Program Director, San Diego Innovation Hub

About the Role/Purpose:

Big Picture Learning (BPL) seeks a Program Director to lead and manage the implementation of a collaboration between districts, schools, businesses, workforce development, and post-secondary institutions to promote the use of the International Big Picture Learning Credential (IBPLC). The focus will be on providing youth, particularly those traditionally underserved, with real-world learning opportunities aligned with their interests and needs. The Program Director will work to establish a culture of student interest-driven, real-world learning specifically in San Diego, utilizing BPL school designs, technology platforms, and professional development to ensure that all partners are engaged in supporting student success.

Primary Responsibilities: specific scope includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Build Outreach Plan: Develop and implement a scalable plan for expanding Big Picture Learning designs in San Diego County. Identify and engage recognized educational leaders to support the efforts in the region.
• Partnership Development: Engage and educate partners in the San Diego Foundation (SDF) Community Scholars Initiative, including K-12 education leaders, workforce, and industry stakeholders, to adopt BPL educational designs and assessment models. This includes securing paid internships for participating students.
• Cohort Development: Establish new cohorts of high school-aged students in target regions, providing them with opportunities for interest exploration, internships, and real-world learning experiences.
• Post-Secondary Partnerships: Establish partnerships with at least four post-secondary institutions to recognize the International Big Picture Learning Credential (IBPLC).
• Leadership and Coordination: Lead, develop, manage, and coordinate all BPL initiatives in San Diego County, including communication with participating organizations, schools, districts, and internal BPL staff.
• Research and Evaluation: Organize research and collaborate with external evaluators to assess the effectiveness and impact of BPL initiatives.
• Website Management: Develop and maintain a website for BPL projects, with support from BPL staff.
• Public Presentations: Represent BPL at local, state, and national conferences, sharing the work and outcomes of the San Diego Innovation Hub.
• BPL Engagement: Attend and participate in annual BPL conferences and other organizational events as needed.
• Willingness to travel extensively throughout San Diego County
• Other responsibilities may be assigned based on organizational need and individual skills and interests.

Qualifications, Requirements, and Skills:

• MEd, MBA, MPA, or related advanced degree preferred. However, candidates with relevant professional experience and leadership qualities are encouraged to apply, even without formal educational credentials.
• At least 5 years of experience as a principal in San Diego County, with knowledge of Big Picture Learning design and initiatives.
• Extensive expertise and experience training districts and workforce organizations in Golden State Pathways Pre-Apprentice/Apprenticeship Program
• Ability to work effectively across various sectors, including schools, districts, workforce development, businesses, and post-secondary institutions.
• Strong confidence in collaborating with youth development partners and facilitating real-world learning opportunities for students.
• Excellent communication, planning, and logistical skills for convening and coordinating stakeholders.
• Skilled in facilitation and providing professional development for collaborative learning

Candidates for this position must share our passion and commitment for rethinking the possibilities of education for decades to come. We steadfastly believe that students should be at the center of their own learning and that education (in particular public education) is due for a reorientation that allows students to be confident in the pursuit of their own passions and interests.

The geographic spread of BPL’s work and the fact that all BPL staff work virtually, requires individuals to have strong internal accountability. The organizational culture supports flexible and contextually appropriate decision making processes. As a result, individuals who thrive in BPL are comfortable juggling multiple projects and prioritizing tasks, advancing the work in the face of uncertainty, willing to take risks, exhibit entrepreneurial behaviors, take ownership and see tasks and ideas through from conception to implementation, and possess the communication and interpersonal skills needed to work well with people at all levels of the organization.

Organizational Skills

• Steadfast belief that students should be at the center of their own learning and that education (in particular public education) is due for a reorientation that allows students to be confident in the pursuit of their own passions and interests
• Strong internal accountability (especially important due to the geographic spread of BPL’s work and our virtual teams), comfort juggling multiple projects and prioritizing tasks, and the ability to work remotely in distributed teams across multiple time zones
• Ability to exhibit entrepreneurial behaviors, take ownership, and see tasks and ideas through from conception to implementation
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills (speaking, writing, listening) in person and virtually
• Commitment to continuous improvement, a relentless approach to growth and learning, and an openness to constructive critical feedback
• Collegial and empathetic approach to working with others, while bringing a creative, flexible and thoughtful approach to your work
• Ability to use - or quickly learn - multiple tech platforms (i.e., Google Suite, Salesforce, Asana)