About JFF

Jobs for the Future (JFF) drives transformation of the U.S. education and workforce systems to achieve equitable economic advancement for all. Seeing that millions of people are unfairly shut out of quality jobs and the chance for a better life, our goal is to align education, workforce, and employment changemakers toward a shared North Star: By 2033, 75 million people facing systemic barriers to advancement will work in quality jobs.

To achieve that goal, we design solutions, scale best practices, influence policy and action, and invest in innovation. With a staff of more than 300 people across the country working remotely and in offices in Boston (headquarters), Washington, DC, and Oakland, California, we operate at the national, state, and local levels, forging deep partnerships with employers, investors, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and education and workforce development providers to break down barriers and reimagine what’s possible.

We’re on a path of ongoing growth and expanding impact. We have an operating budget of $105 million, and we’re funded by dozens of leading government agencies, foundations, and corporations. Learn more about JFF and join us as we build a future that works—for everyone.

DEIBW at JFF

Diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and well-being (DEIBW) are core to JFF’s North Star and mission. We employ and build diverse teams across race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity and expression, age, and lived experiences and are constantly working toward ensuring these differences are celebrated and included. We aim to cultivate a culture that centers the overall care, well-being, and success of the employee through flexible work hours, balanced workloads, professional development, and equitable career advancement opportunities. Learn more about what DEIBW looks like in practice at JFF.

We seek to invest in and learn from those who represent the communities we serve, particularly individuals from populations who have been explicitly or implicitly excluded from the workforce. Knowing its importance to the success of our work and the engagement of our staff members, we aspire to attract and retain a diverse team and welcome people of all backgrounds to apply to our open roles. JFF is a fair chance employer and in alignment to our North Star, we strongly encourage individuals whose highest level of education attained is less than a 4-year degree; People of Color; and people with records to apply.

About the Position

As the newest Center across JFF’s Centers and Practices, the ASA Center for Career Navigation aims mobilize the field around a bold vision for building the bridge from learning to work for Gen Z. Over the next decade, Gen Z will enter an evolving workforce with new opportunities and challenges, so, it is more imperative than ever that they can find, evaluate, finance, secure, and flourish in opportunities that lead to high-quality jobs they can trust. We believe in the power of building connections between learners and workers aged 16 - 24, training providers, and employers so that Gen Z can navigate non-degree and degree pathways and work-based learning opportunities.

By 2030, the ASA Center for Career Navigation will realize our vision to impact more than 20 million Gen Z learners, providing them the tools, access, and experience needed to confidently navigate various pathways. The Center aims to mobilize the field in youth career navigation and launch a digital solution that helps young people across the US bridge the education-to-career cliff. The Center’s work will focus on engaging JFF’s networks across the learn to work ecosystem, driving thought leadership, building and launching impactful digital marketing campaigns across key stakeholder groups and engaging in advocacy work with federal and state policy.

The Senior Manager, ASA Center for Career Navigation will support the execution of JFF’s strategy to build the bridge from learning to work for Gen Z learners. Reporting to the Vice President, ASA Center for Career Navigation, the Senior Manager will be responsible for supporting key programmatic initiatives, including developing thought leadership, supporting our youth engagement programming, researching and co-writing thought leadership content, and supporting our regional engagements by mapping and engaging key stakeholders in the learn-to-work ecosystem.

In this exciting new role, you will represent JFF across a wide array of stakeholders, including Gen Z, employers, education and training providers, K-12 systems, and workforce agencies. This work sits at a pivotal point in JFF’s long history of impact in the young adult field, and you will have the opportunity to evolve and grow our efforts focused on young adults in the context of a fast-growing organization.

