Vice President of Talent

ORGANIZATION 

Foster America catalyzes a network of changemakers working within and alongside the child welfare system to demonstrate more equitable and just approaches to child and family well-being. Together with communities, we test innovations, open pathways, and champion opportunities for every child, youth and family to thrive.

We do this by seeking out and supporting talent with the determination and imagination to drive transformational change, actively listening to and learning with communities, spreading and sharing knowledge, and advancing innovative ideas and equitable solutions. In partnership with communities, collaborators and changemakers, Foster America is cultivating the resources and relationships necessary to achieve well-being for all children and families.

In addition to our external work, Foster America is committed to examining and dismantling racism within ourselves and our own organization - through the values we embrace, the transformation projects we support in the child welfare sector, the talent practices we evolve, and the ways in which we show up and stand up for every single one of our teammates, fellows, and partners with humility and respect. 

To learn more about Foster America, please visit https://www.foster-america.org/  

OPPORTUNITY 

As Foster America extends our impact, we are seeking to add a Vice President of Talent who will build on our existing fellowship and team practices to advance and oversee the organization’s talent strategy. This includes the lifecycle of the employee experience, including fellow and staff talent acquisition, retention, performance enablement, and engagement strategies. This leader will establish people practices that are consistent with the social justice values of the organization and cultivate inclusion as part of the total experience. This is a unique opportunity for a hands-on, innovative leader as the organization launches a new strategic plan and embarks on a period of team and organizational growth.

Reporting to the Executive Director, this senior leader will lead efforts to maintain and strengthen organizational culture. As a visionary leader with expertise in equity-centered practices, the Vice President of Talent will bring a strong people orientation, working collaboratively across the organization to enhance and promote a culture of inclusion and belonging. The Vice President of Talent will work closely with teammates in operations, including human resources and our Professional Employer Organization (PEO), as well as in programs, especially our fellowship team leaders.  

RESPONSIBILITIES

Key Responsibilities of the Vice President of Talent include:

• End to end talent acquisition: Oversee the recruitment, selection, and onboarding of Foster America’s growing team with an emphasis on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion that values professional and lived experience. 
• Talent Development, Performance Management and Career Advancement: In close collaboration with our program team, build on a strong foundation including curriculum, coaching and convening power, to develop strategies to retain and promote high-impact talent. Support career advancement of those in our network, promoting alumni to grow their influence and stand in their purpose. 
• Organizational Planning/Development and Talent Forecasting: Build people structures to help with growth. Influence our strategy on the scope, sequence, onboarding, and collaboration of hires. Help us get ahead and stay ahead of talent needs; get a steady flow of talent into our work and out into the child welfare field.
• Organizational and field leadership in talent philosophy, best practices, and innovations in service of systemic change: Develop approaches and content to continue to grow and enhance internal operations, expand our presence in the talent-for-good community of practice, and share our approaches to advance change-making workforce and build talent capacity in our child- and family-serving ecosystem.

PRIORITIES

A successful first year in this role will include:

• Helping to design, hire, and effectively onboard key roles to lead the organization in a period of evolution and growth
• Laying the groundwork for the development, implementation and continuous improvement of a transparent, growth-oriented performance management and evaluation system. 
• Collaborating  with leaders to develop an annual learning calendar, including group and customized training; support the annual planning process; and engage teams in reflection and learning related to achievement and goal setting.

In further years of the strategic plan, the Vice President of Talent will support cohort-based hiring to welcome innovative changemakers into our organization and the sector, and work with a racially and professionally diverse pool of applicants and staff as they accelerate their careers. 

QUALIFICATIONS 

In order to fulfill these responsibilities, the ideal Vice President of Talent candidate will have a deep commitment to social, racial, and economic justice with experience leading talent efforts during organizational growth and scale. They will also be/have:

• An accomplished leader with 8+ years of experience hiring, managing and/or developing management level staff and growing programs/teams;
• Demonstrated commitment to innovation in service of Foster America’s mission of imagining a different future for children and families and public and community changemakers;
• Ability to effectively structure and facilitate strategic decision-making processes; responsibly makes informed decisions to improve organizational health and impact;
• Emotionally intelligent, relational, and highly collaborative, able to effectively prepare for and guide teams through change and transition, both small and large; 
• Experience finding and growing talent in one or more of the following sectors is preferred but not required: governmental/public sector leadership, community organizing, co-design/participatory research, finance, policy, data/technology, and strategy;
• Strong equity analysis and demonstrated understanding, commitment to, and prioritization of racial and social justice.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

This position offers a competitive salary range of $135,000 – $155,000. Foster America offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, paid vacation, paid parental leave, paid holidays, commuter benefits, participation in a retirement plan, paid sick time, and professional development opportunities. More details can be provided upon request.

TO APPLY

Please submit a resume online at https://apply.workable.com/j/E7AE867A78. For additional questions about this position or to speak with someone about your interest, please contact Corina Ramos at cramos@edgilityconsulting.com or at 732.621.0108.

Foster America is an equal opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity. Recruiting staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all backgrounds. Candidates are evaluated solely on their qualifications to perform the work required.