WE ARE SHIFT_ED

We are a non-profit organization committed to boldly accelerating student potential.

Our staff, volunteers, and partners work together to provide the individualized supports that each student needs to be successful from elementary school all the way to the workforce.

Leveraging an equity-based model, data, and strong partnerships within the Education Continuum, shift_ed ensures evidenced-based supports reach students with the greatest need. We want students to see that anything is possible and find success in their diverse educational and career pathways.

crop of young man working on laptop

About Us
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MISSION

shift_ed boldly accelerates student potential.

 

VISION

shift_ed will transform communities through diverse educational and workforce pathways.

shift_ed’s roots began in community activism. Students, parents, and business and community leaders in Guilford County wanted to create an education continuum that supported students and graduates at every level birth to career. They started a journey that has evolved over time and has strengthened and expanded through an equity lens. Through strategic partnerships and bold action, shift_ed drives success for students, families, the workforce, and communities.

In 2013 Representatives of Guilford Education Alliance, The Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, High Point Community Foundation, and Guilford County Schools came together to reshape the education continuum in Guilford County. After a robust community-wide undertaking, involving volunteers from all corners of Guilford County and one of the most successful fundraising efforts in the county’s history, Say Yes to Education chose the area for its third chapter in the nation.  Generous supporters throughout the county also recognized the potential in this movement, and quickly made financial commitments totaling more than $25 million dollars.

In the fall of 2016, the first GCS graduates began their college careers with support from the organization, and since that time gradates of every GCS high school have secured millions of scholarship dollars to prestigious colleges and universities all over the country.

On July 1, 2018, Guilford County became the first community in the country to locally own and operate its SYTE chapter allowing expansion of services to every part of the county. Services include: tutoring for students K-8th grade; career exploration for middle schoolers; free ACT and SAT classes, college application assistance and financial aid guidance for high schoolers; and scholarship and career support for graduates.

Recognizing the need for more supports, especially with the onset of a worldwide pandemic beginning in 2020, the organization increased services to include additional tutoring and career exposure opportunities; and in 2022 increased tutoring for elementary students, rolled out a mobile innovation lab for middle schoolers, and new programs for high schoolers dreaming of college. These expanded supports, from elementary to career, and strengthened partnerships within the Education Continuum allow shift_ed to walk with students on their diverse pathways to success, sometimes for 10+ years of their journeys.

Today shift_ed aims to reshape what is possible for our students and our community. Our work starts in schools and stretches into community centers, workplaces, play spaces, and dining rooms. Students are at the very core of everything we do, and when we invest in them our communities prosper.

CORE VALUES

Opportunity_ providing exposure to possibilities and creating diverse pathways for students to find success in the workforce and in life

Equity in Action_ intentionally eliminating barriers and providing individualized support for students with the greatest need

Bold Collaboration_ strong partnerships, shared language, shared metrics, shared impact/outcomes

Excellence_ believing in each person’s capacity for greatness

Agility_ responding to critical mission-aligned needs with a commitment to do things differently when necessary

 

EQUITY STATEMENT

At shift_ed, putting Equity into Action requires a reflection on where we have been, where we are currently, and where we want to be in the future. What equity requires is intentionality around:

  • increasing transparency regarding access to learning opportunities
  • investing our resources to expand access to supports, job pathways, and mobility for those with the greatest need
  • ensuring representation aligns with our community’s diversity
  • considering new ways to elevate voices and distribute agency to students and families

Board of Directors
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Officers:

Bobby Long, Co-Chair
Partner, Piedmont Capital Partners

Louise Brady, Co-Chair
Partner, Piedmont Capital Partners

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Steve Russell, Vice Chair
Partner, Turning Point Litigation

Lauren Mitchell, Secretary
Director of Marketing & Communications, Business High Point

Chartarra Joyner, Treasurer
Assistant Vice Chancellor of Budget and Planning, North Carolina A&T State University

Board of Directors:

Courtney (Payne) Benfield
Senior Vice President, Bank of America Triad Market Manager

Julia Burge
Director of External Communications, Kontoor

Trey Davis
Assistant City Manager, City of Greensboro

Jakki Davis
Founder and CEO, D-UP

John Englar
Former Burlington Industries Executive

Michael Halford
Guilford County Manager

Cyril Jefferson
Principal Consultant, Change Often; Ward 1 Representative, High Point City Council

