brightbeam

Demanding a brighter future for every child.

Jobs at brightbeam

 

Chief Operating Officer

Brightbeam is a nonprofit network of education activists demanding a better education and a brighter future for every child. Using the power of communications, we shine a light on communities that challenge decision-makers to provide the learning opportunities all children need to thrive. We help strong voices tell powerful stories that unite and move their communities to action. Brightbeam amplifies these stories through a variety of digital platforms, including Education Post, Citizen Ed, Project Forever Free, and more than 20 local and regional sites that spotlight education issues nationally. We also sponsor on-the-ground initiatives, projects or organizations that align with our mission. To learn more, visit brightbeamnetwork.org.

Brightbeam offers a fast-paced and dynamic workplace where individuals are honored and valued for their unique work views and backgrounds. We strive to be a democratic, mutually supportive, and energized team of self-motivated nonprofit professionals dedicated to making a difference for children. Brightbeam provides competitive salaries, excellent benefits, including a 3% employer match to your retirement fund with no match required; brightbeam is a virtual organization and this position is based in a home office anywhere in the United States. Occasional travel is required.

To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to [email protected].

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) reports to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The Chief Operating Officer at brightbeam serves as a key leadership team member and an active participant in making strategic decisions affecting brightbeam and is vital to supporting brightbeam’s effort to shine a light on communities that are challenging decision-makers to provide the learning opportunities every child needs to thrive.

The COO will provide leadership to the brightbeam business and strategic planning process, coordination for the brightbeam leadership team, and work with brightbeam’s Board of Directors to keep them abreast of strategic initiatives, successes, and challenges.

The COO will support the CEO’s fundraising goals and activities and is a key fundraiser responsible for diversifying and expanding the organization’s funder base. The COO is responsible for establishing and implementing the infrastructure needed to grow and execute a $4 million annual budget. The COO will partner with the brightbeam leadership team and be responsible for developing, implementing, and managing the operational aspects of the organization and the annual budget.

The COO is also responsible for recruiting and integrating new projects that operate within brightbeam’s incubator of new initiatives and fiscal sponsorships, and will oversee the success of the new partnerships. Position requires a level of development support work including input on grant applications and strategic planning. Prior knowledge of improving work culture is imperative.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Financial and Operational Leadership

  • Provide effective and inspiring leadership by being actively involved in all programs and services, developing a broad and deep knowledge of all programs.
  • Identify opportunities for brightbeam to leverage cross-program strengths to take advantage of new opportunities and/or to address organizational challenges.
  • Lead, coach, develop, and retain brightbeam’s high-performance senior management team with an emphasis on developing capacity in strategic analysis and planning and program budgeting.
  • Prepare and submit an annual operational budget, manage effectively within this budget, and report accurately on progress made and challenges encountered.
  • Ensure the continued financial viability of brightbeam’s operational units through sound fiscal management; communicate and present financial and operational matters at quarterly board of directors meetings.

Strategic Plan Development and Implementation

  • Provide programmatic leadership and input for all strategic plan implementation processes with the CEO and staff.
  • Coach directors as they implement the strategic plan and transition program operations.
  • Develop and implement a system for tracking and reporting on the progress of the strategic plan implementation.

Development

  • Actively work with the CEO and the leadership team to develop and implement a comprehensive development strategy to include corporate, foundation, government grants, etc.
    • Develop and maintain key long-term relationships with donors and prospects;
    • Identify, develop, and mentor the development team;
    • Oversee research of funding sources and trends, with foresight, to help position brightbeam ahead of major funding changes or trends.
  • Monitor all donor information; provide and present statistical analysis to board and senior leader.
  • Oversee ongoing development efforts, including maintaining relationships with existing anchor funders and managing the development staff.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE & QUALIFICATIONS

  • Proven experience leading others in strategic planning, fundraising, and business operations
  • Understanding and proven track record of success in business functions such as human resources, finance (including accounting, non-profit budgeting, financial projections, and more), marketing, operational and strategic planning, and more.
  • Demonstrable competency in strategic planning and business development
  • Working knowledge of data analysis and performance/operation metrics
  • Outstanding organizational and leadership abilities
  • Excellent interpersonal, relationship building, decision making, and problem solving skills

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications as described in a job description. Our top priority is finding the best candidate for the job and if you are interested in the position, we would encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet every one of our qualifications described.

Request for Proposal: Network Visualization Consultant

Brightbeam needs a user-friendly tool to visualize its activist network and provide insights into who’s in the network, its overall health (strength of connections, speeds, directions and modes, of how information flows through it, etc.), and what community and social issues are dominant within this network. We are accepting proposals in response to this Request for Proposal in order to find a qualified source to produce an analysis tool or map of our activist network.

