Associate Director of Program Operations & Strategy

What We Do

At Leading Educators (LE), we know that excellent teaching is the most important driver of student success. The moment a student steps foot in the classroom, their opportunity to learn depends on how prepared their teacher is to translate complex content knowledge, standards, and their knowledge of that student into lessons that help them learn deeply and apply their thinking to the real world.

That's a big lift, and it often happens alone. As a national nonprofit, we partner with school systems to overcome persistent instructional challenges, foster intentional collaboration and adult learning by design, and ignite new possibilities through systemic solutions at the intersection of teaching, talent, and technology.

We work shoulder-to-shoulder with educators at every level of the education system to strengthen their instructional and leadership practices, bring a vision for excellent instruction to life with consistency, and ensure every student reaches their full potential.

Through direct support, strategic advising, innovation pilots, and best-in-class research, we help educators work toward a future where every student is ready to thrive. Learn more about our work at leadingeducators.org.

Internal & External Candidate Application Deadline: 7/27/2026

Position

We''re seeking an Associate Director, Program Operations & Strategy-a role where operational excellence directly enables educational impact. You''ll be the operational leader that senior program directors depend on to translate ambitious vision into flawless execution. This isn''t a behind-the-scenes administrative role; you''ll be a strategic thought partner who anticipates needs, surfaces risks early, and makes sound decisions independently. Your work keeps our national initiatives running smoothly, our partners confident in our reliability, and our teams focused on what matters most.

You''ll manage multiple complex programs simultaneously within our centralized shared services model, each with its own stakeholders, timelines, and success metrics. From planning virtual and in-person programming to managing data collection processes, coordinating logistics, and synthesizing insights for leadership-you''ll own the full operational lifecycle. You''ll translate scopes of work into detailed plans, manage dependencies, resolve issues proactively, and deliver the kind of reliable support that builds trust with internal and external partners alike.

You''ll also shape how we operate at scale. By designing smarter systems, embedding AI-enabled workflows, and stewarding our knowledge infrastructure, you''ll help reduce operational burden across the organization and enable us to deliver consistent excellence with greater efficiency. This is an opportunity to build something meaningful-to be part of a team reimagining what''s possible in education while bringing rigor, intention, and operational excellence to everything we do.

Do you have expertise in…

• Program operations and project management at scale, with a track record of managing multiple concurrent initiatives in complex, matrixed environments while consistently meeting quality and timeline expectations
• Budget tracking, financial reconciliation, and forecasting, including experience monitoring project spend, reviewing financial statements, and maintaining budget dashboards in partnership with finance teams
• Event planning and logistics coordination, including venue management, AV setup, materials preparation, run-of-show planning, and real-time problem-solving during live programming
• Data collection, analysis, and operational reporting, with hands-on experience designing data processes, building dashboards, and synthesizing insights into clear presentations for stakeholders and leadership

Do you enjoy…

• Building trust-based partnerships with senior leaders and cross-functional teams? If so, you''ll thrive in a role where you anticipate needs, clarify expectations, and propose solutions before issues arise-becoming a strategic operational thought partner rather than just an executor.
• Working in dynamic, fast-moving environments where priorities shift and ambiguity is the norm? This role rewards your ability to adapt, fill gaps, and make sound decisions independently without constant direction or oversight.
• Owning outcomes end-to-end, from initial planning through execution and follow-up? You''ll bring meticulous attention to detail and an unwavering commitment to excellence in every deliverable, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.
• Solving complex operational puzzles and improving systems? You''ll apply strategic thinking to reduce burden, streamline workflows, and create scalable solutions that strengthen organizational capacity and enable your colleagues to do their best work.

