We’re Hiring: Director, Network Programs

DIRECTOR, NETWORK PROGRAMS

UpStart partners with the Jewish community’s boldest leaders to expand the picture of how Jews find meaning and how we come together. Whether someone is starting a new venture, or reimagining what an existing one has to offer, UpStart gives them the entrepreneurial tools and network they need to build the Jewish community of the future. The UpStart Network includes hundreds of entrepreneurs, institutional change-makers, funders, and community leaders. They’re tackling big challenges, like how to make Jewish life accessible and inclusive. And they’re reimagining and building communities that create meaningful connections to our traditions, changing as Jewish needs and the world evolve. We are looking for a Director, Network Programs to drive network program design, and implement, scale, and adapt key UpStart network programs.

The Director, Network Programs is a full-time, exempt position that reports to the Chief Field-Building Officer and oversees the Program Operations Associate, Network, as well as a small team of independent contractors. This is a national role that supports our national network strategy while driving local impact. This role can be based out of any of UpStart’s five hub cities (New York, Denver, Chicago, Bay Area, Los Angeles). Other locations across the US will be considered. Due to COVID-19, all UpStart offices are currently working remotely until at least June 2021.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Director, Network Programs will be an integral part of UpStart’s Program Team and will develop, implement, and evaluate network programs. The current program portfolio includes The Collaboratory and the Community Change Circles, with the opportunity to evolve the portfolio as we develop our emerging network strategy. The Director, Network Programs will have the opportunity to work closely with the Chief Field-Building Officer and other teams to help shape this strategy.

Network Program Strategy & Growth

• Maintain relationships across the network to inform and support network strategy and community-building.
• Identify new opportunities to drive our network strategy,  build UpStart’s network communities, and expand the network.
• Design and implement initiatives that emerge from UpStart’s network strategy process. This includes designing pilots programs to test assumptions and scaling those programs.
• Ensure alignment of program and data collection with UpStart’s Evaluation Plan.
• Partner with Development and Brand Strategy to provide needed stories and information, as well as to support fundraising and outreach efforts for network programs.

The Collaboratory: the largest annual gathering of Jewish community visionaries and catalyzers of change in North America.

• Oversee strategy, design, and execution of The Collaboratory (in-person, virtual, etc.).
• Manage a cross-functional team, including an event planning consultant, to implement all aspects of The Collaboratory, including partner/sponsor management, operations, and recruitment.
• Oversee The Collaboratory budget.
• Serve as the program lead and primary designer for The Collaboratory programmatic components, ensuring that network member voices are elevated.
• Design an arc of network weaving experiences for The Collaboratory (in advance of the event, at the event, and as part of follow-up) in collaboration with the network.

Community Change Circles: a pilot initiative that brings together a small cohort of diverse leaders from our network to address a local challenge through a systems change lens.

• Oversee the direction and implementation of the first Community Change Circles pilot.
• Manage facilitation consultant(s) to implement learning sessions.
• Partner with Program Operations Associate, Network and other team members to recruit the right mix of program participants.
• Oversee evaluation of the pilot and lead future iterations of content design in alignment with evaluation outcomes.
• Facilitate growth and scaling of the initiative over time in alignment with development and partnership opportunities.
• Supervise the Program Operations Associate’s work in coordinating recruitment, onboarding, and communication with all participants.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

We are seeking a talented relationship-builder and risk taker who is willing to lean into uncertainty, adapt as we go, and create scalable programs. We’d also be thrilled to find someone with the following skills, knowledge, and abilities:

• Experience in program management and supervision; with a proven track record of skillfully managing multiple projects in a fast-paced environment
• A strong program designer with the ability to translate an idea into a program and lead a team through implementation
• Experience designing new systems when systems are not in place or require an update
• Have formal or informal training on network weaving, previous experience with community organizing, and familiarity with systems change
• Comfortable being in an external facing role and building relationships with many different types of people
• Someone with an entrepreneurial spirit who loves solving problems and navigating obstacles
• A multi-tasker who gets excited about managing multiple projects simultaneously and is ready and willing to align disparate programming
• The ability to generate enthusiasm for new ideas and opportunities without having to know all the answers (but are invited and encouraged to ask all the questions)
• Experience with (or can quickly absorb) tech and social media platforms like Slack and Facebook Groups, Zoom, MailChimp, Google Drive, and CRM systems such as Salesforce

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is from $75,000 – $90,000, depending on experience. In addition to salary, UpStart offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, matching 401K, FSA, and an annual professional development stipend. We value the time you spend outside the office as much as we value the time you spend with us, and so, our flexible scheduling and open vacation policies enable you to hold both.

UpStart strives to model our vision of a just, vibrant, and inclusive future. As an equal opportunity employer, all individuals are encouraged to apply without regard to race, color, religion, age, disability, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, ancestry, genetic information, medical condition, veteran status, or any other class protected under federal, state, or local laws. UpStart strongly encourages applications from individuals with varied identities and backgrounds, including Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews, Jews of color, women, people with disabilities, immigrants, LGBTQIA people, and people who come from low income or working class backgrounds.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your resume, along with a thoughtful and concise cover letter, to our hiring team at careers@upstartlab.org.

WHAT TO EXPECT

At UpStart, our Team Philosophy is to Dream with Purpose, Build the ‘What Might Be’, and Grow the Good. This philosophy underpins how we work – and how we work together. For more about UpStart’s organizational culture, check out our culture deck.

We will be openly recruiting for this position until it is filled. We will directly follow up with candidates who have advanced to our first interview round. Candidates who have been selected to advance to an initial call will be contacted directly. Due to the volume of applicants, we are unable to contact each applicant, but we still recognize and value the time and effort you’ve taken to submit your application.

Our internal process from submission to offer will look as follows:

1. A preliminary call will be scheduled with our internal recruiter.
2. Candidates who advance to the first interview will meet with the Hiring Manager.
3. Candidates who advance to a second round will complete an experiential assignment in advance of interviewing with the Program team (which is the third round).
4. Finalists will participate in a third-round interview with the Hiring Manager. References will be requested of all finalists in advance of this final meeting.