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Description
About Us
Blue Meridian Partners is a pioneering philanthropic model for finding and funding scalable solutions to the problems that limit economic mobility and trap America’s young people and families in poverty.
We know solutions exist, but even the most promising strategies cannot reach far enough, fast enough without significant, long-term investment. We bring an innovative investor mindset backed by a decades-long track record to the pursuit of upward economic mobility for individuals and communities. By pooling resources, our Partners can unlock substantial philanthropic capital and invest effectively and efficiently.
Anchored by our tested and continuously improving, performance-based investing approach, Blue Meridian makes strategic, long-term investments across multiple portfolios aimed at boosting economic mobility from cradle to career. We support nationwide and place-based strategies to amplify impact across the country and within specific communities. We identify visionary social sector leaders who address key drivers of poverty and invest the flexible, upfront capital they need to dream bigger and exponentially expand their reach, influence, and impact.
We are constantly learning, exploring, and seeking out new collaborations in relentless pursuit of creating lasting impact at scale that can change the life trajectories of millions of young people and families in America. Blue Meridian is staffed by an experienced team of results-focused leaders, and we welcome other mission-driven champions to join us.
Position Profile
The Senior Fellow serves as a key strategic leader in advancing Blue Meridian's place-based approach to economic mobility, including high-performing place-based partnerships. With extensive expertise in government, including policy development and implementation of key domains within Blue Meridian’s Comprehensive Framework, the Senior Fellow will advance Blue Meridian's relationships with investees and support the development of innovative approaches to increasing government effectiveness and efficiency and contributions to cradle to career outcomes and inclusive economic growth.
This is a fixed-term position for a period of two years.
Working independently and in partnership with members of the Place Matters team, the Senior Fellow will report to a Managing Director within the Place Matters Portfolio and focus on identifying and supporting Catalytic Supports and other Enabling Strategies with a focus on public sector improvement.
Primary Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Portfolio Development
- Assume leadership of emergent strategy within the Place Matters portfolio designed to build effective and sustainable public private partnerships, including supporting state and local governments to adapt to the changing economic, political, and funding environment.
- Lead on government relationships and collaborate with BMP colleagues to support sourcing, due diligence, and creation of relevant investment recommendations, with emphasis on government, nonprofit intermediaries and technical assistance providers focusing on budget realignment, program efficiency, integration of workforce and economic development efforts, and building strong cradle-to-career place-based partnerships with government and communities.
- Design and implement policy and public sector related strategies that strengthen Blue Meridian's place-based portfolio, identifying opportunities to scale successful models across diverse communities.
- Support the aggregation of public and private capital to support the growing demand for public private and place-based partnerships.
- Establish and maintain a comprehensive learning agenda, capturing insights from investments and broader field trends to continuously improve Blue Meridian's and investees' strategy and operations.
- Lead or support coordination across Catalytic Supports investments supporting the public sector.
Investee Partnership & Growth
- Collaborate with Place Matters colleagues managing investments in intermediaries, technical assistance providers, and place-based partnerships, when relevant, serving as the primary relationship manager for organizations focused on government efficiency, stability, workforce and economic development.
- Manage the duality of supporting organizations in achievement of their own growth and milestones while guiding the alignment and, as appropriate, integration of efforts across a set of complementary organizations helping to ensure transparency, build trust and collaboration, and where relevant, support the achievement of shared outcomes.
- When relevant, provide investee performance assessment and management, utilizing regular communication and periodic formal reports to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for increased impact.
- Design and facilitate strategy sessions, and performance reviews that accelerate collective learning and field advancement.
Ecosystem Development & Field Leadership
- Develop and implement an evolving vision for the role of the public sector in the Place Matters strategy, with a focus on developing and implementing public private partnerships in state and local governments.
- Lead direct relationships with government officials (elected, appointed and civil servants) to understand needs and invest in Catalytic Supports that correspond with needs.
