Senior Director of Program Innovation and Impact -- UTEC

About UTEC

UTEC is a nationally recognized organization that serves young adults who are in need of justice. Our mission is to ignite and nurture the ambition of our most disconnected young people, inspiring them to trade violence and poverty for social and economic success. The program starts behind the walls of correctional facilities and via intensive street outreach and transitions into an intensive program in the community post-release. Our educational services, wraparound support and counseling, social enterprises/workforce development, organizing/policy work, training institute, and innovative partnerships create an array of impacts in the lives of the individuals and communities we serve, and beyond. UTEC currently operates in Lowell, Lawrence, and Haverhill, MA and our programming has served as a model nationwide.

About the Opportunity

The Senior Director of Program Innovation and Impact will lead UTEC’s efforts to develop and enhance our programs. The Senior Director will cultivate a culture of continuous professional growth, reflection, learning, support, and accountability on the Programs team. The role will embed data-driven practices to inform and assess program quality and outcomes. This position will support UTEC’s replication in Lawrence and Haverhill and the expanding of education and workforce services in these communities

The ideal candidate will be a passionate leader with experience in designing new program models, setting targets for success, developing curriculum, integrating data into learning processes, supervising staff, and fostering students’ interest in social justice. The Senior Director reports to and collaborates closely with UTEC’s Chief Program Officer and will directly supervise four directors on the Programs team.

Responsibilities:

Agency Leadership:

• Serve on the CEO’s Leadership Team, supporting:
  • Agency direction setting, monitoring, and gathering input from colleagues and young adults.
  • Representation of the organization in meetings with partner agencies, funders, and others as needed and development and support of agency culture.
  • Agency efforts to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion in all activities.
  • Centering the needs of youth in org-wide decisions and any intended or unintended impact on the program

Educational Leadership:

• Support the Education and Training components of the program and lead the growth of learning activities for UTEC Young Adults. Key activities include:
  • Supervise the Director of Education and Director of 2Gen and their work with teachers and educational consultants/contractors.
  • Supervise the Director of Workforce Development to create practical training programs that lead to meaningful employment.
  • Supervise the Director of Transitional Coaching to ensure TCs provide a high quality, intensive wraparound service to all youth.
  • Oversee professional development for teaching staff and develop opportunities for UTEC staff and program managers.
  • Identify workforce and educational needs of local employers to ensure UTEC participants gain necessary knowledge and skills for employment.

Development of the Learning Agenda:

• In partnership with the Chief Program Officer, UTEC teachers, and Program Managers:
  • Refine current UTEC competencies and curriculum.
  • Develop and oversee educational and learning opportunities that support young adult economic and social success, focusing on:
    • Expansion of learning components of the UTEC model to Lawrence, and Haverhill

Evaluation Effectiveness:

• Review and revise evaluation methods and data to effectively track program effectiveness and positive outcomes for young adults.
  • Evaluate program implementation processes and develop metrics to quantify goal attainment.
  • Work with the Evaluation Team to integrate or expand data collection methods.
  • Collaborate with program leaders to integrate learning that supports competency development and whole family outcomes across all stages of UTEC programming.
  • Develop strategies to engage proven-risk young adults and create procedures regarding operations, discipline, and instructional practice that promote student learning and success.

Qualifications

There are innumerable ways to learn, grow, and excel professionally. We respect this when we review applications and take a broad look at the experience of each applicant. We want to get to know you and the unique strengths you will bring to the work. This said, we are most likely to be interested in your candidacy if you can demonstrate the majority of the qualifications and experiences listed below:

• Significant experience in youth development or educational settings with a strong understanding of nonprofit program management
• At least 3 years of management and supervision experience in a school, non-profit, government agency, or comparable setting required.
• Demonstrated success mentoring and cultivating people managers.
• Ability to utilize data to develop and track benchmarks for success.
• Ability to multi-task and adapt to a changing environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work as a leader and as part of a team.
• Ability to provide instruction to students on an as-needed/substitute basis.
• Master’s degree preferred.

Salary and Benefits:

• The salary range is $100,000-$120,000 annual as determined by experience. UTEC’s equitable compensation philosophy does not allow for negotiation beyond this range.
• This is a full time, in person role based at UTEC’s headquarters in Lowell, MA.
• UTEC offers a competitive benefits package including:
• 4 weeks of vacation (3 standard for all new employees and a week of agency-wide closure between Christmas and New Year holidays).
• 12 holidays, 10 sick days, 2 personal days.
• Health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Life insurance.
• Annual cost of living increase.
• 457B retirement plan.
• Up to $4,000 per employee for professional development support.
• With time, benefits include up to 6 weeks of vacation, 80% coverage of employee health and dental insurance costs, and availability for a 3-week sabbatical.
• Emphasis on work-life balance with wellness opportunities including additional time off (e.g., early closure on Fridays during summer months), an employee assistance program, down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers, parental leave, bereavement support, and unlimited free coffee.

Submitting Your Application

Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their application through our online portal promptly. All applicants will receive a response to their application. Please email rcostello@positivelypartners.org with questions or for support submitting your application.

While subject to change, candidates elected to advance throughout the process can expect:

• initial interviews with Positively Partners
• a follow up video interview with Tamara Soraluz, Chief Program Officer
• a multi-part in person final interview day and facility tour

The expected start date is Spring 2024. Positively Partners is committed to conducting an equitable, accessible assessment process. If you would like to request an accommodation during the interview process, please email search@positivelypartners.org. Accommodation requests will be handled confidentially.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT

UTEC is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we encourage applications from those with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences that reflect the populations we serve.

UTEC provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

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