Strategy Associate

Position Title:

Strategy Associate Position Type:

Full Time, Exempt

Schedule:

35 Hours/week, Full-Time Format:

Hybrid Department/Program:

Strategy

Location:

1 Pierrepont Plaza, Brooklyn, NYDirect Supervisor:

Chief Strategy & Program Officer, (dotted line to Chief Development Officer)
About Graham:

Graham provides life-changing tools and resources for children, young adults and families who face some of the most difficult obstacles caused by poverty, racial injustice, and lack of access to educational opportunities, living wage employment, quality healthcare, and affordable housing.

We collaborate with communities and strong partners to create and implement innovative strategies so everyone can lead healthy, joyful, and successful lives.

Principal Objective/Role Overview:

Reporting to the Chief Strategy and Program Officer, the Strategy Associate is a pivotal role primarily dedicated to strategic projects. This position blends high-level strategic planning with "on-the-ground" community co-design. You will be responsible for researching global best practices, facilitating group design sessions, and translating community-led ideas into viable pilot models and advocacy materials in partnership with other members of the Strategy, Development, and Performance & Planning teams  Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning & Co-Design Facilitation:

Co-Lead Co-Design Work groups:
In collaboration with others, design and execute group activities that bring together staff and community members to reimagine foster care alternatives and other opportunities for community-driven innovation.

Event Design:
In collaboration with others, plan and help facilitate intensive co-design retreats and high-profile summits where pilot concepts are presented to stakeholders.

Research & Synthesis:
Conduct global research on promising practices and synthesize findings into accessible materials that inform the leadership team’s decision-making.

From Listening to Outcomes:

Translate Insights:
Move from listening and recording in work groups to drafting tangible pilot implementation strategies, staffing models, and budgets.

Documentation & Precision:
Manage the "back-end" of innovation by preparing meeting materials, capturing detailed notes, and ensuring all co-design outputs are accurately recorded.

Impact Measurement:
Assist in developing evaluation plans and tools to measure the success and social impact of proposed pilots.

Implementation, Iteration, and Codification Support:

Budget Planning:
Help update model budgets as pilots develop into full initiatives.

Staffing:
Help develop job descriptions and support the hiring and onboarding process related to the new initiative.

Evaluating Success:
In collaboration with initiative leadership and Program Performance and Planning, support the assessment of what is working well and opportunities for initiative evolution.

Support with Iteration:
In collaboration with initiative leadership, develop plans in support of strategic initiative evolution.

Codifying Initiatives:
Help document processes and practices and develop manuals that will support initiative replication.

Enabling Sustainability and Replication of Innovation Process:
Help document Graham’s methods of innovation and co-creation, developing the tools needed to continue community-driven innovation at Graham and share the processes (i.e. through guide books, other tools)
Knowledge Sharing:
Help research and write articles to share Graham’s models and co-creation approach with the human services sector.

Advocacy & Change Partnership:

Policy Support:
Attend internal advocacy and external lobbyist meetings as available to ensure co-design outcomes are reflected in Graham’s policy agenda.

Drafting & Influence:
In collaboration with Development and Advocacy, create compelling letters and advocacy materials that push for the systemic changes identified during the co-design process, as well as other initiatives that are grounded in trust-building and community support.

External Representation:
Travel across Brooklyn, Manhattan, and The Bronx as well as other locations to engage with diverse community viewpoints and build external partnerships.

Required

Qualifications…