Organizational Summary

Equal Measure is a national professional services firm headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, and remotely across the U.S. With more than 40 years in the social justice field, we strengthen the knowledge and capacity of our partners to transform systems, eliminate racial disparities, and build equitable communities. Our current and recent clients include: the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Boston Foundation, the BUILD Health Challenge, the City of Philadelphia, Comcast, the de Beaumont Foundation, Helios Education Foundation, Lumina Foundation, the National Science Foundation, New America, PolicyLink, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Robin Hood, and United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey.

In these engagements, we draw from five service lines—program and strategy design, evaluation, capacity building, technical assistance, and communications—which we typically bundle and customize based on the needs of the client and its grantees.

Executive Overview of Position

The Chief Strategy and Equity Officer, as a member of the organization’s executive team, develops and overall leads strategic initiatives, project excellence, thought leadership, and business development across the organization. The primary areas of focus are the oversight of cross-project quality assurance, relevant methodological approaches across all organizational service lines, and codification of project-related knowledge management (racial equity, content, methods, products, ways of working). Critical functions include developing and overseeing internal processes that ensure and advance project excellence in an effort to advance the organization’s practices, learning, and business, ultimately serving our mission to strengthen the knowledge and capacity of our partners to transform systems, eliminate racial disparities, and build more equitable communities.

This position provides direct oversight and leadership to the Senior Director team of the organization and works closely with the executive team to ensure learning and innovation from the strategic initiatives, project excellence, and thought leadership are integrated into projects, business development efforts, and operations. This role also fosters Equal Measure’s salience, relevance, and effectiveness with clients and the field. The successful incumbent will surface and lead the organization in creating and fostering conceptual, cross-project learning and perspectives, and devise frameworks, tools, and approaches that leverage new insights and center racial equity. The Chief Strategy and Equity Officer works collaboratively with the executive team and senior leadership to advance the organizational goals tied to our strategic plan and racial equity vision moving forward.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Project Excellence

• Provide high-level oversight and quality assurance on all aspects of project work that centers racial equity, including client management; contract negotiations; framing and oversight of work plans and project teams; final product development and approval; and dissemination/presentation responsibilities.
• Maintain a broad awareness of project status in support of the organization’s racial equity mission, giving feedback on process protocols and products; providing oversight of conceptual frameworks for data analysis; reviewing key data collection tasks; and performing final reviews of reports and executive summaries and work plan priorities and programmatic strategy for projects across Equal Measure’s service lines.
• Identify and lead new project approaches and methods to further enhance and center racial equity in our work to support and influence client impact.
• Facilitate integration of racial equity as part of our overall approach and strategy into project work through coaching, training, and development of new organizational processes including knowledge management structures.

Strategic Initiatives

• Identify and steer strategic initiatives that amplify our project excellence and thought leadership work.
• Manage processes of organizational change and responsiveness for strategic initiatives with Equal Measure’s executive and senior leadership team, which may include identifying and elevating emerging trends and cross-project knowledge; synthesizing knowledge to develop organizational frameworks, tools, and point of view; and integrating learning, tools, and knowledge into current and future projects.
• Collaborate with the executive and senior leadership teams to integrate and measure achievement within strategic initiatives into the organization with the necessary infrastructure, including resources, talent and staffing, processes, technology, and communications.
• Support communications in messaging, packaging and visualization, dissemination of thought leadership, and business development tied to strategic initiatives.

Thought Leadership and Business Development

• Lead the development and definition of new business services within service lines, consistent with the organization’s strategic direction, working in collaboration with senior leadership and business development teams.
• Design new or improved products and services based on market shifts/trends, client needs, or emerging trends; market these new business products and services through Equal Measure’s networks and communication channels in collaboration with business development team.
• Actively contribute at a high level to the development of proposals and business development efforts.
• Represent Equal Measure to clients, foundation and nonprofit partners, and stakeholders. Present at professional forums and conferences; contribute to industry-related publications; and leverage project work into publishable thought leadership products.

Education and Experience

• Master’s degree with at least 10+ years of experience required; PhD (or other terminal degree) preferred. (Experience can include post-graduate internships in evaluative methods, applied research, sociology, public administration, statistics, or related fields.)
• Significant experience in leading increasingly complex evaluations at a high level of responsibility required. Previous significant experience in consulting, mixed-method evaluation work, adult learning and organizational development, or nonprofit/foundation work strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding and application of different equity-focused evaluation and other frameworks.
• Prior experience in a strategic leadership or senior management position, with planning, staff leadership, and/or organizational implementation responsibilities. Experience in a professional services environment strongly desired.
• Demonstrated track record of successfully developing business and selling consulting services, with a history of meeting business development targets and nurturing an existing client base.
• Topical focus or publications in the fields of education reform, youth development, equal opportunity, asset building, community development, and/or health and human services systems preferred.

Work Environment/Physical Demands/Travel Requirements

• Remote position (within the United States)
• Occasional domestic travel (up to 30 %)

Salary and Position Details

• This is a full-time, exempt, benefits-eligible position.
• Salary range: $199,985–$230,700

Job Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

This person must be able to:

• Hold a strong strategic vision to advance and sustain the organizational mission, culture of learning, and overall excellence aligned with the strategic plan of the organization
• Apply knowledge and skills in racial equity and intersectionality
• Collaborate with and advise members of an executive and senior leadership team
• Demonstrate project management skills, including organization and time management
• Display and embody confident and elegant interpersonal skills to work collaboratively with colleagues, clients, and partners to influence stakeholders, lead teams, manage multiple activities, and resolve issues
• Show strong leadership, team management, and interpersonal skills—with an ability to work with staff and employees at all levels
• Use skillful management and coaching to develop and mentor project staff at all levels
• Think strategically, analytically, and creatively to expand Equal Measure’s value and services

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Equal Measure is deeply interested in and committed to diversity along racial, ethnic, and gender lines, and we are actively seeking an individual who can offer broader perspectives to our organizational thinking and culture. Racial minorities are highly encouraged to apply.

As part of our organizational commitment to public and personal health, Equal Measure requires that all employees be vaccinated against COVID-19, per the latest CDC recommendations (including updates to status, booster shots, etc.). Any individuals who choose to decline vaccination due to medical, religious, or other concerns must discuss this with HR prior to hiring and will be required to present negative COVID-19 test results within 24 hours of any in-person meetings or work-related travel.

Equal Measure offers a comprehensive employee benefits package designed to increase employee health, security, and wellness. Our benefit program includes: medical, dental, and prescription drug coverage; fully paid life insurance; short- and long-term disability; a very competitive retirement plan (403b); financial counseling; and remote work flexibility, among other offerings.

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and resume to careers@equalmeasure.org.