Prosperity Now President and CEO

PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 

For nearly forty years, Prosperity Now (formerly the Corporation for Enterprise Development – CFED) has helped make it possible for millions of people throughout the United States, especially people of color and those of limited incomes, to achieve financial security, wealth, and prosperity. With a robust network of more than 24,000 practitioners, advocates and researchers across all 50 states and D.C., Prosperity Now advances a unique combination of in-depth research, proven public policies, community engagement, and scalable, practical solutions — all aimed at building wealth for those who need it most, and all undertaken through a lens of racial equity and a priority goal of closing the racial wealth divide.  Issues addressed include consumer protections, increasing affordable housing, equity in the tax code and removing barriers to saving and building wealth. 

Based in Washington, DC, Prosperity Now has a staff of 85 and an annual budget of $14 million. 

THE POSITION 

Prosperity Now is looking for a strategically oriented leader capable of guiding a dynamic, multifaceted institution to its next level of growth and/or impact. While preserving the organization’s leadership around issues of wealth building and economic empowerment, the President will bring new ideas to Prosperity Now’s mission and core values so that both internal and external stakeholders can galvanize around unified priorities and goals. Reporting to the Board, the President will direct a robust institution – its programs, operations and staff, and serve as Prosperity Now’s chief advocate and fundraiser.  This individual will ensure that the organization remains bold in its vision, fiscally sound and operationally efficient. This position is based in Washington, DC. 

Key areas of responsibilities include: 

Vision and Strategic Planning 

• Tackle fundamental identity questions, critically assessing the value of Prosperity Now’s primary strategies – research, public policy, community practice, and private market interventions. Identify and grow the programs that will advance Prosperity Now from the margins of many critical issues to the center of truly transformative change; 
• Lead Prosperity Now through a comprehensive strategic planning process; 
• Complete the deep institution-wide exploration currently underway on what racial equity means both for Prosperity Now’s internal culture, and also as a lens for its external work. 

Organizational Development and General Management 

• Assess and oversee Prosperity Now’s infrastructure – its human resources, operations, facility management, financial systems, information technology systems, processes and procedures; 
• Codify and advance an organizational culture grounded in diversity, equity, and inclusion that supports the agency and productivity of all staff; 

Resource Development 

• Conduct a deep assessment of Prosperity Now’s current business and financial models; 
• Cultivate and maintain solid relationships with Prosperity Now’s lead donors to encourage ongoing support; assure that Prosperity Now’s funding base is robust and diverse; 
• In partnership with appropriate staff and board, begin to develop new revenue models (with an eye towards earned revenue) aimed at ensuring long-term financial sustainability; 

Communications and External Relations 

• Serve as a highly visible national thought-leader and advocate around issues central to Prosperity Now and its mission; 

Board Relations and Governance. 

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL HAVE, OR BE: 

• Personally committed to challenging equity in the US, and making a real difference; 
• A strategic and entrepreneurial thinker who can think in interdisciplinary ways, conceptualize new ideas and anticipate and act on events which may create opportunities for Prosperity Now; 
• An expansive background in one or more fields supporting financial empowerment and wealth building for low income individuals and/or families, including, but not limited to: savings and asset building, consumer finance, consumer protection, consumer affairs, housing, community development, economic development;  
• Experience leading and managing an entity of a scale, function, and/or complexity like that of Prosperity Now, with commensurate fiscal responsibility – in the nonprofit, private or public sector;  
• A demonstrated commitment to racial equity and social justice; a real competency dealing with issues of race at the intersection of a range of justice, societal, political and economic dynamics; 
• Successful fundraising experience, including developing and framing projects to appeal to a broad range of potential partners – institutional and individual; strong political, social, corporate and foundation contacts considered a plus. 
• Able to develop a sense of team spirit and common purpose; maintaining an environment where mutual respect, collegiality and diversity are valued; 
• A thoughtful, persuasive negotiator; open and responsive to the ideas of others; able to prioritize and balance competing interests, and build consensus from disparate viewpoints; 
• Politically sophisticated, able to navigate both Democratic and Republican circles at local, state, and national levels. 

__________________ 

Equal employment opportunity and having a diverse staff are fundamental principles at Prosperity Now where employment and promotional opportunities are based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation/preference, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as established under law.  

To view the full Position Description, please visit https://prosperitynow.org/blog/prosperity-now-board-directors-officially-launches-president-search. To apply for this position, please forward a resume, as well as a substantive cover letter outlining your interests and qualifications via e-mail to Sandi Haynes, Executive Search Consultant at SandiHaynes@aol.com.