Organizational Learning Manager / Senior Manager

Mission Statement 

YW Boston works to eliminate racism, empower women and promote peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. YW Boston is at the vanguard of thought leadership on issues at the intersection of race and gender, helping organizations create more inclusive environments where women, people of color, and in particular, women of color can succeed.  

YW Boston invests in our internal culture, including our own racial equity practices. We seek candidates that thrive in adaptive organizations, are comfortable working amidst organizational change, actively seek continuous learning and improvement, and are excited about helping YW Boston deepen its impact in the Greater Boston region.

Organizational Values 

People, Collaboration, Liberation, Courage, Shared Leadership 

Gender Inclusion Statement

At YW Boston, we are committed to executing our mission of eliminating racism and empowering women through uplifting the experience of all women and girls regardless of their assigned sex at birth. We promote gender equity by amplifying the voices of cisgender women and girls, transgender women and girls, and gender non-conforming individuals who experience oppression and discrimination based on their gender, gender identity, and gender expression.

About the DEI Consulting and Training Team

YW Boston engages organizations in the Greater Boston area in partnerships to identify and achieve their diversity, equity, and inclusion goals. In addition to leading a range of client services, the DEI Consulting and Training team works with clients to assess their current DEI state (discovery), develop DEI action plans, and support the implementation of those action plans. Employing a team-based approach, members of the team serve as relationship managers, facilitators, project managers, and organizational learning and development specialists, benefiting from close collaboration with YW Boston’s Data & Impact, Partnerships, and Marketing & Communications Teams. 

General Statement of Duties 

The Organizational Learning Manager / Senior Manager is a new role that will lead the development and customization of curricula and other programmatic offerings to meet the needs of YW Boston’s clients. This role also serves as a critical relationship manager for complex engagements, stewarding clients through the entire partnership lifecycle and providing high quality, tailored, and responsive communication and services.

YW Boston’s commitment to data-informed and evidence-based practices involves ongoing assessment to drive continuous improvement measures that ensure high-quality programming and impact. Because of this, the Organizational Learning Manager / Senior Manager is responsible for contributing to the DEI Consulting and Training team’s data practices and utilizing learnings from the data to improve the organization’s thought leadership efforts.

The Organizational Learning Manager / Senior Manager reports to the Associate Director of DEI Consulting and Training and does not supervise staff. Massachusetts residency is required within six months of hire, and YW Boston does not cover relocation expenses. This position is hybrid with a weekly requirement of at least two days at the YW Boston office or on-site for programming, and a maximum of three days remote, starting from date of hire. Occasional evening and weekend commitments are required to fulfill the needs of YW Boston and our partner organizations.

YW Boston follows the latest COVID-19 guidance from the CDC and MA Department of Public Health and strongly encourages all employees to be fully vaccinated and boosted.

Position Outcomes

A successful Organizational Learning Manager / Senior Manager will deliver the following:   

• Diversity, equity, and inclusion services in alignment with YW Boston’s mission, vision, values, and theory of change.
• Team-based approach to client management and service delivery.
• Strong relationships with partner organizations that lead to successful and repeat engagements over time.
• Tailored programs that take into account sector, industry, organizational context, and audience.
• Curriculum development and revision in alignment with YW Boston’s theory of change and programmatic learning outcomes.
• Refined processes and timelines for updating facilitation resources and materials.
• Inclusive learning and growth opportunities with partner organizations and YW Boston colleagues.

Key Responsibilities  

The responsibilities outlined below are intended to be representative but not exhaustive of the tasks that may be assigned to an Organizational Learning Manager / Senior Manager. The DEI Consulting and Training Team operates in a dynamic environment in which the volume of work and overall team capacity may impact the specific duties assigned to someone in this role. As a result, the Organizational Learning Manager / Senior Manager may be required to perform additional tasks, within reason and the employee’s capabilities, as needed to meet the evolving needs of the team and organization.

