Search Success: Alia Peera Joins Aim High as Director of Partnerships!

Aim High and Pillar Search & HR Consulting are proud to announce the appointment of Alia Peera to the position of Director of Partnerships. Alia joined the organization on July 17, 2023.

Alia will be a great addition to the team, advancing Aim High’s mission and vision forward with energy and passion. Alia’s background includes building deep relationships with partners and donors, working with educational partners and school districts, expanding nonprofits into new regions, and project management.

Most recently, Alia served as the Regional Partner for Northern California at Wildflower Foundation and previously as the Managing Director of System Partnerships at The Achievement Network. She is currently a member of the Nexus Fellowship Cohort with The Equity Lab.

Alia lives in the Bay Area and is a graduate of the University of Southern California. She will be based in the Aim High’s San Francisco office.

About Aim High: Aim High embraces the raw beauty of early adolescence by focusing on middle school (ages of 11 to 14), a vital stage of maturation. It is also critical to educational trajectories: improving the college and career readiness skills students possess by eighth grade has the largest impact on high school graduates’ ultimate level of college and career readiness – even more than any single high school-level enhancement. Summer programs are particularly effective in mitigating the inequity caused by systemic barriers in education. Despite its importance, just 1.1% of the 5.5 million middle school students from low-income communities nationwide have access to free summer enrichment programs. Aim High’s multi-year, five-week summer program combines pedagogical rigor with emotional depth to ignite the boundless potential within young people navigating systemic barriers. They envision every middle school student having access to joyful summer learning, inspired and innovative teachers, and the support they need to succeed in school and life. Aim High was founded on the belief that every student has the right to a quality education. In 1986 they launched at one site in San Francisco with just 50 students. Over the last 35 years, they have expanded across the Bay Area in every direction, as far as Napa and Tahoe-Truckee. Along the way, their transformative summer enrichment program has empowered thousands of middle schoolers from low-income neighborhoods, igniting their love of learning and yielding real results – 98% of Aim High alumni graduate and go on to college. Learn more at https://aimhigh.org.

About Pillar Search & HR Consulting: A woman-owned business based in Boston, Pillar Search & HR Consulting provides executive search/recruiting and human resources consulting expertise to nonprofit and mission-driven organizations, working with senior leaders and the boards of directors to hire and develop the very best talent across all functional areas of the organization. Pillar’s founder, Cindy Joyce, is a Certified Diversity Recruiter. For more information about Pillar, please visit www.pillarsearch.com.

Raising A Reader’s Development Director!

Pillar Search & HR Consulting is pleased to have been selected to manage the Development Director search for Raising A Reader!

ABOUT RAISING A READER

Raising A Reader (RAR) is a national nonprofit organization with a mission to foster early literacy skills, parent-child bonding, and healthy brain development by helping the families of children (ages 0-8) build the home literacy routines essential for school success. Parents learn researched-based book sharing practices, and each week children bring home a bright red bag filled with high-quality, multicultural books. Families are also connected to their local libraries to sustain book borrowing and sharing practices.

RAR operates in over 2,500 locations nationally, has reached over 1.2 million children, and has over 15 million books in rotation. 2019 marks Raising A Reader’s 20th anniversary. Since 1999, RAR’s model has been validated by more than 30 independent evaluations. The White House’s Office of Hispanic Education, and The White House’s My Brother’s Keeper Initiative have identified the model as a national best practice. The US Department of Education awarded RAR a prestigious Innovative Approach to Literacy Award and in 2014 identified RAR as a national model for its alignment with the recently adopted Dual Capacity Family Engagement Framework. Raising A Reader is a supporting organization of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

JOB SUMMARY

Reporting to the President and CEO, the Development Director is responsible for developing and leading Raising A Reader’s (“RAR”) annual contributed revenue plan. The Director will contribute to strategy development, build relationships with institutional (corporations, private foundations, and government) funders and major donors, and solicit five figure+ gifts in partnership with the President and CEO and Board of Directors. The Director will have a significant leadership role in RAR’s ability to raise revenue to support the organization’s $4MM operating budget:

  • Raise contributed revenue to support annual operations, historically ~$1.5M+;
  • Lead a three-year growth fund campaign to support RAR’s new strategic plan, estimated at $3MM; and
  • Indirectly support $2.5MM in earned revenue annually.

The Development Director will provide direction to a grant writer, and indirect supervision to associate team members. This position will be based in the San Francisco Bay Area, CA or may be remote from Los Angeles, CA.

Competitive salary and benefits.