Jason Jones
Assistant County Manager for Quality Government, Guilford County

Michael Jones
Director of Health Services, Well-Spring

Jaymi LaGuardia
Director of Marketing and Communications, High Point Community Foundation

Paul Lessard
President, High Point Community Foundation

Alice Moore
Community Volunteer

Dr. Whitney Oakley
Superintendent, Guilford County Schools

Wendy Poteat
President & Chief Executive Officer, shift_ed

Dr. Kimberly Steinke
Interim Chief, Exceptional Children and Student Services, Guilford County Schools

Walker Sanders
President, Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro

Dawn Spencer
Program Coordinator, High Point Schools Partnership

 

Our Staff
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Wendy Poteat

Wendy Poteat, MPA

President & Chief Executive Officer

 wendy@shift-ed.org

Amanda Rosemann

Amanda Rosemann

Chief Impact Officer

 amanda@shift-ed.org

Elizabeth Paul

Elizabeth Paul, J.D.

Vice President of Donor Impact

elizabeth@shift-ed.org

TaJuana Robinson

TaJuana Jackson

Executive Assistant & Office Manager

tajuana@shift-ed.org

Brandi Kennedy

Brandi Kennedy, M.Ed.

Director of Secondary & Postsecondary Programs

brandi@shift-ed.org

TaJuana Robinson

Chris Huntley

Director of Workforce Initiatives

chris@shift-ed.org

TaJuana Robinson

Kaitlyn Faili

Manager of Database and Data Analytics

kaitlyn@shift-ed.org

Kat Glover

Communications & Marketing Specialist

kat@shift-ed.org

Mya Walker

Manager of High School Programs

mya@shift-ed.org

Elizabeth Paul

Amanda Mehl

Manager of Elementary School Programs

amandamehl@shift-ed.org

Carrington LeGrande

SEO Scholars Recruitment and 9th Grade Advisor

carrington@shift-ed.org

Elizabeth Paul

Rafael Ibarra-Orozco

SEO Scholars Recruitment and 9th Grade Advisor

rafael@shift-ed.org

Rosemary Plybon

Heidi Liles

10th Grade SEO Scholars Advisor

heidi@shift-ed.org

Careers
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Position: SEO Scholars Operations Manager

Department: SEO Scholars
Report to: This role dually reports to the Director of Secondary and Postsecondary
Programs and the Office Manager
Organization: shift_ed

About shift_ed:
shift_ed is an education-based non-profit organization committed to boldly accelerating student
potential. Our staff, volunteers, and partners are dedicated to the classroom to career success
for the students of Guilford County. We use an equity-based model to provide evidence-based,
impactful, and consistent services making sure students who need the most are offered the
most support from elementary school through high school and college.

As a part of the Classroom to Career Success Model, shift_ed has partnered with Sponsors for
Educational Opportunity (SEO) to facilitate the hybrid version of the SEO Scholars Program.
SEO Scholars is a free eight-year academic program that gets low-income public high school
students to and through college–with a 90% college graduation rate. In high school, we offer
intensive year-round academic preparation via a carefully calibrated, rigorously assessed
course of supplemental education. Scholars also receive one-on-one mentorship, enrichment
opportunities, SAT/ACT prep and strategy courses, academic tutoring, and individualized
guidance through the college application and admissions process.

Weekly Schedule: Tuesday – Saturday (some evening hours required as dictated by the
programs’ needs)

This is a hybrid position based out of our downtown Greensboro office location. It is expected
that some duties will be performed on-site, and some remotely, with the understanding that
government and public health guidelines will determine the extent to which it is safe to carry out
in-person and onsite activities.

All candidates must be within commutable distance of shift_ed’s offices at 125 S Elm Street
Suite 500 Greensboro, NC 27401 upon hire

Responsibilities:
● Ensure the successful operational implementation of hybrid SEO Scholars programming
on Saturdays and during the summer, including providing effective operational support
for synchronous classes, Saturday Academy and Summer Academy programming.
● Manage details related to the execution of programming logistics, including partnering
with external vendors, providing class schedules for SEO Scholars programming,
working with staff to coordinate space and supply needs, etc.
● Coordinate details for external hybrid visits (ie. donors, foundations, special guests) to
Saturday, summer, and occasional online weeknight programming.
● Continually develop, evaluate, and improve operational systems, including Attendance
tracking, emergency protocol communication, as well as the physical systems and
materials for programming.

