Director of Organizational Psychology (Volunteer)

Director of Organizational Psychology (Volunteer)

PromiseInnovation | Organizational Psychology, Leadership Effectiveness & Organizational Development

Organization: Mentor A Promise (MAP)

Division: PromiseInnovation

Location: Remote with NYC-based collaboration as needed

Commitment: Approximately 5–10 hours per week

Type: Volunteer Leadership Role

Minimum Commitment: 6-month commitment required

Reports To: Senior Director of Strategy, Innovation & Organizational Development

About Mentor A Promise

Mentor A Promise (MAP) is a New York City–based nonprofit organization serving children and youth ages 5–18 experiencing housing instability through mentorship, literacy, social-emotional learning, educational enrichment, workforce development, creative opportunity, advocacy, housing innovation, and community-centered support.

Our greatest strength is our people.

As we continue to grow, we are committed to building an organization where leaders thrive, teams collaborate effectively, innovation flourishes, and every volunteer and staff member feels empowered to contribute to our mission.

About PromiseInnovation

PromiseInnovation is MAP's strategy, innovation, organizational development, and enterprise transformation division.

The division strengthens organizational effectiveness by leading strategic planning, innovation, change management, leadership development, organizational design, and continuous improvement initiatives that help Mentor A Promise maximize its long-term impact.

PromiseInnovation exists to build an organization that learns continuously, adapts thoughtfully, and grows sustainably.

Role Overview

The Director of Organizational Psychology serves as the behavioral science leader responsible for applying evidence-based organizational psychology principles to improve leadership effectiveness, organizational culture, team performance, volunteer engagement, decision-making, and organizational effectiveness.

Working closely with executive leadership, PromisePeople, PromiseOperations, and division leaders, this role develops strategies that strengthen collaboration, organizational resilience, leadership capability, employee and volunteer experience, and enterprise performance.

The ideal candidate combines expertise in organizational psychology with a passion for mission-driven leadership, organizational excellence, and creating healthy, high-performing organizations.

Key Responsibilities

Organizational Effectiveness

• Assess organizational effectiveness, team performance, and workplace dynamics
• Develop evidence-based recommendations that improve organizational performance
• Support enterprise organizational development initiatives
• Strengthen collaboration and cross-functional effectiveness
• Promote continuous organizational learning and improvement

Leadership Development

• Develop leadership assessment and development frameworks
• Support executive coaching and leadership effectiveness initiatives
• Create tools that strengthen decision-making, communication, and team leadership
• Identify leadership competencies and development opportunities
• Support succession planning and leadership readiness

Organizational Culture

• Measure and strengthen organizational culture, engagement, and psychological safety
• Design initiatives that reinforce MAP's mission, vision, and values
• Foster an environment of trust, accountability, collaboration, and belonging
• Support culture transformation initiatives
• Promote healthy workplace practices across the organization

Organizational Research & Assessment

• Conduct organizational assessments, surveys, and behavioral research
• Analyze workforce and volunteer engagement data
• Evaluate organizational health indicators and trends
• Develop reports and recommendations for executive leadership
• Apply behavioral science to support evidence-based decision-making

Change Management

• Support organizational transformation and change initiatives
• Assess organizational readiness for change
• Develop strategies that improve adoption of new initiatives
• Help leaders navigate organizational growth and change
• Strengthen resilience during periods of organizational transition

Cross-Divisional Collaboration

• Partner with PromisePeople on leadership and volunteer development initiatives
• Collaborate with PromiseOperations on organizational effectiveness projects
• Support PromiseGovernance through ethical leadership and organizational stewardship initiatives
• Work with PromiseResearch on organizational studies and workforce insights
• Align organizational psychology initiatives with enterprise strategy and innovation priorities

Leadership Responsibilities

The Director provides leadership and oversight for:

Organizational Psychology

Responsible for:

• Behavioral science
• Organizational assessments
• Workplace effectiveness
• Organizational health

Leadership Effectiveness

Responsible for:

• Leadership development
• Executive coaching
• Leadership competencies
• Succession planning

Organizational Culture

Responsible for:

• Employee and volunteer engagement
• Psychological safety
• Organizational values
• Team effectiveness

Organizational Development

Responsible for:

• Change management
• Organizational design
• Continuous improvement
• Enterprise effectiveness

Potential Reporting Structure

Senior Organizational Psychologist

Organizational Development Specialist

Leadership Assessment Specialist

Culture & Engagement Specialist

Change Management Consultant

Organizational Research Analyst

Team Effectiveness Coach

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced education or professional experience in organizational psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, organizational behavior, behavioral science, leadership development, or related fields
• Experience conducting organizational assessments or developing organizational improvement strategies
• Strong knowledge of leadership development, employee engagement, change management, and organizational behavior
• Excellent facilitation, coaching, analytical, and communication skills
• Passion for building healthy, high-performing, mission-driven organizations

Why This Role Matters

Healthy organizations create lasting impact.

Strong leadership strengthens teams.

Strong teams create better outcomes for children and families.

The Director of Organizational Psychology helps Mentor A Promise build a culture where people are engaged, leaders are developed intentionally, teams collaborate effectively, and organizational excellence becomes a competitive advantage in fulfilling our mission.

Success Measures

• Improvements in organizational culture and engagement
• Growth in leadership effectiveness
• Increased organizational collaboration and team performance
• Successful implementation of organizational development initiatives
• Strengthened organizational readiness for growth and change
• Advancement of enterprise organizational effectiveness goals

Leadership Participation

The Director of Organizational Psychology is expected to:

• Attend one weekly Senior Leadership Meeting
• Conduct regular check-ins with direct reports
• Participate in organizational strategy and innovation initiatives
• Support cross-divisional collaboration and enterprise priorities

Volunteer Expectations

• Approximately 5–10 hours per week
• Minimum 6-month commitment required
• Maintain timely and professional communication
• Collaborate through MAP systems and communication platforms
• Support MAP's safeguarding standards, mission, and organizational values
• Foster a culture of integrity, innovation, compassion, and empowerment

What You'll Gain

• Leadership experience applying organizational psychology within a growing nonprofit
• Opportunity to shape leadership, culture, and organizational effectiveness
• Collaboration with executive leaders across multiple disciplines
• Professional references and letters of recommendation
• Meaningful impact strengthening the organization that serves children and families experiencing housing instability

How to Apply

Interested candidates should apply directly through Idealist and include their resume and cover letter.

Please highlight experience involving organizational psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, leadership development, organizational behavior, change management, executive coaching, or related disciplines.

Help build a healthier, stronger, and more resilient organization where people and purpose thrive together through Mentor A Promise.

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with our organization. At this time, volunteer opportunities are limited to individuals based in the United States due to legal, safeguarding, data-privacy, and programmatic requirements. We appreciate your interest in our mission and your understanding of these constraints.