Operations / Administration Senior Program Manager, BOS
Job Description
Organization Profile:
Founded in 1999, BUILD’s mission is to use entrepreneurship to ignite the power of youth in under-resourced communities to build Career success, Entrepreneurial mindsets, and Opportunity. We help students become the CEO of their own lives
BUILD’s unique program offers students a four-year entrepreneurship experience designed to develop 21st Century Skills and motivate student engagement in school. Starting in 9th grade, BUILD students work with their peers and community mentors to develop business ideas, pitch to funders and launch real businesses. As students journey through high school and continue to grow their businesses, BUILD helps them explore college and career options, and assists students with the college application process. Entrepreneurship is the spark – college, career, and life success are the goals.
BUILD currently serves approximately 2,000 high school students annually at programs located in the San Francisco Bay Area, Washington DC, New York City and Boston. Our new digital offerings are reaching up to 15,000 students in 50 cities. For more information, please visit www.build.org.
Our Culture:
BUILD is made up of a diverse, results driven and passionate team who believe in the potential of every student and the power of entrepreneurship to transform the education landscape. We work in a collaborative environment where perseverance, flexibility, and an entrepreneurial spirit are encouraged and celebrated. Our culture thrives by embracing diversity, equity and inclusion, including cross-cultural understanding. Kindness, empathy and respect are at the forefront of the way we treat each other, our students, our teachers and our supporters. We believe in the potential of every student and are dedicated to breaking down the educational, economic and social barriers that stand in the way of their long-term success. The remarkable young men and women whom we serve are at the center of everything we do. We are intentional about our culture so that we can best support them.
Position Summary:
Reporting to the Boston Program Director, the Sr. Program Manager, Y3+ (SPM) will play a leading role in implementing and growing the BUILD Your Future curriculum in our partner schools in the greater Boston area. The SPM will provide programmatic leadership, relationship management, and high quality training and support for BUILD instructors. This position will work closely with all program team staff and with Postsecondary Pathways leadership, with a focus on preparing BUILD students for postsecondary success. Serving primarily 11th-12th grade students and recent high school graduates, this role is designed to develop BUILD students’ navigational capital and access to career pathways, financial wellness, networking opportunities, and college pathways.
The SPM will liaise with multiple teams and stakeholders at BUILD to cultivate a culture of teamwork, excellence, collaboration, and learning among existing and future BUILD sites and community partners. Working in collaboration with the Boston program and development staff as well as other BUILD staff nationwide, the SPM will ensure that the BUILD Your Future curriculum and programmatic offerings are operating effectively and meeting the needs of students in alignment with BUILD’s mission and values. In addition, the SPM will support the cultivation and maintenance of new school and community partnerships. This role serves as the lead for balancing Boston program quality, consistency, cost-effectiveness, and student-centered innovation.
Position Responsibilities:
Coaching and Training
- Provide coaching and professional development, ensuring program excellence, to BUILD teachers and partner facilitators
- Collaborate with BUILD staff locally and nationally to provide trainings in using effective instructional practices for virtual and blended learning with youth from under-resourced communities
- Develop and maintain relationships with BUILD teachers, facilitators, volunteers, staff, and board members by demonstrating care, respect, and high expectations
- Organize and lead workshops and events related to postsecondary success
School and Community Partnerships
- Foster a culture of belonging, trust, effective communication, perseverance, collaboration, and overall excellence across partner sites
- Support regional team in developing and managing partnerships with new schools to ensure effective and sustainable implementation of BUILD offerings
- Support the identification and selection of new school partners in collaboration with the Regional Executive Director, Directors and school and district leadership
- Explore opportunities for partnership with community-based organizations and higher education institutions
Program Implementation, Evaluation, and Instructional Design
- Utilize data to identify promising practices, celebrate successes, surface areas of improvement, and recommend strategies to promote organizational growth locally and nationally
- Support the creation, implementation, and improvement of BUILD curriculum development and digitization
- Collaborate with teachers to effectively deliver the BUILD Your Future curriculum and support positive learning environments for all students
- In collaboration with regional and national program staff, help to design curricular content aligned with the principles of project-based learning, 21st century skill development, and design thinking
Alumni Network Development & Support
- Work in collaboration with the Postsecondary Pathways team and with BUILD graduates to build a strong Boston alumni network that offers postsecondary guidance and mentorship opportunities for BUILD alums
- Organize and execute the annual process for BUILD Scholarship applications, selections, and disbursements
Qualifications:
- BA or BS degree in education, social work, or related field. Master’s degree preferred.
