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LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY

Director of MN LEAD

Black Collective Foundation MN

Minnesota · Hybrid · Full-Time · 18-Month Fixed-Term Position · $90,000–$100,000 + Comprehensive Benefits

An Opportunity to Help Shape Minnesota's Future

kpCompanies is honored to partner with the Black Collective Foundation MN to identify the next Director of MN LEAD (Minnesota Legal Education, Advocacy and Defense)—a statewide multiracial initiative supporting nonprofit organizations, philanthropy, and systems change leaders as they navigate an increasingly complex legal, political, and funding environment.

MN LEAD is not a start-up initiative. The vision has been established. Strong relationships already exist. The work is underway. What is needed now is a collaborative leader who can transform momentum into measurable impact.

The Director will help coordinate and strengthen one of Minnesota's most important initiatives by bringing focus, implementation, trusted partnerships, and thoughtful execution to work that matters deeply to communities across the state.

Working closely with the Foundation's President and CEO and a small, highly collaborative team, the Director will represent MN LEAD with nonprofit, philanthropic, legal, government, and community partners.

The ideal candidate is equally comfortable thinking strategically and executing thoughtfully. They bring clarity to complexity, build trusted relationships, organize people and resources, and confidently move important work forward. Most importantly, they are energized by turning vision into meaningful, measurable impact.

Why This Role Matters

MN LEAD exists for this moment.

As organizations navigate an increasingly complex legal, political, and funding environment, they need trusted partners who can connect them to timely information, practical resources, and one another. This role exists to ensure those organizations are supported—not just when challenges arise—but as they build stronger, more resilient futures.

The Director will help transform an established vision into sustained action by leading programs, strengthening partnerships, and helping leaders across Minnesota navigate an evolving landscape with confidence.

For the right person, this is a rare opportunity to help shape an initiative that matters—to communities, to the sector, and to Minnesota.

First-Year Leadership Priorities

During the first 18 months, the Director will:

1. Establish clear strategies and measurable priorities across three to four core areas of MN LEAD's work.
2. Launch a sector leadership and learning program.
3. Deliver timely trainings and practical resources that strengthen Minnesota's nonprofit, philanthropy, and systems change sector.
4. Expand access to legal, policy, communications, and technical expertise.
5. Build trusted partnerships across nonprofit, philanthropic, legal, government, and community organizations.
6. Develop systems that strengthen implementation, evaluation, and impact measurement.
7. Increase MN LEAD's visibility, credibility, and value across Minnesota.

About the Black Collective Foundation MN

Our Mission

As Minnesota's first Black community foundation and a national pioneer in culturally specific philanthropy, The Collective partners with individuals and institutions to invest boldly in organizations, leaders, systems, and ideas—advancing a more just Minnesota where Black people and all people are holistically well and living with dignity, power, and prosperity.

Our Work

We also strengthen and connect the broader ecosystem working toward racial equity and justice through partnerships, capacity building, and strategic investment.

MN LEAD

MN LEAD is one of the Foundation's signature multiracial statewide initiatives, designed to meet an unprecedented moment. As legal, political, and narrative attacks on race-conscious work intensify, alongside escalating federal enforcement actions and threats to community safety, organizations and leaders across Minnesota are under extraordinary pressure. MN LEAD exists to ensure they are not navigating these conditions alone and to strengthen their ability to serve Minnesota communities.

The Opportunity

The Director will lead the day-to-day implementation of MN LEAD while partnering closely with Foundation leadership to continue advancing the initiative's strategic vision.

This individual will not be expected to serve as the initiative's sole legal, policy, or subject-matter expert. Rather, they will drive the work, identify and engage the right experts, cultivate partnerships, and ensure organizations have access to the information and resources they need.

