Sr. Director for Programs (GovEx)

The Bloomberg Center for Government Excellence (GovEx, the Center) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) works to unlock the power of data for public good and to empower mayors and their teams to use data & AI to improve outcomes for their residents. The Center is housed within the JHU School of Government and Policy (SoGP) alongside the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation and the Black Wealth Data Center.

The Center seeks an inaugural Sr. Director for Programs as a senior member of the Center leadership team.

Working closely with and under the supervision of the GovEx Executive Director and in collaboration with other senior leaders within the Center, the Senior Director drives programmatic excellence by ensuring that all center initiatives and programs are designed in alignment with the center's mission and strategic goals, and that they are implemented with fidelity to recognized best practices and approved work plans and budgets. The Senior Director leads productive engagements and planning with a variety of stakeholders and partners including city leaders, collaborating partners, contracted subject matter experts and consultants, funder representatives, and school faculty in support of GovEx programming focused on data practices, data and AI governance, data analytics, and applied AI within local government settings.

GovEx is strengthening and expanding its service delivery model using a matrix organizational structure in which functional teams (e.g., analytics, coaching, research) support multiple large-scale programs and project portfolios. The Senior Director will be responsible for designing, operationalizing, and stewarding this matrix-based model to ensure coordinated deployment of staff and contractors across programs, consistent standards of practice, and high-quality implementation across a diverse array of city-facing engagements.

The Senior Director for Programs must have a forward-thinking mindset, exceptional emotional intelligence, the vision to develop and lead core center programming, and the capacity to manage multi-disciplinary, high-performing staff, to cultivate strong and productive networks and collaborations, and to deliver measurable results and impact.

As a member of the senior leadership team of GovEx, the Senior Director for Programs embraces a strategic mindset, centering on City outcomes, facilitating collaboration within GovEx and the wider City data and innovation ecosystem, and support staff to do the best work of their careers.

This is a Baltimore-based position with the expectation that some onsite days will be spent working at the JHU Washington DC location (555 Pennsylvania Ave NW)/Hybrid

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Serve as a core member of GovEx's executive leadership team, contribute to center-wide priority setting and strategic planning, and work collaboratively with senior leaders to advance coordinated decisions on strategy, resource allocation, program development, operational planning, and organizational management.
• Design, implement, and refine GovEx's matrix-based service delivery model, ensuring that functional teams (analytics, coaching, training, research, policy) are aligned, well-coordinated, and consistently deployed across multiple programs and city engagements.
• Serve as GovEx's lead on new program design and development; effectively convene funders and stakeholders on shared vision, goals, and objectives; accurately define program resource requirements to inform budget.
• Oversee the launch and implementation of programs while ensuring alignment to funder priorities, the center's mission and strategic goals, approved work plans, and budgets.
• Effectively lead, mentor, and manage multi-disciplinary teams operating in a matrix environment, ensuring that staff and contractors are deployed flexibly across multiple programs, that functional standards are upheld, and that project teams receive the right mix of expertise for successful delivery.
• Ensure strong coordination mechanisms between functional leads and program leads, including resource planning, workload balancing, quality assurance standards, and performance monitoring within the matrix structure.
• Develop systems and processes to integrate contracted subject-matter experts and technical specialists into matrixed project teams in ways that maintain quality, consistency, and alignment with GovEx standards.
• Cultivate high-performing program teams, foster collaboration, accountability, learning, and excellence among staff, and support staff development by identifying growth pathways, strengthening AI-and data-readiness capabilities, and ensuring team members receive the support, coaching, and feedback needed to ensure they are positioned to deliver high-quality, impactful city engagements.
• Capably represent GovEx as a senior leader and center representative at events, meetings, conferences, and forums.
• Perform other duties, as assigned, in support of GovEx, SoGP, and JHU.
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's Degree in public policy or related field.
• Five years of experience managing diverse teams in government, non-profit or academic settings.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience, and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in program design and delivery and/or consulting services in a data-rich environment in the public and/or social sectors.
• Experience managing donor-funded programs and initiatives.
• Experience working in a city-based data or innovation leadership position.
• Experience managing teams and coordinating with external partners.
• Interest in bridging research and practice
• Demonstrated experience designing, leading, or scaling matrix-based service organizations, including managing cross-functional teams deployed across multiple programs or portfolios.
• Demonstrated capacity to design and oversee implementation of high-impact programs to improve the reach, quality & access to city services.
• Deep expertise in coaching methodologies.
• Excellent interpersonal communication, program planning, and supervisory skills.
• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with diverse stakeholders.
  
  

Classified Title: Director, GovEx

Job Posting Title (Working Title): Sr. Director for Programs (GovEx)

Role/Level/Range: L/04/LG

Starting Salary Range: $111,800 - $235,000 Annually ($235,000 targeted; Commensurate w/exp.)

Employee group: Full Time

Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-5:00 PM

FLSA Status: Exempt

Location: Hybrid/JH at Keswick

Department name: Bloomberg Center for Government Excellen

Personnel area: School of Government & Policy