Director, National Operations

Year Up • Chicago, IL

12d • Onsite

About The Position

The Director of National Operations is a strategic leader responsible for leading and managing operational plans and processes across Year Up United’s regions. Reporting to the Senior Director, Program Strategy and Operations, this role oversees a team of Operations leaders who manage day-to-day hybrid and in-office operations across multiple locations in direct support of Year Up United programming. In collaboration with stakeholders, the Director will design and implement strategies to enhance in-person student engagement, drive process standardization, and ensure operational excellence across geographies. They will focus on delivering a high-quality, consistent experience for students, staff, and strategic partners while continuously streamlining operations to improve efficiency and effectiveness and reduce cost to serve. Success in this role requires a forward-thinking, proactive leader with a strong track record in operational management, process improvement, and team leadership. The ideal candidate will excel in a fast-paced environment, foster cross-functional collaboration, and bring exceptional communication skills and a customer-focused mindset to plan and advance organizational goals. This is an in-person role requiring 5 days in office engagement to the designated Year Up United location. Applicants must live within a reasonable commutable distance to a Year Up United location.

Requirements

• 5+ years of real estate and facilities management experience.
• 6-7 years of experience in operational and strategic roles within high-performing organizations.
• 2-3 years of management experience.
• This is an in person role requiring 5 days in office engagement to the designated Year Up United location.
• Applicants must live within a reasonable commutable distance to a Year Up United location.
• Strong decision-making skills with orientation to flawless execution in dynamic environments.
• Excellent project management and budget management skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Customer service mindset with strong relationship skills to support and engage with internal and external stakeholders to include high stakes partners .
• Strong organizational and time management skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Collaborative leadership style with strong problem-solving abilities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Salesforce preferred.
• A passion for working with young adults, an unshakable belief in their potential, and a strong commitment to the mission of Year Up United.
• Understanding of the Opportunity Divide and its drivers.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

Nice To Haves

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Salesforce preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead Standards for Exceptional Management of National Portfolio of Sites
• Lead facilities operations across multiple states.
• Develop and execute operational strategies that improve efficiency, service quality, and cost performance.
• Manage operating budgets and capital improvement programs.
• Direct regional operations teams, building facilities managers, and vendor partners.
• Oversee preventive maintenance, compliance, safety, and risk management.
• Negotiate and manage national service contracts.
• Drive workplace experience, sustainability, and continuous improvement initiatives, and other duties as assigned.
• Establish KPIs, performance dashboards, and operational reporting for executive leadership.
• Manage Real Estate Planning
• Lead the end-to-end real estate planning and execution process to support national business operations, including identifying and evaluating potential sites, overseeing location selection, and all aspects of office moves and transitions.
• Assess prospective spaces by evaluating with key stakeholders operational requirements, workforce and training capacity needs, accessibility, regulatory considerations, and financial feasibility.
• Partner with cross-functional teams, including Finance and Legal, to develop and advance plans for new locations, relocations, and lease renewals.
• Develop transition planning and operational readiness for new sites, ensuring alignment across all business functions before launch. This includes coordinating cross-functional planning with Legal, IT, Marketing, and external teams to ensure seamless execution to ensure occupancy and operational readiness.
• Establish project timelines, governance, and performance metrics to ensure on-time, on-budget delivery of new locations and facility initiatives.
• Drive portfolio optimization by analyzing utilization, capacity, operating costs, and strategic needs, and long-range facility plans.
• Develop and maintain long-term real estate strategies that support organizational objectives, operational efficiency, and workforce requirements.
• Operations, Process Improvement, and Leadership
• Develop and implement a comprehensive operational framework and strategic plan for operating across geographies, Collaborating with leadership to streamline, standardize, and optimize processes for greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness .
• Responsible for leading the Student Centralized Asset Management Program (CAM) across all geographies in which we serve students.
• Lead initiatives within Enterprise Health and Safety (EHS) needs of the organization .
• Manage and mentor a multi-geography team to deliver high-quality hybrid and in-person operations while fostering a culture of accountability and excellence.
• Cultivate and maintain productive relationships with external partners (to include colleges, CBOs, and corporate partners), service providers, and vendors to support operational goals.
• Regularly evaluate and report operational performance, identifying opportunities to improve resource utilization and meet organizational objectives.
• Manage the annual budget, implementing effective tracking systems to ensure financial accountability.
• Lead special projects focused on increasing operational effectiveness and efficiency.
• Program, Community, and Volunteer Engagement
• Collaborate with leaders across the organization managing Year Up United offerings to shape and execute a vision for in-person student engagement that maximizes success.
• Partner with National Teams (Events, Development, Corporate Engagement, and Talent Networks) to elevate the Year Up United brand and align programming with revenue and mission goals.
• Coordinate and execute high-impact volunteer and partner programming, including guest speaker series, Fireside Chats, Manager Meet and Greets, mock interviews, in partnership with Development, Corporate Engagement, and Events teams.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring alignment between service delivery and business objectives.
• Conduct post-program reviews and provide key metric reports to assess and improve in-person programming outcomes.
• Change Management and Growth Initiatives
• Lead initiatives to align operational practices across offerings, enhancing organizational capability and consistency.
• Focus on improving customer experience and staff productivity through technology and process innovations.
• Identify and lead special projects to increase effectiveness and efficiency.
• Learning Community Member
• Actively participate in Year Up United’s Learning Community, supporting students as a coach, facilitator, and/or mentor.
• Engage in weekly group sessions with students and contribute to a positive, inclusive educational environment.
• Participate in staff meetings, training, and ongoing professional development initiatives.

Benefits

• Comprehensive healthcare options and dental coverage
• 401(k) match for eligible participants
• Earn three weeks paid vacation in first year of employment; four weeks after initial year.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed