Head of Board and Council Engagement

Job Title : Head of Board and Council Engagement Team : External Affairs Location : Hybrid in Atlanta (GA), Chicago (IL) strongly preferred, Newark (NJ), or New York City (NYC) Employment Type : Full-time FLSA Classification : Exempt Start Date : ASAP About Braven Braven is a national nonprofit that prepares promising college students to secure a strong first opportunity after college graduation through a career‑accelerating program. 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, our ambition is to help rebuild the middle class and revitalize the American Dream. To learn more, take a look at Braven's Jobs Report. About The Role To achieve its ambition of serving 80,000‑100,000 Fellows over the next decade, Braven must develop and maintain strong boards of directors, nationally and regionally, as well as develop its growing councils as it continues to lead in shaping the field in the college‑to‑career space. In that effort, Braven is hiring a Head of Board and Council Engagement who will lead the strategy and implementation behind Braven's board management and engagement, as well as its growing body of councils to ensure Braven has the external expertise, champions, and influence needed to reach its ambition. Specifically, in this next phase, Braven is developing and strengthening its body of councils to build external expertise and influence in key areas that reflect our shared value partnerships and core and secondary customers, and to help us shape the college‑to‑career field. As a member of the External Affairs team, you will report to the Chief External Affairs Officer as well as work closely with the CEO and regional Executive Directors and certain Central Team Leads to cultivate, develop, and maintain strong board engagement and effective councils to ensure good corporate governance, diverse and sustainable revenue streams, national influence, and a strong source of external expertise and strategic advice. Over the next 2‑3 years, you will build and manage a small but mighty team to support our growing governance work. What You’ll Do Strategy (50%) Set the vision, goals, and annual strategic plan for our National Board of Directors from the group to the individual level to ensure we continue to have an incredible board that catalyzes the organization's work Set the vision, goals, and template strategic plan that Executive Directors customize to build and manage best‑in‑class regional boards Provide support, alignment, and thought partnership to a growing portfolio of 6‑10 regional Executive Directors and their boards over the next five years Develop board and council member profiles tied to strategic needs Drive the creation of strategic materials (memos, decks) that support all board moments from meetings, strategy calls, 1:1 engagement plans, etc Set the vision, goals, strategic plan, and create the materials and systems for Braven's growing body of advisory councils (including Employer Partner, Faculty, Higher Ed Presidents, Technology, etc) High‑Stakes Stakeholder Management and Governance Operations (50%) Manage the prospecting, cultivation, and stewardship of the National Board members in collaboration with the CEO, including bi‑weekly or monthly check‑ins with all board members Responsible for $3‑4M in direct national board and council giving; additionally, work to build boards and councils that provide networks, accounting for 35% of our overall revenue annually Support the prospecting, cultivation, and stewardship of the regional board members in collaboration with Executive Directors Manage the prospecting, cultivation, and ongoing stewardship for members of certain high‑profile councils Set the guidelines and best practices for board and council group and individual stewardship nationally and regionally Create systems and tools for research, stewardship, communications, and board and council building at the national and regional levels Manage and analyze accurate data collection of materials and information related to national and regional board members, as well as council members Create learning and development opportunities to ensure excellent board and council management across Braven Project manage national board meetings, strategy sessions, and the annual joint board convening, and provide the systems and processes to manage council and regional board meetings Other duties as assigned Requirements Minimum Qualifications BS/BA or relevant experience 10+ years of relevant experience Preferred Qualifications Exceptional political acumen and relationship intelligence — having demonstrated an ability to map stakeholder ecosystems, identify key influencers, and cultivate trust across varied networks to open doors and advance organizational priorities Professional experience working with executives, board members, and high‑profile individuals, and managing high‑stakes relationships with success Deep understanding of local and national ecosystems and networks, and how to maneuver successfully within 5+ years of project management experience and leading high‑stakes meetings 5+ years of experience managing complex relationships with individual stakeholders and able to exercise direction, diplomacy, and handle confidential information Ability to work effectively with and quickly gain the respect and support of various key constituencies, including the board of directors, champions, partners, and prospects Successful track record of personally identifying, cultivating, and soliciting major champions Exceptional management, leadership, presentation, and written and interpersonal communication skills Experienced in managing vertically and horizontally within internal and external settings Excellent written and oral communication skills Customer first, hospitality orientation with excellent stakeholder management skills and attention to detail Strategic, analytical, and strong EQ when managing external relationships Ambitious, measurable goal‑oriented, action‑oriented mindset, and perseverance Extremely detail‑oriented, thorough, while keeping sight of the big picture Build strong external and internal relationships with a variety of stakeholders and tailor approach to others' beliefs, motivations, and contexts Voracious reader and continuous learner who actively seeks feedback and reflects to improve Exemplify Braven's core values Work Demands Ability to work in‑person in Atlanta (GA), Chicago (IL), Newark (NJ), or New York City (NYC) Travel: Ability to travel at least once per month for 2‑3 days at a time Additional Requirements Authorized to work in the U.S Braven doesn't offer employment visa sponsorship Benefits 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. Compensation is determined using external and internal benchmarking and is not negotiated based on candidate expectations. Salary ranges for this role are $116,000‑$145,000 in Atlanta, $122,500‑$153,100 in Chicago, and $134,800‑$168,500 in New York and Newark, NJ. Braven also provides competitive, comprehensive benefits, recognition, and career development. Current benefits include: Unlimited vacation time in addition to organization‑wide holidays and week‑long shutdowns in July and the end of the calendar year (minimum 19 days per year) Braven supports you with $25,000 in lifetime Carrot benefits for fertility, family‑building, and hormonal health Match of your 401(k) 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. Therefore, this role requires teammates to live within commuting distance of one of our hubs: Atlanta, Chicago, Newark, or New York City. We believe in the magic, connection, and collaboration that happens when people work together face‑to‑face and we provide flexibility to balance personal priorities. Braven is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected factor. We encourage talented individuals of all backgrounds to apply. #J-18808-Ljbffr