Ready for the next step in your leadership journey?
Passionate about education equity and closing the opportunity gap?
Join the dedicated team at ACES to exercise your vision and creativity, set strategy, and build an effective program model that makes a real impact for Twin Cities students.
The Program Director is responsible for the overall strategy, leadership, and implementation of ACES’s educational and youth development programming.
Specifically, the Program Director establishes a comprehensive program strategy, leads the team of Site Coordinators and Academic Coaches who deliver classroom instruction, and ensures all ACES students receive high-quality instruction and mentorship.
The Program Director works to ensure the ACES program model meets community needs, is aligned with current education standards and research, and is implemented consistently and effectively across sites.
As a primary ambassador for the organization, The Program Director reflects organizational values in the communities we serve, builds strong relationships, and manages key partnerships with schools and community organizations.
The Program Director develops a positive, collaborative staff culture, coordinates and delivers ongoing training, and provides regular support and coaching for the program team.
A key member of the leadership team, the Program Director also contributes to ACES’s long-term growth and vision.
Key Functions & Responsibilities Program Strategy: Establish overall strategy for and lead ACES’s program, using evaluation outcomes and current research to set goals and direction; Provide strategic plan input with the Executive Director and staff, including program expansion; Lead a high-performing program team by further developing and implementing recruitment, training, and retention strategies; Maintain organizational staffing by recruiting, orienting, and training program staff; With the Evaluation Manager, implement a continuous quality improvement process, focusing on systems/process improvement; Ensure that all program activities operate consistently and ethically within the mission and values of ACES; Serve as the staff lead for the Education Committee, acting as a liaison between ACES staff and the Board of Directors; Lead Curriculum Development Team to ensure alignment with ACES goals and student needs; Use evaluation outcomes and current research to set program goals and determine strategy and direction; Program Management: Plan and oversee the delivery of ACES’s programming; Collaborate with the Evaluation Manager to conduct implementation and program quality observations, assess consistency and effectiveness, and determine programmatic changes based on observation data; Champion the use of program data to make student-centered decisions; Regularly review, update, and/or create curriculum to improve student outcomes and advance program goals; Build a program site partnership system that includes exploration criteria, agreements/contracts, communication processes, and grievance policies; Explore potential new program sites and establish strong partnerships to advance program expansion; Build and manage relationships with partner site administrators and staff to align program and site cultures; Collaborate with the Executive Director to establish infrastructure, systems, and policies necessary to implement a highly effective program, including maximizing potential of resources and partnerships.
Staff Supervision & Development: Manage and develop a team of full-time and part-time program staff; Supervise, coach, and support six Site Coordinators, ensuring delivery of high-quality programming; Support Site Coordinators in supervising up to 18 part-time instructors; Develop and implement a coaching and performance evaluation system, supporting staff members’ growth Create and implement an annual staff development plan that includes developing and delivering regular trainings on program curriculum, student engagement, instructional methods, classroom management, and culture-building techniques.
Work with external trainers and consultants to provide additional training opportunities for Site Coordinators and Academic Coaches as needed.
Benefits Generous employer-covered health, vision, and dental plans; 12 paid holidays, generous PTO and “Summer Friday” schedule; Flexible work schedule and remote work opportunities; Dynamic team and engaged organization culture; Regular professional development and personal growth opportunities; Employee Assistance Program (EAP); Opportunities to engage with Minnesota sports teams and events; Dog-friendly office; Vacation savings plan; Fitness incentive program.
About You The ideal candidate is proactive, collaborative, strategic, motivated, diligent, supportive, and brings a positive attitude and good sense of humor to their work.
The Program Director keeps youth at the center of their work and embodies ACES’s values: growth-mindset, teamwork, equity, empathy, and responsiveness.
The Program Director is committed to ACES’s mission and works to eliminate education disparities and ensure all students have access to high-quality learning opportunities.
Qualifications Bachelor’s degree or higher Substantial management experience required Experience working in youth programming or education Ability to initiate and follow through on ideas; strong leadership and organizational skills Excellent interpersonal and facilitation skills Excellent written and oral communication skills Strong computer and data management skills (experience with Excel preferred) Ability to work effectively with a wide variety of personalities, ages, and situations Desired Skills & Experience Bilingual in English and Spanish, Somali, or Hmong Experience in teaching, lesson planning, or tutoring, especially in math Experience working with or living in underserved and historically marginalized communities Current Minnesota teaching license or desire to pursue one About ACES ACES (Athletes Committed to Educating Students) is an innovative out-of-school time program that brings math and social-emotional learning to life for Twin Cities students.
Our mission is to reduce the academic opportunity gap and improve the likelihood of success for students in traditionally underserved communities.
ACES’s programming consists of three primary, synergetic components: group classroom sessions, one-on-one mentorship, and unique experiential learning opportunities.
Our unique, project-based curriculum engages students through sports-themed, real-world applications.
ACES partners with mission-aligned Twin Cities organizations and schools, as well as Minnesota’s professional sports teams, to deliver transformational programming for hundreds of students every year.
Equal Employment Opportunity ACES is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions based on merit.
ACES strives to build leadership, staff, and volunteer teams that reflect our values of equity and inclusion with regard to race, ethnicity, class, culture, religion, physical ability, age, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
We respect the value that diverse life experiences bring to our leadership and are committed to being nondiscriminatory and providing equal opportunities in all areas of our work.
People of color and those from other marginalized communities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Apply To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter to Lara Dreier, Talent Coordinator, at laradreieraces4kids.org.
Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position will remain open until filled.
Contact Lara via email with questions or to learn more about the position.