Chief of Staff

M4BL CHIEF OF STAFF

Schedule: Full-Time

Location: Remote, with 30 - 40% travel requirements

Reports to: Political Strategy & Campaigns Executive 

Salary: $154K - $193K, commensurate with experience, with full health benefits for employee and dependents, employer-funded retirement plan, remote work stipend, and 28 days of vacation

Application Instructions: Please submit a resume and 1-2 page cover letter to the BambooHR link. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the job will remain open until filled. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

MOVEMENT FOR BLACK LIVES

The Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) is an ecosystem of organizations and individuals creating a shared vision and strategy to win rights, control, and resources for Black people. Building on the legacy and strategies of past movements, the Movement for Black Lives has created a broad political home for Black organizers, activists, and their organizations. Our ecosystem is held together by politics of abolition, anti-capitalism, and radical Black Queer Feminisms and a value system that fights for the most marginalized amongst us.  Learn more about M4BL by visiting www.m4bl.org 

Position Summary

The Chief of Staff serves as a strategic partner and right-hand person to the executive team, providing high-level support and guidance to ensure the smooth operation of the organization. This role requires exceptional leadership, communication, and organizational skills to effectively manage day-to-day operations, facilitate decision-making processes, and drive initiatives forward in alignment with the organization’s goals and objectives. The Chief of Staff acts as a liaison between the executive leadership and various departments, fostering collaboration and transparency across the organization. This position demands a proactive and adaptable individual who can anticipate needs, solve problems, and execute initiatives with precision and efficiency. The Chief of Staff plays a pivotal role in driving organizational excellence, promoting a culture of innovation and continuous improvement, and ultimately contributing to the overall success and growth of M4BL.

The successful candidate will be passionate about M4BL’s mission and be highly motivated to work in a fast-growing, front-line, history-making organization. They must be committed to leadership development, power-building for Black and marginalized communities, and building collaborative structures that make the most of a diverse and highly talented staff team.

This role may require travel and work on occasional weekends and evenings as determined. 

Essential Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Strategic Planning and Execution: Collaborate with the ED and senior leadership team to develop and implement strategic plans, goals, and initiatives that advance the organization's mission and vision.
• Executive Support: Supervises executive directors, executive assistants, who  provide direct support to the ED, managing their schedule, priorities, and communications, and serving as a trusted advisor and sounding board on strategic matters.
• Board Relations: Support the ED in engaging with the Board of Directors, coordinating board meetings, preparing materials, and facilitating communication to ensure effective governance and oversight.
• Strategic Thought Partner: Serves as thought partner to the Executive Director on all aspects of organizational strategy including programs, internal operations and team management, growth, and identity. Utilizes their knowledge of  ecosystem and understanding of the landscape of the movement at large to help the executive team drive projects 

Special Projects

• Project Management and Oversight: Lead special projects and initiatives on behalf of the senior leadership team, overseeing project planning, execution, and evaluation to drive impactful outcomes.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Cultivate and maintain relationships with external stakeholders, including donors, partners, and community members, to advance the organization's mission and broaden its impact.
• Strategic Communications: Develop and execute communication strategies to enhance the organization's visibility, reputation, and impact, including drafting speeches, presentations, and other external-facing materials.

Staff Support 

• Supports Organizing  team: Supports the development of the organizing department and tables  through coaching
• Supervises: executives assistants and oversee contractor for special projects
• Operations: Assist in the system building and  oversees the operations of the executive office 

Internal Leadership: 

• Serve as a visible and active member of the Executive Leadership Team.
• Support Executives in leading a strategic, impactful, and equitable organization
• Represents the Executives or speaks on their behalf in internal settings as and when required
• Serves as the chief of internal communications for executive office, crafting and/or approving internal communication materials related to executives priorities 
• Supports the Executives to ensure the achievement of key internal culture and operational goals such as Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Support the management of organizational change: As the organization undergoes continued growth and innovation, the Managing Director will manage organizational change in a way that inspires and activates the staff, Strategy Table, leaders, members, and community.

Note: The Movement for Black Lives is committed to responding flexibly to changing circumstances and priorities which means that the expectations of every position are dynamic. This description reflects the assignment of essential functions, but does not proscribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

• Personal alignment with the M4BL’s vision and values of Black Queer Feminism, Anti-capitalism, and Abolition
• A passion for the mission: We believe that those closest to the pain are the closest to the solutions, therefore a successful candidate must be “all in” on M4BL and its values
• 7-10 years of experience in the progressive, non-profit, or movement space with a well-rounded background across organizational departments
• Well-developed emotional intelligence and communication skills, and the ability to build trusting relationships with a wide array of individuals
• Critical thinker, capable, flexible, and curious generalist
• Demonstrated experience in successfully developing and executing major, large-scale project plans involving many moving pieces and collaborators
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with an ability to understand a wide range of audiences and interests
• Demonstrated experience in building staff teams, management, coaching, and leadership development
• The ability to build strong relationships internal to the organization and external for the organization
• Experience with seeing the long-term vision of an organization while understanding the importance of accomplishing short and medium-term objectives.
• Experience with being able to conceptualize and approach problems and solutions in a proactive, constructive, and innovative manner that will result in improved performance across the organization
• Strong follow-through with Executives and collaborators

Interpersonal Skills

• An exceptional team player; exemplifies a work style that is committed to the excellence that our members and teams deserve while being flexible, respectful, collaborative, and nimble;
• Can build trust, confidence, and leadership among a diverse range of staff, teams, and partner organizations - across race, gender, and other identities

Cultural Competency

• Strong understanding of the Black experience(s), preferably with direct lived experience as a Black person, or living in Black communities
• Understanding of race, gender, sexuality, and other aspects of identity, and their intersections, and how that plays out in the work. Experience building strong relationships and trust across race, gender, class, and other group identities, both internally and externally
• Brings a pro-Black, feminist, anti-capitalist lens to their work and understands the role that white supremacy, capitalism, and anti-Blackness play in the environments in which we operate
• Demonstrates self-awareness of their own multiple group identities and their attendant dynamics, and can adapt the approach as needed
• Experience working in Black and QTI communities and/or building leftist or progressive efforts
• Knowledge of Black social movements, organizations, and organizing landscape is preferred

Equal Opportunity Workplace

The Movement for Black Lives in partnership with its fiscal sponsor the Common Counsel Foundation is proud to be an equal employment workplace. We welcome and encourage job applicants who are motivated to work with us in addressing social injustice and those who have personal experience with injustice. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on any of the follow factors; race, color, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), age, sex/gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and/ or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition (genetic characteristics, cancer or a record or history of cancer), military or veteran status, national origin, ancestry, disability (mental and physical including HIV/AIDS, cancer, and genetic characteristics), and genetic information.

Please submit a resume and 1-2 page cover letter to the BambooHR link. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the job will remain open until filled. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.