Executive Director

Bala Cynwyd, PA, United States

OPPORTUNITY

The Alliance for Decision Education ("the Alliance") is seeking

an Executive Director to lead the organization in an exciting time

of growth. As a visionary and passionate leader, the Executive

Director will be steering an organization working to build,

catalyze, and promote the field of Decision Education in order to

improve lives by empowering students with essential skills and

dispositions for making better decisions. The Executive Director

will be the face of the organization, interfacing with a broad

constituency of stakeholders, engaging in fundraising, building

relationships, and bringing awareness to the importance of Decision

Education. The Executive Director will further develop and execute

the strategic plan in partnership with the Board of Directors (the

Board) and a strong leadership team. As they continue to build the

organization, the Executive Director will oversee the operational

processes of the Alliance and willmanage the complexities

that come with a high-growth environment, building on a culture

where staff meaningfully embrace the mission.

The Executive Director is expected to adhere to the Alliance’s

local hybrid work schedule, working both remotely and from our

office in Bala Cynwyd, PA at least two days a week.

The Alliance offers a comprehensive total rewards package

inclusive of competitive compensation that is commensurate with

experience, generous Paid Time Off (PTO), an Employee Assistance

Program (EAP), and employer-paid medical, vision, dental, life, and

disability insurance. Employees may also contribute to a Flexible

Spending Account (FSA), as well as a 401(k) plan with a

dollar-for-dollar match up to 5%.

*The position is based in the United States.

*The posted salary range for this position reflects our good

faith estimate of what ideal candidates for this position are

likely to expect.Any offer will bebased on the selected

candidate’s relevant experience, knowledge, and skills as well as

any other factors that may prove relevant.

ABOUT THE ALLIANCE FOR DECISION EDUCATION

The Alliance is a national nonprofit organization driving a

revolutionary shift in the way we think about education, leading

the growing call for Decision Education to be part of every

student’s learning experience. Its mission is to improvelives

by empowering students with essential skills and dispositions for

making better decisions. The decisions they make shape their lives

and those of the people around them. Therefore, there is no more

important set of skills that can be taught to today’s youth than

how toimprove the decisions they make.

Backed by experts in the decision sciences, business, and

education, including several Nobel laureates, the Alliance believes

that better decisions lead to better lives and a better

society.

The Alliance is committed to an inclusive, supportive, and

collaborative culture. Their team is made up of diverse, dedicated,

and driven educators, researchers, subject matter experts, and

other professionals who have come together from different

backgrounds for a common purpose. It is a proud Equal Opportunity

Employer.

The Alliance for Decision Education was founded in 2014 as the

How I Decide Foundation through the vision and generous support of

two accomplished decision-makers, Annie Duke and Eric Brooks. Both

realized that the skills they were leveraging every day with highly

successful results were rarely taught to K-12 students, creating a

meaningful gap between children’s potential and their reality. They

founded the Alliance to close that gap. Over the next four years,

the organization built effective and engaging Decision Education

programs that reached tens of thousands of teachers and students

and had measurable and positive results. That success ignited a

drive to scale the work of How I Decide to a national level to

benefit millions of students. To achieve this, How I Decide became

the Alliance for Decision Education in 2018, refocusing and

committing to becoming a field builder and catalyst, sparking and

growing support for Decision Education to be implemented in schools

nationwide.

Toward that end, the Alliance is actively building:

Public awareness

Innovative pilot programs

Standards and frameworks for curricula and pedagogy

Policy commitments at the state, federal, and local level

Professional development and support for teachers and

administrators

Research and evidence on the efficacy of Decision

Education

Partnerships with like-minded leaders and organizations

An ongoing commitment to identifying, coordinating, and

amplifying all of those related efforts

To drive this critical work, the Alliance has implemented

significant changes in strategy, staffing, and operations, while

maintaining the same steadfast mission.

Currently, the organization has 37 employees with a plan to grow

to 40-45 employees in 2024. The Alliance had unrestricted revenues

of $6.2M in 2022. In addition, in 2022, they received $10M in

restricted funding for research.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors.

