Executive Director

OneGoal; New York (NY); On-site; USD 174,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

OneGoal is seeking an Executive Director for New York who will serve as the region’s external face, visionary leader, and chief revenue strategist. Based in New York City, you will craft the regional vision, mobilize partnerships, and guide the team toward ambitious growth targets.

You will steward major donor relationships, drive a $2.2M regional revenue plan, and ensure program excellence and staff engagement while collaborating with national leadership on the 2030 Strategic Plan.

Qualifications

• Extensive fundraising experience with major gifts.
• Proven leadership of regional teams.
• Deep knowledge of New York education landscape.

Responsibilities

• Lead fundraising, partnerships, outreach, and brand-building to hit or exceed revenue targets.
• Oversee NY regional team, budget, KPIs, and organizational health.
• Align regional strategy with OneGoal's 2030 plan and collaborate with national leadership.

Job description

Reports to: Jonathan Paul, Chief Regional Operations Officer

Location: New York City

Location Classification: Location-specific

Time: While standard hours are typically 9:00am – 5:00pm ET, the Executive Director is expected to be in the Lower Manhattan office 2‑3 days per week, with flexibility for seasonal demands, external partner meetings, and occasional evening events. The role will require an ability to travel up to 20% annually.

Salary Range: $173,880 – $200,000 is the hiring salary range (i.e. the range a candidate would be offered to start).

About OneGoal

OneGoal transforms postsecondary advising and support so that every student can define their own future. Together with our partners, we're building a movement to close the opportunity gap. We work side‑by‑side with partner schools and districts to build their knowledge and capacity, leveraging existing resources and deep relationships within the school community to deliver effective, sustainable support for all students. The result is more effective support for all students. Our unique approach, honed over 15 years, prioritizes strong human relationships. And it's proven to deliver real student impact: An independent study by the University of Chicago found that OneGoal students are about 40% more likely to earn their postsecondary degrees than students from similar backgrounds.

The Role

As the Executive Director (ED), New York, you enter OneGoal at a pivotal inflection point to serve as the region’s primary external face, visionary leader, and chief revenue strategist. Reporting to the Chief Regional Operations Officer and sitting on OneGoal’s national Leadership Group, you will support the authoring of the region’s vision within OneGoal’s org‑wide 2030 Strategic Plan, crafting a compelling narrative that inspires internal and external stakeholders to invest in what is possible for young people.

Externally, you will champion our brand and call the plays on funder strategy to meet an ambitious $2.2M regional target, cultivating major donor relationships and expanding our footprint across New York City and New York State. Internally, you will serve as a steady, unifying leader who builds trust, strengthens organizational culture, and drives programmatic excellence. Ultimately, you will ensure long‑term regional health, program excellence, and deep staff engagement.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising, Partnerships, Outreach, and Brand-Building

• Serve as the region’s primary solicitor and holder of funder relationships, collaborating closely with the Managing Directors of External Affairs and Partnerships & Growth to hit or exceed a $2.2M revenue target (across philanthropic and earned revenue)
• Develop and execute a plan for OneGoal to expand across NYC, within New York state, and across adjacent states via advocacy, lobbying, and partnerships with state government, education departments, anchor funders, and local districts
• Position OneGoal as a thought leader and go‑to partner for postsecondary planning and success through advocacy, media engagement, public speaking, and coalition work
• Partner with the New York Leadership Team and national colleagues to track partnership health and execute a multi‑year funding and growth strategy
• Steward a diverse, engaged, and active Regional Advisory Board committed to supporting fundraising, individual giving, and program expansion
• Steward district leaders, state education leaders, and other influencers to invest and partner with us around shared goals for impact and growth

Team Leadership and Cultural Stewardship

• Serve as a steady, purpose‑driven leader who cultivates a strong, trust‑based team culture centered on our Core Values and who can guide a team toward bold outcomes
• Set a clear and compelling vision for the New York regional team, investing staff, board members, and national partners in the next chapter of regional impact
• Lead and actively coach the New York regional team to hit or exceed target KPIs in program impact, partnership growth, staff engagement, and financial efficiency and health
• Effectively oversee regional budget management, identifying opportunities and approving trade‑offs connected to overall regional priorities

Executive Leadership and National Collaboration

• Be an active collaborator and partner to five Executive Directors, National teams, and Regional leadership teams across the country as part of OneGoal's Leadership Group
• Ensure tight alignment between regional vision/activities and organizational strategic direction, contributing directly to OneGoal's 2030 Strategic Plan
• Support organizational health through senior‑level national/regional collaboration initiatives, including cascading change management
• Create, share, and refine a comprehensive annual plan incorporating strategic objectives, personnel, and regional budget planning

Required Skills and Experience

The Executive Director, New York, is likely to see themselves in the following examples, as they are designed to help you determine if this opportunity aligns with your own passion, purpose, skills, and experiences.

You are committed to creating a workplace where all people can thrive.

• You foster an environment where every individual feels valued and respected, building relational trust with your team and creating conditions for their growth
• You are committed to elevating the voices and perspectives of the young people from the communities we serve, recognizing their potential and advocating for their success
• You seek to understand and appreciate the range of lived experiences of those we work with. Lived experience matching the Fellows we serve is preferred
• You can name and interrupt patterns of inequity, using that awareness to build a stronger, more inclusive team and partner experience

You are a results‑driven revenue strategist and champion.

• You have deep fundraising experience and a proven track record of cultivating, soliciting, and closing major individual and institutional gifts (up to $2M+)
• You possess strong connections, context, and credibility within the New York funder and philanthropic community
• You ideally have experience generating revenue from public entities
• You set an ambitious vision for revenue and hold yourself and your team accountable for hitting philanthropic and fee‑for‑service targets

You are an innovative growth and coalition builder.

• You have demonstrated experience building partnerships with school, district, and state education leaders, with deep familiarity in New York education and postsecondary landscapes
• You possess creative courage—proposing bold, dynamic strategies to unlock new revenue, expand into new districts across NY State, and diversify regional partnerships
• You bring a builder's mindset to regional transformation, leading through ambiguity and navigating complex, bureaucratic educational environments with tenacity

You lead with vision and elevate others.

• You are an empathetic, steady, and unifying leader with significant experience managing senior leaders and leading teams through organizational change or rebuilding moments
• You have a tremendous ability to adapt your message depending on the audience—building champions, inspiring stakeholders, and converting skeptics
• You bring charismatic external presence paired with disciplined, steady organizational leadership