Vice President and Chief of Staff

New York, NY

On-site

Full-time

About the Organization

A Chance In Life began in 1945 as Boys' Towns of Italy, communities for war orphans in which the children elected their own mayors and ran their own institutions. It took its current name in 2015. Today it works through local partners in 14 countries, and since 2020 it has run its own program in the US, The Village on Staten Island. The Village combines youth leadership, education, workforce preparation, food access and family support.

Mission: Help marginalized and at-risk young people break the cycle of poverty through education, essential support and responsibility that builds confidence, character and leadership.

Recognition: Charity Navigator Four-Star rating and Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency.

Why Now

The Board approved a 2027–2031 Strategic Financial Transformation Plan with five priorities:

Strengthen and diversify revenue
Develop substantial corporate and institutional partnerships
Secure The Village's long-term sustainability
Improve organizational effectiveness
Build a Mission Reserve of $5M by December 31, 2031

The organization calls itself an "80-year-old startup." It is lean on purpose and plans to stay that way. The Chief of Staff is the CEO's main partner in carrying out this plan.

Position Overview

The job is split about evenly:

50% Strategic Growth & Partnerships
50% Executive Strategy & Organizational Execution

The Chief of Staff sits on the senior leadership team alongside three other VPs, who keep leading their own functions.

How this role differs from Development: The VP of Development & Communications leads fundraising, grants and donor stewardship. The Chief of Staff starts new institutional relationships, shapes partnership ideas and builds the pipeline. The two teams then convert those relationships together, with agreed leads and handoffs. The CEO approves all organizational commitments.

Responsibilities

Strategic Growth & Partnerships

Expand relationships with corporations, foundations, family offices and institutions, especially ones the organization doesn't have yet.

Originate relationships: Find and approach prospective funding and strategic partners yourself, including senior executives and decision-makers.
Build and manage a pipeline: Research prospects, assess fit, prioritize by potential value and keep each conversation moving to a clear next step.
Design partnership concepts: Write proposals that match a partner's interests with the organization's programs, expertise and international network. Partnerships may bring funding, expertise, technology, access, joint programs or reach.
Represent the organization: Lead selected external discussions, build credibility with senior counterparts and negotiate within agreed limits.
Work across functions: Work with the VPs of Development & Communications, Programs, and Finance & Administration to make sure commitments are strategically and financially sound.

Measured by: quality of relationships built, opportunities advanced, partnerships concluded and the value they create.

Executive Strategy & Organizational Execution

Advance the CEO's agenda: Focus on financial transformation, institutional growth and long-term sustainability.
Provide rigorous analysis: Evaluate opportunities, build business cases and make clear recommendations.
Turn decisions into action: Write implementation plans with owners, deadlines and milestones, and track them to completion.
Coordinate cross-functional initiatives: Lead selected cross-department projects and remove obstacles. Bring unresolved issues to the CEO with a recommendation.
Strengthen management routines: Set up strategic reviews, performance dashboards and decision tracking.
Support the Board: Prepare strategic materials and follow through on governance decisions.
Expand the CEO's capacity: Free the CEO's time for major relationships, fundraising, Board leadership, international engagement and long-term direction.

Success in the First Year

90 days

Build working relationships with the CEO and the VPs.
Learn the strategy, finances, existing partnerships and key operational challenges.
Identify the most promising prospects to approach independently.
Find ways to improve cross-functional communication and collaboration.
Agree with the CEO on an execution and partnership plan, including priorities, responsibilities and progress measures.

6 months

Independently advance selected external relationships and present substantive partnership concepts.
Show measurable progress on priority cross-functional initiatives.
Have performance measures working for both halves of the role.

12 months

Have a qualified, actively managed pipeline of strategic relationships.
Close selected partnerships with measurable financial or institutional value, together with Development.
Deliver priority initiatives against agreed objectives and improve selected processes.
Visibly increase the CEO's capacity for external leadership.

Financial targets will be set jointly after an initial review.

Qualifications

They want integrity, sound judgment, commitment to the mission, and someone who does the analytical, relationship and implementation work personally.

Strategic and analytical ability: Tests assumptions, weighs alternatives and builds recommendations on evidence.
Commercial judgment: Understands business models, financial analysis, partnership economics and negotiation.
Executive presence: Earns credibility with senior decision-makers and persuades well.
Relationship origination and partnership delivery: Has personally sourced senior relationships and turned them into partnerships with clear value.
Execution discipline: Has owned hard assignments, coordinated many stakeholders and delivered past the recommendation stage.
Entrepreneurial initiative: Sees possibilities, acts on them and persists.
Emotional intelligence: Listens well, handles disagreement and leads through influence.
International outlook: Comfortable working across cultures, countries and institutions.
Clear communication: Writes well and presents with confidence.

Background: Most relevant backgrounds are management consulting, corporate strategy, strategic partnerships, business development, business transformation and strategic operations. Candidates still in consulting and those now in corporate operating roles are equally welcome. An MBA is welcome but not required. No nonprofit experience is required, and a fresh perspective is treated as an asset. They encourage you to apply even if you don't match every qualification.

Reporting Relationships

You report to the CEO and partner closely with three VPs: Development & Communications, Programs, and Finance & Administration. The VPs keep their functional leadership and report directly to the CEO. You coordinate shared priorities across functions under the CEO's direction.

Compensation & Benefits

$140,000 to $160,000 base salary
ICHRA for medical premiums (a health reimbursement arrangement that pays toward your own insurance premiums)
Employer-paid dental and vision for you and eligible dependents
401(k) with employer contributions
Generous paid time off

Location & Travel

Based in New York City, with international travel required. Partner countries are Italy, Mexico, Guatemala, Venezuela, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Ethiopia, Uganda, India and Palestine. The organization also runs The Village on Staten Island itself.

How to Apply

Submit a cover letter and résumé. The cover letter should speak to the mission and to the responsibilities and competencies above. Review of applications is rolling.

Contacts (ZRG Aspen Leadership Group):