Our Culture: Why Work With us?
Aspire Institute’s mission is to prepare low-income first-generation college youth, at scale, to be leaders in their communities.
Vision and Mission
Aspire Institute is dedicated to driving transformation in education and community development. We aim to create innovative, evidence-based solutions that address complex challenges in education and promote lifelong learning. There are over 200M English speaking first-generation, low-income (FGLI) youth globally who do not have access to resources and networks to attain their full potential. Our mission is to empower FGLI to achieve their fullest potential and impact their lives and communities through leadership development skills offered by world-class faculty, comprehensive research, thoughtful advocacy, and transformative educational programs.
Who We Are:
Co-founded by Harvard Business School faculty, Aspire aims to nurture leaders who will drive significant social impact in their communities. Only a fraction of all college youth has access to the best education that can result in economic mobility. Aspire’s systemic model relies on local partners globally to help identify first generation low-income youth who would otherwise be left behind. Additionally, partners provide local support, mentoring, and internship opportunities to equip our students to excel and lead in diverse fields.
Who You Are:
You’re someone who’s passionate about technology and enjoys rolling up your sleeves to make learning management systems work at scale. You have ideally worked with LMS platforms and are eager to dive deeper, finding clever ways to solve challenges. You get excited when your work directly impacts learners and enhances their experience. Collaboration is important to you, and you value working closely with both your local team and international colleagues to deliver impactful solutions. You’re ready to contribute to Aspire Institute’s mission of empowering learners globally and are motivated by the opportunity to help reach more than 1,000,000 active participants by 2027.
The Role:
We seek a dynamic Director of Programs to lead and manage our leadership development programs. this role is a unique opportunity to shape the future of first-gen, low-income students from across 190 countries, enhancing their lives and economic futures.
Work Environment:
Hybrid role based in Cambridge, MA (in-office on Tuesdays, Wednesday, and Thursdays) with some evenings and weekend work required.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategy/Leadership
- Help develop and implement strategic plans for the Aspire Leaders Program (ALP) and the Extended Leadership Program (ELP) to maximize reach, impact, and accessibility.
- Partner with an education consultant to design and launch a fee-based AI-Powered Professionals Program, integrating AI and soft skills training for participant career advancement.
- Ensure curriculum development aligns with best practices in leadership education, workforce readiness, and digital learning.
- Collaborate with the research team to conduct data-driven program evaluations and implement continuous improvements.
- Integrate best practices in ADA compliance, equity, and inclusion to support the needs of diverse learners.
Program Management
- Oversee program implementation and evaluation, ensuring quality and Aspire’s mission and vision alignment.
- Build, mentor, and manage a high-performing programs team, providing strategic direction and professional development.
- Oversee program budgets to ensure financial sustainability, aligning investments with organizational growth and mission priorities.
- Partner with faculty to organize masterclasses and mentorship sessions, ensuring a seamless learning experience.
- Coordinate with the Communications team to coordinate outreach initiatives to prospective students, refine eligibility requirements, and provide insight for program-related events.
- Lead market research initiatives to identify best practices in online program delivery, while gaining deeper insights into the needs, preferences, and challenges of our student base.
Technology Skills & Proficiency
- Know how to Assess and optimize a LMS and CRM, ensuring they meet program needs, enhance user experience, streamline course delivery and support participant engagement through key functionalities.
- Identifying and utilizing different ed-tech solutions to scale programs effectively while ensuring compliance with accessibility standards (ADA) and global best practices.
- Experience with community platforms (e.g., Slack, Discord, Circle) to enhance participant engagement, peer learning, and support networks.
- Experience with cloud-based infrastructure (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure) for delivering education at scale
Qualifications:
- Masters’ in Education, Human Development, Global Studies, International Development, or a related field.
- Must have a minimum of 7+ years in program management, leadership development, or ed-tech at a global scale.
- Experience delivering a large-scale global online education program. (We currently engage with participants from over 180 countries and are on track to reach 1 million participants by 2027)
- Proven strategic planning and team management skills.
- Deep understanding of the challenges faced by first-gen, low-income students and a passion for transformative education.
- Adept at managing large-scale budgets, program operations, and data-driven decision-making.
- Skilled in integrating technology for learning engagement, retention, and impact assessment.
Compensation & Benefits
Competitive salary, paid vacation, health insurance, and a 403b retirement plan
Reporting
The Director of Programs reports directly to the CEO.
How to Apply:
Please send a cover letter and resume to Kathleen Orcutt at kathy@psandr.com, Subject Line: Aspire Director of Programs
Aspire Institute is committed to equal employment opportunities for all applicants and employees, regardless of race, creed, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status.
