2024 Senior Program Director, Educational Equity
$97k-147k (estimate)
Full Time | Consumer Goods
1 Week Ago
MDC is Hiring a 2024 Senior Program Director, Educational Equity Near Durham, NC
MDC Senior Program Director, Educational EquityMDC seeks a Senior Program Director to lead MDC’s work to advance educational equity through programming, capacity building, elevating best practices, and cultivating networks. MDC enjoys support from national and regional partners in private philanthropy, business, and government. MDC envisions a South where systemic inequities no longer exist, and all people thrive.
About MDC (Meaning, Dignity, And Community)Founded in 1967, MDC catalyzes and accelerates economic mobility across thirteen Southern states by activating changemakers, strengthening capacity, framing key issues, and cultivating networks—centering equity through it all.
We currently work in 4 key issue areas:
About The Senior Director For Educational EquityMDC defines educational equity as the work to ensure that every child or young person receives what they need to develop to their full academic and social potential. We currently advance this agenda for children 0-5 as well as young people with learning differences in K-12. The Senior Director will be responsible for shaping and building MDC’s broader agenda to advance educational opportunity and equity for children and youth throughout the South, in early childhood education and development, K-12 educational equity, and in access to and completion of a post-secondary credential. All of MDC’s educational equity work is nested in MDC’s commitment to economic mobility.
The Senior Director will also provide senior leadership to three current significant initiatives:
This position will work closely with MDC’s Director of Learning and Impact and Director of Communications to ensure that we track learnings, measure progress, and share our experiences with external audiences. The Senior Director is a member of MDC’s Leadership Team and thus helps inform and guide MDC’s overall mission. This position may also be engaged in other related MDC projects.
This position is supervised by the MDC Vice President for Partnerships & Programs.
Primary Responsibilities And Expectations
MDC offers an excellent benefits package. This position will be a full-time exempt position and is eligible for a full package of benefits including health, dental, and vision insurance; short-term and long-term disability; life insurance; vacation, sick, and personal leave; employee assistance program, wellness benefit, remote work stipend and paid retirement account contributions with match.
MDC staff work in a hybrid manner, though regular office space is available in our Durham, NC location. MDC is open to staff who do not live in the Durham/RTP area, but they must be able to attend monthly staff meetings, periodic in-person team meetings and/or retreats, and other periodic full-staff gatherings.
Dedicated to its employee health and safety, MDC will continue to make decisions about in-person meetings in accordance with all applicable laws and is based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health authorities.
All MDC employees whose duties require that they work indoors with others, excluding work done exclusively from the employee’s home, must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 unless a reasonable accommodation is approved.
MDC is an equal opportunity employer. As an organization committed to diversity and equity, it is our policy to provide an equal employment opportunity to all individuals without regard to age, color, race, religion, national origin, disability, military/veteran status, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation or status in any other group, protected by federal or local law or for any other reason. This position is not eligible for H-1B visa sponsorship. We encourage applications from people of color, women, the LGBTQ community, individuals with disabilities, and members of other underrepresented groups. Further, MDC values candidates with lived experience relevant to our mission. Reasonable accommodations are available on request.
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About MDC (Meaning, Dignity, And Community)Founded in 1967, MDC catalyzes and accelerates economic mobility across thirteen Southern states by activating changemakers, strengthening capacity, framing key issues, and cultivating networks—centering equity through it all.
We currently work in 4 key issue areas:
- Leadership & Philanthropy
- Educational Equity
- Economic Security & Mobility
- Rural Prosperity & Investment
About The Senior Director For Educational EquityMDC defines educational equity as the work to ensure that every child or young person receives what they need to develop to their full academic and social potential. We currently advance this agenda for children 0-5 as well as young people with learning differences in K-12. The Senior Director will be responsible for shaping and building MDC’s broader agenda to advance educational opportunity and equity for children and youth throughout the South, in early childhood education and development, K-12 educational equity, and in access to and completion of a post-secondary credential. All of MDC’s educational equity work is nested in MDC’s commitment to economic mobility.
The Senior Director will also provide senior leadership to three current significant initiatives:
- Great Expectations: an ambitious early childhood initiative of the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust focused on ensuring children in Forsyth County enter kindergarten ready to learn and leave set for success in school and life–regardless of their race, location, or economic status.
- Home-based Child Care (HBCC): a two-pronged initiative to: (1) advance a HBCC Community of Practice and (2) Haven, a leadership program to build voice and advocacy among home-based child care providers
- Learning for Equity: a Network for Solutions (LENS): a learning and action network supported by the Oak Foundation, to advance learning and hands-on work regarding the intersection of learning differences and education equity. LENS network members form connections, share experiences, and explore collaborations that will contribute to positive changes for K-12 students with learning differences who are impacted by educational inequities due to racism and/or poverty.
This position will work closely with MDC’s Director of Learning and Impact and Director of Communications to ensure that we track learnings, measure progress, and share our experiences with external audiences. The Senior Director is a member of MDC’s Leadership Team and thus helps inform and guide MDC’s overall mission. This position may also be engaged in other related MDC projects.
