Job Description

Position Summary 

The Chief Program Officer (CPO) serves as a critical member of the executive management team, providing executive leadership for OBT's youth workforce development, adult education, and career pathways initiatives. Reporting to the Co-CEO of Organizational Advancement, the CPO oversees the day-to-day operations of all OBT programs to support effective learning for the OBT community. This role ensures programs remain responsive to industry needs while achieving integration, consistency, and excellence across multiple sites and departments. 

The CPO will articulate and implement the strategic vision of the agency; oversee a significant portfolio of youth and adult workforce development programs and related services; evaluate program effectiveness to provide ongoing feedback; promote and diversify funding through effective resource stewardship; raise the agency's profile through external communications; provide mentoring, guidance, supervision, and professional development to all leadership staff; and enhance organizational structure by staying abreast of developments in workforce and economic development. 

The CPO oversees a program portfolio that includes: 1) youth education and job training; 2) adult education and literacy; and 3) adult workforce training and career pathways. 

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities 

Strategic Partnerships and Representation 

1. Represent OBT in key collaborative relationships with government agencies, community partners, employers, and advanced training organizations. 

1. Serve as liaison to key government agencies, particularly the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), OBT's largest government funder, as well as corporate, foundation, and individual donors. 

1. Build and maintain strategic partnerships to address service gaps, meet funder obligations, and enhance program delivery and participant retention. 

1. Actively engage with the workforce development sector to drive innovation and expand opportunities for participants. 

1. Represent OBT and the Co-CEOs on relevant committees, task forces, speaking engagements, conference panels, and training events. 

Organizational Strategic Leadership 

1. Collaborate with the Leadership Team on strategic planning, program development, and service delivery across multiple sites and departments. 

1. Implement OBT's strategic plan, as well as develop and implement new initiatives that reflect the organization's mission. 

1. Establish annual goals for programs, departments, and staff, tracking progress and ensuring accountability and quality standards are met. 

1. Develop and implement new program ideas and pilot projects, integrating successful initiatives into permanent offerings. 

1. Participate in the budget development process and maintain a high level of fiscal responsibility for OBT's programmatic grants and contracts. 

1. Contribute to fund development efforts, including proposal and report writing, and annual fundraising event execution. 

Program Oversight and Evaluation 

1. Oversee the coordination, integration, and delivery of all programs, contracts, and related services, promoting collaborative relationships between program areas. 

1. Ensure that the expectations of funders, partners, constituents, clients, and other stakeholders are consistently met. 

1. Evaluate and enhance program curricula and service delivery to align with workforce development best practices. 

1. Stay current on industry trends and integrate innovative approaches to improve participant retention and program effectiveness. 

1. Collaborate with the Chief Impact Officer to ensure programs are aligned with organizational objectives and data-driven insights. 

1. Deepen existing and create new performance and outcome measures for outreach, recruitment, completion rates, employment, retention, college enrollment, and other measures core to OBT's mission. 

1. Use the existing Salesforce CRM platform to increase OBT's efficiency, transparency, and collaborative efforts among teams. 

Case Management and Supportive Services Oversight 

1. Lead the agency-wide case management team to deliver comprehensive services that address barriers to employment and promote participant retention. 

1. Foster collaboration among case management teams to ensure seamless service delivery and continuity of care. 

1. Ensure participants have access to resources and support to achieve workforce readiness and long-term success. 

Employer Engagement and Industry Readiness 

1. Oversee the Career Pathways team, building robust employer partnerships in key sectors such as healthcare, technology, hospitality, and construction. 

1. Develop and refine workforce readiness curricula to meet industry standards and participant needs, ensuring engaging and effective delivery. 

1. Execute strategies that position OBT as a leading provider of skilled talent and drive community impact and generational change. 

Participant Retention and Success 

1. Develop and implement strategies to increase participant retention during and after program completion. 

1. Ensure retention initiatives are integrated across all programs, emphasizing a participant-centered approach. 

1. Monitor retention metrics and use insights to drive continuous improvement. 

1. Foster relationships with alumni to build long-term engagement and identify barriers to ongoing success. 

Educational Advancement 

1. Oversee programs focused on English language acquisition, high school equivalency preparation, and college readiness. 

1. Identify gaps in educational services and implement innovative solutions to address participant needs. 

1. Align educational initiatives with workforce development goals and career pathways. 

Leadership and Staff Management 

1. Foster a high-performing culture across the organization, motivating staff to achieve vision and goals aligned with OBT core values: confidence, discipline, and professionalism. 

1. Provide direct oversight to Program Directors to build their skills and confidence so that they can mentor, encourage, and motivate all staff. 

1. Develop a team-based environment that inspires collaboration and innovation. 

1. Identify performance gaps and coordinate professional development opportunities to address challenges effectively. 

1. Determine staffing plans to achieve program goals and objectives and participate in hiring decisions for new program staff. 

1. Deploy resources efficiently and effectively toward organizational goals, working with staff to balance workload and effort. 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities 

1. Experience working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. 

1. A passionate commitment to OBT's mission and vision. 

1. A track record in workforce development program leadership. 

1. Strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across departments. 

1. Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to present complex information to diverse audiences. 

1. Deep understanding of the workforce development landscape and current trends in poverty reduction strategies. 

1. Proven ability to think strategically and innovatively to drive organizational growth and impact. 

1. Strong ethical standards and a commitment to data privacy and security. 

1. Excellent project management skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously. 

1. Ability to support continuous quality improvement and innovation within programs. 

1. Ability to research, identify, vet, and manage partnerships that support organizational priorities. 

1. Team building skills that effectively motivate individual team members and teams to reach programmatic and organizational objectives. 

Education and Experience 

1. A minimum of 8-10 years leadership experience in a nonprofit, government, or philanthropy, overseeing multiple programs or contracts ideally at an organization serving low-income youth or communities. 

1. Passion for OBT's mission and purpose and an ability to communicate this passion to others. 

1. Demonstrated experience managing a high-performing team in a multi-site structure to include professional development and mentorship. 

1. Comprehensive working knowledge of program planning, organizational structure, budgeting, administrative operations, and fundraising. 

1. Expertise in one or more of the following service areas: education, youth development, workforce development, employment, or adult education. 

1. Demonstrated ability to analyze and compile complex data for planning and reporting purposes. 

1. Strong relationship builder with the ability to find common ground, build consensus, and strengthen collaboration among diverse stakeholders. 

1. Strong community awareness and astuteness. 

1. Ability to successfully navigate in a fast-paced, outcomes-driven, and entrepreneurial environment. 

1. Demonstrated commitment to the values of diversity, inclusiveness, and empowerment. 

1. Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in Social Work, Business/Public Administration, or a related field is strongly desired. 

Performance Metrics 

1. 100% compliance with client service planning expectations and 80% goal achievement on service plans across programs' participants. 

1. All enrollment and programmatic expectations met across programs and funding sources. 

1. Deliver a detailed annual review of partnership outcomes, focusing on participant success and areas for growth. 

1. Meet benchmarks for at least 75% of participants overcoming key employment barriers. 

1. Develop 20 long-term agreements with employers annually. 

1. Achieve 300 job placements annually. 

1. Increase overall positive outcome retention rates by 35% year-over-year. 

1. Ensure 75% of participants meet their educational goals. 

   Salary
   $130-150,000

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