Job description
About JFF
Jobs for the Future (JFF) drives transformation of the U.S. education and workforce systems to achieve 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 moreabout JFFand join us as we build a future that works—for everyone.
Equal Employment Opportunity at JFF
Inclusion, belonging, and well-being are core to JFF’sNorth Starand mission, and we seek to invest in and learn from those who represent the communities we serve as it is important to the success of our work and the engagement of our staff members. 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 career advancement opportunities for all.
JFF is a fair chance employer and in alignment to ourNorth 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 to our open roles.
About the Center for AI
The Center for AI has recently transitioned from being incubated within JFFLabs, to being an integrated Center within JFF’s Solutions Group. A critical strategic priority for JFF is for this Center to position JFF as the go-to entity for the learn-to-work ecosystem to ensure an AI-powered world leads to economic advancement for all. We believe that AI development and use should advance quality jobs, livelihoods, human agency, and potential.
AI is revealing cracks in the foundation that have existed for years, and creating urgency for solutions JFF is well-positioned to lead – e.g., skills-first economy, work-based learning, durable skills, employer engagement. The Center brings a population lens to support education and workforce systems in ensuring that we are all better off in a world with AI. Through the work of this Center, JFF is positioned to:
- Be a trusted voice and sense-maker in the learn-to-work ecosystem
- Provide actionable support for organizations
- Leverage strong cross-sector networks and insights
- Stay ahead of the curve with AI
About the Position
Reporting to the Chief Solutions Officer (CSO), the Vice President will lead the Center for Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the next phase of its growth, building on successes and lessons learned during the launch period. The Vice President will strengthen the Center’s role as a go-to resource for JFF and the workforce and education field on the ways in which AI will reshape jobs and skills, technology implementation, and broader social and policy forces across the country. As a nationally recognized expert in AI, the VP will design, oversee and execute the Center’s national strategy, raise funds, develop partnerships, and oversee initiatives across JFF in support of the Center’s mission, which is to ensure that AI accelerates, rather than holds back, progress towards economic mobility.
The Center for AI is one of JFF’s newest Centers and this will be its first Vice President. JFF Vice Presidents work closely with Solutions Design & Delivery teams to execute initiatives and projects aligned with their respective areas. You will collaborate across all our Practices and Centers as well as with teams across JFF, including Strategic Engagements, the Policy & Advocacy team, JFFLabs, and more. You will be supported by an Executive Assistant, as well as dedicated business partners from JFF’s People & Culture, Development, Finance, and Marketing & Communications teams.
JFF cannot reach its North Star goal without leading the field in leveraging AI and embedding AI into all aspects of JFF’s work. Therefore, this position requires a dynamic, entrepreneurial leader who is energized by championing JFF’s and the Center’s point of view on AI and the future of work both externally and internally. This role represents not only an opportunity to inform JFF’s AI strategies, but to dramatically shape the national conversation and behaviors that drive AI’s use for economic mobility for all.
What You’ll Do
Lead bold strategy, vision and thought leadership for the Center for AI
- Create, evolve and position JFF’s point of view and theory of action for the Center for AI, and its work to ensure that AI accelerates progress towards economic mobility for JFF’s North Star populations
- Lead and be responsible for the articulation, execution, and continuous learning in support of Center for AI strategy, including recommendations and continuing refinement of the Center’s role and positioning at JFF and in the national conversation on AI and the future of work
- Set and communicate strategic goals and priorities and ensure that key initiatives, resources, and budgets are aligned to them
- Provide organizational and national thought leadership on issues related to AI, including through speaking engagements at high-profile events, op-eds, publications, and social media; represent JFF on the national stage
- Represent JFF in national forums and elevate our brand as a go-to authority on the future of work and AI
- Serve as a subject matter expert on AI for strategic advising and program design to field partners and clients as well as internal teams
- Build, lead, and develop a small team for the Center, instilling a culture that enables innovation and supports the professional growth of all team members
- Lead with and model inclusive leadership, stewarding a team culture that celebrates inclusion and ensures that each person has an opportunity to thrive at JFF
- Contribute to strategic planning and decision making for the Solutions Group, and the organization, working with colleagues to continuously strengthen JFF’s performance and impact
- Serve on JFF’s Executive Leadership Council, JFF’s senior leadership team, comprising the Executive Team, all Vice Presidents, and JFFLabs Managing Directors
Deliver impactful results through visionary program and project initiatives
- Lead all major workstreams and bodies of work related to AIas a project sponsor and/or by directly running key projects and initiatives; oversee all aspects of project management, including budget management, writing proposals, creating staffing plans, etc.
