Director of Organizational Strategy & Transformation (Volunteer)

Director of Organizational Strategy & Transformation (Volunteer)

Executive Team Division | Strategic Planning, Organizational Transformation & Performance Improvement

Organization: Mentor A Promise (MAP)

Division: Executive Team

Location: Fully Remote — United States, with NYC-based collaboration as needed

Position Type: Volunteer Leadership Role

Commitment: Approximately 5–10 hours per week

Minimum Commitment: 6 months

Reports To: Chief Transformation Officer

Collaborates With: Chief of Staff, PromiseInnovation, PromiseOperations, PromiseMeasure, and divisional leadership

About Mentor A Promise

Mentor A Promise (MAP) is a New York City–based nonprofit supporting children and youth ages 5–18 experiencing housing instability through mentorship, education, literacy, social-emotional learning, creative expression, career readiness, and community-centered opportunities.

As MAP continues to grow, we are strengthening the organizational systems, leadership practices, and strategic capabilities needed to expand our impact while maintaining the quality, integrity, and sustainability of our work.

Position Overview

Mentor A Promise is seeking a strategic, analytical, and forward-thinking Director of Organizational Strategy & Transformation to help translate our long-term vision into actionable priorities, coordinated initiatives, and measurable organizational improvements.

Working closely with the Chief Transformation Officer and executive leadership, the Director will support organizational planning, transformation projects, operational improvement, and cross-divisional alignment.

This position is not simply about developing strategies. It is about helping the organization execute them—identifying challenges, strengthening systems, improving collaboration, and ensuring that meaningful change produces lasting results.

The ideal candidate understands how organizations evolve and can balance ambitious thinking with practical execution, sound judgment, and respect for the people responsible for delivering the work.

Key Responsibilities

Organizational Strategy & Strategic Planning

• Support the development and implementation of MAP's organizational strategy and long-term priorities.
• Translate executive goals into actionable initiatives, milestones, and measurable outcomes.
• Identify organizational challenges, emerging opportunities, and areas requiring strategic attention.
• Conduct organizational assessments, research, and strategic analyses.
• Support quarterly planning, priority setting, and progress reviews.
• Help ensure divisional initiatives align with organizational objectives.
• Develop strategic recommendations for executive leadership consideration.

Organizational Transformation & Change Management

• Coordinate approved transformation initiatives designed to strengthen organizational effectiveness.
• Assess existing processes, structures, and workflows to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Develop transformation roadmaps, implementation plans, and change management strategies.
• Help teams navigate organizational changes through clear communication and structured support.
• Identify implementation risks, dependencies, and potential resistance to change.
• Recommend sustainable improvements that strengthen collaboration, accountability, and execution.
• Monitor the adoption and effectiveness of approved organizational changes.

Organizational Effectiveness & Performance Improvement

• Evaluate organizational workflows, communication practices, and coordination challenges.
• Recommend improvements to decision-making processes, responsibility structures, and operational efficiency.
• Collaborate with PromiseMeasure to establish meaningful performance indicators.
• Identify gaps between strategic objectives and implementation results.
• Support the development of organizational dashboards, progress reports, and performance reviews.
• Promote evidence-informed decision-making and continuous improvement.

Cross-Divisional Strategy & Alignment

• Work with divisional leaders to identify shared priorities and opportunities for collaboration.
• Coordinate strategic initiatives involving multiple teams.
• Clarify project responsibilities, milestones, dependencies, and escalation pathways.
• Support the Chief of Staff and PromiseOperations in strengthening organizational coordination.
• Help prevent duplicated efforts, fragmented workflows, and unclear ownership.
• Facilitate strategic discussions that move teams toward actionable decisions.
• Respect established divisional leadership authority and approved decision-making structures.

Innovation & Future Readiness

• Collaborate with PromiseInnovation to evaluate emerging opportunities, organizational models, and new approaches.
• Research nonprofit management practices, organizational development methods, and relevant technologies.
• Explore how responsible technology adoption and process innovation can improve organizational capacity.
• Support feasibility assessments and approved pilot initiatives.
• Help leadership evaluate strategic trade-offs, resource requirements, and long-term sustainability.
• Recommend scalable approaches appropriate to MAP's mission and volunteer-driven operating model.

