Head of Board and Council Engagement

Head of Board and Council Engagement

Team:
External Affairs

Location:

Hybrid in Atlanta (GA), Chicago (IL) strongly preferred, Newark (NJ), or New York City (NYC)

Employment Type:

Full-time

FLSA Classification:
Exempt

Start date:

ASAP

About Braven

Braven is a national nonprofit that prepares promising college students to secure a strong first opportunity after college graduation through a career-accelerating program.

We work with higher education and employer partners to offer a life-changing experience that begins with a semester-long course for college students, followed by support that lasts through graduation.

Together, our ambition is to help rebuild the middle class and revitalize the American Dream.

About the Role

To achieve its ambition of serving 80, Fellows over the next decade, Braven must develop and maintain strong boards of directors, nationally and regionally, as well as develop its growing councils as it continues to lead in shaping the field in the college-to-career space. In that effort, Braven is hiring a Head of Board and Council Engagement who will lead the strategy and implementation behind Braven's board management and engagement, as well as its growing body of councils to ensure Braven has the external expertise, champions, and influence needed to reach its ambition.

As a member of the External Affairs team, you will report to the Chief External Affairs Officer as well as work closely with the CEO and regional Executive Directors and certain Central Team Leads to cultivate, develop, and maintain strong board engagement and effective councils to ensure good corporate governance, diverse and sustainable revenue streams, national influence, and a strong source of external expertise and strategic advice.

Over the next 2-3 years, you will build and manage a small but mighty team to support our growing governance work.

What You'll Do

Strategy (50%)

• Set the vision, goals, and annual strategic plan for our National Board of Directors from the group to the individual level to ensure we continue to have an incredible board that catalyzes the organization's work
• Set the vision, goals, and template strategic plan that Executive Directors customize to build and manage best-in-class regional boards
• Provide support, alignment, and thought partnership to a growing portfolio of 6-10 regional Executive Directors and their boards over the next five years
• Develop board and council member profiles tied to strategic needs
• Drive the creation of strategic materials (memos, decks) that support all board moments from meetings, strategy calls, 1:1 engagement plans, etc
• Set the vision, goals, strategic plan, and create the materials and systems for Braven's growing body of advisory councils (including Employer Partner, Faculty, Higher Ed Presidents, Technology, etc)

High-Stakes Stakeholder Management and Governance Operations (50%)

• Manage the prospecting, cultivation, and stewardship of the National Board members in collaboration with the CEO, including bi-weekly or monthly check-ins with all board members
• You are responsible for $3-4M in direct national board and council giving; additionally, we work to build boards and councils that provide networks, accounting for 35% of our overall revenue annually
• Support the prospecting, cultivation, and stewardship of the regional board members in collaboration with Executive Directors
• Manage the prospecting, cultivation, and ongoing stewardship for members of certain high-profile councils
• Set the guidelines and best practices for board and council group and individual stewardship nationally and regionally
• Create systems and tools for research, stewardship, communications, and board and council building at the national and regional levels
• Manage and analyze accurate data collection of materials and information related to national and regional board members, as well as council members
• Create learning and development opportunities to ensure excellent board and council management across Braven.
• Project manage national board meetings, strategy sessions, and the annual joint board convening, and provide the systems and processes to manage council and regional board meetings
• Other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

• BS/BA or relevant experience

• Work Experience:
  
  10+ years of relevant experience

Preferred Qualifications

• You bring exceptional political acumen and relationship intelligence — having demonstrated an ability to map stakeholder ecosystems, identify key influencers, and cultivate trust across varied networks to open doors and advance organizational priorities.
• You have demonstrated professional experience working with executives, board members, and high-profile individuals, and managing high-stakes relationships with success
• You have a deep understanding of local and national ecosystems and networks, and how to maneuver successfully within
• You have 5+ years of project management experience and leading high stakes meetings
• You have 5+ years of experience managing complex relationships with individual…