This position is supervised by the MDC Vice President for Partnerships & Programs.
Primary Responsibilities And Expectations
- Expand the programmatic and geographic reach and sharpen the focus of MDC’s education agenda. This will involve visioning and strategic planning with MDC team members, followed by partnership development and fundraising.
- In close partnership with MDC senior leadership and project teams, guide and support the three strategies described above in a way that centers equity, innovation, growth, and impact.
- Lead the fundraising strategy to support this body of work, building partnerships with multiple state, regional and national foundations and governmental agencies.
- Supervise staff and ensure strong, healthy project teams.
- Build productive partnerships with community leaders, academics, nonprofits, philanthropy, government, and leaders in the field.
- Working closely with MDC’s Director of Learning and Impact and Director of Communications, identify knowledge and insights that should be shared with wider audiences; help shape written and other materials for dissemination.
- Serve as a member of MDC’s Leadership Team.
- A deep understanding of, and commitment to, equity and applied experience in infusing equity within schools and/or post-secondary institutions and/or education-focused nonprofits
- Experience shaping and/or leading significant education initiatives
- Currency and reputational standing in the field; recognizing that the field of education serving young people 0-16 is deep and wide, an expectation that the candidate has worked across multiple aspects of the education field
- An innovative orientation to creatively shaping new partnerships and initiatives
- Excellent management and team leadership skills that fit with MDC’s culture of team-based project staffing and inclusive decision-making
- A results-driven orientation, with the capacity to forecast, plan, and deliver in a timely fashion
- Ability to build and maintain partnerships with a broad range of strategic partners, including a range of nonprofits (organizing, advocacy, community development), educational institutions (districts, community colleges), state-level education policymakers, and philanthropy
- Significant experience in acquiring funding through successful program design generated internally and/or in response to funder opportunities
- Ability to communicate and work effectively with people of diverse backgrounds and experiences, including communities where English is spoken as an additional language
- Deep commitment to and understanding of equity generally and racial equity specifically
- Strong self-awareness and empathy, with the capacity to build authentic relationships
- An understanding of the American South
- Superb plain-language writing skills
- Strong communication skills, including clear and compelling oral presentation skills as well as facility in engaging in difficult conversations
- The Educational Equity team currently consists of a senior director, 3 program directors, 4 program managers, and 1 program support administrator.
- Currently, the Senior Director supervises three program directors and the program administrator.
- The MDC leadership team (president, vice presidents, communications director, and senior directors) meets twice a month for 1.5 hours.
- The senior director has access to shared space at the MDC office, though they will travel across the state 2-3 days a month. Working remotely is standard.
- The Educational Equity team meets mandatorily every month for two hours and has at least two retreats per year.
- MDC staff mandatorily meet monthly for 90 minutes and quarterly for 3 hours.
MDC offers an excellent benefits package. This position will be a full-time exempt position and is eligible for a full package of benefits including health, dental, and vision insurance; short-term and long-term disability; life insurance; vacation, sick, and personal leave; employee assistance program, wellness benefit, remote work stipend and paid retirement account contributions with match.
MDC staff work in a hybrid manner, though regular office space is available in our Durham, NC location. MDC is open to staff who do not live in the Durham/RTP area, but they must be able to attend monthly staff meetings, periodic in-person team meetings and/or retreats, and other periodic full-staff gatherings.
Dedicated to its employee health and safety, MDC will continue to make decisions about in-person meetings in accordance with all applicable laws and is based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health authorities.
All MDC employees whose duties require that they work indoors with others, excluding work done exclusively from the employee’s home, must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 unless a reasonable accommodation is approved.
MDC is an equal opportunity employer. As an organization committed to diversity and equity, it is our policy to provide an equal employment opportunity to all individuals without regard to age, color, race, religion, national origin, disability, military/veteran status, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation or status in any other group, protected by federal or local law or for any other reason. This position is not eligible for H-1B visa sponsorship. We encourage applications from people of color, women, the LGBTQ community, individuals with disabilities, and members of other underrepresented groups. Further, MDC values candidates with lived experience relevant to our mission. Reasonable accommodations are available on request.
- For more information about MDC, go to
- Send the application package electronically through JazzHR rather than by regular mail.
- Application materials should include: (a) cover letter, (b) resume, (c) a writing sample that you have completed in the last two years, and (d) contact information for three references in one combined PDF.
- Deadline for applications is 5:00 PM Eastern Time, on Friday, June 21, 2024.The desired start date for this position is early September 2024.
- If you require assistance with your application, please email
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Job Summary
JOB TYPE
Full Time
INDUSTRY
Consumer Goods
SALARY
$97k-147k (estimate)
POST DATE
05/31/2024
EXPIRATION DATE
06/28/2024
WEBSITE
martincohen.com
HEADQUARTERS
SEASIDE, CA
SIZE
200 - 500
TYPE
Private
CEO
MARTIN COHEN
REVENUE
$50M - $200M
INDUSTRY
Consumer Goods
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