ABOUT US

Aspen Institute
The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Since its founding in 1949, the Institute has been driving change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most critical challenges facing communities in the United States and around the world. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Institute has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, and an international network of partners.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
To achieve our mission of a more free, just, and equitable society, we commit to working proactively to advance the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion across our myriad endeavors such as the recruitment, compensation, training, and advancement of staff. The best people-serving institutions make this commitment, and we seek to be a leader in the ways that we do so and learn from others. Visit our website to learn more about our commitment and recent actions taken toward building and nurturing a diverse and inclusive environment.

ASCEND AT THE ASPEN INSTITUTE
Ascend at the Aspen Institute is a catalyst and convener for diverse leaders working across systems and sectors to build intergenerational family prosperity and well-being by intentionally focusing on children and the adults in their lives together. We believe in the power of co-creation. We are a community of leaders — well-connected, well-prepared and well-positioned — building political will that transforms hearts, minds, policies, and practices.

ABOUT THIS ROLE

The Director, Fellowship Alumni Engagement and National Activation & Impact, is a newly created position. This is an essential leadership role on the Ascend team focused on strategically supporting, organizing, and activating the growing Ascend Fellows Alumni community to amplify and advance strategic practice and policy innovation, systems change, and place-based and issue-focused action resulting in family economic mobility and well-being. The Director will develop programs and engagement models that demonstrably increase impact and strategic engagement, deepen alumni commitment to the sustainability of Ascend Fellowship program, and support alumni leadership growth and evolution. The Director will contribute to the continued commitment to ensuring excellence and innovation in the Ascend Fellowship program and assessing and developing future plans for strategic field-building efforts, including but not limited to the Aspen Leadership Collaborative (ALC).

This role reports to the Executive Director, serves on the management team, and will be based in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Catalytic Leadership

• Serve on the Management Team, ensuring that the alumni activation portfolio enriches and accelerates all strands of Ascend programming and communication efforts and provide clear direction and generative support to Ascend.
• Contribute to the assessment, strengthening, and codification of the Ascend Fellowship program including curriculum, action plan analysis, impact, and technical assistance.
• Serve as key team member and active contributor to development of National Agenda, portfolio of solutions, and Ascend Community activation strategy.
• Cultivate new multi-year investments in Ascend to meet future sustainability needs.
• Contribute to an effective impact and measurement framework to capture and communicate the power of the Ascend community.

National and Issue Activation

• Leverage the National Agenda to organize and activate the Ascend network of Fellows to build the relationships and power to post quantifiable wins.
• Lead staff and consultants to design/articulate, test, and refine an Alumni Action Plan to mobilize roundtables by issue and/or geography and leverages power of “networks of networks,” working in close partnership with the Management Team to ensure alignment and impact across Ascend in support of Ascend’s Strategic Direction and Goals.
• Explore and develop opportunities and new models to incorporate civic, culture, and arts into Fellowship program, National Agenda, community-public-private partnerships, and Ascend convenings.
• Develop and implement results-driven strategies to activate Ascend Fellows Advisory Circle and additional partnerships to advance Ascend’s Strategic Direction and Goals, shared stewardship, and sustainability.
• Document key elements of Ascend Fellowship program to advance shared values and experience across cohorts.
• Explore and develop new strategies that support Fellow Alumni continued leadership influence and civic power, including elected and public roles.
• Increase strategic positioning, visibility, and work with Ascend’s communications team to conduct a communications “refresh” of the Ascend Fellowship program and alumni.
• Strengthen, develop and manage systems, tools and products that demonstrably increase Fellows’ action, contributions and satisfaction.
• Provide insight and support for Fellows programming as a moderator and other engagements as needed.

Field and Aspen Institute Strategic Partnership

• Research, assess prior leadership initiatives, e.g. SOAR Fellowship, Aspen Leadership cohort, for future potential of the Aspen Leadership Collaborative and Aspen Forum on Women and Girls.
• Serve as key Ascend contributor to larger Aspen Institute initiative on new approaches to leadership.
• Ensure effective leadership cultivation lessons from Ascend practice are fully leveraged across the Aspen Institute.
• Contribute to cross- Institute initiatives to spur investment and innovation on behalf of children and families.

Fundraising and Management

• Develop and manage an annual budget to support program goals and activities.
• Develop and improve systems to ensure highest quality and integrity for data accuracy and integrity.
• Identify, cultivate, and steward relationships with prospective funders.
• Develop and manage a multi-year fundraising plan to ensure the sustainability of the Ascend Fellowship program.
• Write compelling grant proposals and manage grant reporting requirements.
• Develop criteria and feedback process for Ascend Community engagement performance competency.
• Manage staff and consultants to achieve their goals and demonstrate growth in Ascend core competencies (results driven, strategic rigor, communications, revenue, and resource mobilization and Ascend Community engagement.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO THRIVE

• A minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of leadership development programs, national leadership programs and networks, and alumni activation strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to develop, lead, implement, and assess a strategic alumni activation programs.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and lead a fundraising plan that maintains and builds upon an annual program budget; this includes a history of cultivating and managing investors, donors, and foundations.
• Strong public speaking and writing skills that will raise the profile of the Ascend Fellowship program.
• Management experience that includes budget oversight, attracting, and retaining staff.
• Ability to create convenings and other activities related to activating a national network of Ascend Fellows and partners.
• Ability to travel 30 percent or more as needed.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Aspen Institute offers a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, and prescription benefits, retirement benefits, and paid leave.

The Aspen Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all District and federal laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or protected veteran or disabled status and will not be discriminated against.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation regarding the accessibility of our website, a modification or adjustment of the job application or interview process due to a disability, contact HRSupport@aspeninstitute.org or call (202) 736-5800.