Development Strategist (Full Time) - Begins April 15th-30th, 2024

Who Are We?

Young Storytellers equips young people to be the driving force of their own narratives. We’re passionate about bringing people together and creating stories to raise the voices of those who don’t often get heard. We believe that when a young person understands the power of their own story—made of their unique background, culture, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, ability, immigration status, geographic location, and economic status, among others—it creates a more empathetic and equitable future for everyone. We raise voices, one story at a time.

Young Storytellers works with students in elementary, middle, and high school. In elementary school, students write scripts that are completely their own; in middle school, students write monologues about challenges they face; and in high school, students write Public Service Announcements that address important issues in their self-identified communities. Students in each program work with volunteer mentors, and every student gets to see their work performed by professional actors. Young Storytellers programs are aligned with Common Core standards, CASEL’s Social Emotional Learning core competencies, and integrate components of Learning for Justice’s Social Justice Standards.

What Is This Position?

The Development Strategist will work closely with the President and Managing Director to help build relationships in the community and raise funds to further Young Storytellers’ mission. They will engage on a regular basis with individual donors, strategize and implement fundraiser events, manage the grant calendar in collaboration with our Grant Writer, and work with other team members to integrate a culture of giving into all aspects of Young Storytellers’ work.

At Young Storytellers, we follow Community Centric Fundraising principles, and believe that gifts of money (donations) and time (volunteer hours) are equally valuable. We treat and steward donors and volunteers in the same way.

Cool, But Let’s Get Specific. What’s Involved in This Job?

Ongoing Responsibilities:

• Build and maintain relationships with individuals, businesses, community organizations, foundations, and other stakeholders to create a strong network of supporters, particularly an individual giving program.

• Attend community events and represent the organization to increase awareness and engagement.

• Manage donor communications and stewardship of activities including acknowledgement letters, updates, and reports.

• Cultivate relationships with existing donors to foster long-term engagement and increased support.

• Support the President, Managing Director, and members of the Board of Directors in identifying, cultivating, and stewarding a network of individual and corporate donors.

• Plan, coordinate and execute fundraising events and recruit and coordinate event volunteers, vendors and sponsors, including the YS annual fundraiser, Biggest Show.

• Manage the grant calendar in partnership with the President and collaborate with the Grant Writer to complete grant applications and meet reporting deadlines.

• Collaborate with the President and Managing Director to identify strategic partnerships and sponsorships to support fundraising eorts.

• Oversee data management to maintain integrity of donor information.

• Implement YS’s DEIB and antiracism practices and Community Centric Fundraising

  principles in all parts of program implementation and operations.

Am I A Good Fit for This Position?

Required Qualifications:

• Proven experience in relationship building, community engagement, and donor relationships within the nonprofit sector.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate the organization’s mission and impact.

• Exceptional interpersonal skills, including the ability to build and maintain genuine relationships with diverse stakeholders.

• Ability to work collaboratively in a team-oriented environment.

• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple projects.

• A desire to see YS programs, operations, and mission carried out in an equitable way.

Desired Qualifications:

• Personal connection to our mission and values. Individuals with lived experience aligned with students who participate in Young Storytellers programming are encouraged to apply.

• Experience working with CRM systems, donor management software, Google Slides, Canva, Adobe Suite, and/or other relevant tools.

• Project and/or Program Management experience.

• Experience working with diverse donor populations.

• Previous experience or knowledge of Community Centric Fundraising principles, and

  a desire and motivation to carry out fundraising strategy in an innovative way.

What is My Compensation for This Position?

The Development Strategist is a full-time, salaried position with a salary range beginning at $62,500 - $72,500, depending on experience and skills. Total compensation includes a health insurance stipend, retirement savings program, generous paid time off and holiday breaks.

Ok, I’m In. How Do I Apply? 

Anticipated start date is April 15-April 30th, 2024 and applications will be accepted until the position is full. To apply, please visit this link to fill out an application and select the "Development Strategist" role to apply. Be prepared to upload the following in PDF format in your application:

• Resume or CV (as an attachment);

• A brief paragraph or cover letter that includes why you are interested in working with

  Young Storytellers (as an attachment); and

• An example of a fundraiser you helped organize and implement OR a response to the following question: What would be your strategy for moving a $500 donor to a $2500 donor in the next 3 years? Please note that your response does not need to be lengthy to be effective.

Anything Else I Should Know?

