Executive Director - Alabama Region

Braven; Birmingham (AL); On-site; USD 170,000 - 212,500; Full time

Job summary

Braven seeks an Executive Director to launch and lead the Alabama region, in-person in Montgomery or Birmingham. This temporary, full-time role drives regional strategy, fundraising, and external partnerships, reporting to the Chief of Regional Success and Innovation, with potential transition to a permanent leadership position.

The ED will build teams, manage an External Affairs strategy, and oversee fundraising to reach the $9 million target, while shaping Braven's presence in the state and

Qualifications

• BS/BA and 7–10 years of leadership experience as an Executive with a track record of inclusive, sustainable team culture.
• Preference for 1–3 years in nonprofit, higher education, economic or workforce development, or chamber of commerce.
• Proficiency in Google Suite, Slack, Asana, Salesforce, Jira, and Confluence.
• Demonstrated commitment to Braven's mission and experience with student populations.

Responsibilities

• Lead regional strategy, operations, and advisory board development for the Alabama region.
• Manage external affairs, fundraising to raise roughly $9 million over three years.
• Hire, develop, and mentor regional staff and ensure Braven culture across the region.

Skills

Leadership experience

Fundraising

Stakeholder management

Education

BS/BA

Tools

Google Suite

Slack

Asana

Salesforce

Jira

Confluence

Job description

Executive Director – Alabama Area

Team: Higher Education – Alabama

Location: In‑Person in either Montgomery or Birmingham, AL

Employment Type: Temporary, Full‑time

FLSA Classification: Exempt

Start Date: January 5, 2027

About Braven

Braven is a national nonprofit that prepares promising college students to secure a strong first opportunity after college graduation through a career‑accelerating program. We work with higher education and employer partners to offer a life‑changing experience that begins with a semester‑long course for college students, followed by support that lasts through graduation. Together, our ambition is to help rebuild the middle class and revitalize the American Dream.

About the Role

In order to achieve its ambition of serving 80,000–100,000 Fellows over the next decade, Braven is hiring an Executive Director (ED) in Alabama (AL). This person will lead efforts to launch and oversee Braven’s potential new AL region, including its first possible higher‑education partner within AL. The ED will also collaborate with the Central External Affairs team and the future AL External Affairs Director to raise roughly $9 million for the first three years of programming before the launch of the new school site, among other external priorities.

Should a partnership with a higher education institution in the AL solidify, this temporary position would become a permanent full‑time regional role and the region’s most senior‑level executive and face of Braven. The ED will be responsible for all major outcomes in the region, set the vision and direction for how Braven comes alive successfully in their region, build and lead the regional program team and advisory board, manage the External Affairs Director and lead the regional External Affairs strategy in close collaboration with the central team, and serve as a Braven organizational leader on the Alignment Team (AT).

The ED will initially report to the Chief of Regional Success and Innovation and ultimately transition to report to the Founder & CEO and be part of Braven’s Alignment Team (AT), the organization’s leadership body.

What You’ll Do

Regional Strategy and Operations (20%)

• Implement a comprehensive multi‑year strategic plan to reach our vision for scale and excellent outcomes with our prospective partner and future AL region, higher education partners.
• With the Regional Senior Director, ensure strong program execution resulting in both positive experiences and outcomes for Fellows, volunteers, and partners.
• Build, manage, and expand a regional advisory board that will help maximize the AL region’s impact, narrative, and sustainability.

Stakeholder Management and Awareness Building (30%)

• Ensure the health of key stakeholder relationships at both university and employer partners, including university and corporate executives.
• Raise Braven’s brand awareness through thought‑leadership, awards, public speaking, social media, and press pieces.
• Explore the local political landscape and engage in critical policy efforts when relevant.

Regional Fundraising and Sustainability (30%)

• Raise roughly $9 million prior to the launch of the new school, among other external priorities.
• Deepen our political capital and thought leadership to ensure that our region maintains its meaningful position in the community’s educational fabric.
• Significantly grow and diversify a sustainable funding base that will include gifts from individuals, corporations, foundations, and government.

