Senior Director, Program Operations

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Senior Director of Program Operations

Team: Program Operations, Product

Location: Hybrid in Atlanta (GA), Chicago (IL) , New York (NY) or Newark (NJ)

Employment Type: Full-time

Start Date: ASAP

About Braven

Braven is a national nonprofit that prepares promising college students to secure a strong first opportunity after college graduation through a career-accelerating program.

We work with higher education and employer partners to offer a life-changing experience that begins with a semester-long course for college students followed by support that lasts through graduation.

Together, our ambition is to help rebuild the middle class and revitalize the American Dream.

To learn more, take a look at Braven’s Jobs Report.

About the Role

In order to achieve its ambition of serving 80,000-100,000 Fellows over the next decade, Braven is hiring a Senior Director, Program Operations who will develop and implement a cohesive strategy that ensures world-class program operations for all Braven programming across the country. This role will manage a team that bridges the gap from central design and planning to direct-to-student execution. The role requires outstanding organizational, communication, and leadership skills and an ability to develop innovative solutions that push boundaries. Reporting to the Head of Program Operations, the Senior Director, Program Operations will work closely with senior managers to strategize and develop long-term plans that usher in new levels of productivity and success for Braven’s programs.

What You’ll Do

Accelerator Operations (50%)

• Designing and overseeing end-to-end operational systems to launch each new semester, including learning lab setup, course material deployment, grading and feedback processes, and support structures for volunteers and Fellows.
• Building and continuously improving the operational infrastructure needed to launch new Braven sites and regional expansions, in close collaboration with cross-functional teams.
• Establishing and managing Braven’s operational Centers of Excellence and shared services model, ensuring regional teams are equipped with tools, processes, and training to deliver programming consistently and at scale.
• Acting as a strategic thought partner to regional and national program leaders to align systems with instructional needs and programmatic goals.

Team Management and Cross-functional Leadership (30%)

• Directly managing a sub-team of central operations specialists, supporting their professional development and performance to drive results.
• Collaborating with senior program and regional leaders to set annual goals, align priorities, and implement operational strategies that maximize productivity and impact.
• Driving continuous improvement through data-driven decision-making, regular feedback loops, and targeted interventions to strengthen execution.
• Representing Program Operations in cross-functional leadership spaces and steering committees.

Innovation and Strategic Scaling (20%)

• Designing flexible operational models to support varied academic calendars, such as semester, quarter, and summer terms.
• Partnering with the Higher Education Partnerships team and Product team to incorporate customized course elements for institutional partners.
• Leading the development of compliance, risk management, and quality assurance systems to support Braven’s growth and sustainability.
• Championing innovation across operational systems, ensuring the organization can adapt and evolve in service of Fellows’ success.
• Partner with the VP of Program Operations to determine the future organization and division of responsibilities across the Accelerator Operations team
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

Minimum Requirements

• BA/BS degree

• 8+ years of experience, including 5+ years in a leadership role with a proven track record of team development

Preferred Qualifications

• BA/BS from a Braven higher education partner
• Significant non-profit professional experience
• Experience scaling programs to a similar size and scale as Braven
• Proficiency in Google Suite, Slack, Jira, Salesforce, Excel, and Tableau
• Experience with Form Assembly, Campaign Monitor, and Mogli
• PMP certification
• Exceptional organizational, communication, and leadership abilities
• Demonstrated success in planning and managing efficient operational processes
• Aptitude for systems management and improvement, including streamlining processes and problem-solving
• Strong ability to prioritize, delegate, collaborate cross-functionally, and drive results
• Commitment to continuous learning, constructive feedback, and professional growth
• Demonstrated commitment to building strong and welcoming cultures that help to develop others.
• Adaptable problem-solver, comfortable with ambiguity and able to translate complexity into clear solutions
• Experience that has informed your belief in Braven’s mission and has prepared you to work with or for Braven’s student Fellow population.

Please know that no one ever meets 100% of the preferred qualifications. If much of this describes you, we encourage you to apply.

Work Demands

• Ability to work in-person in Atlanta (GA), Chicago (IL), New York ( NY) or Newark (NJ) at least 3 days per week
• Ability to travel approximately 6 times per year to other Braven locations
• Ability to travel to in-person Braven events, including some evening and weekend events as needed

Additional Requirements

• Authorized to work in the U.S.
• Braven doesn’t offer employment visa sponsorship

Application & Interview Process

While the interview process may vary slightly, the general process will be:

• Phone screen with Talent Team member
• Performance Task
• Interview with Hiring Manager
• Panel Interview with Key Partners
• Final Interview
• Reference Checks

Benefits

Compensation and Benefits

Braven offers competitive base salaries based on the midpoint of the market among not-for-profit organizations of similar size, with opportunities for salary growth over time. We believe in compensating staff members fairly in relation to each other, their qualifications, and their impact on behalf of the organization, and take internal and external equity seriously. Given our commitment to equity, Braven does not negotiate salary offers; instead, each salary offer is determined carefully using external and internal benchmarking.

New hires can expect a starting salary at the beginning of the range to allow room for growth with performance and so that Braven maintains internal equity. The salary ranges, by geographic market, for this role are set forth $105,500-$131,800 in Atlanta, $111,300-$139,100 in Chicago, and $122,500-$153,100 in New York and Newark, NJ. This is based on a 50-hour work week at an hourly rate. This is a full-time, regular, exempt, and benefits eligible position where you will be working at 100% capacity.

Braven also provides competitive, comprehensive benefits, recognition, and career development. While Braven reserves the right to change benefits at any time, current benefits include:

• Unlimited vacation time in addition to org-wide holidays and week-long shutdowns in July and the end of the calendar year (this is a minimum of 19 days per year)
• Match of your 401K contribution up to 5% of your base annual salary, starting your first full month
• Coverage of 85% of health insurance premium for employee and dependents
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• A one-month paid sabbatical after 4 years on staff

Please note that Braven is firm in its compensation philosophy; therefore, only candidates who believe that our total rewards package matches what they are looking for in their next opportunity are encouraged to apply.

Location

We gather in the office 3 days a week (Tuesday through Thursday) and work remotely 2 days a week (Monday and Friday). Therefore, this role requires teammates to live within commuting distance of Atlanta, Chicago, New York or Newark. We believe in the magic, connection, and collaboration that happens when people work together face-to-face and we believe in giving people flexibility to focus, balance personal priorities, and save themselves two commutes per week.

Braven is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected factor. We encourage talented individuals of all backgrounds to apply.