Managing Director, Career Pathways

The Opportunity

The Managing Director of Career Pathways plays a pivotal role in advancing educational, training and professional opportunities for Heights students and alumni while actively addressing systemic barriers that hinder marginalized students' access and success. In this dynamic position, the Managing Director collaborates with internal program leads and partners to conceive, identify, and implement innovative initiatives aimed at empowering students to reach their full potential. In partnership with the Program Management Team, develop and oversee the implementation of the organization’s Career Readiness Framework, supporting strategies that infuse career exposure and readiness across middle, high school and post secondary programs. Ensure systematized and sustainable support for individuals at various stages of their career journey, with attention to five (5) career pathway areas with high job growth in the region. An ideal candidate is a proven leader that is experienced in programmatic leadership, has the ability to operationalize a bold vision, and a demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion.

What You’ll Do

Program Design & Implementation, Team Management

• Leverage expertise and current best practices to build, operationalize and manage the organization's strategy and implementation of career readiness and exposure across a number of settings, with the goal of supporting the successful entry of Heights students into careers that pay a living wage
• Oversee a robust portfolio of career exposure, readiness and pathways programs (internships, mentorships, skill development workshops), ensuring they are high quality, deliver on impact for students, and supports the organization’s desire to scale programming.
• Develop and oversee the implementation of a career advising model that is Data-informed, research-based practice and accessible to students at different ages and stages of career awareness.
• Lead and manage the career team, attracting, developing, coaching, and retaining high-performing program staff.
• As a member of the Program Management team, working in collaboration with the other program leads to develop and oversee programmatic strategy to support a cohesive and comprehensive service delivery to all Heights students including aligning on strategy, timing and related efforts to engage students and their families in Heights programming
• Overseeing the implementation of the organization’s career-focused summer programming, including program planning and implementation, cross-team collaboration, and on-site monitoring of programming in action.
• Overseeing the appropriate allocation and use of organizational resources through regular budget management, and through periodic review of expenses and/or needs (such as during budget planning)
• Prepare and present reports to the Board of Directors, senior leaders, funders, and other stakeholders on program progress and outcomes.

Partnership Development and Advancement

• Cultivate and enhance relationships with industry partners, educational institutions, and community organizations that provide summer, year-round and full-time employment opportunities to students.
• Develop and maintain MOUs, Partnership agreements and contracts to support and strengthen relationships and services that support career programming at Heights.
• Provide content for Heights publications, website, grant proposals, sponsor reports, etc.
• Collaborates with Advancement on fundraising and stewardship of funding sources

Data Management and Analysis

• Collaborating with all Managing Directors to oversee our performance to targets, including the number of students recruited and served across partner schools,
• Oversee data collection and analysis to measure program outcomes and impact, using insights to drive continuous improvement.
• Establishing practices and rituals to build a result-oriented, data-driven culture that promotes the use of data and a focus on student impact.
• Leveraging in-house data on Heights participant experiences, and District-provided data on high school selection, college matriculation and persistence to improve our advising to students
• Tracking underrepresented students’ access and achievement to understand where students are most successful in high school and eventually post-secondary institutions to show what investments are making a difference in outcomes and patterns of attendance for Black, Latino students from and low-income communities.

Additional duties as assigned by the Chief Program Officer

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s Degree required, advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 6 years of experience in a role focused on career programming, with an emphasis on students in middle or high-school or college-aged.
• Minimum 3 years experience with managing a team
• Background and expertise in career education and workforce development for youth and early career professionals, including those seeking employment during their postsecondary educational experience and those going directly into the workforce after high school graduation.
• Experience with managing complex partnerships that create opportunities for youth
• Experience using a Customer Relations System (CRM) like Salesforce to monitor progress to outcomes or support reporting
• Access to reliable transportation and ability to travel on occasion as required to attend meetings and/or events.
• Dedicated remote work area that is quiet enough for employees to concentrate is required. Must have homeowner’s or renter’s insurance and the ability to comply with company technology, safety, and health requirements.
• Ability to frequently operate a computer and other office productivity machinery.
• Ability to lift up to twenty (20) pounds.
• Ability to perform the essential functions with or without a reasonable accommodation.
• May require more than forty (40) hours per week to perform the essential duties of the position.

Who You Are

In addition to your experience, expertise and strengths, you must meet PA State background check requirements [PA Criminal, PA Child Abuse and FBI Fingerprint Check] at hire and every five years thereafter.

Work Arrangements

Heights Philadelphia currently maintains a hybrid work environment where staff work from home, in our Center City office, and on-site with school partners, as determined by the staff member's or team’s responsibilities. We also prioritize time together as an organization - living in our value of succeeding together. All office-based Heights employees report in-person at least 2 days per week and spend Wednesdays in-office in Center City, building community at our monthly staff professional development days and via our virtual staff meetings.

Heights offers a full benefits package designed to support employee wellness. This includes:

• Generous medical, dental & vision insurance for employees and eligible dependents, which cover 90% of costs for employee coverage
• Paid time off including 17 personal days, 6 sick days, 12 federal holidays and 2 floating holidays, and two (2) week-long office closures, one at the end of the calendar year and another in spring.
• Twelve (12) weeks of paid parental leave to support new parents
• Provision of a technology stipend to offset internet and cell phone costs
• Short and long-term disability coverage
• Semi-monthly professional development days and resources for targeted professional development opportunities
• 401(K)-retirement savings plan with an employer matching contribution