Managing Director of Community Impact at DREAM Charter School – New York, New York

Reporting to the Chief People & Equity Officer, the Managing Director of Community Impact is a mission-driven senior leader with deep experience in community impact and advocacy and a strong track record of building partnerships that advance equity for historically underserved families and communities. The ideal candidate brings together clear strategic vision, precise execution, and excellent people management skills. A skilled relationship-builder and communicator, the Managing Director of Community Impact authentically engages families, community partners, and senior leaders while representing DREAM in public, policy, and community-based spaces. Above all, they are deeply aligned with DREAM’s mission and believe in the power of families as partners and leaders in achieving lasting change.

Community Impact, Partnerships, and Advocacy

• Create and lead DREAM’s organizational advocacy and community engagement vision and strategy, aligning policy, partnerships, and family engagement to drive results and advance equitable outcomes for students and families;

• Serve as a senior leader shaping DREAM’s external engagement, representing the organization in public, policy, and community-based spaces;

• Build, manage, and scale a high-impact portfolio of community partnerships that address family needs across basic necessities, workforce development, healthcare access, and civic participation;

• Manage relationships with partner advocacy organizations, elected officials, and key stakeholders in education policy;

• Monitor and analyze education policy developments at local, state, and national levels;

• Represent DREAM at external events and in coalitions focused on education policy and advocacy;

• Set and maintain the vision for systems and supports that ensure all families can access stable basic needs, including food, housing, and other essential resources;

• Design and lead strategies that support families in securing family-sustaining wages, pursuing career pathways with opportunities for long-term advancement, obtaining health insurance, and regularly utilizing primary care and preventative health services;

• Design and lead strategies that support families in reducing chronic absenteeism and help students to thrive at school, ensuring families are equipped and supported to act as allies with their children and with DREAM in achieving the organization’s graduate vision;

• Advance civic engagement by supporting eligible families to register and vote, and by empowering families to engage as advocates and leaders within their communities;

• Foster strong, trust-based relationships across the DREAM community, including families, school leaders, staff, policy-makers, and external partners.

Team Leadership

• Provide strategic and day-to-day leadership of the Community Impact Team (across both Advocacy and Family Services functional areas) ensuring clarity of vision, priorities, roles, and accountability across all workstreams for 6+ direct and skip-level reports;

• Collaborate with executive leadership, school leadership and cross-functional teams to integrate community impact priorities into DREAM’s broader strategic and operational goals;

• Establish metrics, monitor outcomes, and use data to assess impact, drive continuous improvement, and inform strategic decision-making;

• Lead, develop, and manage staff and/or consultants supporting community impact and advocacy efforts.

Other responsibilities related to the running of the organization as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in public policy, education, social work, public health, or a related field strongly preferred;

• 8+ years of progressively responsible leadership experience in community impact, advocacy, social services, education, or a related field, including experience managing complex initiatives;

• 4+ years of experience leading and managing teams;

• Bilingual fluency (Spanish/English), preferred;

• Demonstrated experience developing and executing organizational advocacy or policy strategies at the local, state, or national level;

• Adaptive & inspirational leader; able to effectively influence and engage various stakeholders;

• Proven success building and sustaining cross-sector partnerships that lead to strong outcomes, including nonprofit, government, healthcare, and workforce development partners;

• Exceptional strategic thinking and problem-solving skills; ability to set detailed vision and direction across large, complex sets of work;

• Strong understanding of issues impacting historically underserved communities, including economic mobility, housing stability, healthcare access, and civic engagement;

• Exceptional relationship-building, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage families, community leaders, organizational partners, and senior executives;

• Experience using data and outcomes to drive strategy, accountability, and continuous improvement;

• Deep commitment to DREAM’s mission, values, and graduate vision, with a strong belief in the power of families as partners and leaders.

• Ability to operate with strategic vision while also ensuring strong execution and follow-through in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.