Senior Director, Programs
Sponsors for Educational Opportunity
Title: Senior Director, Programs
Department: SEO Career
Report to: VP, Career Program & Ops
Compensation: $120,400 - $143,200
FLSA: Exempt
Employee Type: Full-Time, Temporary through August 31, 2026
Location/Hours: Hybrid – 3 days/week in office; Some nights and weekends required.
ABOUT SEO
Founded in 1963 during the Civil Rights Movement, SEO closes educational and career opportunity gaps for 7,000 ambitious young people annually.
POSITION OVERVIEW
As Senior Director, Programs, you join the SEO Career Leadership Team as the head of the SEO Career Program Team. You will provide strategic visioning, working to develop and implement programmatic growth, while acting as the key decision-maker for the day-to-day operations for all of SEO Career’s Program tracks, the Recruiting Team, and the Training and Development Team.
Strategy (30%)
- Work with SEO Career leadership to set strategy for SEO Career programs and the end-to-end participant lifecycle.
- Oversee implementation of SEO Career programs strategy by providing strategic decision-making and guidance to all Assistant / Associate Directors on the Program Team.
- Provide necessary Programs Team metrics and context when new initiatives are being considered by the Leadership Team and Director of Strategy and New Initiatives (i.e., key KPIs around engagement, conversion, placement, and offers).
Program Management (30%)
- Oversee SEO Career’s Recruitment Team; provide strategic support to ensure SEO Career is consistently building a strong pipeline of viable student intern candidates.
- Oversee SEO Career's Program Tracks, including: Alternative Investments & Investment Banking; Markets; Finance, Corporate & Tech; and Real Estate
- Oversee SEO Career’s Training & Development Team; provide strategic support to ensure SEO Career has content and curricula that meet the needs of student intern candidates.
- Provide project management and effective leadership by being actively involved in all program activities and developing a broad and deep knowledge of the full program cycle including developing, implementing, and tracking the program plan, curriculum, staffing model, infrastructure, and partnerships for Program Tracks.
- Ensure ongoing programmatic excellence, rigorous program evaluation, and consistent quality; recommend timelines and resources needed to achieve the strategic goals including 70% engagement, 90% yield, and 80% offer/conversion rates for over 6,000 applicants, 2,500 Edge participants, and 800+ interns.
People Management (30%)
- Serve as the direct supervisor of all SEO Career Track AD’s (i.e., Associate Director Recruiting; Assistant Director Alternative Investments & Investment Banking; Assistant Director Markets; Associate Director Finance, Corporate & Tech; Assistant Director Real Estate; and Assistant Director of Training & Development) and their respective teams (~22 FTE).
- Serve as the direct supervisor of future Track Associate/Assistant Directors as new SEO Career initiatives onboard as new tracks.
Data & Reporting (10%)
- Research, design, and implement effective systems (including Blackboard LMS, Genius SIS, Thrive TRM, Chronus mentoring platform, an CVENT events CRM, TimeTrade scheduling tool, and more) to track progress.
- Regularly evaluate program components to measure KPIs that can be effectively communicated and utilized to drive change/improvements.
- Perform other duties to be assigned in service of the Careers team objectives and SEO’s mission.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited 4-year institution.
- 10+ years professional experience running programs in a non-profit environment; preference given to candidates who also possess corporate experience.
- Experience running large programs.
COMPETENCIES & SKILLS
- Passion for SEO: A deep curiosity and awareness of the barriers to entry and obstacles for pre-professionals launching careers in Corporate America and a dedication to closing opportunity gaps.
- Strategic Vision: Able to balance day-to-day program management with a forward-looking vision for the continued success and future of the Program Team in support of SEO Career’s larger mission. Adept at understanding how the Program Team, in concert with SEO Career’s Leadership, Operations, and Partnerships and Strategy Teams can continually grow in a scalable manner.
- Leadership/Management: Proficient at leading large teams and serving as a go-to decision-maker. Able to build effective and long-lasting teams. Ability to strategically delegate and grow future SEO Career leaders.
- Critical Thinking and Flexibility: Capable of anticipating needs, employing best resources, and making careful decisions. Able to adjust to changes and work demands quickly while maintaining a strategic and tactical vision to efficiently complete work. Ability to be both a self-starter and a team player who builds people-first relationships and prioritizes the candidate experience every step of the way.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
SEO offers a competitive compensation package and comprehensive benefits plan including low-cost health, vision, and dental options, a generous holiday schedule and PTO policies, disability coverage, fully paid time off for new parents, and employer contributions to health reimbursement and retirement accounts. We are constantly working to improve our benefits each year based on the needs of our employees. We value wellness and strive to put people first and foremost.
The compensation listed in this posting reflects what SEO believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on the skills, qualifications, and experience of the applicant along with the requirements of the position, and SEO reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time.
EEOC Policy
At SEO we are committed to cultivating a team that embodies the backgrounds and experiences of the constituencies we serve and the communities we live in, and a workplace that reflects the impact we make in the world. Candidates from all communities – including people of color, women, members of the LGBTQIA+ Community, veterans, and people with disabilities – are strongly encouraged to apply.
Equal Employment Opportunity is not just the law, it is our commitment.
Sponsors for Educational Opportunity is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer – M/F/D/V. We will consider all qualified applicants for employment regardless of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, parental status, genetic information or characteristics, or any other legally protected status.
If you need accommodation while applying for a role with SEO, due to a disability, please email SEO Talent.
THE ORGANIZATION
Established in 1963 by Michael Osheowitz, SEO (Sponsors for Educational Opportunity) is an educational non-profit founded on the belief that talent is everywhere; but opportunity is not. Our programs are designed to educate, train, mentor, and amplify the voices of our participants to give them a seat at the table – every table. We propel human potential.
SEO is an innovator in education, mentorship, and creating educational career opportunities that maximize the full potential of our participants. Each year SEO serves 7,000+ participants nationally, and the organization is widely recognized for developing best-in-class programs with exceptional results.
Not every SEO participant is on the same journey, but all are hungry for opportunity and SEO creates an ecosystem of excellence. Learn more about SEO's programs here: https://www.seo-usa.org/our-programs/.