Executive Vice President, Membership and Impact

About Us
UpTogether believes every person is an expert in their own life. But too many systems in our society have been set up to prevent hardworking people from getting ahead.

That’s because in the U.S., there is a broadly held stereotype that if you’re experiencing poverty or financial hardship, it’s solely your fault. After all, others have “pulled themselves up by their bootstraps” and you can too.

UpTogether knows that’s not true. Poverty is a policy choice. That’s why starting in 2023, we renewed our focus on a bold goal of changing systems and policies so all people in the United States are seen and invested in for their strengths, and able to build power, reinforce their autonomy and drive their own economic and social mobility.

Our systems change strategy is two-pronged: We work with our members, partners, funders, governments, community organizations and other supporters to:

• Invest in families and individuals experiencing financial hardship by providing them with direct cash they can use however they choose, no strings attached
• Amplify stories and data that tell their true lived experiences so that, together, we show the impact of investing in people, provide evidence that it works, and influence state and local policies and practices that support and accelerate social and economic mobility.

At UpTogether, we work towards these values:

• Community: We’re better together than we are alone, and we know that with the support of our neighbors, family and friends, all of us will have a better shot at achieving our goals and dreams.
• Impact: We focus our time and energy on collective work that will have the largest impact for people experiencing financial hardship.
• Collaboration: We center the lived experiences of our members, partner with them to change systems and work with them to co-create opportunities for people to reach their financial goals.
• Racial Equity: We are committed to being an anti-racist organization, and we promote anti-racist policies that eliminate the racial wealth divide.
• Leadership: We intentionally create space for everyone to lead, regardless of their title.
  Choice: We respect everyone’s autonomy and know each person is capable of  making their own decisions.

The Position
Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Executive Vice President, Membership and Impact will be responsible for leading a newly formed portfolio of teams that is charged with providing UpTogether members with frictionless access to funds, opportunities to contribute to our systems change work, and a peer community that all catalyze them to a life with more choice and opportunity. The EVP, Membership and Impact will set the vision and strategic direction for this new portfolio and ensure that its resources are directed in the way that best advances UpTogether’s mission. The EVP, Membership and Impact will also set strategy for leveraging technology, member data and research, and community engagement to increase UpTogether’s intended impact. The EVP, Membership and Impact will partner closely with the EVP, External Affairs and serve as a member of UpTogether’s Executive Team. The ideal candidate will be an entrepreneurial leader who is highly motivated by the opportunity to be the first to step into a recently created executive-level role at the intersection of social impact, research, and technology.

Core job responsibilities include: 

Strategic Leadership and Vision:

• Shape a member-informed strategy for using data and research to influence policy and philanthropic practice to advance Uptogether’s mission, serving as a thought leader that amplifies member voices.
• Support strategy and vision for existing digital tools, including UpTogether Connect, and the use of technology to deliver funds to members and achieve the organization’s mission.
• Sharpen and effectively communicate UpTogether’s theory of change, ensuring impact goals are well defined, implementation strategies across the portfolio  are aligned to impact goals, and there are effective tools and systems in place to evaluate progress and effectively communicate about the organization’s impact.
• Ensure Membership and Impact portfolio and teams under line of management have (1) a clear and compelling vision and strategic direction and (2) the resources and capabilities needed to deliver on their priorities.
• Collaborate with External Affairs to identify and pursue funding opportunities related to research & learning, technology development, & member-driven innovation

Member Experience and Community Impact:

• Support efficient delivery of funds to thousands of people experiencing financial hardship across the U.S.
• Build and support a new team that leverages user-centered design techniques, iterative design cycles, and deep community engagement  to strengthen the member experience and improve the ROI members see on invested funds.
• Implement a member-centered and data-driven continuous improvement approach to digital and analog member experience solutions/supports.
• Promote close collaboration between the Membership + Impact portfolio of teams and External Affairs to shape and implement member-driven strategies to advance UpTogether’s systems change work.
• Effectively communicate about the organization’s impact, outcomes, and insights with diverse stakeholders, including board members, donors, partners, UpTogether members, and media.

Team Management:

• Lead and evolve key organizational teams responsible for fund delivery, community engagement, digital product & technology, and data & research that are being united under one roof for the first time.
• Stand up effective integrated, cohesive team goals and processes.
• Serve as a manager, mentor, and coach to senior leaders under line of management.
• Establish team-level processes, structures, and rituals as part of building an effective and supportive team culture that values collaboration and work-life balance.

Bring Member Voice to Org Leadership:

• Successfully represent the organization at high-level meetings, conferences, and events, fostering partnerships and alliances to advance the organization’s mission and strategic objectives.
• As a member of UpTogether’s Executive Team, represent member voice in establishing the overall strategy and direction of the organization, organizational decision-making, and ensuring organizational goals are in alignment with member needs and met with accountability.
• As a member of UpTogether’s Executive Team, help define the organization’s desired culture and relevant strategies to help achieve it.
• Champion desired organizational direction, culture, and REDI initiatives throughout the organization through effective management practices, strategic planning, and personal modeling.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Previous Experience

• A minimum of 12+ years experience in relevant fields/functions
• A minimum of 5+ years in senior-level position
• Previous experience successfully managing multiple functions/departments is required
• Previous experience building and creating successful, new teams and/or leading the design and development of new user-centric products or experiences is strongly preferred
• Previous experience leading initiatives that drive improvements in customer/member experience and accelerate organizational impact is strongly preferred
• Previous experience leading a digital product and/or social impact research is strongly preferred

Skills & Abilities

• Exceptional ability to elevate and center the member experience and voice. Able to ask the right questions and gather high-quality data to understand customer/member needs and generate actionable insights that inform strategy decisions. Able to successfully lead others in developing and iterating on data-informed solutions that enhance overall member satisfaction and solution effectiveness.
• Exceptional ability to define and structure the problem and opportunity: Skilled at identifying and defining opportunities for growth, impact, improvement, and innovation – including their drivers, subcomponents, and dependencies.
• Strong change management skills: Able to pivot and adjust strategies in response to changing circumstances, ensuring the organization remains agile and responsive to new challenges and opportunities. Able to engage and communicate effectively with staff, executive team members, board members, and external partners, to both strengthen the work and strategy and build support and alignment for change.
• Strong communication skills: Skilled at developing and delivering well-crafted communications that are aligned with organizational priorities and promote stakeholder confidence in the organization’s direction.
• Strong people leader: Able to build, manage and lead a multi-layered, high-performing department capable of leading their respective areas with autonomy and excellence.
• Strong culture leader: Able to consistently model organizational core values and integrate REDI principles into all aspects of work.

Staff Attributes for All Roles at UpTogether

• Deep investment in UpTogether’s Core Values
• Ardent commitment to continuing on a racial equity journey organizationally within UpTogether, as well as personally
• Exemplify a respected professional recognized for collaborating with others with a commitment to integrity, candor, and transparency
• Lived or shared experiences with those who are experiencing poverty is a plus

Compensation
This is a full-time position with a competitive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision, 401(k), and vacation. Salary is commensurate with experience, between $188,000-$234,000 annually.

Inclusion Statement
We strive to create a community that embraces equity, diversity, and inclusion, and we support the efforts of others to build such communities. We encourage all qualified and interested persons to apply, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.