Director of Programming & Instruction, Academy at Penn
Job Description Summary
The Academy at Penn is a college and career readiness program for students from Horace Furness High School and High School of the Future, both comprehensive high schools in the School District of Philadelphia. Through this program, students receive year-round, cohort-based academic, social/emotional, and community support that holds in the highest regard each participant's unique path to, through, and beyond high school. The Academy is a 5-year partnership between the School District of Philadelphia, Foundations, Inc., and the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education.
The ideal candidate is a strategic and systems-oriented leader who can translate vision into high-quality, scalable programming. They bring deep experience in curriculum and instructional leadership, combined with the ability to manage people, systems, and growth simultaneously. This individual is equally comfortable setting long-term direction and addressing day-to-day implementation challenges.
They are a strong coach and team builder who can develop staff capacity while maintaining high standards for teaching and learning. The ideal candidate is reflective, data-driven, and committed to continuous improvement, using feedback and evidence to refine both curriculum and program design.
Above all, they are deeply committed to expanding opportunities for high school students and ensuring that programming is engaging, rigorous, and meaningfully connected to students' long-term college and career goals.
Key Responsibilities
- Program Leadership & Strategy: Define and refine the long-term vision for the Summer and Saturday program; Oversee multi-year program architecture, including cohort progression and experience design; Ensure strong alignment between summer, school-day, and school-year (Saturday) programming; Lead continuous improvement efforts, incorporating data, feedback, and emerging best practices; Collaborate with executive leadership to ensure program feasibility, sustainability, and strategic alignment; Represent the program in internal and external meetings and partnerships.
- Program Development & Scaling: Design and implement a scalable, cohort-based program model; Develop and document systems, structures, and frameworks for replication and growth; Plan and align phased staffing expansion with projected enrollment growth.
- Curriculum & Instructional Leadership: Lead curriculum design, implementation, and ongoing refinement aligned with program goals and student needs; Develop and maintain a cohesive, multi-year scope and sequence across cohorts; Ensure curriculum is engaging, developmentally appropriate, and outcomes-driven.
- Staff Supervision & Development: Supervise instructors and facilitators, setting clear expectations and fostering a collaborative team culture; Provide regular coaching, classroom observations, and actionable feedback to improve instructional quality; Design and lead staff onboarding and professional development aligned to the program model.
- Program Quality & Student Outcomes: Monitor student progress using qualitative and quantitative data to inform instruction and program improvements; Ensure fidelity to the program model across all cohorts and instructional settings; Identify trends, troubleshoot challenges, and implement targeted interventions to improve student outcomes.
- Collaborate with program teams across agencies to ensure smooth integration of program elements across all aspects.
- Perform additional duties as assigned
Qualifications
ESSENTIAL:
- A Bachelor's degree and 5-7 years of experience in education, youth development, or a related field are minimally required.
- Demonstrated experience in program leadership, including overseeing multi-year or cohort-based models
- Strong background in curriculum design, instructional leadership, and/or academic program development
- Experience supervising and coaching educators, facilitators, or youth development staff
- Proven ability to use data to drive program improvement and student outcomes
- Experience designing or implementing scalable programs or initiatives
- Strong strategic thinking and systems-building skills
- Excellent organizational, project management, and problem-solving abilities
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across stakeholders
- Commitment to supporting many different student pathways
PREFERRED:
- A Master's degree with related education certifications and 15+ years of professional experience,
- Experience working with high school-aged youth and college/career readiness programming.
Expected Salary Range
$100,000 - $120,000, commensurate with experience.
All applicants must submit a cover letter detailing their interest in the position along with their resume/CV. Cover letters can be attached in the same section as the resume/CV section.
Job Location
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Department / School
Graduate School of Education
Pay Range
$79,500.00 - $120,000.00 Annual Rate
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