- 5+ years of classroom teaching experience or direct service working with youth.
- Knowledge of systems and processes for college and career exploration.
- Experience supporting high school students navigating postsecondary success.
- Can effectively deliver entrepreneurship curriculum and utilize experiential learning.
- Demonstrated ability to foster healthy and high performing strategic partnerships.
- Experience coaching and supporting educators and/or other adult learners.
- Familiarity with leveraging digital tools to promote a fun and engaging learning environment.
- Knowledge of urban public school systems.
- High cultural competence with experience serving diverse populations and students from under-resourced communities.
- Self-starter, thrives in a fast-paced environment and has a sense of humor.
- Capable of thriving in a fast-paced work environment.
- Fluency in one of the five main languages spoken in Greater Boston is a plus (Spanish, Haitian Creole, Chinese, Portuguese/Cape Verdean Creole, Vietnamese).
- BUILD requires vaccination against COVID-19 for all employees. Reasonable accommodations based on a qualifying medical exemption or sincerely held religious belief are being considered in accordance with applicable law.
Successful candidates will demonstrate the following competencies through a combination of previous education/work experiences:
BUILD’s Core Values:
Keep Students at the Center – As BUILDers, we hold an unwavering passionate commitment and belief in the power and potential of youth. Our organization exists to serve students. We seize each opportunity to contribute to the foundation of knowledge, skills, and networks from which students can build extraordinary lives. Our operating principles and decisions focus on what is in the best interest of our students.
Bring the Spark – As BUILDers, we excel in the entrepreneurial Spark Skills that we teach our students – Communication, Collaboration, Problem Solving, Innovation, Grit and Self-Management. We communicate through transparent and honest dialogue. We cherish teamwork, tenacity, and thinking outside the box. We demonstrate a relentless pursuit of excellence and approach work with a positive can do attitude. When we bring the spark we achieve great things together, and we model the way for our students.
Bridge Communities – As BUILDers, we develop and foster relationships in service of creating access and opportunities for our students, staff, and stakeholders. We value all who come to the table as partners to maximize our collective impact. By connecting the communities in which we work, we build empathy, equity, and social capital.
Promote Diversity and Social Action – As BUILDers, we understand that Diversity, Equity and Inclusion matters, but what matters even more is Action. We strive to create equity of voice, access, influence and power across lines of difference – both in and beyond BUILD, specifically for groups that have been historically denied social and economic justice. If we are not part of the solution, then we are part of the problem. We welcome, celebrate, and embrace the unique expressions and contributions of us all – our backgrounds, race, ethnicity, gender, language, sexual orientation, and social class.
Competencies:
- Strategic Thinking – Take into account and analyze various points of view and pieces of data to form a perspective appropriate to a particular context.
- Relationship-Building/Relationships Management – Utilize effective interpersonal skills and techniques to reach mutually beneficial goals over time.
- Entrepreneurialism – Demonstrate comfort with risk- and initiative-taking in order to achieve unique and aggressive goals.
- Creativity/Innovation – Envision new ideas that transcend traditional approaches and practices to move work forward.
- Qualitative Analysis – Review non-numeric, often subjective, data sets in order to recognize patterns, identify additional information or data needed, and draw conclusions.
- Time Management – Effectively prioritize and execute projects based on time estimates and relative importance.
Position Details:
- Full-time/exempt position
- Location: BUILD Offices, Boston, MA
- Frequent travel between local sites is required so employees should have their own vehicle for transportation (valid proof of insurance required). Mileage for work-related travel beyond the normal commute will be reimbursed at the stipulated IRS rate.
- Occasional travel is required during the year for college tours and visits to BUILD sites and gatherings nationally.
Compensation:
The salary for the Sr. Program Manager ranges from $70-75k in accordance with BUILD’s equity focused salary bands. BUILD offers a competitive benefits package for eligible employees. This includes employer paid medical, dental & vision coverage, flexible spending accounts, employer paid life insurance, and a 403(b) plan with match. In addition, eligible BUILD employees qualify for generous vacation, sick time, paid Federal holidays, and a flexible work environment.
COVID-19 Commitment to Safety:
BUILD requires vaccination against COVID-19 for all employees. Reasonable accommodations based on a qualifying medical exemption or sincerely held religious beliefs are being considered in accordance with applicable law.
