Program Director

Position: Program Director Exempt/Nonexempt: Exempt Hours: 40 Schedule: Hybrid virtual/in-office schedule Reports To: Executive Director Salary: Commensurate with experience About Us At Writers in the Schools (WITS) we believe storytelling reveals our truest selves, that creativity prepares children for a successful future. To that end, our mission is to connect children and youth with professional writers and spoken word artists to unlock the joy and power of storytelling and creative expression. Our vision is that all young people will possess the skills and confidence to share their stories, experiences, and ideas with the world. Role Summary The Program Director will be tasked with setting the vision for WITS’ programs. The Program Director will lead the program team, which develops and manages all writer engagements with schools and community partners. This is a leadership position, and requires excellent communication skills, a deep belief in the power of creative thinking, and a passion for providing equitable access to arts education programming for all children and youth. The Program Director is a strategic thinker with a high EQ, an understanding of group dynamics, a facility for creating systems to move the work forward transparently and equitably, and an understanding of data-informed solutions. Experience within the school system at the campus or systems level preferred. Qualifications Bachelor’s Degree (Required) Master’s Degree (Preferred) 7+ years of professional experience (Required) 3+ years of experience managing teams (Required) Creative Writing and/or Classroom Teaching Experience (Required) Objective/Overview/Purpose The Program Director works in tandem with the Executive Director to set the vision for the program year at WITS. The Program Director manages, supervises, and supports the Program Team, including Program Manager(s), Program Coordinator(s), and Program Associate(s). The Program Director creates and supports relationships with schools, community partners, and educators for school year, after-school and summer camp programming. The Program Director contracts with school and community partners for all WITS Programs. The Program Director manages the budget and oversees finances for the Program Team. Duties/Responsibilities Management Oversee the workload of the Program Team and successful execution of WITS programs. Set the course for the Program Team, establishing norms, procedures and expectations for all team members. Lead weekly Program Team meetings. Identify areas for professional development and redirect the course of the team as necessary. Meet weekly with Program Coordinators and Program Manager to problem solve, manage workloads and ensure program quality. Work with the Executive Director to ensure Program Team members are meeting organizational expectations and work is aligned with organizational goals. Engage in annual performance reviews and regular coaching and feedback sessions for program staff. School and Partner Relationships Create, maintain, and support school and community partner relationships. Lead the prospecting of potential partners through targeted outreach campaigns. Oversee the staffing, planning and execution of WITS programs at school and community sites. Collaborate and support the Development Team to identify funding opportunities, support proposal writing, and collaborate on grant-funded projects. Contracting Create programming proposals, quotes and MOUs for contracted school and community partners. Review, maintain and manage all contracts with external program partners. Work with the Senior Accountant to develop a payment calendar for external partners and align MOUs and Contracts. Monitor and complete RFP applications to maintain vendor status in partner districts both to remain compliant with current partners and in anticipation of future partnerships. Budgeting & Finances Create and manage the budget for the program team. Work with the Program Team to manage sub-departmental budgets, monitor spending and manage revenue streams. Manage program-specific grant expenditures by tracking payments associated with grant-funded programs. Work with the Executive Director and Senior Accountant to create program-specific budgets for grant-funded programs. Oversee the timesheet process for WITS Teaching Artists by troubleshooting, processing and approving timesheets on a biweekly basis. Strategy & Goal Setting Create and oversee annual qualitative and quantitative goals for the Program Team. Set and lead the outreach, prospecting and programmatic strategies for the Program Team. Work with each team member on individual goal setting, ensuring team member goals align with both the department and organization goals. Work with the Executive Director and Development Director to set the strategic course of the organization and align goals and strategies cross-departmentally. Evaluation and Assessment Lead evaluation process for WITS programs to determine program effectiveness, student growth, and teacher and administration satisfaction. Collaborate with the Program Team on the implementation of evaluation tools and teacher surveys. Lead evaluation process for tuition-based programs and Creative Writing Camp, including parent surveys and faculty evaluations. Train the Program Team on data management best practices. Support Program Associates on data entry best practices. Use results from evaluations, surveys, and feedback tools to design training programs for WITS Writers; new programs for WITS students and teachers; and best practices for teaching and learning. Support the Development Team by directing them toward relevant program information. About the Position The Program Director reports to the Executive Director. The position is full-time (40 hours/week), with some evening and weekend events, and the position is classified as exempt. This is a full-time role based at our Houston office. Benefits WITS offers a generous benefits package, including medical, dental and vision insurance, short-term andlong-term disability, and life insurance. First year full-time staff receive 10 vacation days per calendar year, 12 personal time off days per calendar year, and a robust paid holiday schedule. WITS is an equal opportunity employer. WITS’ policy prohibits unlawful discrimination against any applicant or employee based on any legally-recognized basis, including, but not limited to: veteran status, uniformed service member status, race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information or any other consideration protected by federal, state or local law. #J-18808-Ljbffr