Responsibilities

Fundraising:

  • Work strategically and effectively with the CEO to ensure that annual philanthropic revenue goals are achieved.
  • Oversee the cultivation, stewardship and development of Raising A Reader’s pipeline of national institutional, corporate, and major donor funding. Serve as leader on strategy development, prospect research, and moves management.
  • With the support of the CEO and Board of Directors, manage current and prospective donor relationships, engaging donors in person, by email, and by phone to secure gifts.
  • Direct the fundraising campaign efforts to ensure the success of Raising A Reader’s 2020-2023 strategic plan.
  • Create a strategy and toolkit to build the fundraising capacity of Raising A Reader’s affiliate network of (currently) 300 community-based organizations across 40 states. Work across Raising A Reader divisions to ensure fundraising training, communications, and best practices are central to our value-add to the network.
  • Establish and ensure development operations standards including but not limited to policies, processes, and measuring accountability.
  • With the support of a grant writer, produce compelling written materials including grants, reports, and collateral.
  • Provide direct and indirect guidance, supervision, and coaching to grant writer and operations associate.
  • Lead cross-departmental initiatives and special projects assigned by leadership or requested by prospects or clients.

Communications:

  • Assist as directed in supporting RAR’s national communications efforts with the team and key stakeholders.

Grants, Gifts and Compliance:

  • Oversee the execution of grant-related activities, communication with funders and completion of final activity reports. Demonstrate an extremely high level of cross-departmental collaboration in the completion of these activities.
  • Work closely with the finance team to manage gift records, contributions, and grants.

Please note:  Up to 25% travel may be required.

Requirements

  • 7+ years of experience in fundraising with progressive responsibility. Experience securing gifts that are six figure and above.
  • Bachelor’s degree.  Master’s degree in a field relevant to community work (Public Policy or Administration, Education, Public Health, or a related discipline) or comparable community experience preferred.
  • Experience with national nonprofit organizations with affiliates (or equivalent organizational structures) and comfortable working in a matrixed environment with multiple locations
  • Passion for RAR’s mission.
  • Proven ability to build internal relationships across and within an organization.
  • Strong commitment to customer service and providing prompt, professional responses to donor inquiries.
  • Strong technology/software skills, experience with Salesforce and WordPress strongly preferred. Experience with Wealth Engine, iwave, and/or other fundraising software a plus.
  • A proven ability to work independently when necessary, along with the ability to partner effectively with a variety of important audiences, including volunteers, key staff, major donors, and prospects.
  • Strong contributor as a member of a team and willing to participate in activities that will contribute to the overall success of RAR.
  • Extremely strong and demonstrated verbal and written communications skills; can write clearly and persuasively.
  • Perseveres, has high energy level, patience, imagination, humor and creativity.

TO APPLY
Raising A Reader/Silicon Valley Community Foundation has partnered with Cindy Joyce of Pillar Search & HR Consulting on the search for its new Development Director. Qualified individuals, please submit a resume and thoughtful cover letter to cindy@pillarsearch.com. Please include your full name in the subject line.

Raising A Reader and Pillar Search & HR Consulting believe that diversity in all dimensions of the organization supports and bolsters the innovative thinking essential to its success. Raising A Reader and Pillar do not make hiring decisions on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, age, disability, religion, political affiliation, or ideology.

Now Hiring! Revenue Accounting Manager for Reading Partners

Pillar Search is proud to collaborate with Reading Partners on the hiring of their new Revenue Accounting Manager.  This position will be based at the Reading Partners’ headquarters in Oakland, CA. 

The high level:

The Revenue Accounting Manager is a new role best suited for an experienced accounting professional who is detail-oriented, hands-on, results-driven with proven communication skills and a strong work ethic to work in a challenging, fast-paced, nonprofit environment. This person is responsible for the timely and accurate reporting of all revenue, including, but not limited to: temporarily restricted, government, and unrestricted grants as well as deferred revenue, all private donations, other grant awards, and fee for service (FFS) from school partners. This person is also responsible for ensuring revenue is posted to the GL accurately and documented within the Reading Partners CRM (Salesforce) in full accordance with GAAP. The Revenue Accounting Manager will report to the Controller.

 

If you’re looking to apply your vast knowledge of accounting to help a growing nonprofit help more students learn to read, please read on!

 

About Reading Partners:

Reading Partners mobilizes communities to provide students with the proven, individualized reading support they need to read at grade level by fourth grade.

Reading Partners knows that reading is the foundation for all future learning, and the ability to read transforms lives and empowers children and communities to reach their full potential. Research shows that students who read at grade level by fourth grade have a greater opportunity to succeed in school and in life.

That’s why they partner with under-resourced schools and engage volunteer reading partners to work one-on-one with students who struggle with reading.

An evidence-based and community-driven organization, they recruit and train volunteers to work one-on-one with students for 45 minutes twice a week, following a structured, research-based curriculum.

