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Tandem seeks a collaborative, inspiring, inclusive, and authentic relationship builder who brings knowledge of and experience in nonprofit leadership and a deep understanding of equity and inclusion. The ideal candidate has an ethos of connectedness, a drive for impact, and a focus on building trust with staff, the Board, key partners, and individuals and families across the Bay Area who rely on Tandem for trusted educational programs.

Tandem is deeply trusted and valued by the community for its longstanding commitment to equity, inclusion, and impact. With a strong history of designing high quality early learning experiences, the organization has built lasting relationships that reinforce its mission.

The ideal candidate is a strong and empathetic leader with a track record of listening first, bridging differences, and serving as a connector to unite staff, board, key partners, and the community around the organization’s mission. Moreso, the strongest candidates cultivate a culture of mutual trust and shared leadership, empowering their team with autonomy while actively listening and acting on their expertise. They foster transparency, inspire accountability at all levels, and align the organization around a collective vision of impact, all while remaining deeply attuned to the complexities and challenges faced by both staff and the community. Future-focused and innovative, they bring creativity to problem-solving. This leader will animate and model Tandem values as they engage, share power, and amplify the visibility of the organization and will champion diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging across the organization and beyond. With a learning mindset and a commitment to accountability, they are relentless in ensuring the organization's long-term sustainability and impact.

This is a unique opportunity for an experienced leader to build on a solid foundation of success and growth and continue to deepen and broaden the impact for which Tandem is so well known. They will empower and amplify the Tandem staff and Board, ultimately shaping the future of individuals and families across the Bay Area.

QUALIFICATIONS Tandem recognizes that not every candidate will bring all of the skills, knowledge, and experiences listed below and welcomes candidates with a variety of experiences.

--Passion for and a demonstrated commitment to Tandem’s mission, preferably with knowledge of and experience with organizations supporting early education --Experience working alongside historically marginalized communities and centering the voices of directly impacted community members. --Minimum of ten years of nonprofit leadership experience with a strong track record of building, leading, inspiring, and retaining high-performing teams. --Exceptional relationship-building skills, with the ability to work with and meaningfully engage diverse stakeholders. --Familiarity with different stakeholder communities in the Bay Area and the San Francisco, Contra Costa, and Alameda counties that Tandem operates within is strongly desired. --Demonstrated success leading, supporting, and investing in the professional development of a highly committed and talented team. --Compassionate, empathetic, collaborative leadership style with a strengths-based approach to management, strong cultural competence, and a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. --Unwavering commitment to quality programs and data-driven program evaluation; comfortable and experienced in setting success metrics and tracking data over time. --Strong financial management skills, including budget development and management experience. --Successful experience working in some capacity with a Board of Directors. --Strong communication skills, including public speaking, written and verbal communication, and presentation skills. --Ability to attend occasional evening and weekend events.

Tandem has retained the executive search firm LeaderFit to partner with the Board and Search Committee on this search. Interested candidates should upload a brief cover letter and resume. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

See the full job description and apply through the linked portal.

ABOUT TANDEM, PARTNERS IN EARLY LEARNING

Tandem Partners in Early Learning (Tandem) is a nonprofit organization working at the intersection of early childhood education and social justice in Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco counties. Our mission is to co-create equitable, high-quality early learning experiences for children ages 0–5 grounded in community strengths and tailored to community needs and strengths.

We believe that investing in early learning can interrupt intergenerational cycles of racial and economic inequity. That’s why we prioritize partnerships with communities most impacted by systemic oppression.

Tandem® launched as an affiliate of Raising a Reader in 2003. In 2009, we became an independent 501(c)(3), and in 2015, we took on the name Tandem, Partners in Early Learning. Today, Tandem works across three focus areas: StoryCycles®, Early Learning Everywhere, and Network Capacity Building. Tandem serves children and families both inside and outside of the classroom and strengthens the early childhood system through professional development.

We have developed a bold, three-year program vision and roadmap—that deepens our impact, grows our reach, and builds towards lasting change. It is ambitious, innovative, and shaped by what we have learned from families, educators, and communities.

Partnership is at our core: We work alongside school districts, early childhood education providers, and community-based organizations to co-create equitable, high-quality early learning experiences. Addressing systemic inequities: We envision a just society where children thrive—a society where children are supported wherever they go: in their homes, schools, child care, libraries, health centers, parks, and more. By working with adults in these areas, we deliver early learning experiences that meet community priorities and address systemic barriers to opportunity.

We structure our work around five core values: joy, equity, diversity & inclusion, accountability, and balance.

For more information, please visit https://www.tandembayarea.org/.