Young Storytellers is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Belonging is a core value of the Young Storytellers culture, and our daily practices around equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-bias, anti-discrimination, and antiracism are central to that value. Young Storytellers firmly believes that Black Lives Matter. We encourage women and gender-diverse people, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ individuals, veterans, immigrants, and anyone with a disability to apply for this and all our positions. Young Storytellers has designed our interview, onboarding, and ongoing cultural practices to be a welcoming space for everyone. You can read more about our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism on our website.

For any questions or accommodations while applying due to a disability, please email us at jobs@youngstorytellers.com or call us at 323.962.4500.

Development Strategist (Full Time) - Begins April 15th-30th, 2024

Who Are We?

Young Storytellers equips young people to be the driving force of their own narratives. We’re passionate about bringing people together and creating stories to raise the voices of those who don’t often get heard. We believe that when a young person understands the power of their own story—made of their unique background, culture, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, ability, immigration status, geographic location, and economic status, among others—it creates a more empathetic and equitable future for everyone. We raise voices, one story at a time.

Young Storytellers works with students in elementary, middle, and high school. In elementary school, students write scripts that are completely their own; in middle school, students write monologues about challenges they face; and in high school, students write Public Service Announcements that address important issues in their self-identified communities. Students in each program work with volunteer mentors, and every student gets to see their work performed by professional actors. Young Storytellers programs are aligned with Common Core standards, CASEL’s Social Emotional Learning core competencies, and integrate components of Learning for Justice’s Social Justice Standards.

What Is This Position?

The Development Strategist will work closely with the President and Managing Director to help build relationships in the community and raise funds to further Young Storytellers’ mission. They will engage on a regular basis with individual donors, strategize and implement fundraiser events, manage the grant calendar in collaboration with our Grant Writer, and work with other team members to integrate a culture of giving into all aspects of Young Storytellers’ work.

At Young Storytellers, we follow Community Centric Fundraising principles, and believe that gifts of money (donations) and time (volunteer hours) are equally valuable. We treat and steward donors and volunteers in the same way.

Cool, But Let’s Get Specific. What’s Involved in This Job?

Ongoing Responsibilities:

• Build and maintain relationships with individuals, businesses, community organizations, foundations, and other stakeholders to create a strong network of supporters, particularly an individual giving program.

• Attend community events and represent the organization to increase awareness and engagement.

• Manage donor communications and stewardship of activities including acknowledgement letters, updates, and reports.

• Cultivate relationships with existing donors to foster long-term engagement and increased support.

• Support the President, Managing Director, and members of the Board of Directors in identifying, cultivating, and stewarding a network of individual and corporate donors.

• Plan, coordinate and execute fundraising events and recruit and coordinate event volunteers, vendors and sponsors, including the YS annual fundraiser, Biggest Show.

• Manage the grant calendar in partnership with the President and collaborate with the Grant Writer to complete grant applications and meet reporting deadlines.

• Collaborate with the President and Managing Director to identify strategic partnerships and sponsorships to support fundraising eorts.

• Oversee data management to maintain integrity of donor information.

• Implement YS’s DEIB and antiracism practices and Community Centric Fundraising

  principles in all parts of program implementation and operations.

Am I A Good Fit for This Position?

Required Qualifications:

• Proven experience in relationship building, community engagement, and donor relationships within the nonprofit sector.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate the organization’s mission and impact.

• Exceptional interpersonal skills, including the ability to build and maintain genuine relationships with diverse stakeholders.

• Ability to work collaboratively in a team-oriented environment.

• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple projects.

• A desire to see YS programs, operations, and mission carried out in an equitable way.

Desired Qualifications:

• Personal connection to our mission and values. Individuals with lived experience aligned with students who participate in Young Storytellers programming are encouraged to apply.

• Experience working with CRM systems, donor management software, Google Slides, Canva, Adobe Suite, and/or other relevant tools.

• Project and/or Program Management experience.

• Experience working with diverse donor populations.

• Previous experience or knowledge of Community Centric Fundraising principles, and

  a desire and motivation to carry out fundraising strategy in an innovative way.

What is My Compensation for This Position?

The Development Strategist is a full-time, salaried position with a salary range beginning at $62,500 - $72,500, depending on experience and skills. Total compensation includes a health insurance stipend, retirement savings program, generous paid time off and holiday breaks.

Ok, I’m In. How Do I Apply? 