The Reading Partners program model works and is backed by evidence-based research which proves that their students make significant gains in reading. On average, Reading Partners’ students more than double their rate of learning while in the program.

 

What you’ll do:

  • Ensure accurate and timely revenue recognition
    • Coordinate the daily operations related to revenue recognition and establish regular and effective communication channels with designated program and development colleagues.
    • Manage the weekly processing of cash receipts and recording of revenue.
    • Prepare detailed revenue analysis, reconciliations and budget-to-actual variance reports.
    • Ensure all revenue and related accounts are posted to the GL accurately and in accordance with GAAP.
    • Perform monthly close tasks associated with revenue including the preparation of various reconciliations, deferred revenue roll forward, monthly revenue journal entries and monthly revenue related analysis.
    • Monitor accounts receivable and ensure timely processing in system to ensure all documentation is in compliance with company policy and all rules/ regulations set forth by our contracts.
    • Assist in preparation of monthly management reports.
    • Maintain and analyze accounting records.
    • Assist with the preparation of accounting schedules, reports and financial statements monthly and as requested by senior leadership.
    • Manage all private and foundation grants and ensure they’re booked according to the conditions stipulated in the contract.
    • Ensures all monthly invoices are submitted to various grants, contracts and governmental agencies as well as all reimbursement invoices.
    • Track all in-kind gifts.
    • Assist in ensuring a constant state of annual fiscal and funder audit readiness through clean and accurate coding, tagging and reporting.
    • Ensure direct expenses tagged to municipal grants/ contracts are allowable and compliant under contract/ grant provision.
  • Partner with Finance/ Accounting colleagues and other business partners
    • Ensure GL records and internal CRM database (Salesforce) are congruent.
    • Work closely with external audit team regarding all quarterly review and annual audit requirements.
    • As needed, may help with bookkeeping operations and assist in the day-to-day delivery of the organization’s main accounting policies, procedures and contracts.
  • Process improvement
    • Regularly audit all current practices to assess their effectiveness and efficiency.
    • Revise current practices to ensure best in class service and performance as it pertains to revenue activities and reporting.
    • Ensure all internal policies and procedures are practical and realistic. Ensure best practices are documented and in full effect at Reading Partners.
    • Assist in process improvements to further streamline revenue tasks and shorten revenue close calendar.
  • Other duties as needed

 

How you’ll do it:

  • Relationship Development & Communication: You establish great working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including staff, external constituents, as well as board members. You are able to open doors, make connections, tell a compelling story through the use of data, and create pathways to ensure financial sustainability in literacy education within a very competitive market. You are an effective communicator and a natural “connector”, and you have a track record of successfully establishing rapport quickly and maintaining relationships, even at a distance.

 

  • Strategic Leadership & Execution: You develop and design new strategies and approaches to meet goals and then lead implementation of those strategies. You bring a systems perspective to organizational challenges, with the ability to effectively move from vision to strategy to plan to execution while managing multiple work streams and demonstrating exceptional project management instincts. You are creative and are a thoughtful decision-maker. You are comfortable partnering with others to problem-solve, and you use clear and strategic processes in making decisions. In addition, you have professional experience both developing and executing strategy to optimize organizational processes and achieve ambitious goals.

 

  • People Management: You have a track record of leading teams to excellence. You demonstrate a genuine interest in coaching, inspiring, and developing staff toward the successful achievement goals. You are skilled at providing clear direction, guidance and goals, delegating effectively, and providing growth opportunities while supporting progress along the way. Support staff and enable them to build and maintain successful relationships with a wide array of colleagues at a distance.

 

About you!

You’ll be successful in this role if you:

  • Possess robust and relevant job experience in roles with increasing responsibility; nonprofit experience strongly desired
  • Have experience managing a team
  • Display strong analytical, problem solving and decision-making skills
  • Possess detailed working knowledge of GAAP
  • Demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills; able to successfully convey accounting concepts to non-accounting colleagues
  • Able to adapt to changing organizational needs and priorities and juggle multiple projects while meeting deadlines
  • Demonstrate strategic and analytical thinking abilities and strong problem-solving skills
  • Exhibit excellent professional judgment
  • Knowledge of financial planning software (e.g. Adaptive, Hyperion, Cognos) strongly preferred; familiarity with Salesforce a plus
  • Boast a deep belief in our mission
  • Root your work in our core values
  • Approach your work with pride and have fun while doing it
  • Actively seek professional and personal growth opportunities
  • Hold US Citizenship or Permanent Resident Status
  • Hold a bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics or equivalent experience; CPA a plus

 

Bonus points if you:

  • Have experience with federal grant accounting, specifically multiple cost reimbursement grants.
  • Are an AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, or other national service alum/alumna
  • Have experience working in launch or growth phases of organizations

 

What Reading Partners offers:

Reading Partners offers the full package – great benefits, a great place to work and the opportunity to have a glowing and growing career.