This is an ideal opportunity for someone who enjoys building systems, leading people, creating momentum, and making meaningful work happen.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Program Implementation (30%)

1. Lead the strategic implementation and continued evolution of MN LEAD's core initiatives.
2. Translate strategic priorities into actionable work plans, timelines, deliverables, and measurable outcomes.
3. Drive execution across multiple initiatives while ensuring commitments remain on schedule and aligned with organizational priorities.
4. Develop systems that strengthen accountability, implementation, evaluation, learning, and continuous improvement.
5. Identify emerging opportunities, challenges, and areas where the Foundation's time, partnerships, and resources can have the greatest impact.
6. Partner with Foundation leadership to refine strategy, inform decision-making, and advance MN LEAD's long-term vision.

Relationship and Coalition Building (25%)

1. Build and sustain trusted relationships across nonprofit, philanthropic, legal, government, democracy, and immigrant-support organizations.
2. Strengthen cross-sector partnerships that advance MN LEAD's mission.
3. Represent MN LEAD with local, statewide, and national partners.
4. Prepare Foundation leaders for strategic external engagements.
5. Convene diverse stakeholders around shared solutions that strengthen Minnesota's ecosystem.

Trainings and Sector Support (20%)

1. Lead statewide trainings, convenings, and educational opportunities.
2. Identify and engage attorneys, policy professionals, communications experts, and other subject-matter experts.
3. Ensure leaders receive timely, practical, and actionable information.
4. Oversee development of a statewide leadership and learning initiative informed by community listening.
5. Drive logistics, communications, evaluation, and follow-up for all programming.

Information Navigation, Resource Connection and Communications (15%)

1. Monitor legal, policy, political, and sector developments.
2. Identify trusted experts and credible resources.
3. Serve as an exceptional communicator who builds trust, facilitates collaboration, and translates complex ideas into clear action.
4. Connect leaders with legal, communications, policy, and technical assistance.
5. Translate complex issues into practical guidance.
6. Help MN LEAD remain responsive while preparing for future opportunities.

Team Contribution (10%)

1. Collaborate across the Foundation's small, mission-driven team.
2. Contribute to grant reporting, proposals, and funder communications.
3. Participate in organizational planning and special initiatives.
4. Support occasional evening and community events.
5. 
   

Qualifications

We recognize there is no single path to becoming an exceptional candidate. People bring different combinations of education, professional experience, community leadership, and lived experience.

If your background does not perfectly match every qualification below, but you believe your experience has prepared you to succeed in this role, we encourage you to apply. We value transferable skills, curiosity, and a demonstrated commitment to strengthening communities.

We're Looking for Someone Who Has:

1. Demonstrated experience leading programs, initiatives, or complex projects.
2. A strong understanding of racial equity and the ways political and institutional conditions affect organizations.
3. Experience building trusted relationships across multiple organizations and sectors.
4. The ability to translate strategy into measurable action.
5. Excellent judgment, organization, and follow-through.
6. Demonstrated resourcefulness in identifying, engaging, and coordinating the right experts without needing to be the subject-matter expert on every issue.
7. Strong written, verbal, facilitation, and interpersonal communication skills.
8. The ability to work independently while thriving on a collaborative team.
9. Comfort working in an evolving environment requiring flexibility and thoughtful decision-making.
10. A commitment to the mission and values of the Black Collective Foundation MN.

Additional Requirements

1. Minnesota residency.
2. Ability to participate in regular in-person meetings (currently Tuesdays).
3. Availability for occasional evening and community events.

Helpful, But Not Required

1. Experience building coalitions or leading collective impact initiatives.
2. Experience working with historically under-resourced communities.
3. Experience with public policy, advocacy, or democracy-related work.
4. Experience managing consultants or external partners.
5. Experience supporting grant reports or proposals.
6. Experience leading an organization or serving as a consultant.

Position Term

This is a full-time, 18-month fixed-term position.

MN LEAD is funded through at least 2028. While employment beyond the initial appointment cannot be guaranteed, continued employment may be possible based on organizational needs, available funding, organizational priorities, and performance.

How to Apply

If you are inspired by the opportunity to strengthen Minnesota's sector while advancing racial equity, we would love to hear from you. Please submit your cover letter and résumé through the application link. 

https://www.kpcompanies.com/careers/black-collective-foundation-mn-director-of-mn-lead.