CEN Leadership Development Specialist
About CEN
At the Center for Excellence in Nonprofits (CEN), we believe that leadership is critical to the success of the nonprofit organizations in this community. We are committed to building strong relationships with our nonprofit colleagues, fully understanding their challenges, providing access to exceptional resources to meet their needs, and connecting nonprofit and community leaders in ways that strengthen all of us.
Guided by our commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, access and, liberation (IDEAL), we strive to engage and support all nonprofit professionals through continued learning and authentic community-building. Each of our programs is designed to foster a safe and open space where everyone has a seat at the table and participants can explore opportunities to deepen their work and gain new resources.
Guided by our commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, access and, liberation (IDEAL), we strive to engage and support all nonprofit professionals through continued learning and authentic community-building. Each of our programs is designed to foster a safe and open space where everyone has a seat at the table and participants can explore opportunities to deepen their work and gain new resources.
CEN’s vision is a powerful, vibrant, and effective nonprofit community. We enable leaders to learn and implement the best practices of management and governance in their organizations for the betterment of the communities they serve.
Our mission is to improve the long-term sustainability of nonprofit leaders and organizations by offering the highest quality programs, consultation, training, and community-building networks.
Inclusion: CEN believes it is a universal human right. Inclusion moves beyond diversity and toward creating an equitable environment, where the richness of ideas, backgrounds, and perspectives is harnessed. It is the act of creating space where each person is authentically valued, respected, and supported.
Diversity: Our different identities such as age, race, ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, physical/mental ability, sexual orientation, spiritual practice/beliefs, employment status, geographic location, or other characteristics.
Equity: When a person or group receives the unique opportunities needed to reduce or eliminate barriers, equity is demonstrated. It is a process that begins by acknowledging an unequal starting place and works to correct and address imbalance. Equity ensures that people have the opportunity to grow, contribute, and develop, regardless of their identity.
Access: Also referred to as accessibility, this refers to the equitable right, engagement, or entry for everyone, regardless of human ability and experience. For organizations, it refers to how they encompass and celebrate characteristics and talents that each individual brings. It is about representation for all.
Liberation: The gaining of equal rights or full social or economic opportunities for a particular group, including the protection from abuse or exploitation. It is ultimately freedom from oppression, allowing one to be their whole self.
As the established local resource for information on nonprofit leadership and governance, CEN works closely with nonprofit organizations throughout Silicon Valley and beyond and supports a diverse group of chief executives, emerging leaders, and board members. We strive to develop strong community partnerships and offer programs that are intentionally designed to serve all levels of nonprofit professionals with varying backgrounds, passions, and goals.
Diversity: Our different identities such as age, race, ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, physical/mental ability, sexual orientation, spiritual practice/beliefs, employment status, geographic location, or other characteristics.
Equity: When a person or group receives the unique opportunities needed to reduce or eliminate barriers, equity is demonstrated. It is a process that begins by acknowledging an unequal starting place and works to correct and address imbalance. Equity ensures that people have the opportunity to grow, contribute, and develop, regardless of their identity.
Access: Also referred to as accessibility, this refers to the equitable right, engagement, or entry for everyone, regardless of human ability and experience. For organizations, it refers to how they encompass and celebrate characteristics and talents that each individual brings. It is about representation for all.
Liberation: The gaining of equal rights or full social or economic opportunities for a particular group, including the protection from abuse or exploitation. It is ultimately freedom from oppression, allowing one to be their whole self.
As the established local resource for information on nonprofit leadership and governance, CEN works closely with nonprofit organizations throughout Silicon Valley and beyond and supports a diverse group of chief executives, emerging leaders, and board members. We strive to develop strong community partnerships and offer programs that are intentionally designed to serve all levels of nonprofit professionals with varying backgrounds, passions, and goals.
Job Description
This is your opportunity to join an organization that is dedicated to supporting current and future nonprofit leaders and building a strong and equitable community. Experience a flexible and professional working environment committed to recognizing the value of staff's growth, ideas, and talents.
The CEN Leadership Development Specialist is a key part of the CEN team, providing consulting and facilitation services to our nonprofit clients as well as facilitation of classes and learning development.
The Leadership Development Specialist Duties Include
The CEN Leadership Development Specialist is a key part of the CEN team, providing consulting and facilitation services to our nonprofit clients as well as facilitation of classes and learning development.
