Chief Program Officer (CPO)

ORGANIZATION:

Rainier Scholars is a comprehensive academic enrichment program that supports students of color over a 12-year journey – from 5th grade to college graduation. We seek to serve those who are most under-represented on college campuses and have the greatest number of barriers to achieving a college education: 85% qualify as low-income, 90% would be the first in their family to earn a college degree. Our program offers rigorous academics, leadership development and personalized support for scholars, providing access to educational pathways and myriad opportunities previously unimagined.

With a budget size of $10 million, a staff team of 50+ full-time employees and 675+ scholars and families whom we currently serve in Seattle and Tacoma, Rainier Scholars has established a positive brand for our unwavering commitment to education, proven success rate, and sustainable impact. We grow new generations of diverse college graduates, career professionals, and community leaders.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Chief Program Officer (CPO) is a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, responsible for leading the design, implementation, and evaluation of all programmatic activities. The CPO ensures that the organization’s mission is translated into meaningful, measurable, and scalable outcomes through strategic, high-impact and inclusive curriculum development, stakeholder engagement, and rigorous data-informed decision-making. This role also serves as a strategic advisor to the CEO on all matters related to programs, collaborates closely with site and cross-functional leaders, and leverages data to drive continuous improvement and strengthen scholar success.

KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Curriculum Design & Program Development (40%)

• Lead the visioning, design, and continuous improvement of curriculum and educational programming aligned with the organization's mission and strategic goals.
• Design and oversee curriculum development; serve as a subject matter expert to ensure alignment with instructional best practices and program goals, providing direct support as needed.
• Manage program staff and/or consultants in developing learning materials, toolkits, and training protocols.
• Ensure the curriculum is inclusive, culturally responsive, evidence-based, and tailored to the needs of target communities.
• Integrate best practices in youth learning, youth development, advanced learning approaches including differentiated instruction to ensure programming is responsive, inclusive, and effective.

Strategic Leadership & Organizational Alignment (20%)

• Serve as a thought partner to the CEO and ELT members in setting and executing program strategies.
• Align programming with organizational goals and funding priorities.
• Lead the integration of program operations across sites to ensure cohesion, consistency, and shared goals.
• Develop systems, structures, and shared practices that support collaboration and eliminate programmatic silos.
• Lead the implementation of programmatic components of the strategic plan in close collaboration with each Site Executive Director, ensuring coordinated execution, alignment, and accountability across sites.
• Collaborate with the Advancement team to align programmatic messaging and outcomes with grant requirements and donor interests.
• Develop and manage the program budget to ensure effective allocation of resources, fiscal responsibility, and alignment with strategic priorities, in collaboration with the Finance team.
• Lead risk management and compliance efforts related to program operations and curriculum, ensuring adherence to legal, ethical, and organizational standards; oversee internal communication practices that promote clarity, transparency, and alignment across teams.

Relationship Management (15%)

• Guide change management processes to build a unified program culture rooted in shared values, learning, and excellence. Identify and address barriers to alignment and collaboration.
• Build and maintain partnerships with community organizations,
• funders, and other external stakeholders in collaboration with the Site Executive Directors, fostering alignment and shared strategy.
• Represent the organization at local, regional, and national meetings or coalitions relevant to programming.
• Cultivate internal cross-functional collaboration across departments to enhance program delivery and strengthen a centrally coordinated program approach that promotes consistency, alignment and shared ownership.
• Participate in the Program Impact Committee and support
• Committee Chair, by developing agendas, preparing materials, and actively soliciting input and guidance for board-level strategic oversight.

Data-Driven Decision Making & Impact Evaluation (10%)

• Co-Design and implement systems for program evaluation, outcomes tracking, and continuous learning.
• Use quantitative and qualitative data to assess program effectiveness, inform strategic decisions, and report impact to board, staff, funders and stakeholders.
• Lead the Data & Evaluation team to ensure alignment of metrics with organizational goals, while strengthening the data infrastructure needed to support ongoing learning, impact measurement and strategic decision making.
• Develop, monitor, and refine program key performance indicators (KPIs) to ensure alignment with strategic goals and drive accountability across the program team.
• Lead regular program reviews and feedback loops to refine practices.
• Provide the CEO and Board with timely, accurate, and relevant information to facilitate informed decision-making.

Team Leadership & Capacity Building (15%)

• Supervise and support Central Program team including staff and contractors to ensure high performance and quality deliverables.
• Foster a culture of learning, innovation, accountability, and equity within the program department.
• Oversee hiring, onboarding, performance evaluations, and professional development for Central program staff.

Other strategic and operational duties in line with programmatic and organizational responsibilities may be assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree in Education, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in program strategy, curriculum design, and outcomes evaluation, preferably within the education, or youth development nonprofit sectors.
• Deep expertise in instructional design, culturally responsive pedagogy, and youth development frameworks.
• Strong strategic planning and execution skills, with the ability to align programs to broader organizational goals.
• Excellent communication, relationship management and stakeholder engagement skills across diverse internal and external audiences.
• Data informed mindset with fluency in evaluation, impact measurement, and the use of both qualitative and quantitative data.
• Working knowledge of data systems such as Salesforce or similar CRM platforms to support tracking, reporting and program effectiveness.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage complex projects.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and community-centered approaches.
• This role requires a high level of autonomy and self-direction, along with the ability to take initiative, demonstrate ownership, and collaboratively drive work forward with team members

COMPENSATION, BENEFITS, & WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

Compensation for this role is $150,000 - $170,000 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications. This is a full-time, exempt position. Rainier Scholars offers employer-paid medical and dental benefits, employer-paid life and AD&D insurance, 403(b) retirement plan with employer match, generous vacation, all-staff holiday closure, personal days, sick leave, and holiday pay.

Rainier Scholars is a workplace committed to wellness and sustainability. This is a flexible, hybrid full-time role based out of our Seattle office, with 2-3 days/week working in-person. This role may require some work in the evenings and weekends. This schedule is subject to change as needs arise.

Priority consideration will be given to candidates who submit their application by July 31, 2025. Position will remain open until filled.

Our work is rooted in ensuring that people from marginalized communities have the opportunity to thrive in education and careers that they are passionate about. Rainier Scholars is an equal opportunity employer committed to promoting an equitable and inclusive environment for our scholars, families, and staff. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and strongly encourage people of color, first-generation college graduates, and people from working-class backgrounds to apply.