Programs Director - URBAN TXT: Teens Exploring Technology

About URBAN TXT 

URBAN TXT: Teens Exploring Technology is a nationally recognized and growing nonprofit organization focused on inspiring young men of color to become confident leaders who use technology as a tool to improve marginalized communities. We are dedicated with ending the school to prison pipeline. Through our unique approach to leadership, technology, and entrepreneurship we prevent our youth from entering the school to prison pipeline. Our core values come for our leadership creed. We value empowerment, agility, innovation, creativity and leadership. Our interdisciplinary curriculum develops leadership, entrepreneurship, design and coding skills among underrepresented teens. 

Position Summary: 

The Programs Director is a key member of the senior leadership team. We are seeking an individual who is enthusiastic about driving systemic change, willing to challenge the status quo, and who understands the urgency of making a significant impact in the tech world. The Programs Director works closely with senior leadership and program staff to articulate and carry out the strategic vision and to ensure that URBAN TXT youth have access to opportunities, challenge social inequities and achieve 21st century skills and educational goals. 

URBAN TXT’s model is one that combines youth development with leadership and technology. The Summer Coding Leadership Academy program, for instance, provides leadership and technology skills to young men in color, and its participants work in teams creating an innovative solution by developing a product at the end of the summer. The Programs Director has an internal and external facing role and manages partnerships with community groups, government agencies and local stakeholders.  

The Programs Director has supervisor and coaching experience, and is comfortable with and committed to fostering the development of staff. The ideal candidate is an experienced project manager and is looking for an opportunity to guide community-based work in a fast-paced and growing organization. The candidate will oversee that objectives are being met with the Programs Staff for Summer Coding Leadership Academy (SCLA), expansion of SCLA, Apprenticeship Program, SEALS Program, and Hustle N’ Code Hackathon. 

Reports to:  The Founder and Executive Director of URBAN TXT: Teens Exploring Technology.  

Supervises: Alumni Engagement/Events Associate, Summer Coding Leadership Academy Senior Program Manager, Alumni Senior Program Manager and future Program Staff 

Management and Administration 

• • Responsible for the expansion of the Summer Coding Leadership Academy 
• • Develop, implement and manage effective internal operational systems for all URBAN TXT programs 
• • Foster a cross functional , team-oriented, supportive, accountable work environment  
• • Ensure effective roll out, implementation, and evaluation of new programs and initiatives 

• • Contribute to reporting process for grants 
• • Present programmatic elements of URBAN TXT in a compelling manner to prospective funders and other supporters 
• • Recruit and hire new staff members in keeping with the URBAN TXT Leadership Creed 
• • Work closely with senior leadership team to ensure successful adoption of database  
• • Collaborate with senior leadership team to implement special projects aimed at increasing program and organizational capacity 

• • Lead staff workshops, trainings and other relevant team meetings  Program Management 

• • Oversee URBAN TXT’s youth development, technology, and community building work 
• • Oversee development and implementation of strategy for all programs and services for Summer Coding Leadership Academy (SCLA), expansion of SCLA, Apprenticeship Program, SEALS Program, Hustle N’ Code Hackathon. 

• • In coordination with the Alumni and Engagement and Events Associate oversee the expansion of the Alumni Apprenticeship Program. 
• • Lead staff in long-term program planning 
• • Work with the senior leadership team and program teams to develop and evaluate program strategies and goals 
• • Assist in developing strategies to engage youth from URBAN TXT 
• • Provide hands-on supervision and coaching for staff 

• • Analyze internal reports to evaluate program effectiveness using an outcomes-based approach and ensure the agency’s ability to anticipate and effectively respond to changing client needs 

External Relations and Collaboration 

• • Alongside URBAN TXT’s Executive Director, serve as a spokesperson and bridge-builder on Young Men of Color 
• • Represent URBAN TXT at local events, community gatherings, or workshops and trainings 
• • Work with external partners to harness resources for URBAN TXT community, including but not limited to opportunities for employment, enrichment opportunities and enhanced educational opportunities 

Key Qualifications 

• • Strategic Vision and Agility-ability to think strategically, anticipate future trends 
• • Demonstrated ability to work independently, creatively, with initiative and accurately with minimal supervision and within specific deadlines; 
• • Developing operations protocol, workflow and designing and implementing new processes 
• • Leadership and Organization- ability to motive staff; capacity to enforce accountability, develop and empower leaders, and cultivate entrepreneurship 

• • Action Oriented— Work in a fast-‐paced environments with multiple priorities and deadlines, including the ability to supervise and give direction to staff, contractors, and vendors; 
• • Excellent organization skills who likes being in entrepreneurial settings; 
• • Management—thorough understanding of HR; broad experience planning, budgeting, program development, human resources, and marketing 
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills 
  • Experience Managing and Hiring Full time staff
  • Experience Managing Date
  • Bachelor's Degree

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  Why you might be a great fit: 

• This person will have the opportunity to shape TXT and learn an enormous amount about running a social conscious tech organization. In addition to strong people skills, the successful candidate needs to be highly organized and take initiative to coordinate, execute, and growth of TXT.  

Why you might NOT be a great fit: 

• This is not the kind of job where you show up and are told what to do every day. 

• The organization is extremely mission and value-driven and works incredibly hard to create an excellent organization for the community. 

 
Compensation 
This is a great opportunity for a highly motivated person to assume a pivotal role in the evolution of URBAN TXT: Teens Exploring Technology. We are seeking a candidate of outstanding quality with a respected track record. Teens Exploring Technology offers a base salary as well as full health, sick, and vacation benefits.