Promise Neighborhood Project Director

About Oakland Promise

Oakland Promise’s (“OP”) mission is to engage the Oakland community to advance economic mobility through cradle-to-career achievement. OP is available to young learners (from newborns to college students) and their families who reside in Oakland. We offer every child the financial resources, educational programming, mentorship, and supportive community they need to help them and their families seek out and thrive in higher education and the career of their choosing. OP achieves its work through four key programs : Brilliant Baby, Kindergarten to College, College Access, and College Completion.

Position Summary

Oakland Promise is looking for a strategic team player to join our team as the Project Director who will lead the planning and early implementation of the East Oakland Promise Neighborhood (EOPN) initiative, ensuring the $1M grant is effectively managed to achieve the outcomes set by the U.S. Department of Education. This role includes overseeing day-to-day operations, fostering collaboration among partner organizations, ensuring compliance with grant requirements, and representing EOPN in local, state and national forums. The Project Director is a full-time position reporting directly to the CEO of Oakland Promise and serves as a key liaison between funders, partners, and the community. This role requires a minimum of three days per week working in person at the office or in the field, with the remaining time worked remotely from a home-based location within the Bay Area.

The Project Director will work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders, including early learning networks, educational institutions, health providers, and community organizations, to achieve the results outlined in the grant. The ideal candidate is a visionary leader with a proven ability to manage complex initiatives, build and sustain partnerships, and foster community-focused solutions.

Who You Are

• You are rooted in the Oakland social change ecosystem. You are committed to building trust and sharing power.
• You love being in community and regularly attend events, celebrations, and social activities led by community organizations.
• You have an eye for the big picture and a bias toward action. You have the experience and aptitude for taking incremental steps towards change : building the case for your work by conducting critical research, synthesizing nuanced and complex evidence, writing and telling persuasive stories to different audiences.
• You have strong facilitation skills and the ability to bring diverse partners together around a shared vision, fostering shared power, co-creating solutions, and empowering residents, stakeholders, and youth to contribute meaningfully to decision-making processes.
• You are an advocate for youth leadership, collaborating with young people as partners, and creating opportunities for local organizations to contribute to and lead collective solutions.
• You can combine a systems-change mindset with a bias toward action, advancing long-term goals through incremental steps, evidence-based decision-making, and alignment with the Promise Neighborhood vision.
• You excel at taking initiative, adapting to evolving priorities, forming strong relationships, and communicating persuasively through research-driven narratives tailored to diverse audiences.
• You combine leadership and innovation with a strong work ethic. Your work is high-quality and delivered on time. You bring creativity and reliability to internal collaboration, playing different roles on different teams with multiple staff.
• You have high expectations for yourself and are willing to put in the effort to meet the expectations of the role and the organization. You see this work as a challenge and as an opportunity to grow while committing to your growth.
• You resonate with Oakland Promise’s unity principles and mission.

What You Will Do (Duties and Responsibilities)

1. Key Responsibilities :

Leadership and Oversight (30%)

• Lead the planning, execution, and monitoring of EOPN initiative to ensure alignment with grant budget, goals, and timelines.
• Conduct regular team meetings to address progress, challenges, and solutions.
• Build and maintain a results-driven culture emphasizing accountability.
• Develop and implement a clear communication strategy and cadence with all stakeholders.

Partner Coordination and Management (30%)

• Convene and facilitate regular meetings with key partners, including school districts, community organizations, and local agencies.
• Collaborate with partners to align efforts and integrate services across networks (e.g., early learning, health, and educational reform).
• Monitor partner deliverables, ensuring alignment with budget and data requirements.

Data and Reporting (20%)

• In collaboration with OP’s Impact and Evaluation team the EOPN Project Director will assist with implementing the evaluation plan and integrating data collection systems for regular reporting.
• Work with the Director of Impact & Evaluation to implement robust data collection and reporting systems.
• Ensure compliance with U.S. Department of Education reporting requirements and respond to feedback from the program officer.

Community and Stakeholder Engagement (10%)

• Represent EOPN at local, state, and national levels, advocating for policies and resources to support the initiative.
• Engage with elected officials, technical assistance providers, and funders to sustain and scale EOPN efforts.

Sustainability Planning (5%)

• Develop and implement strategies for the long-term sustainability of EOPN programs, ensuring alignment with the goals and outcomes outlined in the Early Implementation / Planning Grant.
• Maintain a clear focus on the requirements of the full Promise Neighborhood grant, treating this planning phase as a critical foundation to position Oakland Promise for future funding opportunities.
• Identify and pursue additional funding opportunities and partnerships that strengthen the foundation and capacity needed to meet both current program goals and future Promise Neighborhood grant criteria.

Qualifications :

Minimum Requirements :

• Bachelor’s degree and five years of professional leadership experience in multi-partner initiatives, grant management, or community-based projects.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency in data management systems and reporting.
• Demonstrated capacity to work collaboratively across sectors.
• Skilled at facilitating conversations that surface issues and identify solutions.
• Capacity to monitor staff and partner performance and foster accountability.
• Strong communication skills, including experience in public speaking and relationship management.
• Commitment to collaboration and sustainable community impact.

Preferred Qualifications :

• Master’s degree in education, public administration, or a related field.
• Experience with cradle-to-career pipelines, educational programs, and community engagement.
• Knowledge of federal grant compliance and reporting processes.

Compensation and Benefits

• Full time exempt contractor position.
• Salary for this position is $120,000 - $125,000 commensurate with experience and qualifications.
• Oakland Promise currently has a hybrid work policy. Employees work in the office 3 days / week.
• The ability to learn and grow within a supportive team environment.
• An opportunity to network and interact with leaders in the community.
• Some evening and weekend hours may be required.

To Apply :

Send a single PDF of a resume and thoughtful cover letter to apply@oaklandpromise.org with “Job Name – [Your Name]” in the subject line. Please use your last name and first initial (ex : Doe_J) as the filename of your PDF containing your resume and cover letter. Failure to follow these instructions may delay the review of your application. Applications will be reviewed immediately and candidates with the best fit will be contacted for interviews. Unfortunately, the volume of applications will prevent us from responding to all applications received.

Oakland Promise is a place-based organization located in Oakland, California. Oakland Promise requires that employees work in person at various engagements. It is a requirement that all staff reside within commuting distance to the main office, located at 484 9th Street, Oakland, CA 94607. Please note that at any time, a full in-person work plan may be required, and it is of utmost importance that all staff are able to meet this requirement.

Oakland Promise is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Oakland Promise is committed to providing a work environment free of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and disrespectful or other unprofessional conduct based on sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), sex stereotype, race, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), color, gender (including gender identity, gender expression, and transgender), national origin (including language use restrictions and possession of a driver's license issued under Vehicle Code section 12801.9), ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, registered domestic partner status, age, sexual orientation, military, and veteran status or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law or ordinance or regulation. It also prohibits discrimination, harassment, disrespectful or unprofessional conduct based on the perception that anyone has any of those characteristics, or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics.

Salary : $120,000 - $125,000