Program Development and Customization

• Lead the revision of Dialogues and workshops curriculum, employing recommended practices in curriculum development, Universal Design for Learning, adult learning theory, and positive psychology to achieve learning outcomes.
• Contribute to the development of new workshops and programs to address partner organizations’ needs and trends observed within the broader diversity, equity, and inclusion space.
• Update all documents, resources, content archive, and other materials related to facilitation.

Facilitation and Organizational Coaching

• Facilitate Dialogues, workshops, and action plan implementation sessions.
• Manage logistics, create facilitation materials, and make data-informed decisions about program customization to drive successful outcomes for partner organizations.
• Create action plans to advance partner organizations’ DEI priorities.
• Support the development of resources and processes to enhance partner outcomes during the action plan implementation phase of their engagement.
• In collaboration with the Organizational Development Senior Manager, monitor progress and measure the impact of DEI action plans.

Relationship Management

• Set and manage expectations, and provide timely, high quality, client-centered communication and services to partner organizations throughout their contracted engagement.
• Manage discovery processes to gather information about partner organizations, identify opportunities for program customization, and develop strategies to deliver contracted scope of work.
• Create workshop data reports to summarize and share program outcomes with partner organizations.
• Identify and pursue opportunities to expand engagements with partner organizations upon completion of contract.

Project Management

• Create and monitor status of project plans, ensuring successful completion of client engagements.
• Delegate tasks and hold relevant project contributors accountable for task completion.
• Communicate proactively about changes to project timeline and interventions required to keep projects on track.

Internal Operations

• Maintain accurate client and data records across organizational platforms including, but not limited to: Microsoft Teams SharePoint, and OneDrive; Asana (or other project management tools); and Salesforce (or other customer relationship management platform).
• Facilitate internal professional development opportunities related to relationship management, facilitation, etc.
• Engage in timely and responsive communication with YW Boston colleagues.
• Contribute to achieving or exceeding team and organizational annual goals.

Additional Organization Responsibilities 

• Adhere to organization policies and procedures for maintaining organizational culture and transparency, including use of regularly scheduled progress meetings with supervisor, team meetings, scheduling, e-mail and other communications platforms.
• Serve as a steward and role model of YW Boston’s shared values in all interactions with colleagues.
• Positively represent YW Boston and serve as an ambassador for our mission in all interactions with the public.
• Support YW Boston advancement and business development through participation in education, outreach, cultivation, and stewardship efforts as directed by the Vice President of Advancement and/or the Chief Engagement Officer.
• Participate in organization events and perform additional tasks assigned by the Director of DEI Consulting and Training and/or the President & CEO of YW Boston.

Experience/Qualifications

Successful candidates for the Organizational Learning Manager / Senior Manager position must possess extensive experience facilitating complex and nuanced conversations related to race and gender, along with other diversity, equity, and inclusion topics; developing curricula and programs tailored to client needs; employing data-informed and evidence-based practices; and engaging in effective communication, collaboration, and relationship building with colleagues and clients.

Additional qualifications include:  

• 5+ years of relevant experience as an instructional designer, facilitator, or consultant
• Knowledge of training design and delivery, program management, and adult learning theory
• Demonstrated commitment to YW Boston’s mission and a strong record of outcomes related to advancing racial, gender, and social equity 
• Demonstrated personal identity development work and ongoing self-reflection and self-awareness practices
• Strong attention to detail, planning, and project management skills 
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills 
• Openness to learning, and willingness to give and receive feedback 

Preferred experience includes: 

• Experience applying Universal Design for Learning and positive psychology theories to curriculum design
• Familiarity with diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies within different organizational sectors and industries (e.g., nonprofit, for-profit, government, healthcare, education, human services, arts, etc.)  
• Familiarity with diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies across various departments (e.g., human resources, finance, service providers, etc.) and levels of seniority and roles within an organization (e.g., Board, C-suite, managers, staff, etc.) 
• Personal lived experience of resilience, advocacy, and empowerment of marginalized communities in the face of systemic barriers
• Experience developing online learning programs and materials
• Familiarity with Asana or similar project management tool 
• Familiarity with Salesforce or similar customer relationship management (CRM) platform