Innovation Consultant (Boston)

Written on 7:27 AM by Angela Livingston

Providers’ Council-
The Council, with a corporate name of the Massachusetts Council of Human Service Providers, Inc., is the state’s largest association of nonprofit community health and human service organizations. Among its objectives is advancing the sector through public policy advocacy, learning programs and initiatives, research and reports, communication services, member benefits and various convenings for learning, exchange and networking. The Council is governed by the thought leaders within its membership and is engaged in activities to support the sector, its workforce, and searching for sustainable solutions.

Opportunity-
The Council is seeking a graduate student to advance its work on identifying and sharing innovative models and practices for sustainable human service organizations. The primary medium for the exchange of information will be developed on the Council’s website. Other methods for sharing and learning will be explored as well. The student will be engaged in a part-time independent consultant position on a short term basis to begin in late August 2009 and directed by the Massachusetts Council of Human Service Providers, Inc. The consultant will be also work with a board committee (Innovation and Social Enterprise Committee) and with representatives of Boston University and Clark University in areas of innovation. This position is funded through a foundation grant.

Objective
Human service organizations, in general, are at risk as declining governmental funding threatens their ability to meet their missions for the public good. These organizations have a heavy reliance on government funding and have had lacked inventive to diversify or explore other funding models. In addition, many organizations could engage in various corporate structures, business models and social enterprises that could be considered innovations. The Council asserts the sector would benefit from an improved understanding of various corporate governance and business models and, understanding the applicability of social enterprise as a species of innovation that may provide additional financial resources directed toward their social missions. The primary objective is to build the capacity of the Council to become a resource and forum for dialogue on sustainable innovative practice for this sector.

Specific expectations
The successful applicant for this work will be expected to:
• Identify and catalogue models and applications of innovation in governance, corporate structures, alliances, partnerships, and administrative support that have demonstrated effectiveness.
• Identify and catalogue social enterprise models that have demonstrated effectiveness and potential for replication in this sector.
• Create and manage a list serv fostering dialogue and exchange of ideas about innovation within the Councils membership.
• Work with Providers Council staff and the Innovation and Social Enterprise committee to write a report summarizing the work

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Required Skills:
Specific knowledge will be required to understand our current system of an open source Drupal configuration with a CiviCRM built in customer relations manager. The consultant will be expected to have excellent written, verbal, and technological skills. The consultant should have advance skills in building a web capacity to catalogue innovative models and practices that have been determined to be among the best in its class.
The consultant should also have strong knowledge of social networking and new media in order to effectively research potential models of innovation.
It is preferred that the student has knowledge of or an interest in human services.

Other related duties as assigned

Applicants should send a letter of interest outlining their skills and experiences most appropriate for this engagement and their resume via email to Carly Burton at cburton@providers.org by August 12, 2009.

• Location: Boston
• Compensation: Pay rate will be $16-$18 per hour.
• Telecommuting is ok.
• This is a contract job.
• This is at a non-profit organization.
• OK to highlight this job opening for persons with disabilities
• Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
• Please, no phone calls about this job!
• Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.

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