Dwight Hall at Yale Executive Director

Dwight Hall at Yale, founded in 1881 as the Young Men’s Christian Association at Yale, gradually evolved to become an inclusive place for students of diverse backgrounds and beliefs to connect with the community. Today, Dwight Hall is the Center for Public Service and Social Justice at Yale, with the mission to foster civic-minded student leaders and to promote service and activism in New Haven, Connecticut, and around the world. In keeping with this mission, Dwight Hall seeks to enable students to stretch how they learn and to better understand who they are through active engagement with the world beyond the Yale campus. The center is an independent, nonprofit umbrella organization operating its own programs, focusing on community development, education, and leadership development. Dwight Hall also provides support and fosters communication among 3,500 Yale students in over 60 student-run member organizations whose primary purposes fall within Dwight Hall’s mission. Unique in its organizational structure, it is the only college-based center for public service and social justice that is entirely student-run. The Dwight Hall Student Cabinet is the governing body of Dwight Hall and is composed of group coordinators and representatives from Dwight Hall student organizations. Dwight Hall operates on an annual budget of approximately $780,500 that is raised annually mainly through major gifts, grants, endowment income and an annual fund.

The Executive Director will be an individual who can inspire and lead Yale College students to work for social justice through acts of community service and advocacy. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director is responsible for the day-to-day operations of Dwight Hall and promoting its mission. Leading a professional staff of 10, he or she is charged with providing managerial oversight, strategic continuity and preserving the institutional memory for Dwight Hall and supporting and complementing the student leadership team that changes annually. Other key responsibilities include mentoring Yale college students, creating innovative programs, attracting and ensuring the effective management of student volunteers and annually fundraising for both operations and for additional ongoing campaigns. Other key tasks include managing the finances and representing the Hall at the highest levels of each of its constituencies – the University, the Greater New Haven community, the alumni, and the communities at large in which Dwight Hall operates and impacts. The Executive Director is one of the key staff members who serves as an advisor to students in the various aspects of the work of Dwight Hall, including program development, education and training, program management, Yale and community partnerships, public relations, finances and fundraising.

The ideal candidate should have a passion for working with programs of social justice and public service, an advanced degree in human services administration, management, law or a related field, experience working and mentoring college students; familiarity working with a nonprofit board governance; understanding of nonprofit financial and budgeting processes, and a strong drive to facilitate fundraising among foundations, major donors and members of the Board of Directors on behalf of Dwight Hall.

Click here for a complete position description. To send an application or nomination, Please contact Addie Jones at This email address is hidden from email harvesters via JavaScript  to send an application or nomination.