Manager, External Math Engagement (Hybrid - NYC)

DESCRIPTION OF THE POSITION

The Manager, External Math Engagement serves as BEAM's math ambassador to donors, partners, and the broader community. They advance all of our work by growing the community of people who support BEAM and provide the resources for us to succeed. This position is ideal for someone who wants to utilize both mathematics and communications skills in combination and contribute to the fundraising success of BEAM in a highly impactful role.

This role combines deep mathematical knowledge (and love of math!) with excellent speaking and writing skills to meaningfully engage BEAM's most mathematically and technically sophisticated supporters.

The Manager, External Math Engagement will utilize their mathematical expertise throughout their work to: create vibrant and compelling mathematical content (e.g., blog posts, short videos, holiday cards about math, students’ mathematical work), speak to the mathematical and technical interests of donors, and lead signature math-centered events. They will work directly with donors, cultivating and stewarding donors, and helping them connect with the beauty and rigor of BEAM's work through the lens of mathematics itself.

The ideal candidate will be excited about the challenge of growing BEAM’s network of supporters, working directly with donors (particularly mathematically sophisticated donors), communicating about advanced math and access to STEM in impactful and creative ways, and being part of a dynamic and mission-driven team.

DESCRIPTION OF THE TEAM/DEPARTMENT

Our Advancement team is a collaborative and dynamic group of six full-time staff members, working together to make sure we have the resources to fuel big dreams. Building strong, meaningful relationships with funders and supporters is at the heart of what we do. Our funders consist of individuals (50% of revenue), foundations (30%), and corporations (20%).

As our Manager, External Math Engagement, you will work closely with our Individual Giving and Communications teams as we raise more than $11 million annually — critical funding that will drive innovation and provide stability as we build towards future growth. This role will also provide support to the team generally as Advancement’s in-house mathematical expert, ensuring that communications, materials, and events reflect both the rigor and joy of our programs.

SUPERVISION

The Manager, External Math Engagement reports to the Director, Individual Giving.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Donor Acquisition, Engagement, and Solicitation (35%)

• Identify, cultivate, steward, and solicit a portfolio of 75–100 individual donors with the capacity to give $1,000+ annually, focusing on donors from mathematical, STEM, quantitative finance, and related fields, working closely with the Director of Individual Giving.
• Identify, cultivate, and engage corporate partners in STEM sectors, working closely with the Chief Advancement Officer.
• Meet annual goals in terms of total dollars raised, and acquisition, upgrading, and retention of donors and partners, contributing to the overall goal of growing BEAM’s revenue from $11m to $13m within three years.
• Develop and execute cultivation and stewardship strategies for mathematically-oriented donors, including personalized outreach and volunteer opportunities that speak to their technical interests and background.
• Represent BEAM at donor meetings, events, and site visits, effectively communicating the technical and programmatic aspects of BEAM's work by utilizing your background and expertise in mathematics.
• Prepare briefing materials and talking points that highlight the mathematical depth and rigor of BEAM's programs for donor conversations.
• Collaborate with the Director of Individual Giving and Senior Manager of Individual Giving and Communications on donor strategy and cross-portfolio coordination.
• Occasionally support foundation applications for math- and STEM-oriented funders, contributing technical expertise and program knowledge as the team’s mathematical expert.

Mathematical Content Creation (35%)

• Develop engaging mathematical content for BEAM's newsletters, website, direct mailings (e.g., Pi Day card), and other communications channels, including math puzzles and explorations that showcase the beauty and joy of math and problem solving.
• Create content that makes advanced mathematical concepts accessible while preserving what makes them deep and interesting.
• Explain BEAM's programmatic approach, program and curriculum design, metrics, and evaluation methods to donors and stakeholders in clear, compelling language that resonates with mathematically-sophisticated supporters.
• Curate and present examples of student work from across BEAM's programs (middle school through high school), highlighting mathematical thinking and growth.
• Collaborate with the Senior Manager, Individual Giving and Communications to integrate mathematical content into broader communications strategies.

Event Management (25%)

• Lead planning and execution of BEAM's annual mathy trivia night (or similar event), managing all aspects from concept development through follow-up.
• Plan and lead Visiting Day for donors at BEAM's summer math camps, coordinating logistics and ensuring an engaging experience that showcases BEAM's work and the level of rigor of BEAM’s programs.
• Attend and support all donor events, including small cocktail events hosted by supporters, virtual events/conversations with supporters, and one-on-one donor meetings.
• Develop and launch new donor engagement events with a mathematical focus, identifying opportunities to connect donors with BEAM's work in creative ways.
• Collaborate with the broader Advancement Team on event strategy, invitations, vendor coordination, budgeting, and staffing.
• Ensure events run smoothly and provide guests with experiences that reflect the quality and impact of BEAM's work.

Other Duties (5%)

• Stay current on trends in mathematical enrichment, math competitions, and STEM education equity.
• Contribute to Advancement Team strategy and planning discussions.
• Support other Advancement duties as assigned.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Must be able to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Sitting - constantly (50%+)
• Repetitive movements - typing (50%+)

QUALIFICATIONS

We understand that there are many paths to acquiring experience and therefore welcome candidates from diverse and nontraditional backgrounds for this role who have demonstrated equivalent transferable skills to carry out the major duties outlined in this job description.

Knowledge

• Proven experience and/or advanced study that demonstrates mathematical expertise, strong communication skills, and project management abilities.
• Mathematical curiosity, a playful approach to math problem solving, and ability to engage in substantive, wide-ranging conversations about math, science, technology, and related topics with donors.
• Understanding of quantitatively-driven decision making and ability to analyze the strengths and limitations of data (for example, being able to explain to a donor how BEAM measures student mathematical growth, what our metrics capture and what they don’t, and how we use data to refine our programs).
• Experience creating content that makes technical concepts accessible to varied audiences.

Skills and Abilities

• Mission alignment: Strong belief in BEAM's mission and a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice in STEM education.
• Communication excellence: Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to speak compellingly about complex mathematical ideas to both technical and general audiences.
• Project management: Excellent organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects with strong attention to detail, thoroughness, and timeliness.
• Relationship building: Comfort and skill in building relationships with donors, partners, and stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, including high-net-worth individuals and corporate partners.
• Adaptability: Self-awareness, cultural competency, and ability to work effectively with colleagues and stakeholders across diverse cultures and backgrounds.
• Creativity: Ability to develop innovative approaches to donor engagement and mathematical storytelling.

Preferred Education and Experience

Significant pluses include:

• Experience in nonprofit fundraising, donor relations, and/or work with funders/stakeholders is a significant plus but not required if transferable skills can be demonstrated
• Experience planning and executing events
• Experience with CRM systems (experience with Salesforce a significant plus)
• Advanced degree in mathematics, computer science, or related field
• Experience in quantitative finance or STEM corporate sectors
• Experience in mathematical enrichment programs, math competitions, teaching or coaching mathematics, research mathematics, or mathematics curriculum development
• Existing networks within mathematical or STEM communities

BEAM provides a number of benefits including:

• Flexible working hours
• Health, dental, and vision benefits including health plan options that are free for individuals
• 12 paid holidays including an office closure between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day
• 15 days of paid annual leave to start, and will increase by one day for each year worked for your first 5 years of employment
• Paid sick leave
• 403(b) Retirement Plan with employer match of 50% of elective deferrals, up to 3% of eligible compensation
• Student loan reimbursement
• Pre-tax commuter benefits
• $1,500 annual allowance for professional development