Deputy Director of Programming

Position Summary

The Deputy Director of Programs is a salaried, full-time exempt position, and will round out our senior leadership team at Poder NC. This position will manage organization-level projects and reports directly to the Co-Executive Director of Programs. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in management, base building, coalition building, and developing grassroots leaders through issue organizing campaigns and civic engagement. This person will be highly relational, an effective project manager, a collaborative partner, and a creative problem-solver. The Deputy Director of Programs will be the lead decision-maker for our communications and community engagement programs, hire and supervise programmatic staff, and ensure the execution of innovative, impactful, and effective programs and projects. We are looking for a creative, motivated leader with an organizing background who is goal-driven, detail-oriented, highly relational, and dynamic.

Essential Job Duties / Functions

Strategy & Leadership (40%)

• Work with the Program team to develop and test effective mobilizing strategies and tools that help build the voice and power of communities and leaders.
• Coordinate across the organization to ensure that civic education and community engagement work is integrated into Poder NC events and strategies including relationship building, media communications and online actions.
• Attend coalition and partner meetings to build relationships, identify opportunities for engagement and advance the goals of Poder NC programs.
• Draft and manage campaign and program plans and budgets.
• Maintain strong quality assurance and control across all team deliverables.
• Recommend mobilization and communications practices and provide materials that meet the organization's identity strategy and align with principles.
• Assess and report on the effectiveness of communication strategies.
• Stay current on best practices, trends, and technologies related to content creation, communications, and voter file management tools.

Supervision & Staff Development (35%)

The Deputy Director of Programs will report directly to the Co-Executive Director of Programs, and will supervise up to 5 team members including the Program Managers (2) and the Data Analyst Intern. This position will:

• Lead the hiring, training, and strategic oversight of the Programmatic team in support of their efforts to execute programs and build partnerships.
• Ensure that Program Managers have clear work plans and know what success looks like for their role.
• Ensure that staff deliver great results using strong and equitable day-to-day management practices. 
• Serve as a coach and champion for your staff and support them to do their best work through frequent feedback; Identify, and support supervisees in the pursuit of career advancement opportunities.
• Track progress towards goals; support and troubleshoot when a project is off-track.
• Manage personnel challenges directly, kindly and firmly using the organization’s progressive discipline procedures. 
• Build a collaborative and inclusive team culture where all staff feel a sense of belonging. 
• Develop clear, coordinated processes for the execution of department responsibilities.
• Supervise the diligent and thoughtful execution of all of Poder programs ensuring that metrics of success are met and tracked.

Project Management & Reporting (25%)

• Demonstrated ability to successfully execute complex projects, including setting goals and developing a realistic work plan. Move people to action and hold them accountable with and without formal authority. Highly organized and strong attention to detail. Proven ability to manage complex schedules and responsibilities with minimal support or oversight
• Supervise the execution of high quality, timely, original programming.
• Prepare presentations/reports for effective project tracking on a regular basis.
• Help identify and resolve any gaps in projects in a timely manner.

Additional Responsibilities (5%)

• Administrative duties (e.g., timesheets for hourly staff, maintaining one’s calendar and other productivity tools used by the team)
• Organizational development, team building, and individual professional development
• Collaboration / coordination with team members on any “all hands on deck” events
• Prioritize rest by scheduling time off in accordance with Poder NC’s PTO policy
• Other responsibilities as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience

• 5 or more years of relevant, senior nonprofit leadership experience, bonus if it is c4 or campaign experience. Your experience should encompass working on voter registration, electoral, community organizing or labor organizing campaigns, including 1 cycle of experience managing groups of organizers or volunteers within communities of color. 
• Experience working with Poder’s target communities -- Latinx youth, ages 18 - 35. 
• Experience working with communities of color, LGBTQ+ communities.
• Proficient working with VAN or MiniVAN and/or any other voter file tool with the highest administrative levels.
• Excellent writing and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write and implement comprehensive voter participation programs and advocacy plans. 
• Experience managing program budgets and metric-driven campaigns
• Experience working with coalitions and developing partnerships to advance shared goals. Experience working with 501(c)(4) organizations. 
• Exceptional leadership, project management and coaching skills including supporting remote staff. Ability to train and develop training materials for remote staff. Works well in a fast-paced environment and able to multitask without sacrificing the quality of the work. Reliable, consistent, detail-oriented and self-motivated. Self-aware, emotionally intelligent and culturally competent. 
• Familiarity with the complexity of issues and obstacles facing communities of color participation in U.S. democracy.

Required Competencies

• Creative Strategist: Is able to lead team members execute high quality programming using “out of the box” strategies and tactics, in addition to traditional ones.
• Knowledge of communications tools, media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods; includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
• Working knowledge of policy issues impacting Latinxs in North Carolina and able to effectively communicate information to a lay person. 
• Able to understand complex problems and review related information in order to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Able to communicate effectively with and relate to persons of various social, cultural, economic, and educational backgrounds.
• Able to collaborate with individuals with various learning styles, work styles, personalities, and levels of experience.
• Strong organizational & problem-solving skills & ability to work effectively in an action-oriented organization.

Organizational Culture

Employees who embody the following attributes have the greatest chance of success as part of the Poder NC team, as these are essential ingredients of our internal organizational culture:

• Committed to Poder NC Action’s Mission, Vision, and Principles: you possess a deep and demonstrated commitment to dismantling systems of inequity based on race, class, gender identity, sexual orientation, and citizenship.
• Direct communicator and chisme disruptor: you are willing to have challenging conversations that lead to growth, as well as offer direct feedback to your teammates and partners.
• Problem-solver: You are an exceptional listener who searches for strategic, collaborative, and imaginative solutions, especially in tough situations. 
• Highly relational & collaborative: You believe in the importance of relationship-building for success, both internally and externally.
• Flexible, adaptable, & accountable: You thrive in a fast-paced environment, and are able to juggle competing priorities under pressure, especially during election season. You have a demonstrated ability to adapt to changing circumstances, while still communicating clearly about your projects, priorities, and due dates.
• Growth mindset: You believe there are no failures, only learnings. You are willing to make mistakes, and to distill the lesson of that mistake in order to improve and grow. 
• Organized and responsive: You respond to communications in a timely manner and  pay attention to details. 
• Proactive: You take ownership of your role, and take initiative to ensure you are fulfilling all your responsibilities. You identify areas where you can contribute more deeply to our team.
• Truth-teller: You are willing to take measured risks and model vulnerability in order to speak truth to power in the interest of carrying our mission forward.

Poder NC Action offers employer-based health care and dental benefits. We cover 100% of those benefits for the individual employee and 50% for employee dependents. Employees are responsible for any cost difference above and beyond the employer-selected policy. We also welcome employees to participate in our 401k program with a match of up to 3%. Finally, we have an unlimited paid time off policy, with process requirements when submitting PTO and having it approved, and a few exceptions during even number election years. 

Please email a copy of your resume, a cover letter, and three references to info@podernc.org, with “Deputy Director” in the subject line. The preferred application deadline is Monday, April 22, 2024. Interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis, and the position will be open until the right candidate is found.

Poder NC Action is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without discrimination because of sex, marital status, race, age, creed, national origin or the presence of disabilities. A felony conviction will not necessarily bar an applicant from employment.