Executive director

Job Description

Executive Director

About Financial Scholars:

Financial Scholars is a nonprofit organization committed to expanding access to high-quality financial empowerment education in historically under-resourced schools. With a belief that financial empowerment can break systemic barriers, we operate two regional chapters—Philadelphia Financial Scholars (PFS) and Connecticut Financial Scholars (CTFS)—and serve students, teachers, and families through a four-part model that includes in-school curriculum, teacher professional development, student enrichment programs, and adult financial empowerment workshops.

Connecticut Financial Scholars launched in 2024 and is rapidly scaling in partnership with school districts, corporate sponsors, and community stakeholders. In the 2025–26 school year, CTFS is partnered with 53 high school teachers across 37 public high schools to deliver financial empowerment education to more than 2,500 students.

Position Overview:

The Executive Director of Connecticut Financial Scholars will lead the Connecticut chapter, responsible for advancing the organization's mission through strategic leadership, fundraising, stakeholder engagement, and organizational management. The Executive Director will manage the CTFS team and work in close partnership with the PFS Team. Reporting to the Executive Director of Financial Scholars, the Executive Director will lead CTFS through its next phase of growth and impact.

Key Responsibilities:Strategic Leadership:

● Develop and execute the strategic vision for CTFS in alignment with Financial Scholars’ mission and national goals.

● Monitor organizational performance, using data to inform continuous improvement and long-term planning.

● Identify local hiring needs. Participate in the hiring process for a high-performing local team.

Fundraising and Development:

● Lead and grow CTFS’s fundraising strategy, including individual giving, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and events with a $500,000 - $750,000 annual fundraising goals.

● Steward existing funders and cultivate new funding relationships, including identifying and activating local champions.

Program Development and Management:

● Oversee the implementation of high-quality financial empowerment education programming across partner high schools, serving as key relationship manager for school administrators and leaders.

● Ensure program fidelity, quality, and impact, in partnership with program staff and educators.

● Liaise with the Financial Scholars instructional team (Program Director & Director of Program Support) to provide in-classroom support to teachers to strengthen instructional practice and implementation of the curriculum. This includes lesson co-planning, classroom visits, model lessons, co-teaching, and targeted coaching that is aligned to clear instructional goals.

● Manage and coordinate local value-add programmatic services and events such as Summer Professional Development, Monthly PLCs, Adult Financial Empowerment Workshops, Financial Reality Fairs, Teen Investors Summit, and Summer Experienceship Program.

Stakeholder Engagement:

● Serve as the lead external voice of CTFS, representing the organization to school district leaders, corporate partners, donors, and community groups.

● Build and maintain trusted relationships with school administrators, educators, volunteers, and advisory board members.

● Manage and facilitate quarterly CTFS Advisory Board meetings, including:

● Develop meeting agendas that reflect strategic priorities and opportunities for engagement.

○ Activate Director of Program Support and others to present program updates and performance data.

● Coordinate logistics, communications, and follow-up actions with board members.

● Cultivate meaningful connections between board members and the program’s mission, ensuring they are well-informed ambassadors and supporters.

● Engage board members in fundraising, volunteerism, and strategic planning efforts.

Financial Oversight:

● Ensure the financial health, transparency, and sustainability of the Connecticut chapter.

● Perform additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required:

● Proven experience working in historically under-resourced schools and communities, with deep knowledge of the challenges they face and a demonstrated ability to navigate barriers with persistence, empathy, and kindness to deliver results.

● We believe that success is built not just on technical skills, but equally on how we act and relate to one another. As such, all team members are expected not only to embrace our values, but to demonstrate them in their daily work.

● Bachelor’s degree required.

● At least 7–10 years of leadership experience in a nonprofit, education, or social impact setting.

● Demonstrated success in fundraising, including managing donor relationships and securing major gifts or grants.

● Strong strategic thinking, operational planning, and project management skills.

● Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills.

● A deep commitment to the mission of financial empowerment for youth and families.

● Entrepreneurial mindset: approaches challenges with creativity, adaptability, and resilience in the spirit of our mission. Comfortable operating in dynamic environments, building from limited resources, and finding a way forward where others may see obstacles.

Preferred:

● Experience partnering with school districts or leading education-focused programs.

● Familiarity with the Connecticut public school landscape and/or financial services industry.

● Background in financial literacy, education, economic mobility, or youth development.

● Proficiency in Spanish (written and verbal) preferred

Physical Requirements:

Ability to physically perform the duties and to work in the environmental conditions required

such as:

● Traveling to offsite meetings – valid driver’s license and/or access to transportation when necessary.

● Functioning in office space — reaching file cabinets, filing, faxing, scanning, coping, typing, mailing, making phone calls.

● Must be able to sit for up to two hours looking at a computer monitor, using a keyboard/mouse and typing.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should submit their resume and cover letter to Molly Farley, Human Resources Consultant, at [email protected].

Financial Scholars is an equal-opportunity employer with excellent benefits and an entrepreneurial, results- oriented work culture. Salary is commensurate with experience.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $100,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Philadelphia, PA 19112