DEAN seeks a dynamic and experienced program lead to guide, coordinate, support and connect the work of DEAN partners as they collaborate on the alignment of career-connected pathways and learner success initiatives. The Pathways Director will organize and facilitate regular meetings of multiple working groups to drive program outcomes, including groups focused on academic alignment, student support, academic/career advising and recruitment. The Pathways Director will be adept at navigating complex relationships and competing priorities among multiple stakeholders to achieve positive outcomes for learners. Key to this work will be to provide consistent and transparent communication and feedback loops among and between partners to support action, build trust and drive outcomes. In their work with partners, the Pathways Director will identify opportunities to innovate around shared priorities, problem-solve to address anticipated barriers, and elevate best practices within the partnership and to other key stakeholders.
The ideal candidate understands the value of a range of educational and career-connected pathways, including certificates, industry certifications, 2-year and 4-year degrees that lead to family wage employment and economic mobility. They will be a highly motivated self-starter with outstanding organizational skills and the ability to lead, manage, evaluate and enhance program development and implementation across multiple stakeholders. The successful candidate must be a naturally collaborative relationship-builder and adept at engaging and building agreement among a wide variety of groups and individuals operating at all levels of organizations. A candidate will be comfortable consistently following up and following through to help teams achieve their goals. Candidates should be excellent facilitators who demonstrate creativity, energy, and the flexibility to thrive in an environment grounded in continuous improvement. Given the nature of the work and DEAN’s small size, the candidate must be comfortable handling administrative tasks. The successful candidate will have a deep personal commitment to equity and passion for DEAN’s mission.
Primary Responsibilities
- Lead programmatic development and implementation initiatives in support of the DEAN mission and vision.
- Convene working groups around academic alignment and student support/advising; in collaboration with partners, develop goals and strategies focused on closing equity gaps and improving learner outcomes.
- With Deputy Executive Director, develop systems to drive, monitor and evaluate DEAN program outcomes.
- Take initiative to research, cultivate and execute innovative programming opportunities to reach goals.
- Maintain accurate records for program data, activities, outputs, and outcomes; and develop tracking and reporting protocols to collect relevant data and information.
- Report on progress and elevate successes to DEAN leadership and Pathways Leadership Team.
- Document program processes and practices to support implementation and replication.
- Build robust and productive relationships with stakeholders at multiple levels and across multiple partners.
- Conduct focus groups, surveys and other methods of data collection with stakeholder groups to inform pathways development and implementation.
- Support DEAN leadership in grant development and reporting.
- Assist partners in making data-informed decisions by anticipating data needs, identifying available data sources, and bringing data to them.
- Actively seek partnerships with community organizations, business, government, K-12 education, higher education, and philanthropy to support the work of DEAN and DEAN partners.
Required Skills and Abilities
- Knowledge of the factors that impact college access and success, and the barriers to higher education faced by low-income, first generation and learners of color; familiarity with education landscape in Denver/Colorado; understanding and familiarity with the data that informs systems-change in an education to career ecosystem.
- A proven track record of programmatic leadership in education and/or workforce development.
- Excited about the power of collaboration; talent for initiating, managing and growing trusting relationships with diverse stakeholders.
- Demonstrated success working with coalitions, collaborations or other multi-partner initiatives.
- Experience working with and/or leading senior level teams.
- Proven track record leading grant-funded initiatives from conception to successful completion, including initial program ideation, development, execution, assessment, and reporting.
- Skilled facilitator, with knowledge of various facilitation techniques (virtual and in-person) to drive collaboration among multifaceted groups.
- Ability to apply creativity in problem-solving, stakeholder engagement, and programming.
- Experience developing academic pathways and/or deep knowledge of the challenges and opportunities inherent in the development of academic programs.
- Familiarity with various technology and systems utilized in educational settings (e.g. learner information systems and CRMs).
- Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills; demonstrated ability to communicate data and other complex information to multiple audiences in a culturally competent manner.
- Organizational skills that reflect the ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly.
- Strong initiative and able to work independently, and as part of a close-knit team.
- Familiarity with working in a remote environment (e.g. Zoom, Webex, Teams, etc.) and access to a stable workspace with reliable internet is required.
- Demonstrated commitment to equity and a collaborative approach to driving impact.
Preferred Skills and Abilities
- Higher education experience strongly preferred (e.g. Registrar, Academic Advising, Concurrent Enrollment, Recruitment, Admissions, Transfer, Student Support Services, Work-based Learning etc.).
- Experience facilitating virtual meetings and utilizing virtual collaboration tools such as Miro, Mentimeter, Teams, Asana PM, Google Docs, etc.
- At least 5 years relevant professional experience required.
Salary/Benefits
- The salary range is $80,000-90,000/Full Time.
- Comprehensive Benefit Plan - Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Short- and Long-Term Disability, Telehealth, LifeLock, and paid time off.
Application Process
Deadline to apply: Priority given to applications received by October 15.
Please submit the following to [email protected]:
- Cover letter. In your cover letter please be sure to address your experience leading complex initiatives with multiple stakeholders to achieve meaningful impact, as well as your skill as a facilitator engaging diverse groups in sometimes challenging discussions.
- Resume or CV.
- Candidates should be prepared to provide three professional references upon request.
DEAN is a project of the Colorado Nonprofit Development Center (CNDC), and all employees are CNDC employees. CNDC is dedicated to equal employment opportunities in any term, condition, or privilege of employment. CNDC prohibits unlawful discrimination against applicants or employees based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, sex, age 40 and over, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, gender expression or any other characteristic protected by state or local law. This policy applies to all employees including managers, supervisors, co-workers.