Managing Director of Programs

About the Organization

Ranked amongst the Top 50 “Best Nonprofits to Work For 2023” by The Nonprofit Times, Eye to Eye is on a mission to improve the educational experience and outcomes of neurodiverse young people across the country, while engaging them and their allies in the movement for a more equitable and inclusive society. Together, we envision an anti-ableist world that fully embraces neurodiversity.

For more than twenty years, Eye to Eye has contracted with middle school, high school and college partners to provide student-centered, strengths-based programming for students who learn differently. Our award-winning near-peer mentoring program for students has empowered more than 12,000 students through a fun and engaging weekly curriculum of projects proven to develop the most critical skills for students who learn differently to thrive in school and life. In 2021, Eye to Eye expanded our program offerings for schools to include a collection of professional development workshops for educators focused on creating inclusive and supportive environments where all students thrive.

The organization is in an exciting phase of innovation as we expand beyond our classic Eye to Eye suite of services to advance our mission in new and exciting ways through the launch of The Neurodiversity Alliance. The Neurodiversity Alliance equips high school and college students directly with the tools to launch neurodiversity-focused clubs on their campus, while providing access to a variety of scholarships, leadership opportunities, and national campaigns and events designed to build community, facilitate peer-to-peer support, raise awareness, and engage in advocacy.

About the Role

The Managing Director of Programs will combine innovative thinking and hands-on leadership to develop and implement high quality, student-centered programming across both The Neurodiversity Alliance and Eye to Eye suite of services. The Managing Director will provide oversight and be accountable for all aspects of program design and delivery through the direct leadership of a team of Program Team Leads, as well as indirect coaching and mentoring of Program Managers and Coordinators. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience leading programs for school-based, youth and young adult programs on a national level.

The Managing Director is responsible for meeting or exceeding the organization’s annual program goals, requiring the thoughtful tracking and reporting of data related to program participation and impact, as well as ongoing evaluation and continuous improvement that incorporates national and local research, data, and best practices. The Managing Director serves as an advocate for the organization and participates in various community outreach and development activities as well. Reporting to the Founder & CEO, the successful candidate will work in close collaboration with other members of the leadership team, Board of Directors, and other key internal and external partners and supporters.

Responsibilities

Program Development and Design

• Lead the collaborative development of Eye to Eye’s theory of change, logic model, and overall program strategy to ensure each program model has clearly defined outcomes and activities and implementation guides that are effective at achieving them.
• Facilitate the collaborative development and refinement of a culturally relevant curriculum for students ages 10 through 26 and the educators who support them, along with related content and resources that leverage the lived experiences of our staff and community of students and educators.
• Lead innovation efforts to drive the intended impact of programs, including market research, design sprints, prototyping, rapid testing, and learning and pilots, with a focus on high-quality implementation, productization and scalability.
• Ensure all programs and operations are aligned with industry best practices with a focus on continuous learning and improvement.
• Review and analyze data and key metrics to ensure that services are effective in delivering intended impact and facilitating intended outcomes and develop improvement and innovation strategies as appropriate. ​​

Program Delivery and Team Leadership

• Oversee implementation of curriculum, calendar of services, and all aspects of program delivery, ensuring high-quality programming standards and consistent progress and adherence towards established program goals.
• Develop and inspire a diverse team of professionals with the capacity and competencies needed to achieve their goals, while maintaining a deep partnership with team members through mentoring and coaching.
• Collaborate with direct reports to establish individual and team goals, KPIs, budgets, and project plans to guide their work in alignment with the strategic goals of the organization.
• Work cross-collaboratively with our Partnerships, Marketing, and Development teams to maximize access, participation, and revenue potential across Eye to Eye and The Neurodiversity Alliance’s programs.
• Manage expenses in accordance with established budget and work with Development and Operations teams to solicit additional resources as needed.
• Collaborate with the Operations team to ensure program materials are deployed in a timely and realistic manner.

