Raise the Future

Compensation

Full Description

What You Will Be Doing The Vice President, Federal Programs and Strategic Initiatives provides strategic leadership for Raise the Future’s federal teams and drives growth across the organization’s program portfolio. This role oversees national and regional initiatives, guiding both program strategy and implementation, and collaborates closely with the State Vice Presidents. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the VP contributes to establishing the organization’s one- and three-year goals and ensures measurable progress toward programmatic and organizational priorities aligned with Raise the Future’s mission and vision. This position may be based at any of our office locations in Colorado, Nevada, or Utah, or may be fully remote within the United States. The position strengthens organizational impact by advancing innovation, sustainability, and excellence across all programs; leading new program design and evaluation; and building and enhancing partnerships that support program expansion, including Medicaid-related growth. The VP plays a key role in organizational and operational strategy, ensuring decisions are informed by data, outcomes, and continuous learning. This role carries direct accountability for portfolio growth, profit-and-loss implications, and new programmatic direction, operating with a high level of autonomy. Who We Are We believe that every young person deserves to go through life knowing they have a caring adult by their side. So, every day, we show up for kids in foster care by listening to their needs and introducing them to adults they can rely on. We then surround those connections with support so that they grow into meaningful, lasting relationships that help our youth heal from the past. Because to truly raise the future, we must raise the bar for what it means to support vulnerable youth and families as they navigate life. That's what Raise the Future is all about. What We Are Seeking Universal Services Team Supervision (50%) • Provide supervision, strategic oversight and quality assurance for Raise the Future’s AdoptUSKids/NCDR (National Center for Diligent Recruitment) which designs and delivers universal services for child welfare professionals, including peer groups, webinars, and other resources. • Lead the integration of capacity-building, outreach, and engagement services across federally funded initiatives. • Develop and maintain strong relationships with federal partners, grantees, and national child welfare organizations connected to the work of AdoptUSKids/NCDR. • Represent Raise the Future and AdoptUSKids/NCDR at national events, conferences, and through strategic partnerships, as needed. • Serve on the AdoptUSKids Core Leadership Team (CLT) and Innovations Team. • Ensure compliance, accountability, and successful delivery of all AdoptUSKids/NCDR program outcomes. • Oversee AdoptUSKids/NCDR program budget, ensuring fiscal responsibility, compliance, and effective utilization of funds. • Deliver accurate, timely financial reports and ensure appropriate spend-down of resources in accordance with contractual requirements. • Maintain current knowledge of national child welfare, permanency, and Medicaid policy trends and laws, integrating emerging insights into strategy and program innovation. • Leverage the expertise of child welfare professionals to enhance AdoptUSKids/NCDR and ensure connection and alignment between federal and state efforts. Program Innovation and Business Development (50%) • Serve as a member of the Senior Leadership Team, responsible for co-creating and achieving organizational one- and three-year goals and advancing the strategic direction of Raise the Future. • Lead Medicaid program expansion and explore new models of revenue generation, including public-private partnerships and social enterprise programming. Collaborate with external agencies for new opportunities. • Partner with development, finance, and program VPs to identify and pursue new funding and programmatic opportunities aligned with Raise the Future’s strategic plan; research and lead grant-writing. • Provide high-level strategic leadership for expanded programmatic areas, ensuring alignment with the organization’s mission, priorities, and growth goals. • Lead innovative program expansion strategies and implementation, ensuring measurable outcomes and organizational accountability through clear metrics and performance indicators. • Use evaluation data, performance metrics, and external trends to inform strategic decisions and continuous improvement; maintain accountability for profit-and-loss impact. • Monitor federal and Medicaid policy updates to anticipate shifts that may affect funding, compliance, and program design. • Represent Raise the Future with funders, government agencies, policy partners, and sector stakeholders to expand national visibility and influence. • Collaborate with national and state partners to advance best practices, systems improvement, and partnerships that strengthen the organization’s visibility, credibility, and impact. Minimum Qualifications • Licensed Clinical Social Worker or equivalent credential or experience. • Master’s degree or higher in social work, psychology, human development, human services, or related field, or equivalent experience. • Minimum of 10 years of progressive supervisory experience in public child welfare or related human services fields. • Proven experience managing complex programs, federal grants, and Medicaid programs, including staying current on policy changes, regulatory updates, grant research and writing, and national trends. • Expertise in child welfare technical assistance content development and training. • Strong fiscal management and contract compliance skills. • Expertise in trauma-informed and equity-centered approaches. • Excellent communication, strategic planning, and leadership skills. • Ability to travel up to 15% and work flexible hours as needed. • Experience designing and implementing innovative program models addressing emerging needs of youth and families involved in, or at risk of, child welfare engagement. Preferred Qualifications • Accredited TBRI® Practitioner (TCU Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development). • Bilingual in Spanish and English. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities • Leadership/Ownership: Demonstrates ability to create and communicate a vision and plan, accept ownership, take initiative, and assume responsibility. Can independently and inclusively develop solutions and ideas that add value. Takes the initiative to get the right perspectives around the table to resolve matters quickly and effectively. Can effectively challenge and influence superiors, peers, and team members to approach all work with an equity and inclusion lens. Promotes trust, collaboration, and partnership between departments, programs, and staff. Embraces feedback from colleagues and makes appropriate changes. Offers feedback to colleagues and supports appropriate changes. • Decision-Making/Problem-Solving/Analysis: Ability to make sound and timely decisions and involve others appropriately in decision-making. Demonstrates strong analytical skills, including an ability to provide solutions to compliance issues. Good understanding of impact of business decisions. Excellent problem-solving skills - able to think through likely causes of problems before referring them to others. • Adaptability: Ability to be flexible and work within the system. Able and willing to take on and learn additional and different responsibilities. Effectively manages pressure, maintains composure, and is not easily frustrated. Works effectively in ambiguous situations. Must be able to adapt to a continually evolving environment and thrive in an autonomous and deadline-oriented workplace. Demonstrates consistently positive attitude toward change. • Communication: Able to effectively communicate (verbally, written, and interpersonally) with poise and professionalism in highly charged and stressful situations. Ability to interact effectively with others and exercise good judgment when engaging with people in sensitive situations. Able to tailor communications appropriately to the size and nature of the audience, including public speaking, presenting trainings at conferences and support groups. Expresses disagreement professionally. • Ability to Maintain Confidentiality: This position requires direct access to and management of confidential employee, client, and organizational data. It is imperative that confidentiality is always applied when handling this information. What We Offer As a nonprofit organization, we are mission driven, and our employees are highly engaged in the work they do. The best reward is when our efforts payoff and our youth find lasting connections with an adult. We offer a great culture and a full benefits package too. We value the need for work life balance offering four (4) weeks of PTO, 10+ paid holidays per year, plus much more • - that's 30 paid days off per year! Our benefits include: • Health Insurance • Dental & vision insurance • 100% Paid life, long-term and short-term disability insurance • Flexible Spending Accounts for healthcare and childcare • Health Savings Accounts • 401k with matching contributions & immediate vesting • Flexible work arrangements available on case-by-case basis • Employee Assistance Program • Discount programs • Paid Parental Leave The annual pay range for this position is $100,000 - 125,000* • Actual hiring range may vary based on qualifications. Candidates should submit a cover letter. Raise the Future is more than an equal opportunity organization. We are committed to diversity and building an inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds and ages. We are taking steps to meet that commitment in our employment practices, especially for members of traditionally underrepresented communities, including women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people who are differently-abled.