Director of Programs

Director of Programs

Location: San Francisco Bay Area (with regular travel between San Francisco and San Jose)

Reports to: Executive Director

Status: Full-time, Exempt

Start Date: August 2026

Starting Salary: $130,000

Overview

Are you a passionate and equity-driven education leader ready for a high-impact, strategic role during a pivotal growth stage? Minds Matter Bay Area (MMBay) seeks a dynamic Director of Programs to independently lead, manage, and scale our successful college access programs for driven students from low-income families.

This is a unique opportunity for a proactive builder who excels at translating high-level vision into well-executed plans with a strong sense of ownership. You will be responsible for building, refining, and ensuring seamless delivery of all MMBay programs for high school students, rooted in a holistic model powered by dedicated volunteers. The role blends high-level leadership with hands-on engagement in day-to-day operations, including managing program staff and volunteer leaders.

The school-year work week (August–May) is Tuesday–Saturday. The role is in person every Wednesday year-round in San Francisco, and every Saturday during the school year at our San Francisco or San Jose site, rotating weekly to build presence and relationships at both locations. Regular evening engagement with volunteers is part of the role, as is a culture of team-building. Full schedule details appear under Location & Work Arrangements below.

Key Responsibilities

This role supervises one Program Manager and leads a strong network of volunteer-led teams: Program Leadership (PLT), Mentee Recruitment, Volunteer Recruitment, Summer Programs, and College Advising & Financial Aid (CAFA). This is a hands-on, player-coach role: the Director sets strategy and standards while working directly in the program every week — leading the weekly PLT meeting, driving program quality and evaluation, participating in recruitment interviews and selection decisions, and co-running summer programs planning.

Strategic Leadership & Infrastructure

• Build and refine program infrastructure, processes, and KPIs to bring clarity, consistency, and measurable impact to all operations
• Serve as subject matter expert on all curriculum; design scope and sequence and ensure alignment across program delivery
• Oversee the SAT test prep program (provider relationship and success indicators) and lead the volunteer instructor team through structured observation and feedback
• Oversee the volunteer-led CAFA team, setting advising standards for consistent, equitable, high-quality guidance
• Develop and lead a culturally responsive caregiver and community engagement strategy

Program Management & Operations

• Oversee Saturday sessions — logistics, attendance, and volunteer readiness to facilitate the curriculum
• Manage end-to-end data collection and maintain accurate student records in Salesforce
• Oversee program budgeting, safety protocols, risk management, calendar, and communications
• Develop and facilitate onboarding and training for volunteer leaders, mentors, and staff
• Cultivate relationships with partner high schools, colleges, and community organizations

Volunteer & Team Management

• Manage the volunteer-led PLT across both sites; personally lead the weekly PLT meeting
• Lead the Summer Programs team, owning strategy and outcomes in partnership with the Program Manager, who drives logistics
• Own volunteer retention and culture — appreciation, belonging, and engagement year-round
• Lead two annual community orientations in partnership with the Program Manager
• Supervise the Program Manager while cultivating mutual trust and professional growth
• Serve as primary point of contact for urgent student concerns

Recruitment Strategy & Execution

• Oversee volunteer-led Student and Volunteer Recruitment teams, ensuring all roles are filled ahead of each fall cohort launch
• Participate directly in interviews and serve as final decision-maker on student and volunteer selections
• Own recruitment strategy and goals; the division of execution between the Director and the Program Manager is defined collaboratively between the two roles
• Coach recruitment volunteers through influence, honoring their ownership while guiding strategy and continuous improvement
• Strengthen equitable, inclusive recruitment practices and analyze trends to improve outcomes year over year

Qualifications

We recognize that great candidates may not meet every requirement listed. If you're excited about this role and believe you can contribute meaningfully, we encourage you to apply. Note: a background check, fingerprinting, and reference check are part of the process.

Required:

• 5+ years in a program leadership role with significant program-management and people-leadership responsibility within higher education, nonprofit college access, or workforce development
• Self-starter with an entrepreneurial mindset: takes initiative, absorbs information quickly, exercises sound judgment, and builds systems from the ground up in a fast-paced environment
• Strong project management, problem-solving, and organizational skills; balances strategy and execution and thinks critically to identify gaps
• Proven ability to coach and lead through influence
• Excellent written and verbal communication and relationship skills, with the ability to engage across lines of difference
• Flexible, collaborative team member willing to wear multiple hats
• Strong commitment to equity, inclusion, and culturally responsive practices
• Proficiency navigating multiple technology platforms
• Given the nature of our organization, a Bachelor's degree is required
• Availability to work a Tuesday–Saturday schedule during the school year (August–May), with Wednesday and Saturday in person, regular evening volunteer meetings (cadence designed by the Director), occasional evening team-building functions, and travel between San Francisco and San Jose sites

Preferred:

• Experience designing or evaluating programs for first-generation college students or historically underrepresented communities
• Experience serving as a volunteer or leading volunteer teams
• Background in culturally responsive teaching, youth leadership development, or mentoring
• Familiarity with Salesforce, Airtable, Zapier, and Google Workspace, or comparable systems
• Familiarity with the Bay Area educational landscape and communities
• Bilingual (Mandarin/English) proficiency
• Master's degree in Education or a related field

Compensation and Benefits

Starting Salary: $130,000

To promote internal equity and transparency, MMBay offers a clearly defined salary for this role and does not negotiate compensation. We aim to be upfront so candidates can make informed decisions from the start.

Benefits include unlimited paid time off (with manager approval), a health insurance stipend, and an employer 401(k) contribution of 3% of salary, provided regardless of employee participation.

Location and Work Arrangements

• This is a Bay Area-based position requiring regular travel between our San Francisco and San Jose locations. 
• The role blends in-person and virtual/remote work, with in-person time for meetings, site visits, staff collaboration days, and required Saturday program sessions. 
• During the school year (August–May), the work week is Tuesday–Saturday. Saturdays are in person at either our San Francisco or San Jose program site, rotating between sites to maintain presence and relationships at both. 
• Wednesdays are in person year-round at our San Francisco office in the Presidio for staff collaboration. 
• Several additional partial days per month involve in-person visits to local high schools, corporate partners, and other community organizations. 
• The role includes approximately four 30-minute evening meetings per week with volunteers who work full-time during the day; the Director designs this cadence and may shift meetings to Saturdays or a biweekly rhythm to reduce evening load. 
• Team-building with volunteers is part of our culture, and staff are expected to attend periodic evening functions in both San Francisco and San Jose. 
• Summer months (June–July) follow a standard Monday–Friday schedule, with Wednesdays remaining in person. 
• Minds Matter is committed to staff wellbeing and sustainable, fulfilling careers. We trust our team to manage their time and energy across the year and to take the rest they need to do their best work. 

How to Apply

View the full position description at mindsmatterbay.org/careers.

Applications must be submitted through the provided link; applications submitted through any other medium will not be considered. The application deadline is July 1, 2026. The search process includes three rounds of interviews and a thought exercise with members of the organization.

About Minds Matter Bay Area

Minds Matter is a national nonprofit connecting driven students from low-income families with the people, preparation, and possibilities to succeed in college and change the world. Since 1991, every Minds Matter student nationwide has been accepted to a four-year college. Founded in 2010, MMBay has graduated over 200 students — 100% accepted to four-year colleges, 75% attending some of the nation's most selective institutions, and 100% graduating within four years. Our free weekly programming is delivered by a powerful network of volunteers who mentor, teach, and walk alongside students on their journey to — and through — college. Learn more at www.mindsmatterbay.org.

Core Values

• We Show Up

• We Do the Hard Work

• We Believe and Persist

• We Prioritize Communication

• We Practice Emotional Courage

• We Are the Culture

Equal Opportunity

Minds Matter Bay Area is an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to an inclusive environment for all employees and volunteers. Individuals from historically underrepresented backgrounds — including people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and first-generation college graduates — are strongly encouraged to apply.