Managing Director of External Affairs, CT

About Achievement First

Achievement First (AF) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization supporting 39 public charter schools across New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. For more than 25 years, AF has been recognized as one of the top tuition-free public charter school networks in the country. We are committed to creating schools of academic excellence within nurturing environments — schools that prepare students to be college-ready and to pursue and succeed in whatever paths they choose in life.

The majority of AF students are Black and Latinx children from low-income families, many of whom will be the first in their families to graduate from college. Across our network, we employ more than 2,200 staff members — 64% of whom identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color — who collectively educate nearly 15,000 students in Brooklyn and Queens, NY; New Haven, Bridgeport, and Hartford, CT; and Providence and Cranston, RI.

Our mission is to prepare every student to excel in college, career, and life; deepen their understanding of self and community; and lead lives of purpose. We believe in the limitless potential within our students and their power to shape a more just society. That belief drives our deep commitment to student achievement: we aim to set a high bar for learning and create warm, demanding classrooms where rigorous instruction is paired with the care, encouragement, and consistency every student deserves.

We are looking for a strategic and dynamic MD of External Affairs to join our Team CT Leadership

Your Impact

The Managing Director of External Affairs is a trusted partner and thought leader to the Regional Executive Director in setting the strategy, engaging and managing external stakeholders and constituents, and supporting the brand and relationships in the region. The MD of Regional Affairs will be a key partner in building and sustaining AF’s impact and ensuring the network becomes a visible, responsive, and values-driven partner in the communities that it serves.  

Reporting directly to the Executive Director, CT your responsibilities will include

External and Community Affairs (50%)

• Develop the strategic vision for external and community affairs for the region in alignment with AF’s organizational vision
• Work closely with schools, families, and AF’s communications team to strategically share the impact that Achievement First has within the region and to narrate fuel the school’s successes and opportunities to external audiences
• Collaborate with the communications team and regional leaders to surface moments that tell the story of the region and build the brand for both internal and external audiences through various communication channels including newsletters, social media and external news coverage.
• Establish, maintain, strengthen and leverage key political alliances to support and advance  AF’s mission 
• Establish, maintain, and leverage partnerships with Connecticut Department of Education, local Community Based Organizations (CBOs), nonprofits, and other community partners to better support the regions’ schools and promote a better environment overall for students and families
• Collaborate with schools to thoughtfully engage families in key network, regional, and school-based initiatives

Board Governance (25%)

• Lead and manage the full lifecycle of four boards in Connecticut, including planning, sequencing, agendas, strategy-setting, drafting materials, and coordinating stakeholder alignment.
• Design a long-term governance vision that clarifies roles and positions boards as high-impact, informed thought partners.
• Collaborate with the CEO, Regional ED, Board Governance network team, Regional Superintendents, and Principals to ensure pre-read materials, discussion questions, and meeting design elevate meaningful strategic dialogue.
• Proactively identify opportunities to evolve board engagement, including optional primers, onboarding structures, pre-meeting alignment processes, and redesigned meeting arcs that focus on discussion—not presentation.
• Build and manage a cultivation strategy for current and prospective board members—tracking composition needs, sequencing prospects, nurturing relationships, and leveraging networks to strengthen overall board capacity.
• Ensure internal roles and decision-making pathways are clear, aligned, and efficient. Minimize redundant work, late-cycle revisions, and mis-sequenced review processes through strong project management and stakeholder coordination.

Strategic Leader of the Region to Improve External Conditions for our Schools to Thrive (15%)

• Serve as a thought partner and external strategist to the Regional ED.
• Lead regional alignment across AF teams, ensuring Connecticut’s local priorities are understood, elevated, and supported by internal partners.
• Act as a central conduit for stakeholders—schools, Network Support leaders, advocates, elected officials, and boards—surfacing opportunities, risks, and needs as they arise.
• Represent the region with clarity, alignment, and credibility across sectors.

Fundraising (10%)

• Hold shared responsibility for regional fundraising, partnering with Team Development on strategy and solicitations while leading local prospecting and relationship-building to establish a new donor base.
• Lead proactive identification and cultivation of prospective funders, community leaders, and connectors who can open philanthropic doors in Connecticut, building a robust regional pipeline where one does not currently exist.
• Serve as a key relationship manager for select current and prospective funders, regularly meeting with them to share AF’s mission and impact, and ensuring strong handoffs and coordination with Team Development for solicitations.

Skills You’ll Have

All candidates for this position will:

• Hold a Bachelor’s degree; advanced degree strongly preferred
• Bring significant senior-level experience in education, nonprofit, government, advocacy, or a similarly mission-driven sector
• Have prior experience developing Board governance strategy, including cultivating, preparing, and engaging high-functioning nonprofit boards

An ideal candidate will demonstrate strength in the following areas:

• Executive-level stakeholder management across boards, senior leaders, elected officials, funders, and community partners
• Political and organizational acumen, with the ability to navigate complex dynamics and sensitive contexts
• Strategic planning and execution across multi-year, multi-stakeholder initiatives
• Designing systems and processes that increase clarity, efficiency, and impact
• Clear, compelling communication in high-stakes settings, including board meetings and public-facing forums

Characteristics for Success 

• Strong ethics, judgment, and discretion, with the ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality

• Confidence and credibility when interacting with and influencing senior leaders, board members, and external partners

• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, evolving environment—balancing autonomy with collaboration and direction

• Exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, and follow-through across complex workflows

• Proactive, precise verbal and written communication tailored to audience and purpose

• Deep belief in Achievement First’s mission, values, and commitment to partnership with families and communities

Travel Expectations 

This is a hybrid role. The expectation is that the person in the role would be able to come into the Network Support office (NYC, CT, or RI) at least 3 days a week. There may be additional travel to regions outside of your own on a monthly basis. 

Compensation

Achievement First sets salaries are set through a lens of equity, and based on the requisite skills, education, and experience relevant to the role.  The salary for this position is $150,331.  In order to uphold our commitment to equity, Achievement First does not negotiate pay.  Additionally, Achievement First offers to all regular, full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid time off, medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, a 403(b) retirement benefit package with match, and paid Family Leave.

Achievement First is an equal opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity. People from all diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. Spanish language proficiency is a plus. You can learn more about diversity at Achievement First here: http://achievementfirst.org/about-us/diversity/