Our objectives with this tool are to:

  1. Formalize an understanding of brightbeam’s network, including existing partners, activists, and networks of our activists and beyond.
  2. Assess the health of this overall network (e.g., understanding where ties are strongest and weakest, how information flows, where the most connected individuals or orgs sit in the network, etc.). The information should allow us to strategically strengthen relationships and pursue effective collaboration and knowledge sharing across a diverse group of constituents.
  3. Evaluate core issue areas that the network at large is focused on and determine how to activate the network for broader coalition-building and systemic change at both the local and national levels.

This is a collaborative project between the consultant and brightbeam in which we seek the consultant’s guidance on process and design questions. Therefore the technical proposal (see Submission Guidelines below) may include the bidder’s assumptions, as the final product will be developed jointly.

The objective of this Request for Proposal is to locate a consultant who will provide the best overall value to brightbeam. While price is a significant factor, other criteria will form the basis of our award decision, as more fully described in the Evaluation Factors section of this Request for Proposal below.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND SCOPE

The purpose of this project is to gain a better understanding of our Activist network. Doing so will allow us to identify strategic opportunities to strengthen connections, build coalitions, and leverage the network’s strengths to pressure decision-makers to act on behalf of children. It will enable us to see where existing work overlaps with peer organizations and identify key individuals or organizations that act as hubs with many connections.

We believe it will also be beneficial to education philanthropists and other education-focused organizations who are either partnering with us or doing similar work within the communities we map.

This project will involve an initial planning meeting between brightbeam and the consultant, process design and data gathering phases, scheduled progress reports and feedback cycles (via written communications and virtual meetings) to get updates on the work, reviews completed stages or drafts, and product testing.

The consultant will not be required to assist with launching the product or any promotional efforts around the product launch.

RFP AND PROJECT TIMELINES

Request for Proposal Issuance: Jul 27, 2021

Proposals due to brightbeam by COB: Aug 10, 2021

Selection of Top Bidders / Notification to Unsuccessful Bidders: Aug 13, 2021

Start of Negotiation: Aug 13, 2021

Contract Award / Notification to Unsuccessful Bidders: Aug 19, 2021

Project Completion Date: Nov 24, 2021

(Bidders may propose a date earlier.)

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES AND REQUIREMENTS

The following submission guidelines & requirements apply to this Request for Proposal:

  1. Only qualified individuals or firms with prior experience on projects such as this should submit proposals in response to this Request for Proposal.
  2. Bidders intent on submitting a proposal should notify jobs@brightbeamnetwork.org no later than August 4, 2021.
  3. Bidders must list at least 2 projects that are substantially similar to this project as part of their response, including references for each. Examples of work should be provided as well.
  4. A technical proposal must be provided that is not more than two pages (not counting resumes). This technical proposal must provide an overview of the proposed solution as well as resumes of all key personnel performing the work. In addition, the technical proposal should provide a proposed schedule and milestones, as applicable.
  5. A price proposal must be provided that is not more than two pages. This price proposal should indicate the overall fixed price for the project as well as hourly rates and an estimated total number of hours, should brightbeam decide to award a contract on an hourly rate basis.
  6. Proposals must be signed by a team member who is authorized to commit on behalf of the bidding company.
  7. If you have a standard set of terms and conditions, please submit them with your proposal. All terms and conditions will be subject to negotiation.
  8. Proposals must be received prior to August 10, 2021 to be considered.
  9. Proposals must remain valid for a period of 30 days.
  10. Brightbeam anticipates selecting at least two individuals or firms with whom to have more in-depth discussions, and will make an award to one of these “down-selected” individuals or firms.

To submit, please send a resume and cover letter to [email protected].

By submitting above, you agree to accept the terms of this Request for Proposal and become one of the bidders for the project under discussion.

BUDGET

Brightbeam’s maximum budget for this project is $30,000.

EVALUATION FACTORS

Brightbeam will rate proposals based on the following factors, with cost being the most important factor:

  1. Responsiveness to the requirements set forth in this Request for Proposal
  2. Relevant past performance/experience
  3. Samples of work
  4. Cost, including an assessment of total cost of ownership (i.e., the cost of developing and maintaining the end product, if applicable)
  5. Technical expertise/experience of bidder and bidder’s staff

Brightbeam reserves the right to award to the bidder that presents the best value to brightbeam as determined solely by brightbeam in its absolute discretion.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications as described in a job description. Our top priority is finding the best candidate for the job and if you are interested in the position, we would encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet every one of our qualifications described.