Vice President of Programs

Up2Us Sports believes we can change the world one coach at a time. Up2Us Sports is the only national service (AmeriCorps) organization that recruits, trains, and supports coaches to transform youth, programs, and communities. Up2Us Sports partners with federal, state, and private donors to support service opportunities for our coach-mentors. Through our programs, Up2Us can ensure that sports are accessible to all youth.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Up2Us Sports is excited to announce this new position, Vice President of Programs, who will work with the CEO and COO to oversee all aspects of program strategy, development, execution, and evaluation. This is a position for a seasoned nonprofit leader seeking to use their passion for sports and youth development to lead an organization to the next level of growth and impact.

The ideal candidate is an expert in Sports-Based Youth Development and has managed staff in remote offices across the nation. The candidate has had extensive experience in defining program strategy; assessing program strengths and weakness; identifying growth opportunities; articulating short-term and long-term program goals; working with a diverse team to implement these goals; and evaluating ongoing success. The candidate must also think creatively with their program team on how to implement the following strategic priorities for Up2us Sports: 1) sustainability/growth in existing markets; 2) placement of Up2Us Coaches in public school districts; 3) pathways for girls to become coaches; and 4) career readiness opportunities for Up2Us Coaches. This position reports to the Chief Operating Officer and will be a part of the executive leadership team.

BENEFITS

• 403(B) plan with a 100% employer match up to 3%
• Insurance Coverage: Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance coverage options for staff and their family members
• Flexible spending account and dependent care spending account options
• 100% Employer-Paid Basic Life Insurance
• Additional benefit options, which includes: pet insurance, voluntary life insurance, legal & ID theft protection, and pre-tax transit benefits.
• Cell phone reimbursement per pay period
• Generous Paid Time Off policy
  • 15 to 30 PTO days per year based on length of employment
• 11 Paid Holidays
• Holiday Break: Paid time off between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day
• Excellent work life balance and flexible work schedules
• Every Friday is a half day & the last Friday of every month is a day off
• Hybrid work from home and office model
• Strong commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and access
• A dynamic, fun, exciting, and flexible work atmosphere with a team of professionals dedicated to supporting underserved youth through sports

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Explore avenues for strengthening the Up2Us Coach program to make its AmeriCorps model more accessible to youth sports programs that take place in various settings (e.g., schools, parks, community centers), and engage different demographics.
• Lead a national expansion effort of Up2Us Sports into public school systems by overseeing, modifying, and assessing an ongoing strategy to determine how Up2Us Sports can best support schools. This includes: interacting with school principals and management; assessing impact of school-based programs; and expanding opportunities for kids to play intramural sports in schools that currently have limited athletic opportunities.
• Develop strategies to integrate training of coaches into a larger plan for increasing the organization’s visibility/impact with new and existing donors, host sites, and community partners.
• Identify new market opportunities for expansion and/or growth and conduct an analysis on the viability of the Up2Us Sports programs in these emerging markets.
• Work with the special programs initiatives teams, including the She Changes the Game and Career Readiness Teams, to fully define goals and benchmarks for expansion of their work that is aligned with overall program impact and growth strategy.
• Oversee evaluation systems and explore new opportunities to evaluate the programs that meet standards and expectations set forth by government and other funders.
• Explore opportunities for Up2Us Sports to participate in groundbreaking new studies that expand the field of Sports-Based Youth Development.
• Build relationships with all stakeholders under the Up2Us Sports umbrella by being hands-on and engaging with the community across the various states and locations.
• Develop national partnerships with organizations, schools, and sports teams that can expand the Up2Us mission through coach placement or training.
• Oversee continuous quality improvement by developing and implementing systems for receiving internal feedback from staff, coaches, and “host sites” (partner organizations who host Up2Us Coaches in their communities).
• Participate in strategic planning to help establish future directions for growth including new geographies, program activations, and demographics.
• Ensure compliance with all government grants.

REQUIRED SKILLS

Programming Execution: Setting clear objectives and coordinating the implementation of programs to ensure successful outcomes and alignment with organizational goals. This includes overseeing program planning, resource allocation, monitoring progress, evaluating effectiveness, and making strategic adjustments as needed to drive optimal results. 

Team Leadership: Effectively managing and leading teams and departments within the portfolio. This includes providing strategic direction, setting goals, and fostering a positive and productive work culture. Ultimately responsible for building high-performing teams, developing talent, and promoting collaboration and communication among team members. Additionally, providing guidance, support, and mentorship to empower teams to achieve operational excellence, drive innovation, and meet organizational objectives. 

Community Engagement: Being present and fostering meaningful connections and partnerships with various stakeholders on both a national and local level. This involves developing strategies and initiatives to actively engage stakeholders to better understand their needs and expectations and create opportunities for feedback and participation. This helps to ensure programs are relevant, impactful, and effectively serve the needs of the community and key stakeholders. 

Data Analysis: Inform evidence-based decision making and drive programmatic improvements. Collaborate with the Asst National Dir, Research and Evaluation to ensure the timely collection, analysis, and interpretation of data related to program outcomes, impact, and performance metrics. This involves utilizing data insights to evaluate program effectiveness, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven recommendations for programmatic changes and resource allocation.

Operations: Lead efforts to give feedback to program operations to support infrastructure necessary for successful program execution. This includes walk-around management, managing resources, addressing incidents, coordinating logistics, overseeing timelines, and ensuring efficient processes are in place. The goal is to optimize program delivery, streamline workflows, monitor progress, and address any operational challenges that may arise, ultimately ensuring effective implementation of programs and the achievement of desired outcomes.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 10 years of experience managing a nonprofit or similar organization.
• Track record for advancing quality programming in previous organizations.
• Strong understanding of implementing programs on both a national and local scale.
• Superior interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Computer literacy and well developed technology skills.
• Ability to establish and track budgets, including budgets for government grants.
• An entrepreneurial spirit who is also a team player and servant leader.
• Advanced degree or considerable experience in effective leadership in nonprofit organizations.

COMPENSATION 

• Salary range: $110,000 - $130,000 annually based on geographical location and experience.

Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, ethnicity, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, medical condition, or any other category protected by applicable federal and state law. 

All resumes must be accompanied with a cover letter.