Senior Director of Programs

826 Boston • Boston, MA

1d • $97,000 - $97,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

826 Boston seeks a dynamic candidate with a strong command of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles to serve as our Senior Director of Programs. The ideal candidate is someone who can lead large-scale projects while coordinating the work of others, build and leverage strong networks to cultivate meaningful relationships with students, teachers, school leaders, volunteers, and community partners, and approach challenges with creativity and speed. The ideal candidate will bring a track record of success and innovation with building programs that achieve both depth and breadth of student engagement and have a passion for writing and youth leadership development.

The Senior Director of Programs will have at least four direct reports and oversee the organization’s entire Programs department, currently consisting of two sub departments (In-School and Out-of-School) and a portfolio of 11 individual programs. The Senior Director of Programs will also serve on the organization’s senior management team, contributing to organizational decision-making and vision-setting.

Requirements

• 5+ years of professional experience in a programmatic leadership or oversight role at a K-12 school, education, or youth development nonprofit
• Exceptional team management skills with the ability to mentor, coach, and develop staff alongside fostering community, building a strong sense of team, and embracing values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
• Exceptional time management, project management, and resource management skills with close attention to detail
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Strategic and innovative thinker who is self-directed, adaptable, and deadline-driven
• Ability to incorporate anti-racist and anti-oppressive practices into analysis, planning, and programming
• High level of intercultural competence and experience working in urban communities
• Familiarity with the Boston Public Schools system, particularly the schools in Roxbury, Dorchester, Hyde Park, and Jamaica Plain
• Reside in Massachusetts and be able to travel between the 826 Boston offices and school partner sites

Nice To Haves

• Proficiency in Spanish, Haitian Creole, or Cape Verdean Creole preferred
• Experience with Canva, Google Apps, Salesforce and InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, or similar design tools preferred

Responsibilities

• Lead the expansion of 826 Boston’s programs portfolio in alignment with the organization’s strategic plan and current five-year campaign for growth, resulting in eight Writers’ Rooms, 20 Boston Public School partner sites, and 5,000 students served annually across the full programs portfolio by school year 2028-29
• Serve as key liaison between 826 Boston and Boston Public Schools, maintaining annual data-sharing agreements, financial requirements, and contractual commitments
• Collaborate with the Senior Deputy Director to coordinate program evaluation in order to improve program design and report out on program outcomes to school, district, and funding partners
• Ensure accurate program data across the Programs Department, including tracking volunteer and student attendance, ensuring the completion of student and teacher surveys, administering the annual writing assessment, and collecting student release form
• Manage the Programs Department budget, guiding resource allocation and resource deployment and ensuring accurate record keeping of expenses
• Manage program substitute system to ensure adequate coverage caused by staff PTO, including serving as a substitute on a regular basis
• Provide coaching and guidance to the growing Programs Department, comprised of 20+ full-time staff members, 30+ part-time interns, and 300+ volunteer tutors
• Guide Programs Department staff in establishing team goals and individual work plans in support of department goals
• Identify, plan, coordinate, and lead monthly professional development sessions for Programs Department staff members
• Supervise two In-School Department Program Co-Directors, the Out-of-School Time Program Director, and the Writing Workshop Program Manager
• Lead opportunities to strengthen and increase cross-team and cross-department communication, collaboration, and community
• Serve on the senior management team to ensure progress toward strategic plan goals and identify areas of strength, opportunity, and vulnerability in infrastructure, resources, and staff
• Support the 826 Boston Board of Directors in their program engagement
• Serve as staff liaison to at least one board committee and guide the committee’s quarterly meetings and activities
• Liaise with 826 National and the network of chapters, attending monthly Program Director cohort calls, and serving as the primary point of contact for all program related needs and opportunities
• Provide support at select outreach and fundraising events, including nights and weekends on occasion
• Support organization-wide summer programming
• Provide other services as reasonably requested by the Executive Director

Benefits

• flexible work from home options
• generous paid time off (including 15 PTO days, 5 days of sick leave, 13 paid holidays, 6 Summer Fridays off, and an organization-wide two-week winter break)
• health, dental, and vision insurance (826 Boston covers 80% of premiums)
• parental leave
• paid sabbatical

What This Job Offers

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