Anticipated start date is April 15-April 30th, 2024 and applications will be accepted until the position is full. To apply, please visit this link to fill out an application and select the "Development Strategist" role to apply. Be prepared to upload the following in PDF format in your application:

• Resume or CV (as an attachment);

• A brief paragraph or cover letter that includes why you are interested in working with

  Young Storytellers (as an attachment); and

• An example of a fundraiser you helped organize and implement OR a response to the following question: What would be your strategy for moving a $500 donor to a $2500 donor in the next 3 years? Please note that your response does not need to be lengthy to be effective.

Anything Else I Should Know?

Young Storytellers is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Belonging is a core value of the Young Storytellers culture, and our daily practices around equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-bias, anti-discrimination, and antiracism are central to that value. Young Storytellers firmly believes that Black Lives Matter. We encourage women and gender-diverse people, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ individuals, veterans, immigrants, and anyone with a disability to apply for this and all our positions. Young Storytellers has designed our interview, onboarding, and ongoing cultural practices to be a welcoming space for everyone. You can read more about our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism on our website.

For any questions or accommodations while applying due to a disability, please email us at jobs@youngstorytellers.com or call us at 323.962.4500.

Volunteer Support Specialist (Full Time) - Begins October 2023

Who Are We?

Young Storytellers sparks creative self-discovery through storytelling. Our programs highlight young people as the center of their own narratives, emphasize that their stories matter, and celebrate their unique voices as the ones telling them. Young Storytellers works towards a future where young people experience the impact that their thoughts, feelings, and words can have on the world in which they live.

Young Storytellers works with students in elementary, middle, and high school. In elementary school, students write scripts that are completely their own; in middle school, students write stories about challenges that they face; and in high school, students explore how various communities are portrayed in the media and craft stories that they feel represent their self-identified communities. Students in each program work with volunteer mentors, and every student gets to see their work performed by professional actors. Young Storytellers programs are designed around Common Core standards, integrate Social and Emotional Learning activities, and include components of Learning for Justice’s Social Justice Standards.

What Is This Position?

The Volunteer Support Specialist oversees the recruitment and placement of all YS volunteers throughout the school year, ensuring that all active YS programs run smoothly by fulfilling our mentor-to-student ratios and relationships. As a key member of the Volunteer Team, the Volunteer Support Specialist creates a diverse and inclusive volunteer community with the goal of YS student writers feeling represented and seen in the classroom and on the stage — and retaining volunteers so that they come back to volunteer time and time again. The Volunteer Support Specialist is responsible for creating strategies and implementing systems to ensure recruitment and placement are smooth, representative, and easy for volunteers. They are attentive to details and have strong communication skills, enabling them to address volunteer needs and concerns. Understanding that programs aren't possible without our dedicated volunteers, the Volunteer Support Specialist is ultimately responsible for cultivating relationships with YS volunteers, so they feel connected to the larger YS community and know that it’s a place that they belong — their first semester and beyond.

The Volunteer Support Specialist has an opportunity to have a high impact on the success of our programs in alignment with our Worldview and values of belonging, connection, exploration, play, and antiracism.

Cool, But Let’s Get Specific. What’s Involved in This Job?

Responsibilities:

• Oversees the recruitment and placement of onboarded volunteers for all YS programs, including mentors and actors for elementary, middle, and high school programs

• Coordinates with Head Mentors to ensure that they have the mentors and actors that they need for a successful program

• Coordinates with corporate partners to recruit and place volunteers

• Strategizes and implements creative recruitment and retention techniques to bolster volunteer numbers

• Builds meaningful connections and relationships with YS volunteers from all experiences and identities, allowing them to be placed at programs that build on their skills, identities, and experiences

• Works closely with the Volunteer and Programs Teams to ensure that recruitment processes are in line with program timelines, as well as outreach, retention, and engagement efforts

• Creates and implements communication techniques for volunteer mentors and actors, including (but not limited to) phone calls, email blasts, and texting campaigns

• Supports volunteer orientations, trainings, and workshops, as necessary, and communicates trends of needs arising in the volunteer community to Volunteer Director

• Implements YS’s DEIB and antiracism practices in all parts of volunteer recruitment, placement, and retention

• Additional tasks as assigned or needed to support the work of the Volunteer Team

What Are the Skills & Experiences Needed For This Position?

Required Qualifications:

• The ability to work collaboratively within and across teams

• Experience coordinating or managing volunteers, especially in regards to outreach, onboarding, and retention

• Proficient in Project Management

• Excellent Organizational Skills

• Adaptability and flexibility

• Adaptable and effective written and oral communication skills

• A desire for the creation of an equitable volunteer program that centers students, their voices, and their experiences

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience creating and implementing volunteer management strategy;

• Facilitation skills and comfort speaking in front of diverse groups of people;

• Spanish language skills, both written and verbal.

What is My Compensation for This Position?

The Volunteer Support Specialist is a full-time, hourly position with a pay range of $24-$28 per hour, depending on experience. Total compensation includes health insurance, retirement savings program, and a generous paid time off and holiday break schedule. The Young Storytellers team operates on a hybrid work schedule with two days at our DTLA office and three days remote each week.

Ok, I’m In. How Do I Apply? 

Anticipated start date is October 4, 2023, and applications will be accepted until the position is full. To apply, please visit this link to fill out an application and upload the following in PDF form:

• Resume / CV;

• A brief statement or cover letter that includes why you are interested in working with Young Storytellers and this position in particular, highlighting your previous leadership and operational experience.

Anything Else I Should Know?

Young Storytellers is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Belonging is a core value of the Young Storytellers culture, and our daily practices around equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-bias, anti-discrimination, and antiracism are central to that value. Young Storytellers firmly believes that Black Lives Matter. We encourage women and gender-diverse people, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ individuals, veterans, immigrants, and anyone with a disability to apply for this and all our positions. Young Storytellers has designed our interview, onboarding, and ongoing cultural practices to be a welcoming space for everyone. You can read more about our worldview on our website.

For any questions or accommodations while applying due to a disability, please email us at jobs@youngstorytellers.com or call us at 323.962.4500.

On Wednesday, October 25, 2023 at 7 PM join us at The Theatre at the Ace Hotel in Los Angeles to celebrate the creativity of our students — all to raise funds to support our programming into the future.

Executive Director - Begins October 2023

Who Are We?

Young Storytellers equips young people to be the driving force of their own narratives. We believe that when a young person understands the power of their own story—made of their unique background, culture, race, gender, sexuality, immigration status, geographic location, and economic status—it creates a more empathetic and equitable future for everyone. 

In 1997, three film students created Young Storytellers as a volunteer-run project in one classroom at Playa del Rey Elementary School. Over the last 25 years, the mission to fill arts education programming gaps in public schools has grown steadily into a robust 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with elementary, middle, and high school programs serving students in over 60 schools across Los Angeles.

Young Storytellers programs are designed around Common Core standards, integrate Social and Emotional Learning activities, and include components of Learning for Justice’s Social Justice Standards. In elementary school, students write scripts that are completely their own; in middle school, students write stories about challenges that they face; and in high school, students explore how various communities are portrayed in the media and craft stories that they feel represent their self-identified communities. Students in each program work with volunteer mentors, and every student gets to see their work performed by professional actors. 

We raise voices, one story at a time.

What Is This Position?

The Executive Director will lead our organization into its next phase of growth and community impact by providing strategic vision and leadership to the organization, ensuring the successful execution of our programs and initiatives, largely in communities that are representative of our students. The Executive Director has the ability to lead and inspire a team, with a focus on fostering a positive and inclusive workplace culture. This role will act as a representative of Young Storytellers to external stakeholders, partners, and the Board of Directors. In addition, it is responsible for building, managing, and maintaining a high-performing team of staff, volunteers, and contractors to support our mission and vision. The Executive Director will drive a high impact on the success of our programs in alignment with our worldview and values of belonging, connection, exploration, play, and antiracism, while also partnering with the Board of Directors to further the implementation of the Young Storytellers long-term strategic plan.

Cool, But Let’s Get Specific. What’s Involved in This Job?

Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement a strategic vision for the organization that aligns with Young Storytellers' mission, values, and goals. 

• Lead day-to-day operations of the organization that includes successful delivery of our programs and initiatives, partnership and donor management, budget management, staff supervision, and effective communication with all stakeholders.

• Cultivate and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including the Young Storytellers Board, donors, partners, volunteers, and community leaders.

• Ensure data collection systems and resources are implemented to evaluate Young Storytellers programs. 

• Monitor and report on the organization’s performance against its strategic objectives, providing regular updates to the Young Storytellers Board.