Team Leadership and Management (20%)

• Attract, hire, and develop a diverse and talented staff.
• Directly manage and develop the Regional Senior Director and Director, External Affairs.
• Coach and develop regional staff members to exhibit strong cultural leadership skills and orientations.
• Serve as the model and leader of Braven culture within the hub.
• Serve on the organization’s Alignment Team to influence organization‑wide impact, growth, and sustainability.

Requirements

Minimum Requirements

• BS/BA
• 7–10 years of leadership experience as an Executive, leading a department, or similar, with a verifiable track record of achieving successful outcomes while maintaining an inclusive, equitable, and sustainable team culture.

Preferred Qualifications

• 1–3 years in non‑profit, higher education, economic or workforce development, or a chamber of commerce.
• Proficiency in Google Suite, Slack, Asana, Salesforce, Jira, Confluence.
• Demonstrated commitment to and understanding of the experiences of first‑generation college students and students from low‑income backgrounds.
• Exemplify Braven’s core values.
• Have experiences that inform a belief in Braven’s mission and that prepare you to work with or for Braven’s student Fellow population.
• Motivation and drive to fundraise and ensure the financial sustainability of the region; ability to mobilize people and create champions of an organizational mission.
• Experience building and working in partnership with partner organizations, funders, a Board of Directors, and other key constituents.
• Strong presence, communication skills, relationship‑building skills, and maturity that engender respect and facilitate a strong partnership with very senior‑level staff and faculty, high‑profile community stakeholders and civic leaders, Braven staff, Fellows, and Leadership Coaches.
• High level of personal responsibility, professional maturity and humility, commitment to personal growth, and self‑awareness of your leadership style and its impact on others.
• Ability to make strong data‑informed decisions because you excel at drawing actionable insights from analyses and translating for yourself and others how these insights further your strategy.
• Experience that has informed a belief in Braven’s mission and has prepared you to work with or for Braven’s student Fellow population.

Please know that no one ever meets 100% of the preferred qualifications. If much of this describes you, we encourage you to apply.

Work Demands

• Ability to work in person in Montgomery or Birmingham 3 days per week, depending on where the regional office is ultimately situated.
• Ability to travel in the AL region, especially Montgomery, Birmingham, and Huntsville, regularly.
• Ability to travel to Braven hub cities across the country, and especially in Chicago, for meetings and events at least once a month.

Additional Requirements

• Authorized to work in the U.S.

Benefits

Braven offers competitive base salaries based on the midpoint of the market among not‑for‑profit organizations of similar size, with opportunities for salary growth over time. Given our commitment to equity, we do not negotiate salary offers; each offer is determined carefully using external and internal benchmarking. The salary range for this role is $170,000–$212,500, with new hires starting at the beginning of the range to allow room for growth. This is based on a 50‑hour work week. This is a full‑time, regular, exempt, and benefits‑eligible position where you will be working at 100% capacity.

• Unlimited vacation time in addition to org‑wide holidays and three team‑wide, week‑long shutdowns in Spring, Summer, and Winter (a minimum of 24 days per year).
• Braven supports your path to parenthood and beyond with $25,000 in lifetime Carrot benefits for fertility, family‑building, and hormonal health.
• Match of your 401(k) contribution up to 5% of your base annual salary, starting your first full month.
• Coverage of 85% of the health insurance premium for employee and dependents.
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave.
• A one‑month paid sabbatical after 4 years on staff.

Location

We gather in the office at least 3 days per week (on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) and often work remotely 2 days per week (although certain commitments might adjust that from time to time). Therefore, this role requires teammates to live within the AL area. We believe in the magic, connection, and collaboration that happens when people work together face‑to‑face and we believe in giving people flexibility to focus, balance personal priorities, and save themselves two commutes per week.

Braven is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected factor. We encourage talented individuals of all backgrounds to apply.