  • Reading Partners offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience. This is a full time, exempt, salaried position.
  • They offer a rich suite of health, welfare, and lifestyle benefits, including medical, dental, vision, paid time off, commuter benefits, referral bonuses, 403(b) option, and more.
  • They offer an exciting and dynamic culture, and commit to investing in and supporting their amazing people to grow their careers with Reading Partners. As such, they provide ongoing professional development opportunities.

 

The other things you need to know:

  • Location:  This position is located at Reading Partners’ National Headquarters in Oakland, CA. No remote work options available.
  • Typical Physical & Mental Demands: Requires prolonged sitting with some bending, stooping and stretching, and eye-hand coordination and manual dexterity sufficient to operate a keyboard, telephone, photocopier, calculator and other office equipment.  Requires normal range of hearing and eyesight to communicate with volunteers and staff. Also requires flexibility to readily adapt to a changing environment.

 

What’s Next?

If you are interested in joining the Reading Partners team, kindly submit your resume, as well as a cover letter describing your interest in Reading Partners and how your past experience has prepared you for this role. Please include your salary needs.  Send both documents to Cindy Joyce at cindy@pillarsearch.com.

Reading Partners respects and honors the diversity in their workforce, and they are an Equal Opportunity Employer.

New Search! Sales Director for Uncommon Cacao Source + Trade!

Executive Search Boston

Overview

The Sales Director Opportunity with Uncommon Cacao Source + Trade is an ideal position for a sales professional with great experience in B2B sales with a focus on specialty/natural food and food ingredients, and has a proven track record of managing a growing sales effort.

 

About Uncommon Cacao

Uncommon Cacao started its work in 2010, building Maya Mountain Cacao in Belize to create meaningful market access for smallholder cacao farmers. After catalyzing unparalleled impact for farmer families in the country, and receiving enormous demand for our product and process, in 2014 Uncommon Cacao founded Cacao Verapaz in Guatemala. These companies have revolutionized local economies by linking smallholder farmers to the specialty chocolate industry, through a focus on consistently delivering high quality beans.

 

Today, with growing demand for our cacao, Uncommon Cacao has grown further into the supply chain to drive maximum value to producer groups at origin. Founded two years ago, Uncommon Cacao Source + Trade now works with over 100 chocolate makers, and sources cacao from six countries in Central and South America to deliver the highest quality cacaos, and provide added-value sourcing services to craft chocolate makers globally. Together, we can build a more fair and sustainable specialty cacao supply chain.

 

Scope of Role

  • Sales Management and Execution
    • Manage all existing bean-to-bar chocolate accounts including in North America, Europe, Japan and Australia
    • Create and execute sales strategies to penetrate new accounts and markets
    • Drive and set pricing strategy, including close analysis of margins and implementation of any discounts and promotions
    • Attend and work at industry conferences and sales events on behalf of Uncommon Cacao
    • Create and manage sales forecasts, including annual, quarterly and monthly sales plans

 

  • New Markets
    • Cultivate and nurture relationships with larger-scale Premium Chocolate market buyers
    • Understand sourcing and product needs and grow business into new markets
    • Focus on growth and expansion in European ultra-premium sector (craft, bean-to-bar chocolate)
    • Foster relationships with new craft chocolate buyers in existing market

 

  • Marketing
    • Manage Marketing Associate: regular check ins, goal setting, obstacle-busting
    • Provide marketing vision and direction based on sales plan and needs
    • Support creation of marketing materials including all collateral, Transparency Report, social media etc.
    • Foster coordination between Marketing Associate and Supply Chain Manager to ensure authentic representation of brand to customers
  • Business Coordination
    • Ensure close collaboration with CEO, CFO and finance team
    • Work closely with Supply Chain Manager to ensure product portfolio matches sales needs, and to manage inventory flow
    • Proficiently use software systems including inventory management system, CRM, and financial management system

 

Organizational Role, Compensation and Benefits

The Sales Director of Uncommon Cacao Source + Trade reports directly to the CEO. This position is based in Berkeley, CA, and is an at-will, salaried position. Compensation will be commensurate with experience. Travel, both domestic and international, will be required.

 

The Sales Director position is eligible for paid vacation, beginning five months after start date. Employee is eligible for the company’s health insurance plan after 2 months from start date. This role has 7 paid sick days starting immediately. This is a flex-time position, meaning the Sales Director can work on whatever schedule is ideal to ensure goals are met.

 

Qualified candidates are encouraged to email their resume to Cindy Joyce, CEO of Pillar Search & HR Consulting, at cindy@pillarsearch.com.