Organizational Leadership

• Serve as an active member of the organization’s leadership team, providing input on organization-wide strategy, goals, budgets, policies, systems, and various special initiatives.
• Represent Eye to Eye’s programs to current and prospective funders, as well as the Board of Directors, including serving as staff liaison for the Board’s Program Committee and preparing various reports, analysis and recommendations as requested.
• Serve as an ambassador for the mission of Eye to Eye and as a credible subject matter expert in the field.
• Facilitate effective cross-functional communication and collaboration that contributes to a culture in which diversity, equity, and inclusion are centered.
• Mitigate the organization’s exposure to risk, including ensuring compliance with all relevant laws, policies, and established guidelines.
• Provide a compelling vision, clear goals, appropriate guardrails, and personalized coaching and support to a team of functional area leads.

Qualifications

• Passion for the mission, vision, and goals of Eye to Eye and The Neurodiversity Alliance with a commitment to inclusive collaboration that prioritizes and incorporates diversity and equity in all aspects of work.
• 8 years of experience leading the development and implementation of high-impact programming for youth and young adults in a school-based setting, including developing a curriculum and related delivery model, establishing goals, setting priorities, and leading a team to meet or exceed those goals.
• 5 years as a leader with proven ability to cross-collaborate and manage a high-performing team to scale programs and practices with fidelity and impact on a regional or national level.
• Experience in developing professional learning, networks of local chapters, and system change strategies is preferred.
• Previous experience working within a school system or adjacent education-focused nonprofit, preferably within a middle school, high school, college, and/or postsecondary transition context.
• Demonstrated expertise related to learning disabilities, neurodiversity, K-12 special education and/or postsecondary disability services.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including experience building relationships with various stakeholders and collaborating in a diverse and dynamic team environment, as well as the ability to write compelling messages and reports
• Demonstrated analytical and evaluative skills to effectively use data and insights to support decision making
• Results-oriented - holds themselves accountable for short- and long-term success

Compensation & Benefits

The salary for this position typically starts between $120,000 and $140,000, dependent upon experience and qualifications. In addition, Eye to Eye offers competitive benefits such as the following:

• Generous Paid Time Off – Up to 40 days of paid time off annually, including 20 days of structured holidays/breaks and 20 days of flexible personal days for vacation, illness, or other personal needs.
• Affordable Medical Insurance – 100% employer-paid premiums for silver-level plans for employees and their dependents via UnitedHealthcare (including options to upgrade and/or add a partner as desired), or $250 per month in additional compensation in lieu of medical insurance for those already covered elsewhere.
• Free Dental, Vision, Life & Disability Insurance – 100% employer-paid premiums for standard dental, vision, life, and short- and long-term disability plans via Guardian.
• Retirement Planning Support - 401(k) savings plan with dedicated advisor and savings matched up to 5% of base salary after six months of service.
• Flexible Spending Accounts – Pre-tax spending accounts funded via payroll deduction are available for qualifying transit, healthcare, and other expenses.
• Remote Office - A $1,000 budget for remote office set-up, plus $50 per month internet connectivity stipend.

Application Process & Timeline

Application Process

Please submit a resume and cover letter sharing your connection to our values and mission and alignment with the skills and experiences desired for this role. You can submit such materials online at eyetoeyenational.org/careers.

Eye to Eye honors the various ways people prefer to communicate and process information. Because of this, we invite all applicants to submit a brief 1-minute video introduction to accompany your written application. If you choose to submit a video introduction, you will be able to do so directly within the application portal.

Application Timeline (Subject to Change)

• Application Deadline: Applications will be accepted through Wednesday, January 31, 2024.
• Interview Process: Candidates advancing to the interview stage will be notified prior to Friday, February 9. Interviews will ideally take place starting the week of February 12, 2024 through the week of March 4, 2024.
• Reference Checks: After final interviews, candidates will be asked to submit 3 professional references and reference checks will be conducted on the top candidate prior to an offer being made.
• Decision made: We hope to make an offer on or before March 8, 2024, but no later than March 15, 2024.
• Start Date: The ideal start date is Monday, April 1, 2024, but no later than Monday, April 15, 2024.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Eye to Eye is an equal-opportunity employer that celebrates the strength in differences and seeks a team that is reflective of the diverse communities we serve. In furtherance of this goal, we strongly encourage candidates who learn differently, particularly people of color who have been most impacted by educational inequities, to apply.

All applicants will receive full consideration without regard to disability, medical condition, race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, creed, age, citizenship status, marital or familial status, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics.

Eye to Eye is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request, either by phone at 929-364-9144 or via email at people(at)eyetoeyenational.org.