Director, Transformation and Operations

Location: In-person in Chicago (IL) preferred; also possible in Atlanta (GA), Newark (NJ), or New York City (NY). Full-time, exempt position.

About Braven

Braven is a national nonprofit that prepares promising college students to secure a strong first opportunity after college graduation through a career-accelerating program. We work with higher education and employer partners to offer a life-changing experience that begins with a semester-long course for college students, followed by support that lasts through graduation. Together, our ambition is to help rebuild the middle class and revitalize the American Dream.

About The Role

To achieve its ambition of serving 80,000-100,000 Fellows over the next decade, Braven is hiring a Director, Transformation and Operations, to join the newly formed Transformation team. This team ensures we are seeing around corners and prepared to maximize strategic opportunities. Your role is to take the ideas that matter most and make them real by leading the design and execution of key transformation initiatives—currently AI adoption, market intelligence, and process innovation for quality at scale.

While you don’t manage anyone directly, you will work across many internal stakeholders, moving people toward shared outcomes without direct authority. You thrive in ambiguity, think in systems, and enjoy bringing structure to complex problems. This role is part of the Office of the Chief Executive Officer and reports directly to the Head of Transformation.

Responsibilities

• Lead, Design, and Launch Special Initiatives (50%)
  • Create strategic plans that translate vision into execution for special initiatives (multi-year roadmaps, short-term project plans, stakeholder communications, risk mitigation strategies, etc.).
  • Synthesize insights and recommendations for senior leaders to guide ongoing strategy.
  • Manage execution across teammates, adapting strategies and frameworks as needed.
  • Initial projects include ensuring enterprise-wide quality systems as we scale and strong execution of our holistic AI approach.
  • Build internal buy-in for evolving, cross-cutting projects, making the unfamiliar feel approachable.
  • Serve as an internal resource for "what’s possible," translating data and ideas into practical, mission-aligned use cases.
  • Lead and influence cross-functional teams in a matrixed environment to bring initiatives to life, fostering excellence, collaboration, and innovation.
• Operations Infrastructure & Project Management (30%)
  • Create and own project plans for transformation initiatives, including timelines, milestones, dependencies, and cross-functional coordination.
  • Turn big-picture priorities into specific, sequenced actions with clear owners and deadlines.
  • Build and improve operating infrastructures, increasing process efficiency and training others.
  • Develop lightweight but durable operating systems (trackers, templates, check-in rhythms) for visibility into moving parts.
  • Ensure systems integrate with and streamline organizational processes, avoiding added complexity.
  • Flag risks and blockers early, proposing solutions rather than just problems.
  • Coordinate internal and external collaborators toward shared goals without relying on formal authority.
  • Develop high-quality memos, briefings, and presentations for executive decision-making and stakeholder engagement.
• Research and Analysis (Market Intelligence) (20%)
  • Develop and maintain systems for gathering and organizing strategic market intelligence, ensuring accuracy and accessibility.
  • Incorporate diverse voices and stakeholders, including overlooked or seemingly irrelevant perspectives.
  • Monitor and analyze trends, regulatory changes, and technological advancements (e.g., AI in higher education, employer expectations) to identify opportunities and threats.
  • Track peer organizations, edtech, university career centers, and employers to identify white space for leadership.
  • Synthesize findings from articles, podcasts, research, and partner conversations into actionable briefings for leadership.
  • Connect macro trends (e.g., AI in recruiting, shifting employer expectations) to near-term decisions.
  • Lead efforts to evaluate and integrate AI tools and partnerships from a market intelligence lens.
  • Translate complex data into clear, actionable insights for senior leadership.

Requirements

• Minimum Requirements
  • Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent.
  • 5+ years of strategic operations experience, with a proven ability to manage complex projects and lead others to outcomes.
• Preferred Qualifications
  • Exceptional ability to collaborate in cross-functional, matrixed environments (e.g., scaling consulting or mission-driven organizations).
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to draft clear, audience-appropriate materials quickly.
  • Ability to synthesize information, identify key threads, and move forward without needing every detail resolved.
  • Experience in education, nonprofit, or consulting sectors.
  • Comfort and fluency with AI tools (e.g., Claude) and curiosity about technology’s role in mission-aligned work.
  • Track record of operating in ambiguous environments and creating structure where little exists.
  • Demonstrated commitment to building inclusive cultures and developing others.
  • Alignment with Braven’s core values and mission, particularly working with or for our student Fellow population.

No candidate meets 100% of preferred qualifications. If much of this describes you, we encourage you to apply.

Work Demands

• Ability to work in-person in Atlanta (GA), Chicago (IL), Newark (NJ), or New York City (NY).
• Travel 15-20% of the time.
• Authorized to work in the U.S. (Braven does not offer employment visa sponsorship).

Benefits

• Competitive base salaries based on market midpoints for nonprofits of similar size, with growth opportunities. Salary ranges:
  • $87,200–$108,900 in Atlanta.
  • $92,000–$114,900 in Chicago.
  • $101,200–$126,400 in New York City and Newark.

  New hires typically start at the lower end to allow for growth with performance. Braven does not negotiate salary offers to maintain internal equity.

• Unlimited vacation time plus org-wide holidays and week-long shutdowns in July and December (minimum 19 days/year).
• $25,000 lifetime Carrot benefits for fertility, family-building, and hormonal health.
• 401K match up to 5% of base salary, starting your first full month.
• 85% coverage of health insurance premiums for employee and dependents.
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave.
• One-month paid sabbatical after 4 years on staff.

Schedule

Hybrid schedule: in-office 3 days a week (Tuesday–Thursday) and remote 2 days a week (Monday and Friday). Requires living within commuting distance of Atlanta, Chicago, New York, or Newark.