The Elizabeth Peabody House, Vice President of Programs & Learning

Edgility Search•Somerville, MA

40d•$110,000 - $125,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Elizabeth Peabody House (EPH) is seeking a Vice President of Programs & Learning, a newly created executive leadership role responsible for ensuring that every program at EPH contributes to one integrated vision for children and families. This role reports to the Chief Executive Officer and will oversee EPH's educational programs (toddler, preschool, after-school, and summer learning) as well as the Food Access Program. The Vice President will directly supervise program directors and will focus on building a cohesive continuum of services that connects educational excellence with family well-being. The ideal candidate is a systems thinker, comfortable coaching leaders, analyzing data, and facilitating strategic conversations. This is an opportunity for a collaborative executive leader to build organizational capacity, strengthen program quality, and push the boundaries of what is possible for children and families.

Requirements

At least 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in early childhood education, youth development, family services, nonprofit leadership, or a related field.
Demonstrated success leading leaders and overseeing multiple programs or service areas simultaneously.
Experience building systems that integrate diverse programs into a cohesive organizational strategy.
A strong understanding of assessment, program evaluation, and continuous improvement, with demonstrated ability to use quantitative and qualitative data to improve organizational outcomes.
Experience coaching instructional and program leaders while creating cultures of accountability, learning, and professional growth.
A compelling communicator who can articulate complex ideas—including organizational strategy and Theory of Change—to educators, families, Boards, funders, and other stakeholders.
Demonstrated success leading organizational change through collaboration, influence, humility, and strong relationship-building.
Experience serving children and families from diverse cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
A deep commitment to Elizabeth Peabody House's mission and belief that strengthening families requires an integrated approach that combines education, stabilizing supports, intentional partnership, and access to opportunity.
A culturally responsive leadership style that values inclusion, equity, authentic relationships, deep reflection, and continuous learning.

Responsibilities

Serve as a member of the Executive Leadership Team, helping shape organizational strategy, priorities, and decision-making.
Develop and execute a comprehensive strategy for EPH's education, family engagement, food access, and future workstreams that align with the organization's mission and Strategic Plan.
Build an integrated continuum of services that strengthens outcomes for children and families across programs rather than operating as individual departments.
Identify opportunities to expand organizational impact, deepen partnerships, and increase program effectiveness.
Translate strategic priorities into actionable implementation plans with measurable goals and clear accountability.
Anticipate emerging trends and community needs, positioning EPH to respond proactively and innovatively, with an eye on meeting the needs of youth and young adults.
Foster a culture that embraces thoughtful experimentation, continuous improvement, and learning.
Provide executive oversight for all education programs, including toddler, preschool, after-school, and summer programming, as well as EPH's Food Access Program.
Ensure programs operate as an interconnected system that reflects a shared vision for supporting children and families.
Strengthen alignment across programs so families experience coordinated, seamless services.
Develop consistent expectations for program quality while recognizing the unique goals and needs of each program.
Lead strategic planning and annual goal-setting across all program areas.
Identify opportunities to strengthen collaboration among program leaders and eliminate organizational silos.
Ensure program models remain responsive to community needs while maintaining fidelity to EPH's mission and values.
Champion a culture in which assessment, evidence, and continuous improvement inform decision-making at every level of the organization.
Design and strengthen organization-wide systems for measuring program quality, participant outcomes, and organizational impact.
Develop meaningful performance indicators that align with EPH's Theory of Change and strategic priorities.
Support Program Directors in using qualitative and quantitative data to improve program design and implementation.
Regularly analyze organizational performance trends and translate findings into strategic recommendations.
Build systems that allow EPH to learn across programs and continuously refine its work.
Partner with staff to establish cycles of reflection, learning, and improvement.
Directly supervise the Director of Food Access, three Education Program Directors, and future Director of Family Engagement and Experience.
Build a strong leadership team through coaching, mentoring, and ongoing professional development.
Establish clear performance expectations and accountability systems for leaders across the department.
Foster collaboration, trust, and shared ownership among Program Directors.
Support leaders in solving complex operational and programmatic challenges.
Identify opportunities to strengthen leadership capacity throughout the organization.
Contribute to recruitment, hiring, onboarding, succession planning, and retention of exceptional talent.
Promote a workplace culture grounded in equity, inclusion, collaboration, and continuous learning.
Develop systems that improve communication, coordination, and decision-making across programs.
Create structures that enable programs to work together efficiently while maximizing organizational resources.
Identify operational challenges and lead cross-program problem-solving efforts.
Build processes that improve consistency, accountability, and effectiveness.
Partner with colleagues across finance and development to ensure programs are well-resourced.
Lead programmatic change initiatives that strengthen EPH's long-term reach and impact.
Push the organization to think creatively about what is possible while thoughtfully managing change.
Ensure all programs are centered on the needs, strengths, and aspirations of children and families.
Help shape the organization's approach to family engagement and, over time, support the development of a comprehensive family engagement strategy.
Build authentic partnerships with families, schools, and community organizations that enhance program quality, expand learning opportunities, and connect families with needed support.
Ensure community voice informs program design and continuous improvement.
Partner with the CEO to clearly articulate EPH's Theory of Change and strategic vision.
Translate complex programmatic work into compelling narratives that resonate with families, staff, Board members, funders, and community partners.
Present organizational data, outcomes, and recommendations to diverse audiences in ways that are accessible and actionable.
Support fundraising efforts by contributing program expertise to grant proposals, reports, donor engagement, and impact storytelling.
Represent EPH at meetings, conferences, and convenings.
Serve as a thought partner to the CEO and Board on issues related to program strategy, impact measurement, and organizational growth.
Partner with the CEO and finance team to develop and manage program budgets.
Ensure responsible stewardship of organizational resources across all program areas.
Monitor resource allocation to maximize impact and organizational sustainability.
Ensure compliance with licensing, funding, accreditation, and regulatory requirements.
Identify opportunities to secure additional resources that strengthen programs and organizational capacity.
Support long-term organizational planning by aligning program investments with strategic priorities.
Champion equity, belonging, and inclusion throughout program design, leadership practices, and organizational decision-making.
Foster a culture of curiosity, innovation, accountability, and collaboration.
Model reflective leadership, transparency, humility, and continuous learning.
Build an environment where staff feel empowered to contribute ideas, challenge assumptions, and pursue excellence on behalf of children and families.
Ensure EPH's values are reflected consistently in how programs are designed, evaluated, and improved.