What You'll Do

Contribute to the development of the ASA Center for Career Navigation’s thought leadership agenda, through writing, data analysis, and research

• Partner closely with key stakeholders, leveraging your specific content expertise to support the Center’s aspiration to be the thought leader in the career navigation space

• Identify and analyze opportunities to increase career navigation opportunities and equitable advancement for 16- to 24-year-old young adult learners

• Co-write briefs, memos, and papers for diverse audiences

Support regional engagements

• Assist with asset-mapping in areas where the Center will pilot its digital solution, identifying resources and gaps in career navigation support

• Evaluate educational and training providers to ensure young adults have access to high-quality and equitable learning options

• Support impact measurement efforts related to the Center’s regional engagements, ensuring accountability and continuous improvement

• Represent JFF in external meetings, cultivating relationships with key stakeholders, peer organizations, leaders, funders, and advocates to advance the Center’s priorities

Develop the Center’s Young Adult Network

• Manage project execution for the Center’s youth-focused workstream, setting efficient deadlines and deliverables to meet team goals

• Facilitate sessions with young adults, capturing their insights to inform strategy and execution

• Develop strategies to engage and support thousands of young adults through network activities, amplifying their voices and ensuring meaningful participation

• Strategically utilize knowledge management and project management tools such as Salesforce, Asana, and other similar tools

Who You Are

The qualifications listed within the job description are intended as a guide and we do not expect candidates to bring all experiences and skills listed. Research supports that self-selecting out of potential professional opportunities is particularly common among individuals with identities that are marginalized in professional spaces. So, if you believe that you can meet the overall expectations of the position, we encourage you to apply so that we have an opportunity to learn more about you and the unique strengths you would bring to the work.

• You have previously managed programs/projects within the education, workforce, economic development, and/or other social impact setting, ideally with a track record of leadership in young adult talent development (New hires at the Senior Manager level at JFF typically bring 5-10 years of prior professional experience through a combination of full-time, part-time, internship, and/or freelance positions)

• You are familiar with best practices, leading organizations, policy landscape, and research relevant to improving career outcomes and economic mobility for young adults facing barriers in the education and labor markets

• You are an active listener who communicates clearly, openly, and respectfully, whether verbally, in writing (reports, memos, briefs, etc.), and/or when facilitating

• You excel at synthesizing research and transforming it into actionable content tailored to diverse audiences

• You bring demonstrated capacity to manage multiple complex initiatives simultaneously with clear outcomes and accountability measures

• You understand and demonstrate equity-centered and inclusive analysis and practice in the way you develop relationships, steward partnerships, and design initiatives

• You have strong interpersonal skills and can effectively engage a range of stakeholders

• You excel working collaboratively with a diverse range of decision-makers and have a proven ability to motivate, inspire colleagues and partners and produce exceptional outcomes

• You demonstrate a growth mindset with the ability to create and maintain standards of high performance and accountability, and foster innovation, continuous learning, and improvement

• You possess high energy and passion for JFF’s mission and North Star, and the ability to apply JFF’s core values to all areas of your work

• You are energized by stewarding JFF’s DEIBW values and practices within your day-to-day work, including embracing the differences and celebrating the diversity that each individual brings to JFF

• You value building positive and collaborative relationships with others, including people whose identities and backgrounds differ from your own

• You are able and willing to travel up to 20%, for regional engagements or team meetings

What We Offer

At JFF, we’re fueled by the desire to create a world where everyone has equal opportunity for economic advancement. Our team works hard to push the boundaries of what is possible, and in return, we provide a gratifying work experience, competitive salaries, and a comprehensive benefits program that includes flexibility and choice as core values in order to support people wherever they are in their lives and careers.

JFF has offices in Boston, Oakland, and Washington, DC; employees are welcome to use JFF office space to work in-person or hybrid, or completely remote. To improve the employee experience and promote productivity while working remotely, JFF offers an annual home office stipend to all regular full-time and part-time employees. In addition, new employees receive office equipment as needed.

The hiring range for this role is $80,000 - $100,000 annually, in alignment to JFF’s Senior Manager salary band and our compensation philosophy. Starting salaries for new hires will be determined based on a combination of the new hire’s relevant experience and market demands.

To Apply

As part of your application, please include your resume and a thoughtful cover letter, addressed to Jeff Bulanda, Vice President, ASA Center for Career Navigation, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position.

We are accepting applications through February 6, 2025 at 5:00 pm ET. Applications submitted by that date will be reviewed and candidates will receive updates on their candidacy by the week of February 17, 2025.

At JFF, we’re also committed to accessibility and want to ensure that everyone, including people with disabilities, can fully access and engage with our application and hiring process. If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability and/or have specific access/accommodation needs in order to fully participate in our hiring process, please contact us at hiringaccommodations@jff.org.

Positions at JFF are not eligible for employer-visa sponsorship or open to F-1 student visa holders.