● Serve as the key program liaison for all space requests for in-person programming
● Oversee the packaging, transporting and purchasing of materials needed to support
shift_ed SEO Scholars programming
● Provide operational support for family engagement events such as Coffee and
Conversation and family engagement nights (both virtual and in person)
● Manage procurement, tracking, and distribution for meals for in person programming
● Oversee the transportation coordination for scholars to in-person community days
● Support and streamline systems for data entry, maintenance, and reporting of all program data
including but not limited to: Academic data (grades, assignment completion, attendance,
retention, demographics), attendance data (Saturday Academy, In person community days)
● Manage shift_ed SEO Scholar program materials purchasing and organization systems
including tracking receipts and creating monthly expense reports
● Lead identification and development of programmatic space relationships. Manage all
necessary permitting, contracts, insurance requirements, as well as collaboration with
space managers for in person events (In person Community Day, Orientation)
● Oversee all aspects of the program space during program hours, serving as the first
point of contact for any issues arising with the space, technology, materials, and/or
requests from Scholars and Scholar Advisors

Manage External Relationships:

● Continually develop best practices to maintain communication and goodwill with all
partners and vendors.
● Develop and maintain MOU agreements with external partners
● Liaise with other departments at shift_ed as needed to share information and coordinate
best practices.
● Manage relationship and workflow with North Carolina municipal/government agencies
for the benefit of student transportation passes ordering and reporting. Project future
student transportation needs and usage for budgeting purposes and order directly from
the respective agencies/vendors to maintain sufficient inventory.
● Other duties as assigned.

Core Competencies & Skills:
● Demonstrated passion for closing the opportunity and academic achievement gap
at the high school and college level for first-generation and historically marginalized
student populations.
● Strong written and verbal communication skills, including an ability to clearly and
effectively present content in a public forum, engage in active listening, and command
the attention of large groups of students.
● Excellent interpersonal skills. Must be practiced in building professional relationships
and delivering constructive, honest, and productive feedback to Scholars and family
members.

● Intermediate to advanced Excel and reporting skills with an affinity towards
data-driven outcomes.
● A proven background working with families and within communities reflective of
shift_ed and SEO’s scholar population with the combined lived and learned
experience to effectively apply a genuinely empathic, race-intentional, and inclusive lens
to both relationships and work product.
● Bilingual Spanish/English is highly preferred; other language skills are welcome!
● Exceptional attention to detail, organizational skills, and time management skills with
unquestionable commitment to high-quality work
● Highly adaptable and solutions-oriented, even when faced when resource limitations
● Comfortable working independently as well as under supervision

Compensation and Benefits:
shift_ed offers employer-paid health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, and life
insurance as well as a 401K match up to 3%.

Classification:
Job Classification: Full-time
Pay: $45,000-$60,000; salary commensurate with experience
Benefits:
● Dental Insurance
● Flexible schedule
● Health insurance
● Life insurance
● Paid time off
● Vision insurance
● Work from home
Physical setting:
● Hybrid/Office

 

Position: Director of Strategic Philanthropy

Reports to: VP of Donor Impact
Schedule: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and some night or weekend events
Travel: Up to 25%
Salary range: $60,000 – $70,000/per year
Location: 125 S. Elm St., Suite 500, Greensboro, NC 27401. Hybrid schedule

About shift_ed:
shift_ed is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to boldly accelerate student
potential. Our continuum of educational programs spans from kindergarten to career, with
initiatives that are evidence-based and equity-minded. We partner closely with Guilford County
Schools to provide thousands of hours of tutoring, aptitude assessments, college prep
workshops and career exploration programming to students. Thanks to generous community
support, shift_ed has also awarded more than $6.1 million in scholarships since 2018.

