Chief Impact Officer

Cara Collective seeks to fuel a courageous national movement to eradicate relational and financial poverty. Through our three entities – Cara, Cleanslate, and Cara Plus – we engage job seekers, employers, and other organizations across the country to break the cycle of poverty through the power and purpose of employment.

Currently, we connect over 1,000 people to jobs each year; however, our results don’t just end with employment. We take the insights gained over the past 35+ years to equip other organizations and employers with practices to help build a more inclusive economy. Learn more acollective.org .

The Chief Impact Officer (CIO) serves as a member of the Executive Team and is responsible for overseeing the delivery of all Cara Collective programming, including recruitment and admissions, social emotional development, career coaching and advancement, and holistic participant support services. The Chief Impact Officer strategically manages Cara’s core program and initiatives related to our participants’ preparation for, placement into, and long-term success in employment.

This role, and the team it leads, are the backbone of the organization. In addition to overseeing direct service delivery, the Chief Impact Officer manages and maintains program-connected external and internal stakeholder relationships.

As an Executive Team member, the Chief Impact Officer ensures the integration and alignment of program services between departments across the organization. This role provides unique insights on approaches to participant personal development and transformation, as well as career pathway development. The CIO will ensure programmatic alignment with employer and market demands utilizing data-based decision-making while collaborating with organizational leaders across operations, finance, external affairs, HR and other existing and future business units including our social enterprise Cleanslate.

Additionally, the Chief Impact Officer should demonstrate consistent work ethic, a positive attitude, and a commitment to teamwork while upholding Cara’s mission and values at all times.

Reports to:

Chief Executive Officer

Direct Reports:
Team of Directors and Senior Manager(s), who oversee managers and front-line staff for a total of 35+ Impact Team members.

The Chief Impact Officer is a multi-faceted high-profile role with responsibility for a wide variety of programmatic matters, from operations to partnerships with employers, donors, and external stakeholders. Core focus areas include:

• Lead and ensure proper execution of the complete spectrum of Cara’s proprietary direct service delivery model: recruitment/intake, social emotional learning, mental health and wellness, life coaching/supportive services, career coaching, and job placement/employment services.
• Ensure integration of additional services including, but not limited to, financial and digital literacy, and other topical content as deemed necessary for participant success and well-being.
• Collaborate across all organizational domains to ensure operational, contractual, financial, and legal compliance with protocols, policies, and procedures whether internal or external to Cara.
• Partner with the external affairs team for fundraising, development, funding and implementation of innovative initiatives
• Ensure integration with existing and future social enterprise ventures (Cleanslate and Clear Space)
• Effectively deliver program services within Cara’s operational budget

• Contribute to organization-wide decision-making and leadership as member of the Executive Team
• Shape, implement, develop and iterate programmatic elements of enterprise strategic plan
• Provide…