Position Summary
The Arete: RISE Model: Arete’s programming is organized around a proven full life-cycle model — Arete: RISE — that launches scholars from kindergarten through career across four interconnected pillars:
Academic Advancement — Grades K–3
High-dosage tutoring and literacy support for underperforming students, providing the individualized attention and early intervention needed to build lasting academic foundations.
Character & Leadership Formation — Grades 4–8
Leadership Academies, summer camps, and afterschool enrichment programs that cultivate identity, purpose, and the values that guide lifelong success.
Postsecondary Pathways — Grades 9–12
ACT prep, college persistence coaching, and workforce development programming that removes barriers and opens doors for every scholar with the drive and dream to go further.
Sustaining Success — Alumni & Families
Alumni network engagement, family-centric programs, and life skills training that ensure Arete’s impact continues to compound well beyond graduation.
As Arete grows its national footprint, the Senior Director of Programs will be the architect and steward of this model — scaling what works, deepening community integration, and translating vision into measurable impact.
Key Responsibilities
PROGRAM STRATEGY: FROM ACCESS TO OUTCOMES
- Lead the evolution of Arete’s program portfolio toward a cradle-to-career model that integrates academic success, enrichment, character formation, and family engagement.
- Embed social determinants of education — housing stability, mental health, family economic mobility — into program design and delivery.
- Drive the continued development and refinement of the Arete: RISE model across all four pillars, ensuring fidelity to the model and responsiveness to community context.
- Translate organizational strategy into actionable, measurable program frameworks with clear milestones and learning loops.
SYSTEMS BUILDING & COMMUNITY INTEGRATION
- Build replicable, community-integrated program models that are scalable across geographies while remaining responsive to local conditions.
- Partner with place-based organizations, school leaders, community anchors, and service providers to strengthen the student support ecosystem.
- Position Arete as a trusted “community quarterback” that convenes, coordinates, and catalyzes partners around shared student outcomes.
OUTCOMES, DATA & IMPACT
- Develop and oversee rigorous impact measurement systems that track academic performance, social-emotional development, and long-term mobility outcomes.
- Build a culture of learning and continuous improvement grounded in data — ensuring insights inform program iteration and organizational decision-making.
- Produce compelling outcomes reporting for internal leadership, funders, and external audiences.
PARTNERSHIPS & ECOSYSTEM LEADERSHIP
- Cultivate and steward strategic partnerships with schools, districts, universities, nonprofits, and corporate partners that expand program reach and quality.
- Serve as a national voice and thought leader in the education access and student success space, representing Arete at conferences, convenings, and in public forums.
- Collaborate across departments to align program strategy, communications, and philanthropic narratives.
CAPITAL ALIGNMENT & GROWTH
- Partner with the Vice President of Development to align program strategy and outcomes data with funding opportunities, ensuring programs are designed to attract and sustain investment.
- Support the organization’s expansion into new markets by developing scalable program infrastructure and community onboarding frameworks.
- Inform grant proposals, impact reports, and donor materials with rigorous programmatic evidence.
TEAM LEADERSHIP & CULTURE
- Lead, develop, and inspire a high-performing programs team, fostering a culture of accountability, excellence, equity, and joy in the work.
- Build the capacity of program staff through coaching, professional development, and clear role clarity.
- Model Arete’s values and contribute to an organizational culture where every team member sees themselves as a champion for students.
What Success Looks Like
Within the first 12–18 months, the Senior Director of Programs will:
- Launch a next-generation program model grounded in the Arete: RISE framework, with clear pillar-level strategies, community partners, and outcome goals in place.
- Establish and activate community-based pilots that demonstrate Arete’s “community quarterback” model in two or more markets.
- Implement robust data and impact measurement systems that capture academic, developmental, and mobility outcomes across the student life cycle.
- Demonstrate measurable improvements in student outcomes across program pillars.
- Align program expansion with sustainable capital strategy in close partnership with the development team.
Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- A systems builder who can see the whole chessboard — designing models that work at scale without losing sight of the child at the center.
- A capital-to-impact translator who understands how program quality and funding strategy are two sides of the same coin.
- A community-centered leader who earns trust by listening deeply, partnering authentically, and sharing credit generously.
- A national thought leader who can represent Arete’s model with conviction and curiosity — advancing the field while continuing to learn from it.
Qualifications & Education
- Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree or equivalent advanced credential strongly preferred.
- 10–15+ years of progressive leadership experience in education, social impact, or adjacent fields, with demonstrated success in a senior program leadership role.
- Proven track record of scaling place-based or systems-level initiatives across multiple communities or geographies.
- Strong operational and strategic capabilities — equally comfortable in the visionary and the practical.
- Experience designing and implementing outcome measurement systems and using data to drive program improvement.
- Demonstrated success partnering with funders and aligning program strategy with philanthropic priorities.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey mission and impact with clarity, confidence, warmth, and purpose.
- High ethical standards and the ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and integrity.
- Willingness and flexibility to travel for site visits, partner engagements, and speaking opportunities.
- Deep alignment with Arete Scholars’ mission and a genuine commitment to expanding opportunity for underserved students and families.
- Candidates located in Louisiana, Georgia, and Alabama strongly preferred.
Compensation & Benefits
Health, dental, and vision insurance
401(k) retirement plan
Life insurance
Generous paid vacation and sick leave
Opportunities for professional development and advancement within a growing, mission-driven organization
Equal Opportunity Statement
Arete Scholars Fund is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of the scholars and communities we serve. We believe every team member plays a role in advancing our mission—and that excellence in administration is excellence in service to students.