Director of Strategic Operations

Director of Strategic Operations Reports to : Senior Director of Operations Status : Full-time; Exempt Location : Hybrid - Los Angeles (Little Tokyo Office) Hours of Operation : Monday–Friday, core hours 9am–6pm with flexibility as needed Salary Range : $105,000–$120,000 annually (based on experience and qualifications) Are you passionate about giving back to your community and making a lasting difference in the lives of young people? Who We Are In 1922, Woodcraft Rangers opened its doors in Los Angeles and began its mission of guiding young people as they explore pathways to purposeful lives. As a progressive organization, Woodcraft has always been responsive to the evolving needs of the communities served, and is notably inclusive, youth‑led, and rooted in the Woodcraft Way — a holistic framework that develops body, mind, spirit, and service. Continuously at the forefront of expanded learning opportunities, Woodcraft Rangers has a rich history of making a significant impact in the greater Los Angeles area, believing that all youth are innately good, deserve the opportunity to realize their full potential, and should be an active participant in defining their own path. What We Do Woodcraft Rangers provides TK–12 expanded learning programs, including before and after school, specialty enrichment, and summer learning. In recent years, Woodcraft has expanded its services beyond traditional afterschool programs and summer camps to include early learning, environmental and social justice, college access, and inclusion services for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Additionally, we offer LifeCraft, a college and career advancement program to support the development of approximately 2,250 staff. Today, Woodcraft Rangers serves more than 30,000 youth ages 4 to 18 each year across 150+ Title I schools in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties, and continues to expand its reach. Ideal Candidate You are an experienced operational leader who has built structure where little existed before. You know how to earn trust across a complex organization, influence without direct authority, and translate executive strategy into a portfolio of well‑run initiatives. You are equally comfortable presenting to a COO and coaching a junior project manager. You see process not as bureaucracy but as the infrastructure that lets a mission‑driven organization do its best work. Why Work for Woodcraft Rangers Competitive salary – $105,000–$120,000 annually Paid vacation & sick time – generous time off to recharge LifeCraft program – free college & career advancement for all staff Upward mobility – promote‑from‑within culture Health, dental & vision – comprehensive benefits coverage 403(b) retirement plan – invest in your future Pet insurance – because your whole family matters Mission‑driven work – impact 30,000+ young people annually Role Overview The Director of Strategic Operations will build and lead Woodcraft Rangers' first formal Project Management Office (PMO), establishing the systems, standards, and governance structures that enable the organization to deliver its strategic priorities with consistency and visibility. Reporting directly to the Senior Director of Operations and serving as a key member of the operations leadership team, this role is equal parts strategic advisor, operational architect, and delivery leader. The Director will oversee a growing PMO team, partner with department heads across the organization, and serve as the connective tissue between organizational strategy and on‑the‑ground execution. The PMO supports execution of strategic initiatives but does not own outcomes; accountability for delivery remains with operational and departmental leadership. Responsibilities PMO leadership & strategy Design, launch, and continuously improve Woodcraft Rangers' PMO, including its charter, methodology, governance model, and service offerings Build and maintain a portfolio dashboard that gives executive leadership real‑time visibility into the health of strategic initiatives Develop the project intake and prioritization process, ensuring organizational resources are directed toward the highest‑impact work Chair or co‑chair the PMO steering committee in partnership with the Senior Director of Operations; prepare and present quarterly portfolio reviews to operations and executive leadership Define and track PMO KPIs — including on‑time delivery rate, budget variance, and stakeholder satisfaction — and report on them transparently Governance & standards Establish and promote adoption of project management standards, templates, and processes across the organization, including project charters, RAID logs, status reporting, and stage gates Define decision rights, escalation paths, and approval workflows for projects of all sizes Develop a tiered governance model that applies appropriate oversight to projects based on size, complexity, and strategic importance Maintain the PMO charter and ensure it remains current as the organization's strategy evolves Delivery & execution Lead or support high‑priority cross‑functional initiatives during the PMO’s early build phase to establish standards and demonstrate value Transition ownership of initiatives to operational leaders as PMO systems and capabilities mature Work with the Associate Director of Strategic Operations to pilot projects that demonstrate the value of PMO standards and generate proof points for broader organizational adoption Identify and resolve cross‑project resource conflicts, risks, and blockers; elevate to the Senior Director of Operations when executive decisions are required Ensure lessons learned from completed projects are captured and fed back into evolving PMO standards Team leadership Build a PMO team structure appropriate to the organization’s stage, scaling roles and specialization over time. Partner with the Associate Director of Strategic Operations to define clear lanes of ownership; leverage their institutional knowledge and organizational relationships during the PMO's build phase Coach project managers across the organization, raising overall PM maturity and capability over time Build a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and psychological safety within the PMO Partner closely with the Senior Director of Operations to align initiative prioritization, resource allocation, and execution support with broader operational strategy and capacity. Stakeholder engagement & communications Build trusted relationships with department heads, program leaders, and executive sponsors across the organization Develop and execute an internal communications strategy that helps the broader organization understand the PMO's value and how to engage with it Proactively identify and manage PMO skeptics; convert reluctant stakeholders through demonstrated value rather than compliance Serve as a strategic thought partner to the COO on organizational priorities, capacity, and execution risk Execution Systems & Enablement Build and maintain the organization’s execution systems, including project intake, portfolio tracking, and reporting tools Ensure alignment between project management systems and broader operational infrastructure Continuously improve tools and workflows that support cross‑department coordination and execution Analyze cross‑functional workflows to identify inefficiencies and improve how work is coordinated and executed across teams Qualifications/Skills Required 8+ years of progressive experience in project management, strategic operations, or a related field, with at least 3 years in a leadership role Demonstrated experience building or significantly maturing a PMO or project management function — candidates who have only operated within established PMOs may find this role a stretch Strong track record of delivering complex, cross‑functional initiatives on time and within budget Experience designing governance models, decision‑rights frameworks, and portfolio reporting structures Exceptional stakeholder management skills; proven ability to influence senior leaders and hold teams accountable without direct authority Strong data fluency — comfortable building and interpreting portfolio dashboards, KPI tracking, and resource utilization analysis Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to synthesize complex portfolio information into clear executive narratives Experience selecting, configuring, and driving adoption of project management tools (e.g., Asana, Monday.com, Smartsheet, or similar) Preferred PMP, PgMP, or equivalent certification preferred Experience in a nonprofit, education, or mission‑driven organization a plus Bilingual (English/Spanish) a plus given the communities Woodcraft Rangers serves Physical Demands Frequent sitting and regular use of a computer during working hours Ability to travel across the greater Los Angeles area using a car or public transportation several times per month Must be able to occasionally lift/move up to 25 pounds Reasonable accommodation is available for individuals with disabilities Work Environment Regular exposure to computer monitors during work The typical noise level of a standard work environment Stable internet access is required for effective work‑from‑home performance Equal Employment Opportunity Woodcraft Rangers provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without discrimination with regard to race, religious belief, color, sex, sex stereotype, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions (including breastfeeding), age, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identification and expression, transgender status, transitioning status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic characteristics, genetic information, family care, marital status, enrollment in any public assistance program, status as military, a veteran or qualified disabled veteran, status as an unpaid intern or volunteer, or any other classification protected by law. We also prohibit discrimination based on the perception that anyone has any of those characteristics or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics. #J-18808-Ljbffr Guiding young people as