Description:
The Director of Strategic Philanthropy will play a crucial role in advancing the organization’s
mission by implementing effective philanthropic strategies. This position requires a dynamic
individual with a proven track record in fundraising and donor relations. The successful
candidate will lead the charge in securing financial support to drive shift_ed’s initiatives and
contribute to the overall success of educational programs within the shift_ed footprint.
The Director of Strategic Philanthropy supports overall fund development and stewardship. This
position is responsible for managing and growing the portfolio of individual, corporate, and
philanthropic investors contributing to the overall mission and vision of shift_ed. The Director
of Strategic Philanthropy will work to develop high-quality donor stewardship products and
communications, providing updates to institutional partners on shared funding opportunities,
and the organization of meetings, calls, and events that advance vital donor relationships.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

Philanthropic Strategy Development:
■ Collaborate with the executive team to develop and execute a comprehensive
philanthropic strategy aligned with shift_ed’s mission and goals.
■ Identify funding opportunities, both traditional and innovative, to support initiatives
and programs.

Fundraising Research and Development Support:
■ Identify and research all potential opportunities from corporations, foundations,
federal grants, and private philanthropists/investors.
■ Increase revenues by 6%-10% annually through corporate, individual, and foundations
funding and/or state or federal contracts.
■ Support shift_ed’s general operating fundraising goal and priority strategic initiative
fundraising goals by building workplace giving relationships.
■ Research prospective investors to make recommendations on their interests,
alignment with shift_ed efforts/goals, capacity to give, giving history, solicitation
guidelines and possible means for introductions.
■ Maintain a system for generating and tracking prospective and current investors,
staying ahead of national trends and news with the potential for impacting our
fundraising.

Donor Engagement & Relations:
■ Provide high quality stewardship of shift_ed donors, including personalized outreach
and invitations to relevant events and experiences, scheduling prospect meetings,
coordinating sponsor recognition efforts with the VP of Donor Impact and
Communications and Marketing Specialist and ensuring appropriate funder
engagement with shift_ed leadership and staff.
■ Collaborate on all ongoing donor communications and funder-related programmatic
briefings.
■ Provide required shift_ed staff members with all needed information for donor events
and meetings: meeting coordination, list pulls, database entry and donor informational
packets/briefings.
■ Successfully represent shift_ed in public settings which include events and meetings
with current and potential funders and well-organized, impactful site visits.

Community Engagement:

■ Represent shift_ed at community events and functions to raise awareness and support
for the organization’s mission.
■ Collaborate with local businesses, organizations, and stakeholders to foster strategic
partnerships.
■ Plan and execute fundraising events to generate financial support and increase
community awareness creating a robust annual fund.

Fundraising Database Management:

■ Maintain and update donor databases including data entry (including call notes and
action items), tracking progress of fundraising activities, and reporting.
■ Manage data and donation-entry processes, ensuring the timely processing of all
investments received by shift_ed. Extract information from fundraising database to
meet reporting and research needs of senior leaders and members of the Fundraising
Advisory Committee of the shift_ed Board of Directors.
■ Work with the VP of Donor Impact and CEO to create stewardship strategies for
high-level donors and groups of donors. Track and coordinate all aspects of the
stewardship strategies.
■ Work with the Chief Financial Officer to ensure that all gifts and pledges in the donor
database reconcile with accounting records monthly.

Qualifications:
Education and Skills Requirements:
■ Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university or equivalent combination of
work experience, education, or training.
■ 3- 5 years of fundraising experience with specific experience in prospect research,
project management, donor database management and grants.
■ Exceptional interpersonal and customer service skills, with the ability to develop
productive working relationships with diverse coworkers and groups both by phone and
in person.
■ Proficient in the use of Donor Perfect Platform.
■ Strong communicator who has experience researching and synthesizing information for
senior leadership in preparatory documents and other collateral.
■ Ability to prioritize and manage multiple responsibilities independently.
■ Excellent written and verbal communication abilities and interpersonal skills

■ Have the ability to engage, build, and maintain relationships with a variety of
individuals and organizations.
■ Have a positive, solutions-oriented attitude, a drive for excellence, and ability to be a
team player.
■ Knowledge of fundraising principles and practices.
■ Excellent time management skills.
■ Demonstrate superior organizational skills, attention to detail and the ability to meet
deadlines.

How to Apply:
Please email careers@shift-ed.org with resume, letter of interest identifying the fundraising
principles that guide success, and the following writing samples:
● Draft an end of year letter solicitation for shift_ed
● A sample email to a prospective donor to request a meeting