The Leadership Development Specialist Duties Include
- Develop content and provide facilitation for CEN's learning programs
- Deliver workshops on nonprofit governance, leadership, organizational effectiveness, and collaborate to produce customized offerings and new curriculum
- Deliver content and facilitation of the Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Boot Camp Programs, Building Representative Boards, Board Organizational Preparedness and various organizational consulting engagements
- Support senior staff with cohort programs
- Evaluation of programs for continuous improvement
- Participation in CEN fundraising events and outreach activities to support network growth
A Typical Day
On a typical day, the LDS can be found facilitating a workshop from our learning calendar, meeting with new potential clients, developing collateral and curriculum for consulting engagements or working on program evaluations. The LDS also spends time collaborating and working on new potential programs and projects as well as customized consulting curriculum.
Skills and Qualifications
- Established understanding of and commitment to IDEAL principles and viewing all aspects of the work of CEN and other nonprofits through an IDEAL lens
- Dedication to building high-performing organizations and supporting leadership development in the nonprofit sector
- Proven entrepreneurial abilities
- Proven experience in classroom or workshop facilitation
- Excellent communication skills, with ability to present complex issues in a clear/concise manner
- Demonstrated experience in using project management tools (e.g. flow charts, information maps, etc.) and software
- Able to work with a wide variety of backgrounds, personalities, and communication styles at all levels within an organization and beyond
- Strong attention to detail
- Ability to work independently
- Proficiency with Windows and Microsoft Office Suite
- Demonstrated ability to prioritize and follow through on multiple tasks and projects
- Excellent working knowledge of nonprofit management, leadership, and governance
- Ability to be flexible and contribute effectively to a staff team
- Willingness to become a BoardSource certified trainer
- Passion for, and knowledge of, leadership development
Preferred Skills
- Experience leading anti-racism/anti-oppression work with organizations or as a consultant
- Successful prior experience working with nonprofit executive directors and/or boards strongly preferred
- Demonstrated experience in instructional design
- Background in organizational development theories
- Ability to build and maintain relationships with vendors, corporations, and other partners
Benefits and Compensation
- Salary: This position is full-time (40 hours/week) and the salary range is $80K-$97K.
- PTO: Full-time employees accrue 120 hours each year with a cap of 240 hours overall. Each year, employees receive 48 hours of sick pay.
- Health Insurance: No waiting period. Eligibility to enroll for benefits is immediate on your first date of hire. Coverage is applicable to self, self plus spouse/domestic partner, self plus children, or self-plus family. Medical, Dental, Vision, Basic life, AD&D insurance, FSA, HSA, and supplemental Life available for full-time employees. EAP services available.
- 401K: Full-time employees are eligible to participate in the 403(b) Retirement Plan after 12 months and 1000 consecutive hours of service in twelve months. CEN will contribute to employees’ plans at the end of the year based on the employee’s years of service.
- Flexible Schedule: outside of important department meetings.
- Hybrid Schedule: 2 days in office each week. One time $200.00 reimbursement to aid in at-home office expenses.
To Apply
CEN is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We encourage aligned, passionate, and qualified candidates from across the multitude of identities to apply. Consistent with its obligations under the law, CEN will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of the job.
If your experience doesn’t exactly match the qualifications listed, but you believe you would shine in this role, we want to hear from you! Please apply and tell us why you’re the right person for the job.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until filled. Please submit your resume and respond to the following questions: recruit@cen.org
Note that applications without question responses will not be considered.
We respectfully ask that phone inquiries be limited to candidates requesting ADA accommodations (call 650.517.5855 or email recruit@cen.org )
If your experience doesn’t exactly match the qualifications listed, but you believe you would shine in this role, we want to hear from you! Please apply and tell us why you’re the right person for the job.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until filled. Please submit your resume and respond to the following questions: recruit@cen.org
- How did you hear about the role?
- What are both your preferred pronouns and name?
- What initially attracted you to this role?
- What are 4 things about your last role that energized you?
- What are 4 things about your last role that drained you?
- What are you looking for in your next role?
Note that applications without question responses will not be considered.
We respectfully ask that phone inquiries be limited to candidates requesting ADA accommodations (call 650.517.5855 or email recruit@cen.org )
Interview Process
There will be a total of 2 virtual interviews. The first is 45 min and the 2nd is 60 min. There is a short hiring exercise before moving forward to the 2nd. Interview questions for the 2nd interview will be provided in advance and you’ll be asked to do a 15-min presentation. Interviews are scheduled to begin the week of July 10th with a target start date of September 11 or thereafter.
