PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Detroit Metro
Who We Are and What We Believe:
Founded in 1997, Bottom Line is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization with a mission to partner with degree-aspiring students of color from under-resourced communities as they get into college, graduate, and go far in life. We achieve this mission by providing one-on-one guidance during the college application process through college graduation and the successful launch of their careers.
Our vision is to dramatically transform urban communities by producing thousands of new career-ready college graduates. Bottom Line operates regional programs in Massachusetts, where they were founded in 1997, New York City, Chicago and Southwest Ohio that collectively serve over 8,000 students. While the organization is proud of every student engaged, this is a small fraction of the total need.
Bottom Line seeks to expand its impact in a radical way: to annually support 20,000 students in their educational journeys by 2030. To realize this ambitious vision, Bottom Line will deepen investment in the communities above and also seek to expand to 6 new regions. Detroit Metro was identified as the 5th region for Bottom Line, currently in a planning year – the region will begin serving students in the Fall of 2025 (FY26).
When you join Bottom Line, you will find a rewarding, fast-paced, results-oriented environment. We build strong relationships with our students and with each other. We take our work seriously, and we know that a focus on data and metrics is integral to our continued success. Experts in our fields, we are driven by our mission and extremely proud of the work we do.
What You Will Do:
This is an opportunity to join a national organization as a member of the founding leadership team in Detroit Metro. Reporting to the Executive Director, Danielle North – the Founding Program Director, will be charged with learning the fundamentals of Bottom Line’s programming. This position is scaffolded over the next 2.5 years with a focus for the remainder of this fiscal year on understanding Bottom Line’s recruitment and our access program. In FY26, the focus is on executing our access program as we aim to serve 180 students while also learning our success program readying for launch in FY27.
You will emerge as a Bottom Line program expert, supporting the Detroit Metro region in implementing the organization’s best in-class program model, which has been validated with successful results from a randomized control trial, hence the focus on model fidelity in our regions. Your responsibilities include managing program resources, achieving key performance indicators, training, and supporting staff, building partnerships with schools and community organizations, and analyzing data to drive strong program results. With your expertise and dedication, you will make a significant impact on the lives of local students, helping them navigate the college application process and achieve their educational goals.
As a founding member of the Detroit Metro team, you'll be at the forefront of shaping our presence in the region. This means not only growing our programs but also cultivating a dedicated team. Your role will be dynamic, evolving in response to the changing needs of the site. As we expand our footprint and deepen our impact, your adaptability will be pivotal. This presents a unique chance for you to make a lasting mark by tailoring your contributions to the evolving landscape and driving our mission forward. Your proactive approach and strategic insights will be integral to the growth and success of our programs in the Detroit Metro area.
Primary Responsibilities:
Recruitment & Partnership Management – 30%
- In alignment with the Executive Director’s strategy, lead student recruitment efforts in Detroit Metro, recruiting an inaugural cohort of 180 College Access students for service delivery to begin mid-summer 2025 (FY26)
- Oversee recruitment efforts in future years based on the annual recruitment goals for the region. Develop and execute strategies for student recruitment activities in the region to meet annual recruitment goals for College Access and, ultimately, College Success programs.
- Ensure the Executive Director understands progress toward recruitment goals throughout the process
- Analyze data and trends to identify opportunities for improvement in recruitment processes.
- Build effective relationships with area high schools, youth-serving organizations, college admissions offices, and community partners, serving as an ambassador for Bottom Line’s work in the Detroit Metro landscape.
- In collaboration with the Executive Director and with support from program operations, establish founding target colleges for Bottom Line’s success program in the Detroit Metro area. With guidance from the Executive Director, develop key relationships with likely partners at target colleges (financial aid, student affairs, etc.)
- Represent Bottom Line in a professional manner in all dealings with external partners, ensuring retention of partnerships and deepening of relationships
- Collaborate with regional and program operations leadership to align program strategies with the overall regional goals.
Program Management – 40%
- Ensure successful implementation of the College Access Program, aligning with Bottom Line's program model in FY26.
- In collaboration with HR and Program Operations teams, hire and train the founding College Access staff to begin service delivery in FY26. Oversee hiring more independently in future hiring cycles
- Supervise and support College Access staff in providing high-quality services to students in the program in the inaugural year and beyond
- In conjunction with the Executive Director, identify program delivery sites and set up systems to facilitate the 1st year of in-person programming
- Communicate, oversee, and achieve site-specific Program Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the College Access program.
- Manage program resources, ensuring staff have the necessary resources to carry out their duties effectively.
- Oversee special projects, working groups, and scholarships related to the College Access program, ensuring their successful execution.
- Evaluate program effectiveness through data analysis and feedback, identifying areas of improvement and implementing necessary changes.
- Oversee launch of College Success Program, planned for FY27 with anticipated need to hire one college success advisor
- Support regional growth by ensuring strong College Access to College Success Program transitions, expanding the number of students served year over year; in collaboration with the Executive Director and with support from Program Operations determine annual staffing needs during the first three years of program operations FY26-FY28.
Staff Management & Talent Development – 20%
- Lead the hiring process for all regional program staff with support from HR and the program operations team
- Collaborate with Human Resources and the program operations team to create, deliver, and schedule onboarding and training programs.
- Manage a team of 3 Advisors, serving a total of 180 Detroit students through the College Access Program in FY26 and beyond with a growing success program starting in FY27 with approximately 80 students
- Foster a supportive, positive, and inclusive work environment, being available and approachable to meet the needs of each member of the Program staff.
- Observe and coach staff interacting with advisors/students, analyze data, and deliver formal annual performance reviews along with informal ongoing feedback.
Secondary Responsibilities:
Organizational Support – 10%
- Serve as a critical member of the Detroit Metro regional leadership team; supporting the establishment of the region along with the founding executive director and
- Serve as a member of the program leadership team, collaborating actively across regions and with the program operations team
- Provide support to other organizational teams as needed, leveraging individual campus knowledge and available resources.
- Assist the Development Team by nominating and recruiting students for events, facilitating event components, and managing logistics.
- Represent the Bottom Line brand positively and take actions to increase brand awareness in the community.
Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time, with or without advanced notice.
Work Schedule:
Monday – Friday, 10a - 6p
Expected Travel:
20%, frequent in region travel; and occasional travel to sites for onboarding/training purposes in years 1-3
Who Should Apply:
If you meet the qualifications below, you should apply.
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent and work authorization.
- 5-7 years of work experience in college access, financial aid, program management, or a related field.
- Demonstrated commitment to Bottom Line’s mission, vision, and core values
- Expertise in youth engagement and leadership
- Familiarity with the Detroit Metro College Access and Success landscape, including key stakeholders, programs, and initiatives aimed at supporting student success in higher education.
- Have hands-on program management experience and a track record of effectively leading a performance-based and outcomes-based program and staff
- Experience in building continuous improvement feedback loops
- At ease with ambiguity, viewing it as an opportunity to learn and seek new solutions
- Unwavering commitment to the students Bottom Line serves
- Demonstrated commitment to Bottom Line’s Mission, Vision, and Core Values
How to Apply/Application Deadline:
All applications must be submitted via Bottom Line’s Career Page.
Please share your resume and cover letter.
The application deadline is October 31, 2024.
Start Date:
November 2024
Compensation:
$79k-85k, commensurate with experience
Benefits:
Learn about our benefits here.
