Strategy Associate (62019)

Position Title:

Strategy Associate

Position Type:

Full Time, Exempt

Schedule:

35 Hours/week, Full-Time

Format:

Hybrid

Department/Program:

Strategy

Location:

1 Pierrepont Plaza, Brooklyn, NY

Direct Supervisor:

Chief Strategy & Program Officer, (dotted line to Chief Development Officer)

About Graham:

Graham provides life-changing tools and resources for children, young adults and families who face some of the most difficult obstacles caused by poverty, racial injustice, and lack of access to educational opportunities, living wage employment, quality healthcare, and affordable housing.
 

We collaborate with communities and strong partners to create and implement innovative strategies so everyone can lead healthy, joyful, and successful lives.

Principal Objective/Role Overview:

Reporting to the Chief Strategy and Program Officer, the Strategy Associate is a pivotal role primarily dedicated to strategic projects. This position blends high-level strategic planning with "on-the-ground" community co-design. You will be responsible for researching global best practices, facilitating group design sessions, and translating community-led ideas into viable pilot models and advocacy materials in partnership with other members of the Strategy, Development, and Performance & Planning teams at Graham.

Job Responsibilities:

• Strategic Planning & Co-Design Facilitation:
  • Co-Lead Co-Design Workgroups: In collaboration with others, design and execute group activities that bring together staff and community members to reimagine foster care alternatives and other opportunities for community-driven innovation.
  • Event Design: In collaboration with others, plan and help facilitate intensive co-design retreats and high-profile summits where pilot concepts are presented to stakeholders.
  • Research & Synthesis: Conduct global research on promising practices and synthesize findings into accessible materials that inform the leadership team’s decision-making.
• From Listening to Outcomes:
  • Translate Insights: Move from listening and recording in workgroups to drafting tangible pilot implementation strategies, staffing models, and budgets.
  • Documentation & Precision: Manage the "back-end" of innovation by preparing meeting materials, capturing detailed notes, and ensuring all co-design outputs are accurately recorded.
  • Impact Measurement: Assist in developing evaluation plans and tools to measure the success and social impact of proposed pilots.
• Implementation, Iteration, and Codification Support:
  • Budget Planning: Help update model budgets as pilots develop into full initiatives.
  • Staffing: Help develop job descriptions and support the hiring and onboarding process related to the new initiative.
  • Evaluating Success: In collaboration with initiative leadership and Program Performance and Planning, support the assessment of what is working well and opportunities for initiative evolution.
  • Support with Iteration: In collaboration with initiative leadership, develop plans in support of strategic initiative evolution.
  • Codifying Initiatives: Help document processes and practices and develop manuals that will support initiative replication.
  • Enabling Sustainability and Replication of Innovation Process: Help document Graham’s methods of innovation and co-creation, developing the tools needed to continue community-driven innovation at Graham and share the processes (i.e. through guide books, other tools)
  • Knowledge Sharing: Help research and write articles to share Graham’s models and co-creation approach with the human services sector.
• Advocacy & Change Partnership:
  • Policy Support: Attend internal advocacy and external lobbyist meetings as available to ensure co-design outcomes are reflected in Graham’s policy agenda.
  • Drafting & Influence: In collaboration with Development and Advocacy, create compelling letters and advocacy materials that push for the systemic changes identified during the co-design process, as well as other initiatives that are grounded in trust-building and community support.
  • External Representation: Travel across Brooklyn, Manhattan, and The Bronx as well as other locations to engage with diverse community viewpoints and build external partnerships.

Required Qualifications & Skills:

• Action-Oriented Execution: Ability to operate efficiently and move projects from a "blank slate" to a finished implementation plan with high attention to detail.
• Facilitation & Cultural Humility: Demonstrated ability to encourage participation across cultures and viewpoints, maintaining respect and equity in group settings.
• Strategic Mindset: Proven ability to multitask between administrative tasks (taking notes/budgeting) and high-level strategy (researching international models).
• Mission Alignment: A deep commitment to Graham’s mission and the vision of creating meaningful alternatives to the foster care system and other community-driven offerings and supports.

Position Qualifications:

• Master’s degree, discipline non-specific
• At least 3 years’ experience in human services
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills
• Conversational Spanish preferred
• Past experience in gathering, facilitating group work required
• Requires the ability to travel regularly throughout Brooklyn, Manhattan, and The Bronx.
• Microsoft Office Suite, CRM, and other technology skills a plus

Salary & Compensation:

• Base Salary: $75,000
• FLSA Status: Exempt
• Benefits Eligibility: This role is eligible to participate in our Performance Based Merit Award program at the end of each fiscal year, and eligible for benefits including health insurance, retirement plan, career coaching via Bravely, and more!

EEO Statement

The Equal Employment Opportunity Policy of Graham is to provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all associates and job applicants regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability. Graham hires and promotes individuals solely based on their qualifications for the job to be filled.

Graham believes that associates should be provided with a working environment which enables each associate to be productive and to work to the best of his or her ability. We do not condone or tolerate an atmosphere of intimidation or harassment based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability.

We expect and require the cooperation of all associates in maintaining a discrimination and harassment-free atmosphere.