members

• Translate complex impact data into insights and those insights into a compelling narrative for prospective partners

• Build the strategic narrative and collateral needed to influence external stakeholders

• Cultivate supporters and LEE champions through virtual and in-person meetings as a surrogate of the Executive Director

• Occasionally, help with preparation for external meetings, including conducting background research, analysis, and synthesizing key points

Project Leadership, Execution, and Management - 20-40%

• Lead the execution of cross-team priority workstreams, scope and prioritize projects, including long- and short-term project plans, milestones, tasks, and project roles

• Collect and conduct analysis on internal and external performance data

• Serve as unified project manager on all intersectional work related to assigned priority project(s)

Additional Responsibilities - 10%

• Lead or contribute to team-level, org-wide, or cross-team special projects to accelerate impact as assigned by manager or designee

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or commensurate work experience (If you do not hold a Bachelor’s degree an additional 4 years of relevant experience is required. If you hold an Associate’s degree an additional 2 years of relevant experience is required)

• 7+ years of relevant and impactful professional experience in organizational leadership, management consulting, strategy development, and/or organizational analytics

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including an understanding of the power of storytelling to influence stakeholders

• Proven track record of working impactfully across multiple functional areas

• Outstanding strategic thinking skills; data-driven and analytical in approach to solving problems

• Understanding, and ideally experience with, technology and business strategy of two-sided marketplaces and platforms

• Ability to derive insights from complex data sets using standard and advanced tools (i.e., AI, Tableau)

• Comfort and effectiveness in small and large meetings with stakeholders

• Ability to effectively communicate and collaborate across diverse stakeholders

• Demonstrated experience leading in a matrixed structure, including leading complex projects to meet or exceed goals

• Strong, demonstrated commitment to LEE’s mission, core values, and theory of change

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in relevant field or JD

• Experience in fundraising, development, or external affairs

• Leadership experience in a policy (government), advocacy (nonprofit), or elected leadership context

Application Submission:

Thank you for considering LEE as a future employer, we are eager to review your application and learn more about your experiences and interest in LEE's mission.

We encourage you to submit your application at your earliest convenience. Due to the high volume of applications, the hiring team will prioritize review of completed applications which includes resume submission, a link to a relevant work sample, and responses to two short-answer questions.

We do not have an application deadline for this position and we will review applications on a rolling basis. For additional information, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions section on LEE's Careers website: https://wearelee.org/who-we-are/careers/.

Pay and Benefits: The position level is Senior Director 1 and the corresponding hourly pay range is $54.86-$85.21. Pay is competitive and based upon relevant experience and cost of labor for your location. Learn more about compensation here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kUbPtNQiPIjWA4xbEaEY08RLQ-ZeO49wd8dc1v3U_s8/edit?usp=sharing. Note, this is a non-exempt position where employees are eligible for weekly overtime pay.

Please visit LEE's Careers Website for information on benefits that full-time temporary staff have access to:

• Full-time Temporary: https://wearelee.org/who-we-are/careers/#:~:text=Time%20Temporary%20Staff-,Care%20For%20Your%20Health,-Medical%2C%20dental%2C%20and

Physical Requirements & Work Demands:

• This position is primarily a sedentary role working with colleagues based around the country using remote technologies.

• The person in this position may need to occasionally move about inside the office to liaise with staff or access office equipment.

• The person in this position will need to have the ability to travel to in-person meetings in various U.S. cities.

• Occasional evening and/or weekend work is required.

LEE is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, programs, and operations. As part of that commitment, LEE will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact staffing@wearelee.org

A LEE core value is including the perspective of all voices. LEE bases employment and promotional opportunities upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to ancestry, race, gender, pregnancy, age, color, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, religion, creed, marital status, disability, medical condition, political affiliation, national origin, genetic information, or any other characteristic established under law.