- Drive related external partnership strategy and engagement, fostering transparent communication with organizations who are critical co-creators of the Place Matters strategy.
- Serve as a thought leader in relevant components of the field, representing Blue Meridian in key forums and contributing to field-building initiatives.
- Champion Blue Meridian's approach to place-based and public private partnerships.
- Develop and maintain robust feedback mechanisms that support continuous improvement and shared learning.
- Lead knowledge sharing and coordination efforts among external partners to strengthen the field's collective impact.
- Monitor and evaluate partnership effectiveness through ongoing assessment and strategic check-ins.
Team Leadership
- Teach colleagues about public sector practice and relevant components of the policy development and implementation process at various levels of government. Keep colleagues apprised of changes in government in ways that are accessible and learning oriented.
- Provide mentorship and partnership to team members on complex projects and investments.
- Foster a culture of excellence, continuous learning, and mission alignment within the team.
- Model Blue Meridian's values and collaborative approach in all interactions.
Qualifications
Required
- Aligned with Blue Meridian's mission and core values.
- Minimum of 18+ years of relevant professional experience, with a track record of progressive leadership responsibility in government, intermediaries or other institutions that collaborate with government.
- Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in a related field strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated expertise in public private partnership models, with specific experience preferred in cradle-to-career continuum approaches and collective impact methodologies.
- Sophisticated understanding of the social determinants of economic mobility and proven ability to design multi-faceted interventions that address root causes of systemic inequities.
- Exceptional relationship management skills with experience working directly with senior government leaders, boards of directors, and high-profile investors in diverse settings.
- Outstanding leadership abilities with demonstrated capacity to influence without direct authority and navigate complex stakeholder environments.
- Proven track record of leading initiatives that have achieved measurable impact at scale.
- Exceptional strategic thinking capabilities with the ability to synthesize complex data and translate it into actionable insights.
- Superior communication skills with the ability to convey complex ideas persuasively to diverse audiences, including government and community stakeholders.
- Advanced analytical capabilities with expertise in performance measurement, evaluation, and impact assessment methodologies.
- Exemplary project management skills with experience leading complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives to successful outcomes.
- Deep commitment to equity and inclusion with demonstrated ability to work effectively across diverse communities.
- Ability to balance a meticulous and rigorous professional approach with a flexible and empathetic demeanor responsive to others' needs.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite and project management tools.
- Willingness to travel as required (approximately 30-40%) .
Preferred
- Experience working across for-profit, non-profit environments, and the public sector.
- Demonstrated success in designing and implementing public, private and/or nonprofit strategic plans that have achieved measurable results.
- Advanced degree in public policy, business, social work, urban planning, or related field.
- Recognized thought leadership in the field of place-based partnership
- Experience with the design and development of data tools and resources that enable or enhance state and local analysis, service delivery, or continuous improvement or leveraging AI to transform processes.
- Facility with Salesforce CRM and SharePoint.
At Blue Meridian, we value a variety of perspectives. Even if your experience does not fully align with our preferred qualifications, we still encourage you to apply.
Compensation
Blue Meridian Partners aims to provide a comprehensive and competitive total compensation package.
For this consultant role, the annualized salary is $308,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications. This figure reflects the scope and strategic importance of the position, and is aligned with market benchmarks for similar roles.
This position description is a guide to the primary duties and functions of the job, not an all-inclusive list of responsibilities, qualifications, physical demands and work environment conditions. Position descriptions are reviewed and may be revised to meet the changing needs of Blue Meridian Partners at the sole discretion of management.
Blue Meridian Partners is committed to equal employment opportunity, without regard to race, color, gender, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy, disability, veteran status, prior record of arrest or conviction, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law. These opportunities include all terms, conditions and privileges of employment, including (but not limited to) recruiting, hiring, job assignment, training, compensation, benefits, discipline, promotion, and termination.
How To Apply
Please apply directly through the link.