Full-Time Executive Director of National Programs
Job Description
ABOUT BEAM
Bridge to Enter Advanced Mathematics (BEAM), a roughly ten year old, rapidly growing organization, works to create realistic pathways for students from low-income and historically marginalized communities to become scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and programmers. While many efforts in STEM focus on achieving minimum competency or granting basic exposure, we instead focus on advanced math from an early age. Our work has been featured in the New York Times and the Atlantic. For more insight into our work and programming, view our annual report or browse our website.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL INITIATIVE
BEAM National presents a unique opportunity to leverage our existing success helping students to access advanced mathematical work and bring that success to national scale. Whereas BEAM’s work so far has been primarily focused on working locally and directly with communities and schools, BEAM National will leverage the highly-regarded online Beast Academy curriculum to reach underserved students nationwide, and will support schools in implementing the program in underserved areas.
Ultimately, BEAM National will support students from third grade through college graduation. It is our belief that this program can break barriers in STEM achievement, opening up new avenues to success for our students as they find joy in challenging mathematics and deepen their love of learning, and, simultaneously, address pressing diversity issues in STEM spaces.
ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY
BEAM’s inaugural Executive Director of National Programs will have the exciting and impactful opportunity to lead the implementation and scaling of an ambitious new STEM initiative for students from marginalized communities across the US that both cultivates a love of math, and builds a community around a love of math. The incoming ED will design, shape, pilot, and scale a program that we believe will chart new pathways to rewarding, well-paying STEM careers for students from all kinds of backgrounds and communities.
THE ROLE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The Executive Director of National Programs reports to the CEO and is responsible for the strategy, vision, and execution of BEAM National. Working with a team that includes existing BEAM staff with expertise in this work, and with the flexibility and budget to hire additional staff as needed, the ED will lead the design and piloting of different program components, building to a larger launch and scale of the program. Specific responsibilities include:
- Designing, Scaling, Implementing, Managing, Evaluating, & Iterating BEAM National: Jointly with BEAM’s CEO, lead the program’s design and support its vision. Ensure the design supports high quality experiences for students; is scalable and will work in schools; supports data gathering and stakeholder engagement with students and families to gather feedback; and evaluation. Lead the team in executing the program, including the first-year pilots, teacher PD, hiring local staff, developing videos or other community-building activities, evaluation and measurement, etc. Work with the Director of Finance and Administration to recommend an annual budget to the CEO and board of directors, then lead the implementation of the budget.
- Team Leadership & Collaboration: Serve as a mentor and guide to your team; help facilitate the individual development of BEAM staff. Collaborate with BEAM’s two other EDs – in New York and Los Angeles – to develop the program and maintain fidelity to the model.
- Expanding the Reach of BEAM National: Cultivate and secure partnerships with teachers, schools, and districts; community groups; and universities to launch in fall 2021. Working with BEAM’s CEO, communicate with program funders and develop relationships for additional fundraising to support program growth.
- Externally Representing BEAM & BEAM National: Represent BEAM and the BEAM National program publicly, including to stakeholders (students, families, schools, funders), in media, and at conferences. Manage reports and communications with the primary funder.
QUALIFICATIONS
This role is ideal for someone with strong operational skills, and who can implement a process for growing a project with design for long-term success. Our ideal candidate has experience in an early-stage organization and can operate at a high level while developing the needed processes, tools, and infrastructure. Specific qualifications we are looking for include:
- Mission & Values Alignment: Excitement about leading with BEAM’s values, which favor collaborative team decision-making when possible; individual humility; love of – and joy in – learning; and actively inclusive practices. Deep knowledge of and experience with the communities BEAM serves; experience with community-responsive practices and engaging community members as real stakeholders. An abiding belief in the power of BEAM’s mission to create STEM pathways for students from low-income and historically marginalized communities.
- Experience Building, Implementing, & Scaling a National Program: A proven builder, eager and ready to fit all the pieces together and create something new. Experience leading the growth and scaling of a state-wide or national education program, particularly one that serves students from low-income and historically marginalized communities. Ability to build with scale in mind, ensuring that early operational excellence leads to sound infrastructure and replicability long term. History of skillfully and successfully managing a high volume competing priorities.
- Executive & Team Leadership: Proven history of leading, inspiring, and developing cohesive and high functioning teams with diverse identities to effectively deliver outcomes while centering an organization’s mission. Track record of effective collaboration and relationship building with executive leaders. Experience setting, driving, and implementing strategy at the organization level.
- Education & School Partnership Experience: Background in STEM education preferred, particularly work with elementary school students. Experience partnering with schools and/or districts, including business development / cultivation of new opportunities. Knowledge and understanding of structural barriers to student access to STEM education. Experience with programs that involve online components is a strong plus.
How to Apply
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