Managing Director of External Affairs, NYC

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.

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 External 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 to the Regional Executive Director – New York, you will lead as the region’s strategic and external affairs champion.

Strategic Leader of the Region

• Be a steward for both AF and the region, ensuring the state’s external affairs strategy advances local priorities while staying firmly aligned with AF’s overarching mission and organizational goals.
• In partnership with other regional and AF leaders, set and execute an external affairs strategy for the region that aligns with the network’s overarching goals, priorities, and strategic plan.
• Serve the region as a key leader and thought partner in both internal and external settings
• Act as a liaison between Network Support (NS) teams and the schools to ensure strong partnership and collaboration
• Provide input and recommendations to Regional Executive Director, Executive Team, and Network Support teams on key regional decisions
• Be a voice and conduit for school leaders and regional staff 
• Serve as the main local point of contact for all external audiences with the region, including authorizers, Boards, philanthropists, local and state politicians, community leaders, education peers, and more
• Proactively surface regional opportunities and challenges to the Regional Executive Director,  Executive Team and CEO as needed to ensure alignment and timely support for the region

External and Community Affairs

• Develop the strategic vision for external and community affairs for the region in alignment with AF’s organizational vision
• Lead the local affairs of the region
• 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 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.
• Establish, maintain, and leverage key political alliances to support and advance  AF’s mission 
• Establish, maintain, and leverage partnerships with the New York 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

• In partnership with the Regional ED,  the Board Governance network team, and the CEO , responsible for overseeing, planning, and execution of AF RI Board meetings and other board related events, including onboardings, board retreats, and school visits. 
• Responsible for maintaining a healthy, diverse, and productive AF NYBoard, including continuous cultivation of prospective board members
• Engage board members and their networks to build familiarity with our schools, promote results, and advocate for our mission. 

Fundraising 

• 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 New York 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.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s or Professional degree strongly preferred.

Knowledge & Experience

• At least 10 years of progressively responsible professional experience, including 5+ years in senior leadership roles within education, nonprofit, government, advocacy, or other mission-driven sectors.
• Proven success in external affairs, community engagement, or public affairs, with a strong record of managing relationships with high-level stakeholders such as elected officials, boards, philanthropists, and community leaders.
• Demonstrated ability to design and execute multi-year strategies that align local priorities with organizational goals.
• Experience serving as a public-facing leader and spokesperson, building trust and credibility with diverse audiences.
• Skilled at leading and collaborating across complex organizations, connecting local teams, executive leadership, and external partners.
• Successful track record in fundraising and donor cultivation, ideally in partnership with a development team.
• Experience with board governance, including supporting or engaging nonprofit or corporate boards, strongly preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Exceptional interpersonal and coalition-building skills with the ability to work effectively across lines of difference.
• High political acumen, discretion, and the ability to navigate sensitive issues while maintaining trust and alignment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor messaging to different audiences and contexts.
• Strong project management skills, with the capacity to balance immediate priorities with long-term strategic objectives.
• Deep commitment to Achievement First’s mission, values, and commitment to equity.

Travel Expectations 

Candidates must reside in New York Metro or plan to relocate at their own expense prior to the start date. This is an on-site role that requires regular in-person presence at schools and/or offices across the region 3-4 days a week. Achievement First does not provide relocation assistance for this position.

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.