Director of Programs

Director of Programs

Position Type: Full Time

About DC SCORES:

DC SCORES builds neighborhood teams that give kids in need the skills and confidence to succeed on the playing field, in the classroom, and in life. Through an innovative, team-based, school-based model combining poetry/spoken word, soccer, and service-learning delivered through free afterschool programs and summer camps – children get to engage year-round in arts, athletics, and academics daily, alongside their classmates.

DC SCORES is a nonprofit 501(c)3; our current annual budget is approximately $1.8M and we are preparing for steady growth over the next five years to meet growing needs in Washington, DC. We have worked with over 10,000 children since our founding in 1994, and this year are serving more than 2,200 at 55 schools and rec centers across the city in neighborhoods characterized by entrenched poverty. DC SCORES has been replicated in 13 cities and helms a collaborative affiliate network, America SCORES. More info: www.dcscores.org.

About the position:

This position is perfect for an individual with classroom experience who is passionate about youth development and supporting youth during out-of-school time hours, and who both excels at and enjoys building and maintaining supportive, productive relationships with colleagues and school partners. There is significant opportunity for growth in this role over the next 2-4 years, including developing general nonprofit management and leadership skills, and leading projects that affect >10,000 America SCORES participants around the country. This is not a typical desk job nor a typical field job. The Director of Programs will be in the field nearly as much as in the office, and must not only be comfortable fluidly transitioning between the two environments, but also be able to maintain clear, accurate, current records and stay current on email despite that fluidity. The position is part project manager, part trainer, part curriculum designer, part customer support, part event planner, and part executive coach. The position requires moderate physical labor (e.g. moving goals and uniforms, carrying boxes of notebooks, etc…). Because we are such a small team, most staff “own” at least one important event, in addition to their routine responsibilities. This position “owns” the annual Poetry Slam!. The Director of Programs reports to the Chief Program Officer, and collaborates closely with all members of the Program Team, the Chief of Staff, Operations Manager, and Community Engagement Coordinator.

Responsibilities

1) Site Management: DC SCORES has invested significant resources over the past two years in developing detailed program quality measures and a site management tool aligned with those measures. This position is responsible for ensuring programming adheres to those measures.

• Oversee coach and participant recruitment at all sites
• Ensure Program Quality
• Lead program team to regularly collect program quality data about every DC SCORES site (using mobile-friendly site report forms)
• Analyze program quality data weekly
• Lead program team through weekly assessment of site/coach support needs
• Annually review program quality measures and site visit forms, and update as needed
• Site Support
• Create support plans for struggling sites and recognition plans for high-functioning sites
• Project manage implementation of those plans
• Maintain a weekly site visit schedule and orchestrate staff site visits aligned with site support plan; regularly make site visits across the District
• Deliver – and orchestrate other staff’s delivery of – targeted, ongoing site supports
• Support the Chief of Staff and Chief Program Officer in producing annual site-specific reports for school principals/administration and preparing for annual site meetings
• Lead communication with parents, e.g. via a parent handbook, parent newsletter, and robocalls/SMS.

2) Curricular Oversight

• DC SCORES_
• Annually review DC SCORES curricula (including lessons, rationale, desired outcomes) for efficacy and relevance_ _
• Create new content or supplements to enhance curricula and address common coach questions or challenges, as needed_
• Assess third-party trainings and curricular modules for relevance to SCORES’; work with third parties to include such lessons or training in DC SCORES’ work as appropriate
• America SCORES National Network
• Project manage up to 2 network-benefiting curricular projects/year, including any holistic curricular updates
• Involve affiliate staff in / project manage their contributions to network- benefiting projects as appropriate
• Participate in periodic network Program Council-supported “best practices” calls
• Staff Training
• Ensure that DC SCORES staff attend youth development training
• Identify staff core competencies and relevant training opportunities to enhance staff ability to support sites and coaches; work with Chief Program Officer to ensure all staff receive appropriate, adequate curricular and youth development training

3) Coach Support :

• Coach Training
• Project manage four all-coach trainings a year (including planning/logistics for location, agenda, trainers, food, materials, etc…) ( note : coach trainings occur on evenings and weekends)
• Implement all-coach training time aligned with compliance needs, quality measures, and youth development training needs
• Maintain the online Coach Resource Center (CRC); keep training resources on the CRC up to date and easily searchable
• Coach Communications
• Form relationships with coaches across all DC SCORES sites, and foster relationships between coaches and other DC SCORES staff
• Manage the coach support email address (coach questions); delegate inquiries as appropriate; update auto-response with FAQs as appropriate; ensure all inquiries receive responses by end of the next business day
• Collaborate with Program Operations Manager and Communications Fellow to ensure weekly coach bulletins consistently and adequately communicate timely, relevant information
• Ensure all coaches have ready access (via CRC, emails, robocalls/SMS, etc…) to all information they need to be successful in lesson planning, behavior management, events, and more

4) Poetry Slam!: Our annual two-night slam is the culmination of our fall season and a celebration of our participants’ voices, effort, and teamwork. It is also an important evening for donor and partner cultivation. This position “owns” the slam.

• Project manage the entire Slam! (e.g. logistics, agenda, program, vendors, staffing, event flow)
• Prepare school sites to perform in the Slam!; ensure coaches have all information they need leading up to the Slam! and night of for their teams to be successful
• Identify, invite, and oversee emcees, judges, and special guests
• Plan, track, and adhere to the Slam! Budget; process all expenses timely
• On-site event management for both Slam! nights

The Director of Programs will have great discretion in how s/he accomplishes these goals. There is significant opportunity to be creative, innovative, and entrepreneurial.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will:

• be passionate about DC SCORES’ mission and programs
• have experience as an elementary or middle school teacher or support staffer
• have a customer service orientation and attitude
• excel and enjoy building positive, supportive, collaborative, constructive relationships with colleagues, coaches / teachers, and school administrators
• have a solid grounding in positive youth development
• be detail-oriented, process-oriented, and extremely conscientious about follow-through
• be flexible, inclusive, solutions-oriented, and relationship-oriented
• be a successful team player, and also highly self-driven and capable of working alone
• demonstrate excellent judgment, discretion, and active listening skills
• be willing to regularly traverse DC to meet with coaches and visit sites
• be available to work evening and weekend hours periodically (with notice)

Bachelors degree required. Valid driver’s license required. Graduate degree a plus. Experience in literary arts, poetry, or teaching writing or art a plus. Deep roots in Washington, D.C. preferred. Spanish fluency strongly preferred.

DC SCORES is an organization that values teamwork, leadership, and commitment – these traits permeate all aspects of what we do and how we do it. Ultimately, we seek individuals who are fun, driven, passionate about our work, and uphold our values.

Compensation

The compensation package includes a starting salary in the low-mid $60Ks, a small professional development budget, great health benefits, a 403b plan, and roughly a month of personal leave, including personal days to take at your discretion and approximately 2.5 weeks when the office is closed (select ½ day summer Fridays, 1st week of August, and over the year-end holidays).

To Apply

Please send cover letter and resume with “Director of Programs” in the subject line . Resumes accepted until position is filled. Early submission is highly recommended. Target start date: August 7, 2017.

DC SCORES is committed to recruiting and maintaining a diverse staff; individuals from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. DC SCORES does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, parenthood, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: $60,000.00 to $65,000.00 /year

Required education:

• Bachelor’s