City University of New York
School of Labor and Urban Studies

Director of Fellowships
Leadership for Democracy and Social Justice (LDSJ)

Based in New York City, NY

 

Position Description
Two schools at the City University of New York (CUNY) – the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at City College of New York and the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies – have established a national institute to recruit, develop and connect diverse leaders for social change who can imagine and implement visionary solutions for the enormous challenges we face in the 21st century. The new Leadership for Democracy and Social Justice (www.socialjusticeleadership.org) sees a compelling opportunity in the abundant talent of an emerging generation of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) leaders and will meet a vital need for a scaled initiative that prepares leaders early in their careers in social justice traditions, ideology, literature and history in order to achieve power in all sectors.

The flagship programs of the Leadership Institute will be intensive cohort programs for early and mid-career participants that will provide a broad, ecumenical curriculum to give leaders a grounding in the history and theory of social change, in addition to real-world practice and experience. Leaders in the cohorts will participate in paid internships, have options to connect to degree-granting academic programs, and have access to robust wrap-around services, including mentorship, career services, and community building.

The Director of Fellowships leads program development and curriculum for early-career and mid-career fellowships. Key responsibilities include managing the staff training team, leading fellowship team meetings and collaborating with communications staff on program materials. This position also involves working with the co-executive directors on grant proposals and impact reporting. The ideal candidate will have relationships and work to build new relationships with different types of social justice organizations - from community organizing to national advocacy organizations, policy think tanks to government offices, labor unions to movement organizations. This position reports to the Co-Executive Director and will be managing the team of four Deputy Directors of Fellowships (Lead Trainers).

Core responsibilities:
Program Design & Implementation: (40%)

• Set our fellowship programs' goals, vision, strategy, and timeline each year.
• Integrate our Fellowship Programs into the overall strategic plan of the organization and seek out strategic opportunities to develop new iterations.
• Develop, build, and execute our fellowship programs - helping to design program curriculum, systems, trainings, and resources to support the learning of students and practitioners who participate in our fellowships.
• Work with the Co-Executive Director and evaluation consultant to develop and execute program evaluations in alignment with organizational goals.

Leadership & Management: (40%)

• Oversees and manages the four Deputy Directors of Fellowships who report directly to this position by providing leadership, mentorship, and coaching.
• Provides leadership, management, and coaching to instructors, admissions staff, and outside trainers.
• Attend the in-person fellowship retreats to coach and evaluate the program staff, instructors, and trainers' performance to ensure we provide the best training and experiential learning to our fellows.
• Work with the admission team to recruit and select fellows.

Finance & Operations (5%)

• Develop proposals and provide feedback on fellowships budget in accordance with organizational goals and values.
• Oversee and manage the fellowships' program budget with the Director of Operations.

External Stakeholders (15%)

• Serves as a representative for LDSJ in internal and external meetings where a presence is required.
• Develops project materials for conferences and meeting presentations.
• Collaborate with other leadership development institutes, serving as one of their primary points of contact, learning more about their own leadership development programs, and serving as a bridge between the LDSJ and existing resources so we can play the most useful role in the ecosystem.
• Performs other duties as assigned and directed.
• Occasional work-related travel and some evenings and weekends may be required.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated commitment to social justice, including 10-15 years experience in the sector.
• Strong familiarity with different kinds of social change traditions (e.g. community organizing, labor organizing, advocacy, mobilizing, media, etc).
• Minimum of 5 years of managing a team of direct reports with a track record of providing mentorship, guidance to help develop their growth and expertise.
• A passion for leadership development and a desire to coach emerging talent; experience in coaching and mentoring and being coached/mentored is a strong plus.
• A track record of building partnerships and relationships across lines of difference (issues, identities, ideologies); strong commitment to long-term partnership- and infrastructure-building.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity based on race, gender, and class; demonstrated cultural competency skills and ability to connect with people from historically marginalized identities.
• Strong self-starter and self-organizer; demonstrated history of building programs from scratch; can translate ideas and vision into real programs and products.
• Strong organizational skills and strong attention to detail.
• Works well during uncertainty and seeks opportunities to try and learn; is willing to experiment, takes risks, and is not afraid of failure; constantly seeks feedback and uses feedback to improve.
• Flexible, positive attitude and someone who brings joy to their work.

The salary range for this position is $145,000-$161,200 annually. The Director of Fellowships is expected to work in person in New York City. The Director of Fellowships will be an employee of the CUNY Research Foundation, which provides a generous and comprehensive benefits package.

To Apply
Please send your résumé and cover letter (as a PDF) via the Movement Talent Opportunity Board application portal by clicking the "Apply To This Job" button: https://recruitcrm.io/apply/17363560985750060944yWc

Deadline to apply: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, priority will be given to those applications received by April 21, 2025.

Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership
The Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership includes all of the social science departments at CCNY as well as most of the core leadership development and public service programs of the College. Graduating the most CCNY students annually, the Colin Powell School promotes the values of service and engagement. The School supports a faculty of more than 250 tenure, tenure-track, and adjunct professors dedicated to the highest standards of research and to the university’s democratic and public obligations; the School is committed to disseminating research in usable forms, especially that which furthers equality, prosperity, stability, and peace for all people—in Harlem, in New York, and around the world. The School’s annual budget is $14 million.

CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies
The CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies (SLU) offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Labor Studies and Urban Studies that are designed to meet the needs of working adults as well as traditional-age college students who seek to learn more about the challenges confronting poor and working class populations in the workplace and in the community. It also collaborates with other units of CUNY to offer a range of college-credit programs designed to give workers the academic and technical skills they need for professional advancement. Its faculty includes distinguished scholars in the social sciences as well as expert practitioners in government, labor, and public service. In addition to its academic programs, SLU sponsors research; organizes forums and conferences; and publishes a national journal, New Labor Forum: A journal of ideas, analysis, and debate.

EEO Statement
The Colin Powell School is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We are committed to equity and inclusion and strongly value the experiences of historically marginalized people and encourage them to apply. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.