Program Director, Breakthrough NKU

NKU Beta Gamma Sigma•Highland Heights, KY

5d•$80,000 - $85,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Program Director is a member of Breakthrough NKU’s leadership team and is responsible for high-quality, engaging, mission-aligned programming for students and Teaching Fellows. Breakthrough NKU, hosted by NKU and affiliated with Breakthrough Collaborative, serves River City students from grades 6 through 9, supporting their academic growth, personal development, and postsecondary pathways while preparing college students to become educators and leaders. The role leads the design, implementation, evaluation, and ongoing improvement of student and Teaching Fellow programming. It manages and develops program staff, establishes effective delivery systems, uses data to guide decisions and interventions, and connects school-year and summer programming. The Program Director works closely with the Executive Director, NKU colleagues, program staff, schools, community partners, and Breakthrough Collaborative to ensure programs meet community needs and support strong student and Teaching Fellow outcomes. This is a full-time, year-round, on-site position based at NKU, with Flexwork possible if approved by the supervisor. Regular in-person engagement and on-site presence during summer programming are required. The position involves periodic evening and weekend work, local travel, and potentially some national travel. Employment is with NKU and is subject to institutional policies, background checks, student-safety requirements, and other applicable conditions. The posted salary is $80,000–$85,000, commensurate with experience.

Requirements

At least 4 years of progressively responsible experience in education, youth development, college access, teacher development, nonprofit programming, or a related field.
Master’s-level degree in education or a related field is required.
Demonstrated experience supervising, coaching, and developing staff.
Experience designing, managing, or leading high-quality programs for young people.
Experience managing complex projects involving multiple staff members, deadlines, priorities, and stakeholders.
Strong people-management, project-management, relationship-building, communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills.
Ability to establish expectations, coach for improvement, develop emerging leaders, provide feedback, and hold people accountable.
Ability to build authentic and productive relationships across differences in identity, background, experience, role, and institutional context.
Cultural humility, curiosity, self-awareness, and willingness to listen and adapt.
Strong understanding of high-quality student programming and ability to translate educational goals into effective program experiences.
Ability to use quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate progress, identify needs, and develop solutions.
Commitment to Breakthrough NKU’s dual mission and belief in students’ potential; understanding of systemic barriers to postsecondary access and success and commitment to partnering with students and families.
Collaborative leadership, ownership, accountability, sound judgment, flexibility, resilience, initiative, and a solutions-oriented approach.
Comfort working in a dynamic environment with seasonal changes in workload, staffing, and priorities.
Ability to learn and use data systems effectively; experience with Salesforce (Breakthrough) and Slate (CRM) or demonstrated ability to learn and use data systems.
Availability for regular on-site work, summer program presence, periodic evening and weekend work, local travel, and potentially some national travel.
Employment is subject to required background checks and student-safety requirements.

Nice To Haves

Terminal degree (Ph.D. or Ed.D.).
Experience with curriculum development, instructional leadership, teacher preparation, or student support.
Experience working with students and families from communities historically underrepresented in higher education.
Experience building and maintaining relationships with schools, school districts, colleges, universities, or community organizations.
Experience recruiting, training, or supporting college students, educators, or seasonal staff.

Responsibilities

Lead planning, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement of the four-year summer academic program and associated school-year activities, setting priorities and measures of success aligned with organizational goals and Breakthrough Collaborative standards.
Plan staffing structures, timelines, training schedules, program resources, and operational systems; monitor summer program quality and address emerging challenges.
Evaluate program effectiveness and use feedback from students, families, Teaching Fellows, and staff to improve programming.
Recruit, select, onboard, supervise, and evaluate Teaching Fellows and seasonal program personnel, including instructional coaches, AmeriCorps members, and instructional and support staff.
Set expectations and accountability structures; build a collaborative team culture; provide staff training, coaching, professional development, supervision, feedback, and performance support.
Collaborate with NKU faculty, experienced educators, and partners to strengthen the Teaching Fellow experience and encourage interest in education careers.
Lead curriculum development, selection, review, and improvement in partnership with Breakthrough Collaborative; establish instructional expectations and supports across classrooms and grade levels.
Monitor instructional quality through observations, staff feedback, student performance, and other evidence, and use findings to strengthen instruction and professional development.
Integrate college exploration, career awareness, leadership development, and other enrichment; connect summer instruction with school-year academic supports.
Lead student recruitment, enrollment, retention, and progression in collaboration with schools, families, and community partners.
Establish an inclusive and supportive learning environment and systems for attendance, academic support, mentoring, behavior expectations, and individualized student responses.
Build relationships with students and families, support accessible communication and meaningful engagement, and use family perspectives in program decisions.
Connect Breakthrough experiences with broader grades 6–12 enrichment opportunities and pathways toward high school and postsecondary success.
Establish and monitor measurable outcomes for student achievement, preparedness, engagement, persistence, Teaching Fellow development, and program quality.
Maintain accurate and confidential student and program records, using Breakthrough’s student and program data systems (BTSP) and other assessment tools.
Analyze quantitative and qualitative data with the Executive Director to guide adjustments to instruction, staffing, student supports, and operations; engage staff in reflection and improvement.
Prepare program reports, communicate outcomes, and support organizational planning, grant reporting, and national affiliate requirements.
Coordinate implementation, resources, and partnerships with the Executive Director, NKU colleagues, and external partners.
Manage day-to-day operations, including facilities, technology, transportation, food services, instructional resources, scheduling, and logistics.
Develop operational procedures, communication systems, and documentation; ensure compliance with NKU policies, Breakthrough Collaborative requirements, and student safety, supervision, and risk management expectations.
Anticipate operational needs, communicate resource requirements, and work with institutional partners to develop solutions.
Plan and launch the inaugural summer 2027 program, including recruitment and preparation of students, Teaching Fellows, Instructional Coaches, and other personnel.