• Engage with the Young Storytellers Board actively, which includes participating in regular Board and individual committee meetings, partnering closely with the Board Chair and other Executive Committee members, and supporting the recruiting, onboarding, and retention of all Board members.

• Build and manage a high-performing team of staff, volunteers, and contractors to support the organization's mission and vision.

• Drive fundraising and development efforts, including donor cultivation and stewardship, to ensure the financial sustainability of the organization.

• Embody and promote the values of Young Storytellers, including Belonging, Connection, Exploration, Play, and Equity.

• Provide strategic leadership by bringing a unique perspective to the role while remaining open to input from others.

• Demonstrate a deep understanding of the organization’s history, vision, and values, and a clear vision for its future, driving the strategic planning process.

What Are the Skills & Experiences Needed For This Position?

Required Qualifications:

• Progressive experience in a leadership role within the non-profit sector, with a track record of success in operations, program delivery, fundraising, and strategic planning

• Passion and commitment to the mission and vision of Young Storytellers, serving as an aspirational model, steward, and boundary-setter

• Experience with community-building and partnerships

• Proven ability to execute successful fundraising strategies and leverage the power of their network, including grant writing, donor cultivation, and fundraising events

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, changing landscape with a progressive approach to evolving and adapting the organization, as needed

• Strong team management skills, including recruiting, training, and managing staff, volunteers, and contractors

• Exemplary ability to manage and communicate with stakeholders at all levels

• Ability to balance vision and operational skills, with a focus on being a strong operator

• Shares a lived experience similar to the students with which Young Storytellers engages, allowing for connective tissue between their personal narrative and the organization's mission

Desired Qualifications:

• A personal connection to the communities we serve

• A non-entertainment connection to storytelling, such as in journalism or advocacy, to bring a different perspective to the goal of universalizing storytelling

• Preferred experiences: working in a creative field; scaling programs and expanding organizations; partnering and building relationships with government-related organizations

  Young Storytellers values creativity and a willingness to learn and grow in the Executive Director role, in addition to relevant experience. While experience is important, we believe that a leader who is curious, adaptable, and committed to learning can be just as effective. We encourage candidates with a variety of backgrounds and experiences to apply. We are committed to providing the support and resources to help the selected candidate succeed in their role.

  
  

What is My Compensation for This Position?

The Executive Director is a full-time (40 hours/week), exempt position with a salary range between $130,000 - $140,000 depending on experience. Compensation includes eligibility for an annual bonus, generous paid time off & paid holidays, monthly health & dental insurance allowance, and 401K matching contribution. The Young Storytellers team operates on a hybrid work schedule with two days at our DTLA office and three days remote each week.

What’s Your Covid-19 Vaccination Policy?

In alignment with our organizational values and Worldview, Young Storytellers has a Covid-19 vaccination mandate in place for all staff, interns, Board members, volunteers for in-person programs and events, and office visitors. We define “fully vaccinated” as all required shots plus a booster shot by a FDA-approved vaccine (Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson) or a comparable approved vaccine (i.e. AstraZeneca). Proof of vaccination must be submitted to Young Storytellers before interviewing with the organization. Legitimate health or religious exemptions will be considered, but the health and safety of the whole YS community will be equally considered.

Ok, I’m In. How Do I Apply? 

The anticipated start date is October 2023, and candidates will be reviewed until the position is filled. To apply, please visit this link to fill out an application and upload the following in PDF form:

• Resume / CV;

• A brief statement or cover letter that includes why you are interested in working with Young Storytellers and this position in particular, highlighting your previous leadership and operational experience.

Anything Else I Should Know?

Young Storytellers is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Belonging is a core value of the Young Storytellers culture, and our daily practices around equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-bias, anti-discrimination, and antiracism are central to that value. Young Storytellers firmly believes that Black Lives Matter. We encourage women and gender-diverse people, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ individuals, veterans, immigrants, and anyone with a disability to apply for this and all our positions. Young Storytellers has designed our interview, onboarding, and ongoing cultural practices to be a welcoming space for everyone. You can read more about our worldview on our website.

For any questions or accommodations while applying due to a disability, please email us at jobs@youngstorytellers.com or call us at 323.962.4500.

Hello Young Storytellers Alumni! Join us for our upcoming personal statement workshop for YS Alumni! We're teaming up with the Plus Me Project to bring this to you!! This workshop is aimed at YS alum, but feel free to RSVP here either way to get a jump on learning about personal statements!

The workshop will take place on Saturday, May 20, 2023 from 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM