Oakland, CA

Executive Director, Hack the Hood

The Organization

About Hack the Hood

Founded in 2013, Hack the Hood is a non-profit organization based in Oakland, California with a mission to empower youth and communities of color with the knowledge, skills, and support needed to succeed in tech careers. Through mentorship, culturally relevant knowledge, and 21st century tech and data science skills, Hack the Hood believes the youth they serve will become architects of change in their communities by leveraging technology for good. By using technology as a tool for gainful mobility, they create generational and economic impact.

The organization serves Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and AAPI young people, ages 16-25, who are interested in tech careers, but who have historically excluded. Hack the Hood understands that learning to thrive in a tech career pathway and gaining access to training to develop the skills necessary to succeed in this competitive and rewarding industry can be particularly challenging for Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and AAPI communities.

To support their students’ long-term success, all educational programs are offered free of charge, and the organization partners with small businesses, corporations, community colleges, and four-year institutions to enable a broad set of career pathways and possibilities. Hack the Hood prepares learners for a wide range of future possibilities where they can determine their path and are equipped to thrive as intersectional technical leaders in any sector.

Hack the Hood’s Values

» Racial justice drives our every decision. We are unapologetic about who we serve.

» Our work has generational impact. We believe technology can be leveraged as a tool for economic mobility for communities of color for today and tomorrow, changing paths for our families and our local businesses.

» There ain’t no tech without us! The advancement of technology is indebted to the cultural capital and ingenuity of communities of color. Honoring these ongoing contributions with true equity and ownership is long overdue.

» Tech justice is necessary. We approach every learning experience with a justice-centered mindset, offering sharp critical thinking skills through socio-political content.

» Data is power. We believe that, when equipped with data literacy skills, learners will be positioned for long-term career opportunities as computational thinkers.

Background + History

In the early 2010s, we began to see a rapid acceleration in class division epitomized by privatized tech employee shuttle buses, a clear symbol of gentrification. This brought into focus that there was a critical need to provide more opportunities for BIPOC youth who felt shut out of the booming tech industry.

Within this context, the concept of providing training for youth by hiring them to build small business websites was born. Hack the Hood launched as a pilot project in the fall of 2012 with a $5,000 grant from Google Ventures and engaged two dozen adult volunteers to work with 75 merchants in Oakland to help them get listed on Google Maps and Places.

In 2013, Hack the Hood received a three-year grant from the Oakland Fund for Children and Youth (OFCY) to deliver an annual youth tech bootcamp in the City of Oakland. The first year, the organization served 18 youth who built a total of 65 small business websites.

Then, in 2014, Hack the Hood applied for and was one of four local non-profit organizations to receive the first-ever Google Bay Area Impact Challenge, which included a two-year $500,000 investment from Google, in addition to skill-based volunteering support and training from more than 100 Googlers.

Even more valuable than the training and financial investment, the Google Impact Challenge brought an extreme level of visibility and a stamp of approval from the most influential technology company on the planet. In the next six months, the organization was able to raise an additional $600,000 to grow from an organization with a budget of $75,000 to a budget of $750,000. This infusion of financial support allowed the organization to hire its first full-time staff, and the increased visibility attracted more than 200 volunteers to support Hack the Hood’s work.

Hack the Hood’s Strategic Plan

As Hack the Hood looks to the future to scale its impact, the 2021 – 2023 strategic plan calls for the organization to:

» Strengthen its technical curriculum and educational program model to teach core programming languages and data science skills more effectively

» Design a unique tech for justice curriculum that deepens its racial justice lens, which is integrated across all its programming, and share it widely via partners to reach and recruit more learners

» Develop a year-long cohort model to support career navigation for alumni while continuing to build professional skills, social capital, technical expertise, and peer learning communities

» Strengthen support for post-program career advancement by creating preferred partnerships with education partners and employers

» Become a national resource for tech skill-building and learning by sharing its tech for justice curriculum widely to motivate and empower youth and communities of color across the U.S.

Position Summary

Like the students enrolled in its programs, Hack the Hood is brimming with potential. The organization’s founders created a vision for a more inclusive and just tech sector and laid the groundwork to connect students with career and educational opportunities in the Bay Area’s innovation economy.

The organization is now seeking its next Executive Director with the passion, skills, experience, relationships, and growth mindset to enable Hack the Hood to realize its potential. The Executive Director will have the opportunity to drive the strategic vision for Hack the Hood, in partnership with the Board of Directors and staff.

Reporting directly to the Board, the Executive Director will possess the experience, commitment, and vision to carry the organization into its next phase and will be responsible for leading all aspects of Hack the Hood. The Executive Director exemplifies the organization’s mission and values and is a bold and engaging leader who exhibits confidence with humility, is an inspiring and authentic communicator, listens deeply, seeks to collaborate and connect on creating solutions, and is committed to challenging paradigms and reimagining systems. This role is a unique opportunity for a person who aspires to create change and will strive relentlessly to ensure Hack the Hood succeeds in its mission.

Responsibilities

The Executive Director is responsible for the overall leadership and management of Hack the Hood. Specifically, the Executive Director is tasked with achieving the following:

Strategic Leadership

» Working in partnership with the Board, staff, and communities served to provide strategic direction, insight, and vision to achieve desired outcomes, scale mission delivery, and deepen impact

» Setting organizational targets and leading staff in the planning, development, implementation, evaluation, and evolution of programs that ensure impact for learners and alignment with Hack the Hood’s strategic vision and values

» Ensuring the organization has the resources, technologies, operations, and policies in place to work efficiently and meet the highest standards for financial controls, HR policies, and legal compliance

» Leading relationship management for development purposes to implement a sustainable fundraising strategy that ensures Hack the Hood has the financial resources necessary to implement and grow its work

» Ensuring strong financial management of the organization including developing the annual budget, making decisions on strategic priorities, and providing financial oversight

» Working in partnership with the Board Executive Committee to ensure that the Board and its committees feel connected to the work, have the reporting they need to carry out their fiduciary responsibilities, and are effectively engaged to advance the organization’s mission

Team Development and Management

» Creating a strong, inclusive, and supportive internal culture that engages, inspires, develops, and retains a diverse community of staff, volunteers, consultants, and community partners

» Acting as an effective leader, delegator and decision-maker for collaborative, team-wide projects, tasks, and meetings, ensuring that they are handled efficiently, inclusively, and with respect

» Developing future leadership within the organization by ensuring staff receive the professional development, growth opportunities, and support needed to succeed

» Working with the HR Director to ensure that onboarding, recruitment, retention, development, and management of staff are carried out in a sound and professional manner

» Leading the hiring strategy to ensure the organization has the right competencies in place as we grow, managing four direct reports, and leading the executive team

External Advocate and Influencer

» Being a passionate thought leader in the community and spokesperson for Hack the Hood who can clearly communicate and advocate for our mission

» Developing and maintaining strong relationships in the sector, region, among peers, among donors, within industry associations, with the media, and the community at large

» Developing strategic partnerships and alliances that broaden Hack the Hood’s reach and effectiveness

Reporting Relationships

The Executive Director reports directly to the Board of Directors and manages the following direct reports:

» Director of Development

» Deputy Director of Programs + Partnerships

» Sr. Advisor, Curriculum, Impact + Innovation

» Director of Human Resources + Operations

Experience + Competencies

We are excited to connect with candidates who:

» Have a passion for racial justice, educational equity, and inclusion in technology

» Have experience building high-impact programs for Black, Latinx, AAPI, and Indigenous students

» Have experience in tech and/or STEM education in leadership or management roles; technical experience and skills in computer science, data science and software development are a plus

» Are an experienced, passionate, and motivating people manager and leader with a commitment to continually honing their leadership and management skills

» Are systems and process-oriented, ensuring teams have the structure, systems, ways of working, and tools needed to work efficiently and scale their impact

» Have a strong understanding of organizational and financial management including competence in understanding financial documents such as budgets, cash flow, income statements, balance statements, and statements of functional expenses, and experience with financial controls and audits

» Demonstrate the ability to build and grow effective and diverse teams around them while developing a culture of care, equity, learning, and continuous improvement

» Have experience providing strategic leadership, leading teams through visioning, goal setting, and values creation; and guiding the continual monitoring of performance against plans and goals. Willing to engage the team in honing programmatic implementation

» Are an inspiring and passionate external speaker and thought leader comfortable forging and cultivating strategic relationships, representing the organization at key conferences and events, and attracting new partners and supporters

» Have a deep understanding of the communities that Hack the Hood serves with both professional and experiential expertise

» Demonstrate high emotional intelligence and comfort building from the ground up

Hack the Hood recognizes that there is no such thing as a perfect candidate and welcomes mission-aligned applicants from a variety of backgrounds and professional experiences.

Compensation + Benefits

The salary range for this position is from $150,000 – $160,000.

A competitive benefits package is provided, including:

»        Medical, dental, and vision

»        Group term life, disability, accidental death and dismemberment

»        Hack the Hood laptop

»        $500 one-time stipend to set up work from home office

»        $500 annual stipend for professional development

»        401(k) with max 4% match

»        Paid time off

  • After one month of service, PTO is accrued at a rate of 20 days per calendar year
  • In subsequent years, PTO is accrued at a rate of 22 days per calendar year
  • Sick leave, bereavement, parental leave, etc.
  • Every other Friday off
  • 12 paid holidays
  • Two weeks off at the end of each year

As a reflection of our firm’s commitment to equity and equal pay for all, it is Cooper Coleman’s requirement that salary ranges or salary starting points be published for every search we conduct. The practice of not posting salaries perpetuates the gender and racial wage gap and discriminates against women, people of color, and other historically excluded populations by causing individuals to negotiate from a disadvantaged starting point.

Location

This position is hybrid; partly remote and partly based in Hack the Hood’s office at 2323 Broadway Avenue, Oakland, CA 94612.

How To Apply

Compensation + Benefits

 

The salary range for this position is from $150,000 – $160,000.

EEO + Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Hack the Hood is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce at all levels of the organization. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, gender identity or expression, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal law. This policy applies with regard to all aspects of employment, including hiring, transfer, promotion, compensation, eligibility for benefits and termination.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities in all phases of the application and employment process.

Background Checks

Before sending your resume for this position, please read it over for accuracy. Cooper Coleman verifies its candidates’ employment and academic credentials represented at the time of offer ad offer of employment is contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check.

 

Submission Instructions (read carefully)

Cooper Coleman is leading this search on behalf of Hack the Hood. To apply, please visit this link (www.coopercoleman.com/current-searches). Inquiries and nominations of qualified candidates can be sent to:

Paul Towne

paul@coopercoleman.com

Kindly use the position title as the subject line of your email. All inquiries will be held in confidence.

A cover letter is not required with your initial application but is welcomed to help us understand your fitness for this role during our initial evaluation. Candidates invited for interviews will be asked to provide a thoughtful letter of interest indicating their specific qualifications for the opportunity, desire to join Hack the Hood, and connection to its mission.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the successful candidate has been selected.

Cooper Coleman LLC is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified candidates and will refer candidates without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation or identity, age, ability, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis.

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