If you''ve answered affirmatively to these questions and meet the following prerequisites, we urge you to seize this opportunity. This role calls for the following:

• 5-7+ years of experience in program operations, project management, or complex operational roles
• Proven ability to translate high-level direction into detailed operational plans
• Strong experience with event planning, logistics, and coordination
• Demonstrated skill in managing multiple projects simultaneously
• Proficiency in project management tools like Asana
• Experience in data collection, analysis, and reporting
• Comfort working independently in dynamic, ambiguous environments
• Interest in leveraging AI and technology to improve operational efficiency
• Background in education, nonprofit, or mission-driven sectors preferred
• Practitioner-level AI fluency, with the ability to identify and implement AI-enabled workflow improvements

Travel Requirements

• This is a remote position that requires moderate travel

• National travel for org retreats, programming, job related travel, or professional development

• Outside of the above mentioned travel, this person will work from a home office that must be located anywhere within the U.S.

Questions? We're here to help.

If you have questions about this role or about our hiring process at any point, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at talent@leadingeducators.org. This inbox is monitored regularly, and we aim to respond within two business days. To ensure your question receives a thoughtful and timely response, we kindly ask that you refrain from emailing individual staff members or members of our HR team directly. The best way to connect with us is always through talent@leadingeducators.org.

Why Work at Leading Educators?

Imagine being part of an organization where your ideas and perspectives are highly valued. At Leading Educators, we believe in fostering individual strengths, encouraging personal growth, and embracing innovative ideas. If you thrive in a remote working environment, with the added excitement of travel, we''re the perfect fit for you. By joining us, you become part of a powerful community of peers nationwide. Regardless of your location, you possess the power to make a significant impact on both students and teachers who rely on us daily. Join Leading Educators and become an integral part of driving progress in education.

Learn About Our Mission & Values:

Mission: Leading Educators partners with school systems to sustain the teaching, leadership, and conditions for every student to succeed in school and in life.

Values:

• Build on strengths: We affirm and begin with the unique and collective talents, experiences, and wisdom of ourselves and others.
• Continuously learn: We develop ourselves and others. We apply new learning and deepened self-awareness to our relationships and practices.
• Prioritize people: We build trust and reflect on the impact of different perspectives and experiences.
• Champion success for all: We re-imagine structures, habits, and mindsets to ensure every learner has access to evidence-based learning opportunities.

Use of Artificial Intelligence in Hiring

• We use artificial intelligence-enabled tools throughout our hiring process, from the moment a candidate applies through the offer stage, to support administrative tasks and organize candidate materials. These tools help us organize, analyze, and surface relevant information efficiently, but they do not make hiring decisions.

• All candidate materials-including applications, resumes, assessments, and interview feedback-are reviewed and evaluated by people. All hiring decisions, including interview selection, advancement, and offers of employment, are made by humans.

• We use AI solely as a support tool to assist with early-stage reviews and process efficiency. We do not use AI in ways that discriminate based on protected characteristics, nor do we use ZIP codes or similar data to target or exclude protected groups. Our hiring practices are designed to be fair, consistent, and aligned with equal employment opportunity standards.

Benefits

• Compensation:

• If hired for this position, the base compensation range is $89,686 to $114,146 annually. New hires typically enter the range at a set comp ratio (e.g., 0.95 or 0.98), depending on the role. For this position, the salary entry point is $101,916. Candidates may move up the range based on additional years of relevant experience beyond the role's minimum years of experience qualification.

• If you have more than 7 years of directly relevant experience, your starting salary may be adjusted higher within the range, up to a maximum starting salary of $107,158. This approach ensures that candidates with additional experience beyond the minimum are recognized in the initial salary offer.

• Benefits:

• 100% paid medical, dental, and vision coverage for individual employees. Additional premium costs are covered 60% by Leading Educators for partners and dependents on medical, dental, and vision plans.

• 4% matching 401k plan, Flexible Spending Accounts for medical, childcare and commuter expenses, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Benefits are valued at or above $9,000 for employees.

• Time Off:

• First three years of employment, full time staff accrue 22 days a year.

• Five additional days are accrued after the third and sixth year of employment.

• Leading Educators also offer 16 additional paid days off for various holidays, including three floating holidays staff may use at their discretion.

Equal Opportunity Employment

Leading Educators is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, military status, pregnancy, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

Apply: https://leadingeducators.org/careers/opportunities

#LI-CN1