Managing Director of External Affairs, Connecticut | Achievement First
Job Title: Managing Director of External Affairs, Connecticut
Location: New Haven, CT | Hybrid
Organization: Achievement First
Description:
The Managing Director of External Affairs (Connecticut) at Achievement First is a senior regional leadership role focused on shaping the external conditions that allow schools, students, and communities to thrive.
Reporting to the Regional Executive Director, this role serves as a trusted strategic partner and public-facing leader for Achievement First in Connecticut. The Managing Director sets and executes the region’s external affairs strategy, ensuring alignment between local priorities and the broader organizational vision. They lead community and external engagement efforts, build and steward relationships with families, community-based organizations, elected officials, advocates, and state partners, and help position Achievement First as a visible, responsive, and values-driven partner across Bridgeport, New Haven, and Hartford.
A core part of the role includes overseeing board governance for four Connecticut boards. This leader manages the full lifecycle of board engagement, from long-term governance strategy and member cultivation to meeting design, materials, and facilitation. The goal is to ensure boards are informed, diverse, high-functioning thought partners who meaningfully support regional strategy and student outcomes.
The Managing Director also shares responsibility for regional fundraising, partnering closely with the Development team to build a Connecticut-based donor pipeline, cultivate local funders, and manage key philanthropic relationships.
Throughout the work, this leader acts as a central connector across schools, Network Support teams, boards, and external stakeholders, surfacing opportunities and risks, aligning partners, and ensuring strong execution. The role requires strong political and organizational acumen, excellent communication, and the ability to lead complex, multi-stakeholder work in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.
Salary Range: $150,331