Chief Executive Officer
Hack.Diversity Boston, MA
About Hack.Diversity
Transforming the economy, Hack.Diversity (Hack), is a premier growth-oriented nonprofit that breaks down barriers for Black and Latine professionals in the technology industry. Hack partners with the fastest-growing technology teams to identify, develop, and place talent into internship-to-retention opportunities and to help evolve organizational practices to support the retention and promotion of that talent. Founded in 2016, Hack launched its New York City site in January 2023 after regional recognition for its impact generated in Boston. It is a unique treasure in the startup ecosystem.
Impacting the racial wealth gap, our theory of change is to create job opportunities in the innovation economy where our fellows can earn competitive salaries through entry-level positions in the tech sector, setting them up for future success and wealth creation. We also work with companies on their culture and readiness to recruit, retain, and accept young leaders of color with a particular focus on technical talent and diversifying engineering teams. Our fellows -- over 500 in number since inception – are today’s software engineers and tomorrow’s founders and venture capitalists.
The organization includes eighteen full-time staff, primarily located between our two offices in Boston and New York City. The 2023 budget is approximately $3 million split between philanthropy and earned revenue from company partners.
For more information on Hack.Diversity, please visit www.hackdiversity.com.
The Opportunity
At this pivotal time in its evolution, now in its 7th year, Hack is ready to transition from founder-led leadership to operational and institutional leadership, enabling the organization to scale its impact. We seek a dynamic Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who can lead us into this next, exciting era at a moment where the need and opportunity for our work is greater than ever.
The ideal candidate will either be in, or relocate to, Boston or New York City with expected travel back and forth to become well-networked and visible in both ecosystems and with staff located in both cities.
Reporting Relationship
The CEO reports to the Board of Directors. All VPs, department directors, and other team members report directly or indirectly to the CEO.
The Hack Board of Directors is comprised of:
- Jeff Bussgang (Chair and Co-Founder), Flybridge and Harvard Business School
- Jody Rose (past CEO and Co-Founder)
- Neeraj Agrawal, Battery Ventures
- Pamela Aldsworth, JP Morgan Chase
- Sarah Case, Echobind
- Peggy Koenig, Abry and Cornell
- Christina Luconi, Rapid7
- Dave Melville, The Bowdoin Group
- Ovidio Reyna, Ad Hoc, LLC/Hack.Diversity Alumnus
- Bertrand Saint-Preux, Snap/Hack.Diversity Alumnus
- Patricia Winton, Bain Capital
Core Responsibilities
Focused on the mission, the CEO will set strategy and vision, build partnerships, develop the Hack culture, lead the senior team, and allocate capital appropriately. Working with the Board, the CEO will set annual and multi-year goals for the organization and work systematically to meet them. The CEO will assess and evaluate strategies, set budgets, forge alliances, and build partnerships to further the mission.
The CEO will play a formative role in building Hack’s culture around service, accountability, and results to attract and retain top talent at the intersection of technology, racial equity, and nonprofit. The CEO will invest heavily in the training, mentoring and capacity building at Hack. Finally, the CEO will secure resources (through both philanthropy and earned income from partners), budget and allocate resources appropriately and hold themselves accountable for the financial health of the organization.
The CEO will:
- Lead the mission and vision of the organization.
- Implement strategic plans, based on data-driven analytics, projections, and financials.
- Manage Hack’s budget and ensure that it is a financially viable, sustainable organization with the resources to meet current and projected program growth.
- Cultivate and build a high-performing senior leadership team and play an active role in attracting, retaining, and developing a best-in-class staff.
- Marshall the resources and staff of the organization to serve our fellows and company partners with a high standard of excellence and consistent with Hack’s mission.
- Cultivate strong relationships with donors, partners, and leaders in the tech ecosystem in both Boston and NYC, including venture capitalists, incubators and accelerators, tech CEOs, tech CHROs, and local media; provide oversight for Hack’s presence in social media.
- Reach out to the community to present Hack, its vision, and services through public presentations and by attending relevant business events, conferences, and gatherings.
- Sponsor and/or co-sponsor special events designed to promote Hack’s mission or other like-minded missions.
- Develop and work with the Board, ensuring that Board Committees and efforts are well-organized and funded.
- Inform the Board regularly of internal organization matters, including relevant staffing, funding and program success and priorities.
- Foster a positive and inclusive organizational culture, encourage staff development, and provide mentorship and guidance to staff members.
- Maintain a deep understanding of the issues related to diversity, racial equity, and inclusion and stay up to date with the latest developments in the field, enabling Hack to remain a thought leader in the space.
Candidate Profile
The Chief Executive Officer will possess the following attributes and competencies:
Strategic and Visionary Entrepreneurial Leader
The CEO will be a strategic, tactical, and entrepreneurial leader able to develop and articulate a vision for Hack’s next chapter. This leader will develop and promote strategic priorities needed to advance the work of the organization. They will bring experience leading high performing teams and guiding team members’ growth and development. The CEO will possess the ability to motivate staff at various stages of their careers with a diverse set of skills and provide a productive work environment and professional growth opportunities that result in team cohesion and camaraderie. They will be an experienced manager who engenders trust in the staff through a collaborative management style, helps them achieve their potential, and holds them accountable to clearly defined expectations and goals.
Change Management/Talent Management Expertise
The CEO will be emotionally intelligent, skilled at convening, listening to, and seeking to understand the perspectives of a variety of constituents to establish trust, inspire new ideas, build effective relationships, and achieve ambitious goals. They will have a natural ability to foster collaboration among groups with varying opinions and priorities under a common goal while also giving everyone a sense of shared purpose and engagement in the work of Hack.
Building Relationships and Fundraising Track Record
The CEO will continue to build a multi-year donor base and partnerships in the Greater Boston community. They will be an energetic fundraiser who will fully embrace every aspect of the role. The CEO will bring a creative approach to revenue generation and an understanding of nonprofit finance and various revenue streams, including grants and philanthropic support among others. Simultaneously, they will bring an understanding of the corporate world as well.
Passion for the Mission and Appreciation of Technology
A purpose-driven and values-oriented professional, the CEO must be driven by passion for the mission; to transform the economy by breaking down barriers for Black and Latine professionals in tech.
Commitment to Social Justice/DEIB
The CEO will lead with an equity and belonging lens, to identify different ways to enhance the Hack culture. They will lead the organization’s staff in developing the awareness, comfort, and ability to address and champion equity at all levels of the organization. This would include Hack’s services through the implementation of inclusive and equitable systems, policies, and procedures.
Blend of Strong People and Operations Management
The CEO is an executive with strong staff, operational, and financial management experience. They will have a proven track record in strategic financial oversight and a comprehensive record of overseeing various functions of an organization. They will have proven experience in budgeting, strategic forecasting, and planning, as well as in overseeing financial, accounting, compliance, and risk management of a growth organization.
Knowledge of Corporate and Non-Profit Worlds
With excellent interpersonal skills, the CEO will build and maintain positive and productive relationships through transparent communication with internal and external audiences. The CEO will have a strong understanding of how to build potential partnerships with corporate and non-profits partners. An engaging storyteller and writer, the CEO understands the importance of communicating the compelling mission of Hack with potential partners and the importance of advancing the organization’s mission. The CEO will be confident and comfortable building partnerships and crafting a captivating message of support to advance the impact of Hack.
Key Credentials and Personal Attributes
- 5-10 years successful senior leadership experience at a social impact organization of a similar scale or larger, ideally in the field of diversity and inclusion and/or social justice
- Master's Degree in Nonprofit Management, Business Administration, Finance, Economics, or its equivalent is highly desirable.
- In-depth knowledge of issues related to diversity, racial equity, and inclusion, and a commitment to advancing social justice.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and effectively with staff, board members, donors, and community members from diverse backgrounds.
- Commitment to results; “can-do" mindset with emphasis on accountability and operational excellence
- Track record of leading and inspiring a team, while building strong relationships with partners, and communicating effectively with a variety of constituents.
- Experience at change leadership and change management.
- Strong motivational and staff leadership abilities.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills.
- Sense of humor, integrity, impeccable work ethic, and one who engenders trust.
Compensation & Benefits
- $200,000 - $250,000 per year base salary commensurate with experience.
- Up to 10% annual performance-based bonus on top of base salary.
- Best-in-class time off benefits, including [15, 20] vacation days and 24 paid Holidays.
- Comprehensive medical and dental insurance.
- 401(k) with matching and other elective benefits.
Contact
Koya Partners, the executive search firm that specializes in mission-driven search, has been exclusively retained for this engagement. Maureen Alphonse-Charles and Kristina Dorne of Koya Partners have been retained for this search. Interested candidates should submit a resume and thoughtful cover letter, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position and how you heard about this search. Please submit your materials by filling out our Talent Profile, or email Kristina Dorne at kdorne@koyapartners.com. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.
Koya Partners is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email NonprofitSearchOps@divsearch.com. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.
Hack.Diversity is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants.
About Koya Partners
Koya Partners, a part of Diversified Search Group, is a leading executive search and strategic advising firm dedicated to connecting exceptionally talented people with mission-driven clients. Our founding philosophy—The Right Person in the Right Place Can Change the World—guides our work as we partner with nonprofits & NGOs, institutions of higher education, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.
For more information about Koya Partners, visit https://diversifiedsearchgroup.com/koya-partners/.
