Montgomery Education Foundation
President-Chief Executive Officer
Leadership Profile
Montgomery Education Foundation (MEF) is a non-profit founded in 2000 to engage the community in support of its public schools. MEF believes that all children deserve access to a quality education and provides programs that support the success of students, public schools, and communities through partnerships and volunteerism.
The current president, who led MEF for the past 19 years through a period of tremendous growth and impact, is stepping down from the role. And MEF is changing its board structure, providing an ideal time to reimagine its future as well as its name and branding to communicate the mission more effectively.
About MEF
Since its founding, the foundation has focused its efforts on supporting the Alabama Reading Initiative, providing professional development for school administration and staff, promoting student achievement, encouraging public engagement, developing school readiness through expanding high-quality Pre-K, and creating the Brain Forest and LEAPS Summer Learning programs.
The MEF Board recently approved moving the management of one of its current efforts, Conversion Charter Schools, to a separate non-profit that is managed under a different corporate structure. This was a partnership with Montgomery Public Schools converting Davis Elementary, Nixon Elementary, and Bellingrath Middle School, to new management, while maintaining access for the children and families in those communities.
Current programming
MEF manages the Department of Defense's STARBASE program on-site at Maxwell Air Force Base. This is a unique STEM lab where 5th graders from Montgomery, Autauga, and Elmore counties have a unique hands-on learning experience throughout the school year. Students build and program robots, launch rockets, and study with professional lab equipment. This school year is STARBASE’s 13th year at Maxwell, and it is the DOD’s largest STARBASE program in the nation.
MGM READS provides underserved students and families in the Montgomery community with culturally relevant books and literacy support materials to support both schools and families through extended learning support during the summer. Last year, MGM READS served 15 sites across the city, distributing 13,000 books to 1,300 Montgomery students.
Bold Goals is a new comprehensive community effort to support the goal of every student learning to read by the Third Grade by increasing kindergarten readiness. Bold Goals will do that by understanding the needs of students and families and matching those needs with existing community programs and resources. Funding and support are provided by a grant from the Department of Early Childhood Education and the Montgomery County Commission.
MEF is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of leaders from a variety of business, civic, educational, and nonprofit contexts, who wish to reinvigorate the board by recruiting individuals with current connections in the community.
The President
Primary Responsibilities
- Strategic Planning
- Budgeting, financial oversight, and management
- Community relationships and partnerships
- Communications and marketing
- Development of financial resources through fundraising and grants
- Program development and implementation
- Personnel management
- Compliance with all guidelines, rules, reporting, and laws
- Risk management
The Candidate
MEF is seeking a dynamic leader as the organization begins the next chapter. Ideally, the President would combine entrepreneurial and creative skills with a deep connection to students, families, and community stakeholders. The new leader must be nimble enough to balance the major responsibilities in a very complex operating environment, and thus, applicants with experience encompassing more than one sector would be a plus.
The ideal candidate for President of MEF will be an energizing leader who demonstrates a nuanced combination of skills and beliefs:
- Genuine belief in educational equity, the ability of all students to learn at high levels with the right supports
- Passion for the role of innovation and the mission of MEF
- Strong strategic thinker with excellent organizational and interpersonal skills
- Effective networking abilities and the ability to collaborate with diverse groups of students, educators, and community members
- Success leading complex, impactful entities or initiatives
- A collaborative and inspirational leadership style, internally and externally, that backs strategic vision with appropriate structure and discipline
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
- Proven ability to attract support from a diverse set of stakeholders and funders
- Demonstrated flexibility and a willingness to adapt to changing circumstances and needs
- A team player attitude with the ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues, volunteers, and partners
- Respect for the power of data and the students—and student futures—the data represents.
Compensation commensurate with experience - $85,000 - $110,000
To Apply, submit Cover letter and Resume to:
Application@montgomeryed.org
MEF offers equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, marital status, religion, disability, history of disability, pregnancy, genetic information or family medical history, sexual orientation, and military/veteran status, or any other status protected under applicable Federal, State, or Local law.
