Brightlane Learning

Position Summary

The Education Director plays a vital leadership role on Brightlane Learning's Program Team by providing strategic direction and operational oversight for academic programs. This role ensures consistent, high-quality tutoring and advocacy services for students experiencing homelessness or housing instability through outcomes-driven implementation, data-informed decision-making, and strong partnership engagement. By leading Education Support Coordinators and collaborating closely with school and community partners, the Education Director ensures programming is responsive, equitable, and aligned with Brightlane Learning's mission and values.

Schedule

Standard working hours are Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm, with periodic evening availability to meet with site partners, students and families, as needed.

Position Relationships

• Responsible to:
  • Executive Leadership Team
• Collaborates with:
  • Program Team
  • School and Community Site Partners
  • Volunteers
  • Development Team
  • Administrative Staff

Duties and Responsibilities

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Program Oversight & Continuous Improvement
  • Serve as the liaison between Education Support Coordinators (ESCs) and site contacts to maintain effective program operations and resolve issues.
  • Ensure data accuracy across all assigned sites, including attendance, student and family goals, grades, surveys, and other outcome indicators.
  • Monitor site-specific metrics and outcomes; make informed programming adjustments to ensure overall program goals are met.
  • Work with school and community partners to evaluate program impact and identify unmet educational needs and opportunities.
  • Administer and analyze program surveys to support evaluation and reporting efforts.
  • Provide direct support to programs by tutoring students, meeting with teachers or families, and serving as a substitute ESC when necessary.
• Leadership & Team Development
  • Provide direct supervision to ESCs, Lead ESCs, and Learning Assistants, including hiring, onboarding, continuous development, performance evaluation, and offboarding when necessary.
  • Maintain consistent communication with direct reports through weekly reports, monthly 1:1 meetings, and co-led team meetings.
  • Visit each assigned site on a weekly rotating basis to provide in-person guidance, feedback, and support.
  • Model and coach effective tutoring and family engagement strategies, fostering professional growth and consistent quality across sites.
• Strategic & Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Prepare for and facilitate strategic meetings with new and existing partner sites, including mid-year and year-end reviews, to reinforce alignment, share program results, and strengthen relationships.
  • Uphold the integrity of partner Memorandums of Understanding and site-level agreements, ensuring both Brightlane and partner obligations are fulfilled.
  • Collaborate with the Volunteer department to develop and deliver content for tutor training and ongoing education. Actively identify and engage potential tutor recruitment sources, particularly for sites with tutor shortages, to help ensure a balanced student-to-tutor ratio and program effectiveness.
  • Partner with the Development Team to support fundraising campaigns and storytelling aligned with program data and impact.
• Professional & Organizational Growth
  • Assist the VP of Program Impact with benchmark reports and data collection for grant or funding purposes.
  • Participate in the annual budgeting process and monitor assigned program expenses to ensure fiscal responsibility.
  • Stay informed on relevant educational issues by attending external meetings, panels, and workshops (e.g., McKinney-Vento sessions and community education events).
  • Identify, recommend, or facilitate professional development opportunities for ESCs and other program staff.
• Organizational Culture & Mission Alignment
  • Champion Brightlane Learning's mission by centering youth and family needs in all decision-making.
  • Foster a culture of integrity, collaboration, and continuous improvement across all program sites and team interactions.
  • Lead with empathy and resilience, modeling the values of Brightlane Learning in interactions with students, families, colleagues, and community partners.

Additional Education/Knowledge/Skills Requirements

• Education
  • Bachelor's degree in Education, Social Work, or a related field is required. A Master's degree is strongly preferred.
• Experience
  • Minimum of 5 years of experience in education, youth development, or social services, with at least 2 years in a supervisory or leadership role. Experience working with students experiencing homelessness or housing instability is highly desirable.
• Skills & Knowledge
  • Deep understanding of educational equity and trauma-informed practices.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead and develop teams with diverse skill sets and backgrounds.
  • Strong project management skills with the ability to prioritize, delegate, and meet deadlines.
  • Proficiency in using data to inform program decisions and drive continuous improvement.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present information to various audiences.
  • Ability to build strong, collaborative relationships with school partners, internal staff, families, and community key players.
  • Comfort with using technology platforms such as Google Workspace, databases, and reporting tools.

Physical Requirements

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this role.

• Ability to regularly travel to program partner sites across the city and surrounding areas.
• Ability to spend extended periods working at a computer or conducting virtual meetings.
• Engage in occasional light lifting (up to 20 pounds) when transporting materials or supplies for program sites or events.
• Ability to navigate school buildings and community locations, including occasional stairs or uneven surfaces.
• Ability to work occasional evenings or weekends for partner meetings, events, or community outreach.