Chief Lending Officer jobs in Minneapolis, MN

World Savvy is reimaging a different reality for the future of K12 education. A reality where students know more, care more, and do more to contribute to a more peaceful, sustainable, and just world. We can only rise to meet our biggest challenges if our students learn to think through complex problems and design solutions from a global perspective. Problem-solving, comfort with ambiguity, collaboration, empathy, and critical thinking — are all essential tools in today's global knowledge economy. And a big part of educational equity is ensuring all students have access to those tools.

Founded in 2002, World Savvy is a leading national education nonprofit that partners holistically with schools to transform learning environments into inclusive, adaptive, and future-ready schools. Our multi-year Comprehensive School Partnerships are designed collaboratively with school leaders to align with each building’s strategic vision and goals. We have offices in Minneapolis (largest) and San Francisco. Learn more at www.worldsavvy.org.

Mission: World Savvy educates and engages youth to learn, work, and thrive as responsible global citizens. 

Vision: As the leading provider of global competence education, World Savvy envisions a K-12 education system that prepares all students with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions for success and active engagement in the global community. 

World Savvy is an ambitious organization with big ideas and tenacious growth goals. Our culture is one of optimism, authenticity, levity, and learning. World Savvy is deeply committed to anti-racism, inclusion, and equity in our programming and workplace. As we grow, we will intentionally build a team that reflects the ethnic, racial, and cultural diversity of the students, educators, and communities we serve. World Savvy seeks individuals who are black, indigenous, and people of color to apply. 

OUR VALUES: 

We do the best work possible in service of our mission. 

We believe collaboration is essential. 

We see people as whole human beings. 

We intentionally grow and change. 

We lean into complexity when it’s called for. 

We believe big things are possible, whether that’s our mission or the project on the table. 

We notice and disrupt exclusionary patterns. 

We bring hope, joy, and a sense of aspiration into all that we do.

POSITION SUMMARY:

World Savvy seeks to hire an innovative, results-oriented Chief Growth Officer (CGO) with an entrepreneurial mindset who will identify, develop, and execute growth strategies to support significant and sustainable scaling of the organization. Reporting directly to the CEO, this role oversees World Savvy’s marketing, communications, and revenue-generating functions. Blending storytelling, business development, cultivation, sales, and strategy, the CGO collaborates widely throughout the organization.

World Savvy’s annual expense budget is currently $5 million and is expected to grow to over $6 million in our next fiscal year. Revenue includes earned income from our K12 district and school partnerships, and philanthropic funding from individuals, foundations, and corporations. Inspiring action and engagement, the CGO brings World Savvy’s story and impact to life for a wide range of audiences including educators, schools, communities, corporate sponsors, donors, foundations, peers, staff, and volunteers. They will approach all revenue opportunities with a business development lens, collaborating with the executive team to develop strategies to increase and refine existing revenue streams and explore new ones. The CGO will partner closely with the CEO to build and maintain a robust network of national funders, deepening existing relationships and cultivating new prospects.

Schedule: Full time

Salary range: $146,000 - $156,000 if located near the World Savvy Headquarters in Minneapolis, MN. If a candidate is located where the average pay is 5% higher or 5% lower than the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area as a percentage of national average, appropriate salary adjustments may be made. 

FSLA Status: This position is classified as exempt. It is not eligible for overtime pay according to applicable federal and state wage laws.

Work Authorization: Applicants for this position must be legally authorized to work in the United States and must disclose if they require sponsorship for a visa at the time of application or in the future.

Projected Start Date: July 10, 2024

Location: We are considering remote applicants for this role in any U.S. state (and the District of Columbia) except the following: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Travel Requirements: National travel (30% or more) required to meet strategic revenue goals, including nights and weekends.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

Executive Leadership

In collaboration with the executive team:

• Set the vision and strategy for the organization, and actively communicate about and pursue them both internally and externally.
• Prioritize resource allocation that aligns with the organization’s vision, mission, and strategy.
• Effectively communicate the organization’s story to compel action by external partners, including the Board of Directors.
• Serve as a role model to live the organizational values and challenge others to do the same.
• Ensure accountability at all levels of the organization.

Business Development and Marketing

• Closely partner with the Executive Team to develop World Savvy’s long-term business plan in pursuit of our growth goals.
• Oversee development of an integrated marketing strategy that measurably raises awareness, builds and deepens relationships, increases K12 school partnership engagements, and supports the organization’s growth and revenue initiatives.
• Translate organizational strategies and objectives into timely, accurate, actionable work plans in partnership with direct reports.
• Deliver cogent reports and analyses to stakeholders including peers, staff, and board members.
• Facilitate sound, data-based business decisions that fully consider World Savvy’s mission and their impact on short-term and longer-term strategies.
• Identify tactics, oversee execution, and measure results of all marketing, communication, and K12 school recruitment efforts.

Fundraising

• Identify, cultivate, and solicit prospective transformational donors with a specific focus on securing major gifts from prospects, and provide stewardship for assigned donors and secured gifts. Take timely and strategic steps in moving prospects through the major gift cycle of identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Lead fundraising initiatives working closely with the CEO to define and articulate priorities, identify prospective donors, strategically engage and cultivate prospects, and steward past donors.
• Develop an annual work plan, including specific fundraising, prospect development, and programmatic goals with an emphasis on achieving established standards and metrics.
• Build and maintain a portfolio of transformational gift prospects to ensure that timely steps are taken toward solicitation, closure, and stewardship.

