Director of Operations
Boston After School & Beyond
Job Description
Overview of Boston After School & Beyond
Boston After School & Beyond (Boston Beyond) is a nonprofit intermediary organization founded in 2005 to enhance school, after-school, and summer learning so that young people can develop to their full potential. A local organization with a national reputation, Boston Beyond catalyzes partnerships among the City of Boston, the Boston Public Schools (BPS), local and national funders, researchers, and over 350 programs, most of which are run by nonprofit organizations, in order to test new ideas and bring successful approaches to scale.
Boston After School & Beyond (Boston Beyond) is a nonprofit intermediary organization founded in 2005 to enhance school, after-school, and summer learning so that young people can develop to their full potential. A local organization with a national reputation, Boston Beyond catalyzes partnerships among the City of Boston, the Boston Public Schools (BPS), local and national funders, researchers, and over 350 programs, most of which are run by nonprofit organizations, in order to test new ideas and bring successful approaches to scale.
Young people need opportunities to acquire the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary to thrive in school, college, work, and life. The time spent outside of school—particularly in after-school and summer programs—represents an opportunity for youth to develop and apply skills, expand social networks, and gain background knowledge. Boston Beyond’s strategy has taken root in the city, reaching scale and informing new program innovation, research, and public policy and funding. By working with Boston Beyond, programs pursue common goals, implement shared measures, and have a greater impact on closing opportunity and achievement gaps than they would if they worked in isolation, and schools are able to extend learning beyond school.
Boston Beyond and its partners have devised a nationally recognized approach to summer learning, called the 5th Quarter of Learning. Part of a national longitudinal study by RAND, this model get results for high attending participants in math, English language arts, and social and emotional skills. With the United Way, Boston Beyond manages the BoSTEM initiative, which leverages STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) learning experiences to increase the engagement and interest of middle grades students. Similarly, through a Wallace Foundation initiative, Boston Beyond and BPS are demonstrating how elementary schools and their partners can enhance social and emotional skills. A robust measurement and professional development system focused on the Achieve, Connect, Thrive Skills Framework underlie these initiatives. For more information, please visit www.bostonbeyond.org.
The Director of Operations Position: Toward a New Phase of Growth and Impact
The Director of Operations position is new and will enable Boston Beyond to improve its ability to mobilize a wide variety of partners. The Director will join Boston Beyond’s lean, productive staff who are focused on designing, managing, and supporting a citywide learning system that draws on the strengths of Boston’s rich and diverse array of programs, in concert with schools, in order to maximize the time spent outside of school.
We are building on a track record of success: Our evidence-based model of summer learning embedded in district and state policy and funding, was a finalist for the international MacArthur Foundation 100&Change award, and cited as a model in RAND and National Academies research. We are part of major national demonstration projects in social-emotional and STEM learning that are winding down through 2023, with lessons to be learned and applied. We raised over $3 million in private and public funds to support our network’s response to Covid-19 and are collaborating with the BPS on how federal stimulus funds might be prioritized.
Key Responsibilities
The Director of Operations is a new senior-level role, reporting to the Executive Director, who will help implement organizational strategy and strengthen and streamline operations, including contracts with public and private funders, vendors, and program partners. The Director will play a key role in implementing Boston Beyond’s next phase of growth and impact. The key responsibilities are as follows:
Organizational Budget and Planning Support
- Provide differentiated support to Boston Beyond’s diverse network of programs -- from grassroots programs, some of which are just beginning to secure funding, to citywide, multi-site agencies.
- Support senior staff program directors in managing program operations, including contracts with trainers and vendors, grants from public and private funders, and memoranda of understanding and scopes of work with -- and grants to – numerous program partners.
- Develop a streamlined system for developing initiative- and program-level budgets in alignment with program goals and objectives.
Work with Executive Director to Implement Organizational Strategy
- Work with the Executive Director on strategy implementation, including fundraising follow-up and reporting and providing support to program directors. The Director will help turn ideas into action, assessing how new resources and policies can support Boston Beyond and its network of programs.
- Explore and implement new summer learning technical assistance partnerships with other cities across Massachusetts and, possibly, nationally.
- Plan and implement ways Boston Beyond’s network of programs can access public and private resources, including new federal stimulus funds.
Other Responsibilities as Opportunities and Challenges Arise
- As an employee of a small, opportunistic intermediary team, the Director will undoubtedly be involved in additional activities, events, and new projects not described here.
Desired Experience, Skills, and Attributes
- Seven years of experience managing grants and contracts, including with public, philanthropic, and nonprofits organizations.
- Track record of being resourceful and persistent in devising solutions to problems, flexible and adaptable when conditions change, taking initiative on projects, and contributing as a teammate.
- Sound judgment and critical thinking, knowing when a situation calls for urgency, patience, or the need to engage more senior staff.
- Experience with budgets, as well as financial and audit statements and reporting.
- Communicates clearly, concisely, and persuasively.
- Understands the roles of an intermediary in supporting a network of partners and implementing projects with fidelity while pursuing policies and funding that will enable more opportunities for youth.
- Knowledge of Boston’s education, youth development, government, and philanthropic landscape.
Salary
Commensurate with experience.
To Apply
Boston After School & Beyond is an Equal Opportunity Employer and believes that diversity of its employees’ backgrounds strengthens its ability to pursue its mission with a diverse network of partners serving a diverse population of young people.
Please email a resume and cover letter to jobs@bostonbeyond.org, with Director of Operations in the subject line. Your cover letter should describe your interest, qualifications, and experience as they relate to this job.