Director of Program Operations

Lead For America

64d • $100,000 - $120,000

About The Position

Lead For America (LFA) is dedicated to providing place-based service opportunities to local individuals to help mission-driven organizations advance solutions that are informed by place and responsive to community. The American Connection Corps (ACC), launched by LFA in 2021, is an AmeriCorps service program focused on closing the digital divide in digitally disconnected communities. Supported by a broad coalition of partners including AmeriCorps and major corporations, ACC has members serving in 30 states across the country. The Programs Department at Lead For America is dedicated to designing, implementing, and evaluating impactful programs that align with the organization's mission. Our department plays a pivotal role in ensuring that Lead for America’s programs are thoughtfully developed, executed with excellence, and evaluated for long-term impact. Through our work, we focus on staying committed to our core values of Connection, Innovation, Service, Stewardship, and Trust. The Programs Department is responsible for aligning each initiative with Lead For America’s mission. Through the thoughtful management of program budgets, oversight of execution, and rigorous evaluation, we measure the effectiveness of our work, ensuring that it meets both the immediate needs of the communities we serve and long-term goals.

Requirements

• 7–10 years of experience in the international NGO and/or national public sector with a strong track record of translating strategy into effective program operations at scale.
• Proven team management experience, supervising and developing staff, creating clarity around roles and expectations.
• Operational and project management expertise, skilled at building systems, processes, and tools that support high-quality program implementation.
• Strong problem-solving and feedback orientation, adept at identifying implementation challenges and iterating toward solutions.
• Data- and outcomes-driven, tracking performance and progress against goals.
• Cross-functional collaborator, working effectively across functions and departments.
• Operational budgeting and resource alignment experience, managing program budgets and tracking expenses.
• Commitment to equity and inclusion, integrating equity principles into operational systems and team management.
• Mission alignment, caring deeply about the power of national service and civic leadership.

Responsibilities

• Translate program design into actionable operational plans and processes that ensure smooth delivery of Lead For America’s core programs.
• Oversee the day-to-day and long-term execution of program operations including Member and Host Site onboarding, Programs convenings, and partner communications.
• Ensure timelines, deliverables, and standards are met across all key programmatic phases.
• Build and refine systems and workflows that allow for consistent, scalable execution across cohorts and regions.
• Use project management tools and data dashboards to monitor progress and identify pain points.
• Lead the development and iteration of SOPs to institutionalize best practices and drive operational consistency.
• Maintain tight feedback loops with the Director of Program Design and Member Development, Implementation team (Program Coordinators), and Recruitment & Selection team to identify, escalate, and resolve program design, recruitment, and implementation challenges.
• Coordinate with other departments (e.g., Finance, Development, Communications) to ensure operational alignment and resource availability.
• Manage external communications and relationships when design misalignments impact partners or stakeholders.
• Provide support, thought partnership and prioritization to the Program Coordinators as they navigate the wins and challenges of their role.
• Support Program Coordinators in serving as liaisons between program participants, design leads, and operations.
• Meet 1:1 at least weekly with the Program Coordinators to promote open communication, professional development, and strategic planning.
• Support in drafting, reviewing and maintenance of annual Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), while also conducting performance reviews.
• Approve expenses and time off requests through LFA’s HRIS platform.
• Understand how to use CRM and other systems effectively.
• Ensure data integrity and accurate, up-to-date records for relationship management activities.
• Utilize tracking systems for your work streams that allows for regular analysis of owned workstreams.
• In addition to the responsibilities unique to the Role described above, all Team members devote a portion of their time to supporting strategic and operational efforts across our teams.

Benefits

• Salary Range: $100,000-$120,000
• Salaries are expected to rise over time with increased experience, inflation, and the growth of the organization.
• Ample opportunity for promotion.

What This Job Offers

• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees