Executive Director, Janney Plus Programs (Janney+)

Janney Plus Programs (Janney+)
Executive Director
Compensation: $115,000–$125,000
Location: Washington, DC 
Full-Time | On-site at Janney Elementary School (NW DC)

About Janney+

Janney Plus Programs (Janney+) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides programming for students at Janney Elementary School in Northwest Washington, DC. Janney+ offers before and after-school care, enrichment classes, language programming, and full-day camps during school breaks and summer. Janney+ supports the broader school community by providing recess support and providing operational support for select school day staff. Janney+ exists to add to the lives of Janney students and families by offering programming that is curious, playful, supportive, and community-centered.

For more information, please visit: janneyschool.org/janneyplus/

Position Summary

Janney+ seeks an exceptional, mission-driven leader to serve as Executive Director (ED). The ED is responsible for the overall strategic direction, maintaining trusted partnerships, operational excellence, financial health, and program quality of Janney+. This role is both strategic and hands-on, ensuring strong day-to-day systems while guiding long-term sustainability. 

The next Executive Director will be a relationship centered leader who combines strong interpersonal skills with sound operational management. This person will steward Janney+’s warm, community-oriented culture while ensuring effective systems, clear communication, and strong organizational alignment. The ideal candidate will be child-centered with a genuine appreciation for the role Janney+ plays in the school community. They will support an experienced, long-tenured team, honor the organization's strong foundation, and provide structure and accountability while also guiding thoughtful growth and evolution. 

The ED leads a team of 12 full-time program directors and administrative staff, oversees a large part-time workforce of 60, and partners closely with Janney Elementary School leadership and the parent-led Janney+ Board to ensure alignment, safe operations, and strong community trust. The ED provides year-round leadership across Janney+ programming, including school year services and full-day camps during school breaks and summer programming.

Janney+ operates an annual budget of approximately $3 million, and the Executive Director leads budgeting, forecasting, and financial oversight across multiple programs and revenue streams.

Core Responsibilities

Organizational Leadership & Strategy

• Lead the vision, strategy, and annual priorities of Janney+ in partnership with the Board and school leadership.
• Ensure programming consistently aligns with the Janney+ mission and reflects community needs.
• Drive continuous improvement across enrollment systems, program design, staffing models, customer service, and internal operations.
• Serve as the primary organizational spokesperson and relationship lead with families, school partners, and key stakeholders.
• Translate strategic goals into clear workplans, roles/responsibilities, and measurable outcomes.

Program Oversight & Quality

• Provide leadership and accountability for all Janney+ programs, including:
  • ​​​​​Before Care
  • After Care
  • Enrichment programming
  • Language programming
  • Camp Days
  • Summer programming
• Partner with Program Directors to maintain program parameters, staffing plans, and program structures that meet the needs of students and families.
• Ensure strong program planning and execution across the full calendar year, including summer staffing, scheduling, and family communications.
• Maintain high-quality program delivery through clear supervision systems, staff expectations, and a consistent student experience.
• Oversee a network of external enrichment providers, including vendor contracts, scheduling coordination, and alignment with program quality, safety, and operational standards.
• Establish systems for evaluating program success and continued opportunities for improvement, incorporating feedback from families and staff in response to evolving community needs.

External Engagement & Partnerships

• Serve as the primary face and voice for Janney+ community and Janney community at-large to ensure collaborative relationships, trusting partnerships and a positive environment. 
• Facilitate positive, constructive interactions among and between all stakeholders by demonstrating a strong sense of community.
• Maintain a strong, collaborative working relationship with Janney Elementary School leadership and DCPS to support shared priorities and effective coordination.
• Ensure Janney+ thrives as an official DCPS partner organization, including maintaining required documentation, compliance expectations, and partner processes as applicable.

Safety, Risk Management & Student Support

• Ensure Janney+ maintains a safe, supportive environment for students and staff, including physical safety, emotional wellbeing, and appropriate behavior supports.
• Lead emergency planning, incident response, and staff training in coordination with Janney school leadership and relevant agencies.
• Oversee crisis communication, incident documentation, and follow-up with families and staff as needed.
• Ensure consistent implementation of safety procedures and supervision expectations across all seasons, including summer operations and off-site programming as applicable.

Financial Leadership & Sustainability

• Own overall financial health of the organization, including budgeting, forecasting, cashflow planning, and enrollment-based revenue management.
• ​​​​​​​Prepare and manage the annual operating budget, including enrollment-based forecasting and financial planning for both school-year programs and summer camp operations.
• Oversee financial controls and systems, including registration revenue tracking, payroll, purchasing, and vendor payments.
• Ensure completion of required filings and financial documents (including federal and state requirements) on time and accurately.
• Identify and manage financial risks and develop strategies for long-term sustainability.

Human Resources & Staff Culture

• Lead all HR functions and ensure compliance with employment law and best practices.
• ​​​​​​​Oversee recruitment, hiring, onboarding, training, evaluation, and retention across a large workforce.
• Foster a positive, supportive, and high-performing team culture grounded in professionalism, inclusion, accountability, and continuous growth.
• Partner with Program Directors to implement performance management systems and professional learning opportunities.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for sensitive employee relations matters and personnel decisions.

School Partnership & Building/Space Operations

• Maintain and manage facility use agreements, MOAs, and related approvals required to operate before/after school programming, camps, and summer programming within the Janney building.​​​​​​
• Collaborate with school staff to organize and assign building rooms and spaces for all Janney+ programming and operations, including summer building access and program needs.
• Ensure alignment with school-based operational expectations so extended-day programming supports the overall student experience and maintains a positive shared-use environment.

Governance & Board Partnership

• Report directly to the Janney+ Board and participate actively in all Board and committee meetings.

• ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Provide clear, consistent ED updates on operations, staffing, finances, risks, enrollment, and strategic priorities.
• Partner with the Board Chair and committee leads to prepare meeting agendas, strategic materials, and decision points.
• Support Board development through transparent communication, strong documentation, and timely reporting.

Systems, Technology & Operational Infrastructure

• Oversee the systems and tools required to run a high-performing extended day organization (registration platforms, payroll/HR systems, parent communication tools, etc.).
• ​​​​​​​Ensure policies, handbooks, and procedures remain updated, compliant, and consistently implemented.
• Strengthen internal workflows for enrollment, rosters, staffing coverage, incident reporting, and family communications across the full year, including summer operations.

Qualifications

The Janney+ Search Committee recognizes that not every candidate will bring every element of knowledge, skills, and experience listed below and welcomes candidates with a range of experiences.

Preferred Experience and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree in Education, Nonprofit Management, or related field strongly preferred.
• ​​​​​​​Minimum of 5 years of progressive leadership experience in school-based programs, youth development, education administration, or nonprofit operations, with demonstrated responsibility for complex operations and staff management.
• Demonstrated success managing complex operations with multiple programs and a large staff team.
• Strong financial management experience (budgeting, forecasting, analysis, controls).
• Demonstrated experience leading and supporting staff across hiring, supervision, performance management, and professional growth, with practices that are compliant with organizational policies and employment requirements.
• Strong communication skills (written and verbal) with ability to navigate sensitive issues with professionalism and care.
• Experience partnering with a public school system (DCPS or similar) and operating within shared-building environments.
• Experience working with a parent-led Board and/or community governance structure.
• Experience leading safety protocols, emergency response planning, and staff training systems.
• Proficiency with technology platforms and systems required for program operations (Microsoft Office and comparable program systems).
• Ability to meet background checks as required by DCPS and/or program policies.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this role is $115,000–$125,000, with eligibility for an annual performance-based bonus of up to 12%. This is a full-time, on-site position with a competitive benefits package, including health insurance, a 401(k) plan, flexible spending accounts, paid time off, and professional development opportunities.

How to Apply

Janney+ has retained the executive search firm LeaderFit to lead this search. Candidates should share an updated resume and brief cover letter outlining their interest in the role and upload it to the LeaderFit system.

Janney+ is an equal opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants equally without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability status.

At LeaderFit, all candidate materials are reviewed by experienced humans, never by AI. We believe that evaluating leadership potential, lived experience, and alignment with mission and culture requires human judgment, insight, and care. We leverage AI in other ways to ensure efficiency, optimized research, and allowing LeaderFit staff to focus on what humans do best, which is connecting, engaging, and building community.