Executive Reporting & Strategic Execution

• Prepare concise strategic analyses, recommendations, and progress updates.
• Maintain transformation initiative trackers and implementation roadmaps.
• Monitor agreed-upon milestones, risks, and dependencies.
• Support executive planning meetings and strategic reviews.
• Document key decisions, assigned responsibilities, and follow-up actions.
• Escalate significant risks or implementation barriers to the Chief Transformation Officer.
• Help build a culture of accountability, learning, and thoughtful organizational improvement.

First 90-Day Priorities

• Meet with the Chief Transformation Officer and key divisional leaders to understand organizational priorities.
• Review existing strategic goals, leadership structures, and active transformation initiatives.
• Identify major operational and cross-divisional coordination challenges.
• Develop a preliminary organizational strategy and transformation assessment.
• Establish a prioritized transformation initiative tracker.
• Recommend two or three practical improvements with clear ownership and measurable outcomes.
• Support the implementation of at least one approved improvement initiative.
• Present a six-month strategic transformation roadmap to executive leadership.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in organizational strategy, management consulting, organizational development, business transformation, nonprofit leadership, or related fields.
• Strong strategic planning, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience managing cross-functional initiatives and organizational change.
• Understanding of organizational structures, governance, operational effectiveness, and performance management.
• Ability to translate complex challenges into clear recommendations and actionable plans.
• Strong communication, stakeholder engagement, and facilitation skills.
• Experience with project management, process improvement, and performance measurement.
• Familiarity with nonprofit organizations or volunteer-led environments is desirable.
• Ability to balance innovation with organizational capacity, resources, and implementation realities.
• Commitment to collaborative leadership, ethical decision-making, and MAP's mission.

Leadership Participation & Expectations

• Participate in relevant Executive Team and transformation planning meetings.
• Maintain regular communication with the Chief Transformation Officer.
• Coordinate with divisional leaders through established reporting and decision-making structures.
• Provide timely progress updates, strategic recommendations, and risk assessments.
• Commit approximately 5–10 hours weekly for a minimum of six months.
• Maintain confidentiality and follow MAP's governance, privacy, safeguarding, and volunteer policies.
• Seek appropriate approval before implementing organizational changes or making commitments on MAP's behalf.
• Provide at least two weeks' notice when ending volunteer service whenever possible.

Measures of Success

• Clearer alignment between organizational goals and divisional priorities.
• Approved transformation initiatives supported by realistic implementation plans.
• Improved cross-functional coordination and accountability.
• Reduced duplication, workflow inefficiencies, and execution barriers.
• Measurable progress toward quarterly organizational priorities.
• Stronger strategic reporting and executive decision support.
• Sustainable improvements adopted by the teams responsible for implementation.

Why This Role Matters

Organizations do not become stronger simply by growing. They become stronger when their people, systems, decisions, and priorities evolve together.

At Mentor A Promise, our ambitions extend across education, mentorship, research, creative development, community partnerships, and new opportunities for children and families experiencing housing instability.

Turning that vision into lasting impact requires more than good ideas. It requires strategic discipline, collaboration, adaptability, and the ability to turn decisions into meaningful action.

As Director of Organizational Strategy & Transformation, you will help build the organizational capacity needed to support that future.

Your work will help ensure that MAP grows intentionally, operates effectively, and remains focused on the children and communities at the center of our mission.

What You'll Gain

• Experience supporting executive-level strategy and organizational transformation.
• Opportunities to work with senior nonprofit leaders across multiple divisions.
• Practical experience in strategic planning, change management, and organizational improvement.
• Opportunities to lead approved cross-functional transformation initiatives.
• Experience developing strategic frameworks, performance systems, and implementation roadmaps.
• Potential professional references based on demonstrated contributions.
• The opportunity to help strengthen an organization dedicated to expanding opportunities for children and families.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should apply directly through Idealist and submit a resume or CV and cover letter.

Please highlight relevant experience in organizational strategy, transformation, organizational development, management consulting, process improvement, or nonprofit leadership.

Join Mentor A Promise and help transform ambitious ideas into stronger systems, more effective collaboration, and lasting organizational impact.

Because every child deserves a promise kept.

This is an unpaid volunteer opportunity limited to individuals based in the United States due to legal, safeguarding, data-privacy, and programmatic requirements.