The Executive Director currently manages several department

heads (e.g., Director of Philanthropy, Director of Operations, and

Director of Public Policy) and leads a small team as part of the

Executive Office, which includes a Director of Organizational

Development and an Organizational Project Manager. The Executive

Director will have an opportunity to shape the organizational

structure to meet the growing and changing needs of the

Alliance.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership and Strategy

General leadership

Set and execute the vision for the organization, in

collaboration with the Board.

Lead the Alliance in a manner that supports and guides the

organization’s mission as defined by the Board.

Update and implement a strategic plan to ensure the Alliance

can successfully fulfill its mission and goals.

Lead the organization’s efforts to build, catalyze, and promote

the field of Decision Education and to bring together various

stakeholders in this movement.

Serve as the Alliance’s primary spokesperson to the

organization’s constituents, the media, and the general

public.

Staff Leadership

Lead the staff through organizational growth.

Guide the leadership team and oversee organizational efforts in

all departments.

Further develop and embed a culture of Decision Science among

the staff.

Foster a positive and inclusive culture that encourages

collaboration, innovation, and support.

Board Relations and Governance

Communicate effectively with the Board of Directors and

provide, in a timely manner, all information necessary for the

Board to function properly and to make informed decisions.

Work collaboratively with the Board in various areas, including

strategic planning, fundraising, and Board membership.

Financial Management

Oversee the fiscal integrity of the Alliance, including

submission to the Board of a proposed annual budget and quarterly

financial statements.

Oversee the fiscal management of the Alliance, including

operating within the approved budget, ensuring maximum resource

utilization, and maintaining the organization's positive financial

position.

Fundraising and Relationship Management

Cultivate relationships and meet with a variety of external

partners, including major gift donors, prospects, and other key

stakeholders.

Strategize with the Development Department and Board about how

to diversify funding sources and revenue streams.

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience, Skills, and Knowledge

Note: Candidates do not need to meet all of the

qualifications below to be considered.

Required

Previous experience as an Executive Director, CEO or other

senior leadership position.

Entrepreneurial mindset and track record of innovation (e.g.,

leadership experience with start-ups, fast growing organizations,

and/or multiple and diverse sectors).

Preferred

Leadership experience with non-profit organizations.

Experience in K-12 education and/or ed tech.

Decision Science Knowledge.

Prior experience building movements or fields (or other similar

work raising awareness and aligning, coordinating and amplifying

the efforts of like-minded organizations and individuals towards a

common vision or goal).

Degree and/or work experience in any of the following fields is

preferred: math, statistics, science, economics, law, or other

fields involving quantitative thinking or critical reasoning.

Experience in academic research, public policy, and fundraising

is preferred.

Helpful

Knowledge or experience in cognitive psychology, neuroscience,

behavioral economics, or similar fields.

Advanced degree in education.

Experience with STEM, SEL, or other educational movements.

Understanding of experience design and/or curriculum

design/development.

Experience in related fields to K-12 education, such as higher

education.

Qualities

Alliance Ambassador and Stakeholder Manager

As the face of the organization, the Executive Director

represents and promotes the Alliance and the field of Decision

Education in a variety of public contexts, including talks,

presentations, events, and media opportunities.

Possesses excellent interpersonal and communication skills to

allow for easy collaboration with the Board of Directors, Advisory

Council, and various stakeholders.

Possesses exceptional abilities to cultivate relationships and

fundraise.

Visionary and Passionate Leader

Understands what it takes to innovate and motivate a team to

achieve organizational goals and really make a difference.

Understands how to measure success with a critical eye.

Passionate about the importance of Decision Education.

Strategic Organization Builder

Possesses strategic thinking and creative problem solving

abilities, which are key in managing the complex growth process of

the organization and the field.

Values-Aligned and Emotionally Intelligent Leader

Displays the Alliance’s three core values:

Rationality - truth-seeking, curiosity, active open-mindedness,

and intellectual humility.

Education - genuine growth mindset and prioritizes learning and

professional development for the team.

Humanism - self-awareness, empathetic and empowering leader and

manager. Passion for working with people with diverse ways of

thinking and backgrounds and cares deeply for others.

Driven and conscientious with high integrity and

accountability.

TO APPLY

Please email the following to Ramin Mohajer, Director of

Organizational Development, at [email protected]: (1)

a resume/CV, and (2) a cover letter describing your relevant

experience and interest in the Alliance.

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