People Leadership

• As a member of its executive team, model World Savvy’s Values and Cultural Norms in the workplace as an ambassador, mentor, coach, and colleague. Foster and support an inclusive, culturally competent work environment at all locations.
• Identify, mentor, and develop talent, leveraging others’ unique skills, motivations, and interests to connect them with broader goals and strategies. Recruit and develop culturally diverse leaders and team members.
• Support continuous improvement by sharing candid, timely, and constructive feedback and providing accurate and actionable developmental guidance and coaching for staff.
• Embrace the inherent fluidity of a rapidly growing organization by demonstrating agility, leading others through change with empathy and transparency.
• Lead and manage staff, who have the following responsibilities:
  • Regional Executive Directors (Direct reports: 3; indirect reports 2)
    • Set regional growth strategy based on unique education and funding landscape.
    • Identify regional K12 school partnership growth opportunities and priorities.
    • Raise local funds from individuals, corporations, and foundations.
    • Generate sufficient local revenue to cover local costs, contribute to national costs, and begin to build regional reserves.
    • Communicate World Savvy branded messages internally and externally.
  • Marketing and Communications (Direct reports: 1; 3 indirect reports)
    • Oversee all aspects of external communications, including management of the organization’s brand and reputation.
    • Develop communication and marketing strategies to grow K12 program engagement.
    • Manage website design, content, and navigation.
    • In partnership with the program team, write and design promotional materials for all programs and events.
    • Write and design Annual Reports.
    • Support annual fundraising plan activities.
  • National Development (Direct reports: 1; indirect reports 2)
    • Develop and execute World Savvy’s annual fundraising plan to support growth goals.
    • Secure financial support from individuals, foundations, and corporations.
    • Manage donor information in Salesforce and oversees staff responsible for data entry and gift processing.
    • Develop and maintain ongoing relationships with major donors.
    • Oversee organization of donor events.
    • Develop and track grant proposals and reports for all foundation and corporate fundraising.
    • Support World Savvy regional offices by creating and sharing templates, conducting prospect research, supporting regional events, and project managing of the organization’s annual campaign.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This individual currently supervises 4 staff directly and 7 staff indirectly. Supervisory responsibilities include:

• Recruit, interview, hire, and train new staff.
• Oversee the daily workflow of the department.
• Provide constructive and timely performance feedback, including annual performance evaluations for direct reports. 
• Actively seek professional development and growth opportunities for staff.
• Handle discipline and termination of employees in accordance with company policy.
• Other duties as assigned.

KEY REQUIREMENTS: 

• Bachelor’s degree
• 10 years of advancement and/or sales experience, preferably in the K12 education support services space.
• Demonstrated success in qualification, cultivation, solicitation, gift closure, and stewardship of seven-figure or larger gifts as part of an ambitious, successful growth campaign for a nonprofit organization.
• A minimum of five (5) years’ experience managing multiple staff at varying levels of experience, including selection, performance management, and coaching.
• Dedication to World Savvy’s mission, vision, and values.
• Must be a self-starter. Independent work and self-motivation will be key to success.
• Must have exceptional analytical skills with high attention to technical and nontechnical details.
• Must have exceptional organizational and time management skills, with previous project management experience.
• Must be a resourceful problem-solver and critical thinker, be proactive in leveraging opportunities, and anticipating and averting problems.
• Must excel at networking and have strong interpersonal communications skills.
• Must be able to speak and write clearly, effectively, and succinctly, including under time constraints.
• Must have the ability to lead cross-functional teams and to work effectively and collaboratively with multiple groups and diverse constituencies.
• Superb relationship management, interpersonal, and communication (written and spoken) skills.
• Must demonstrate the ability to handle multiple, complex projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
  

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

This position requires the ability to:

• Constantly remain in a stationary position, often sitting for prolonged periods
• Occasionally move about to accomplish tasks or move from one worksite to another
• Adjust or move objects up to 40 lbs in all directions
• Constantly communicate with others to exchange accurate information
• Constant use of a computer keyboard and mouse, repeating motions that may include the wrists, hands and/or fingers
• Occasional operation of office equipment, such as printers, copiers, and scanners
• Constant assessment of the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of the work assigned.
  

APPLYING FOR THE POSITION:

Please apply online at https://worldsavvy.bamboohr.com/careers/66. Please include a resume and a cover letter that addresses your qualifications for the role. If you have questions that would affect your interest in applying, please e-mail jobs@ worldsavvy.org.

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EEO STATEMENT:
World Savvy is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. Equal Employment Opportunity has been, and will continue to be, a fundamental principle at World Savvy, where employment is based upon personal capabilities and qualifications without regard to: age; ancestry; color; creed; domestic violence victim status; gender, gender identity or expression (including transgender status); genetic information; marital status; medical condition; military and veteran status; national origin; physical or mental disability; political affiliation; protected medical leaves (requesting or approved for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act or the California Family Rights Act); race (including traits that are historically associated with race, such as hair texture and protective hairstyles, including braids, locks, and twists); religion; sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions); sexual orientation; status with regard to public assistance; or any other protected categories under applicable federal, state and local law in which World Savvy operates.

A note about World Savvy’s commitment to anti-racism and recruiting:

In the past, we’ve used equity and inclusion language to express our social justice values. Like many organizations, we’ve recognized how passive and ineffective this has been at overcoming the effects of systemic racism that have impacted the workforce for generations. Many things need to change, including the dialogue we have with job seekers. To that end, we share the following:

As we grow, our commitment is to intentionally build a team that reflects the ethnic, racial, and cultural diversity of the students, educators, and communities we serve. We’re seeking individuals who identify as a part of BIPOC communities to apply. We believe these life experiences and perspectives are critical, in particular, to advance our global competence work. At its core, this work is about teaching students to practice empathy, value cultural differences, consider multiple perspectives, and collaboratively problem-solve. In an increasingly divided world, this work is more important than ever, and its continued success hinges on modeling this ourselves by continuously learning and growing.