- Cultivate strong partnerships with the VPs of JFF’s Practices, Centers, Solutions Design & Delivery, Development Team, and JFFLabs to ensure a unified, collaborative approach to advancing the Center for AIand that drives progress in AI being leveraged effectively and ethically across the learn-to-work ecosystem
- Collaborate with the Solutions Design & Delivery team to develop and design replicable frameworks and content, ensuring these solutions can scale effectively to meet the needs of diverse stakeholders.
- In partnership with the Finance team, manage the performance of the Center’s portfolio of projects and budgets
- Seek ways to integrate AI initiatives, foster connections and maximize synergies across JFF that leverage the broad expertise of our staff to achieve greater impact
Drive fundraising and expand influence of the mission by cultivating and building collaborative partnerships
- Cultivate and manage high-level relationships with external partners, funders, and clients
- Successfully engage funders and strategic partners in the development and funding of new ideas and initiatives, with accountability for achieving annual business development goals for the Center for AI and contributing to shared business development goals for the Solutions Group
- Working closely with the Development team, lead the Center for AI’s efforts in raising funds, including proposal development, capture management from cultivation through award, and relationship management aligned to goals and priorities in JFF’s strategic and operational plans
- Design, build, and curate key networks within the sector in accordance with JFF’s overall network strategy
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 are a future-focused, field-recognized subject matter expert on AI who has a track record of successfully championing and leveraging AI within the learn-to-work ecosystem (New hires at the VP level at JFF typically bring 20+ years of prior professional experience through a combination of full-time, part-time, internship, and/or freelance positions)
- You bring deep conviction for the work of the Center for AI, are known for elevating trends to inform your team and organization’swork and bring a deep commitment to advancing economic mobility for all through systems-level transformation
- You are sought out as a thought leader in AI, have shaped national conversations on AI, workforce, and education
- You have a track record of building momentum across sectors,translating ideas into systems-level initiatives, and are comfortable on stage, with media, and in high-stakes rooms with C-suite executives, policymakers, and funders
- You have a strong network across philanthropy, workforce, education, policy, and innovation sectors, and are skilled at forging high-impact partnership and coalitions that drive systemic change
- You are a storyteller and narrative shaper, adept at turning complex ideas into accessible, actionable frameworks that galvanize others
- You excel at convening diverse stakeholders—employers, educators, community orgs, and government—around bold, forward-thinking strategies
- You have raised significant philanthropic, public, and corporate funding (six and seven figure gifts), and are skilled at crafting fundable strategies, proposals, and budgets
- You bring experience scaling innovation across products, programs, and partnerships, and driving enterprise-wide growth strategies
- You know how to embed AI fluency and strategic alignment across large, mission-driven organizations and can see connections across silos thathelp others reimagine what’s possible in an AI-powered economy
- You lead with inclusion, belonging, and well-being, and foster collaborative cultures that reflect those values.
- You are a visionary team leader who mentors, motivates, and mobilizes high-performing, cross-functional teams and partners toward shared goals.
- 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 able and willing to travel up to30% for engagements with funders, partners, and/or internal teams
What We Offer
At JFF, we’re fueled by the desire to create a world where everyone hasequal opportunityfor 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 programthat 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$225,000 - $275,000annually, in alignment to JFF’s Vice Presidentsalary 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 Susan Gouijnstook, Chief Solutions Officer, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position.
Applications submitted by 5pmEST on Monday, August 18 th will be prioritized for review. We encourage interested candidates to apply by that date in order to be considered with the first slate of candidates, early on in the hiring process. Applications submitted after that date may not be prioritized for review, depending on the strength of the pool. We will ensure that all candidates will receive updates on their candidacy before the search is closed out .
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 [email protected].
Positions at JFF are not eligible for employer-visa sponsorship or open to F-1 student visa holders.
