Director: Excel Beyond the Bell San Antonio

UP Partnership•San Antonio, TX

12d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director leads Excel Beyond the Bell San Antonio’s (EBBSA) strategy, operating approach and partner alignment. EBBSA is a collaborative network expanding access to high-quality out-of-school-time opportunities for young people across San Antonio. The Director strengthens youth-serving organizations and connects the network to Future Ready Bexar County and its goal of 70% postsecondary enrollment by 2030. This network-leadership and build-and-transition role integrates EBBSA’s Advocate, Generate and Educate strategies, advances Developmental Relationships and high-quality practice, mobilizes youth investment and systems change, and builds the financial, governance and operating capacity needed for long-term sustainability. The Director is accountable for EBBSA’s contribution to Future Ready KPI 1.b—more young people experiencing strong Developmental Relationships with adults—and prepares the network to thrive with greater independence as UP Partnership’s backbone role evolves. The Director sets strategy, priorities, measures and accountability; leads continuous improvement informed by surveys, youth perspectives and practitioner experience; and represents EBBSA in cross-sector partnerships. The role stewards EBBSA’s governance groups, builds shared ownership among network members, advances policy and systems support, and sets the strategy for equitable access to high-quality out-of-school-time opportunities. The Director also provides strategic leadership for Excel Academy and develops learning, coaching and peer-learning approaches that strengthen organizational capacity. The Director leads strategies to align and increase investment in youth development, develops a diversified revenue pipeline and cultivates funders and other investors. In partnership with the CEO, committees and network leaders, the Director plans EBBSA’s transition and sustainability, assesses organizational and operating models, establishes continuity systems and monitors associated risks. The role manages EBBSA’s budget, staffing, contracts, operating rhythms and performance, coordinating with UP Partnership functions and partners. The position is based in San Antonio, Texas, with a hybrid work arrangement and regular presence at partner organizations and community convenings. It is classified as exempt, full-time, and offers compensation of $105,000.

Requirements

Seven or more years of progressively responsible experience in youth development, out-of-school-time systems, nonprofit leadership, collective impact, community partnerships, education or a related field.
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
At least three years supervising staff, leading a significant function, managing external providers or leading complex cross-organizational work.
Demonstrated success building coalitions and leading through influence across organizations with different priorities and capacities.
Experience with youth-serving organizations, revenue development and funder relationships, strategy implementation, capacity building, continuous improvement and evidence-informed decision-making.
Experience engaging executives and diverse groups.
Strong grounding in racial equity, youth voice and positive youth development.
Excellent communication, facilitation, relationship-building and project-management skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience with the Search Institute Developmental Relationships framework.
Experience with out-of-school-time quality improvement.
Experience with collective impact, backbone or regional partnerships.
Experience with network transition, governance and shared leadership.
Knowledge of San Antonio and Bexar County’s youth-serving ecosystem.
Experience with cross-sector work spanning education, government, philanthropy or workforce.
Experience with advocacy or public investment, diversified funding, or continuous improvement.
A master’s degree in a related field.

Responsibilities

Set EBBSA’s direction, priorities, measures, milestones and accountability in alignment with Future Ready’s North Star and Voice, Healing and Access pillars.
Lead EBBSA’s contribution to KPI 1.b and the Search Institute Developmental Relationships framework, supporting partners in moving from training to sustained organizational practice and improved youth experiences.
Use survey results, youth perspectives and practitioner experience to identify disparities, set learning priorities and run continuous-improvement cycles.
Represent EBBSA as an anchor partner on the Future Ready Coordinating Committee and connect youth development with K-12, postsecondary, government, philanthropy and other sectors.
Advance policy and systems support; strengthen resources, partnerships and funding; and build practitioner and organizational capacity.
Steward the CEO Roundtable, Steering Committee and strategy committees, establishing clear roles, decisions, accountability, participation and onboarding.
Build trusted relationships and shared ownership among CEOs, executive directors and network members so priorities become coordinated action.
Set strategy to expand equitable access to high-quality out-of-school-time opportunities and address barriers to quality and participation.
Integrate Developmental Relationships, racial equity and continuous improvement into capacity building, and provide strategic leadership for Excel Academy.
Develop professional learning, coaching and peer learning; secure expertise for organizational capacity gaps; and spread effective practices across the ecosystem.
Lead strategies to increase and align public, philanthropic and institutional investment in youth development and out-of-school-time opportunities.
Build evidence, partnerships and shared narratives for sustained investment, and mobilize partners around lawful advocacy and systems-change priorities.
Elevate youth and provider perspectives and build relationships across government, philanthropy, business, education and community institutions.
Develop a multi-year sustainability strategy, annual and multi-year revenue goals, and a diversified pipeline across philanthropic, public, corporate and other sources.
Cultivate investors and lead cases for support; partner with UP staff on proposals, grant budgets, reporting and stewardship while retaining accountability for EBBSA revenue.
With the CEO, Steering Committee and network leaders, establish transition milestones; assess organizational, governance, fiscal and operating models; and build systems, documentation and leadership capacity for continuity.
Monitor readiness and financial, governance, operational, partnership and reputational risks while preserving EBBSA’s measurable contribution to Future Ready.
Establish measures, learning cycles and operating rhythms; partner with UP’s Data function on EBBSA measures and products; and connect evidence, lived experience and partner learning to decisions.
Develop and manage the annual budget; make strategic staffing, contract and investment decisions; and set clear roles and accountability across contractors, consultants and partners.
Coordinate with UP Partnership functions, resolve ambiguous strategy, funding, delivery, governance and reputation challenges, and remain accountable for EBBSA’s performance, financial health, capacity and sustainability.