Founded in 1921, the Los Angeles Urban League serves, educates, and empowers African Americans and all others in underserved communities achieve their highest true social parity, economic self-reliance, and civil rights. The League promotes this empowerment through education and job training, housing and community development, workforce development and entrepreneurship, with a vision of transforming our community’s health and quality of life, fostering true generational change. Learn more at www.laul.org.

***As part of our application process, we ask that you submit a cover letter with your resume***

OVERVIEW

The Vice President of Programs provides vision, strategic leadership, innovative program development, and operational excellence to support the Los Angeles Urban League’s four programmatic pillars of Workforce Development, Entrepreneurship, Education, and Advocacy. The VP oversees program development from operations, monitoring, compliance, data management, and reporting. The VP will also be instrumental in staff development, strategic planning, and communications, all to effectively strengthen program operations and position the organization for continued success. This position is open to local candidates only as it will be based onsite in our Los Angeles office.

CORE COMPETENCIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Strategic Leadership: Serve as a thought leader in collaboration with the Executive Team and organizational partners. Defines meaningful strategies that ensure the development and alignment of the agency’s strategic plan, pillar strategies, and program goals. Must be a mission-driven champion of cultural change, teamwork, and continuous learning while upholding the organization’s values. Lead inspirationally and keep the staff connected to the mission. Be visionary and able to help create and realize the Los Angeles Urban League’s vision for the future. Make informed decisions that positively impact organizational effectiveness.

• Community Impact: Oversees the development and effective operation of the Los Angeles Urban League’s programs that fall under the four programmatic pillars of Workforce Development, Entrepreneurship, Education, and Advocacy, with program design strategies that measurably and systematically create positive change to maintain existing programs and develop new programs, to directly impact the communities we serve. Understanding the landscape and impact of public policy as it relates to funding models, partners, and opportunities.

• Program Operations Excellence: Successfully employs operational excellence methodologies, systems, and technology, identifying and implementing key drivers that ensure high performance, continuous process improvements, measurement of performance impact, and growth in the internal organization and larger ecosystems.

• Data Management and Reporting: A data-driven thinker who ensures systems are in place and functioning to gather, interpret and report data to drive dynamic programming performance and impact. Ensures compliance with all regulations and contract provisions and that comprehensive, accurate, and well-written reports and surveys are submitted timely in accordance with the agency’s contractual obligations via grants, contracts, MOUs, etc.

• Planning, Monitoring, and Compliance: Ensures our portfolio of programs follows Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) that will be consistently evaluated and modified to achieve best practice and is compliant to the National Urban League Performance Assessments. Expertise in case management best practice; ability to assess needs, develop plans, and collaborate to achieve positive outcomes.

• Program Design, Research and Development : Will oversee research, needs assessments, and design thinking to support innovative program development and funding strategies that have the most significant impact.

• Fund Development and Grant Writing: Will participate in the agency’s fund development and grant writing to ensure sustainability and program growth.

• Technology and Systems: Jointly accountable for implementing our technology strategy to support operational excellence and organizational growth.

• People - Managing Performance: Will lead and build a highly effective team of Senior Directors and other staff with a broad range of complementary skills. Set goals for the organization and department, and provide tools and support to achieve them. Build a system of accountability to drive employee growth and performance. Lead, in conjunction with HR, all aspects of our talent management strategy: staffing, learning, development, and performance management.

• Partnerships: Develop partnerships and collaborative relationships to support existing and new programming across all relevant ecosystems.

• Communications: Will participate in developing an integrated strategic communications strategy and keep the Executive Team informed of progress, opportunities, and challenges in a solutions-driven manner.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, organizational leadership, nonprofit program leadership, human services, or a related field. Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 7 plus years of progressive experience directing programmatic and fiscal responsibility of a multitude of concurrent programs.
• Experience with performance and outcome-driven human services programs with high community impact.
• Progressive experience in designing work plans and leading in the delivery of work plans with data driven results.
• Experience leading and collaborating with a diverse team of high-performing individuals.
• Knowledge and understanding of the various ecosystems and strategies that align with and support our work.
• Proven experience leading the development, expansion, and the continuous quality improvement of multiple departments and/or programs.
• Experience with the development of strategic partnerships and effective working relationships with a broad range of stakeholders across the community, philanthropic, business, and government sectors.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND COMPETENCIES

• A demonstrated commitment to partnering with and advocating in underserved communities and communities of color
• Values diversity and inclusion, Constructive collaboration, and facilitates positive and productive Communications
• Think multi-dimensionally and move fluidly among creative problem-solving, critical thinking, and strategic thinking.
• A team builder guided by values and ethics
• Possesses strong business acumen, with strategic planning and focused project management
• Driven by data and performance (KPI’s)
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Entrepreneurial; great negotiator
• Prior experience (work or lived) using an explicit race equity lens
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint
• Proficiency in Salesforce; Expertise preferred.

WORK SCHEDULE

• Full Time
• In-Office
• Frequent travel required
• Reliable transportation and a valid driver's license

ADDITIONAL INFO

The Los Angeles Urban League is an equal opportunity employer, committed to inclusive hiring and dedicated to diversity in our work and staff. We strongly encourage candidates of all identities, experiences, and communities to apply. We strive to take on the issues that have a broad impact on our client communities and to be responsive to client input. Recognizing the particular historical impact of marginalization and under-resourcing in underserved communities, we devote special attention to promoting social justice for our clients and staff. All applicants must be dedicated to working in and sustaining an environment that enables staff and clients to feel empowered, valued, respected, and safe. In reviewing applications, we look for evidence that applicants have experience and/or thoughtfulness in working with traditionally marginalized populations.

The Los Angeles Urban League is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status.