Program Manager Job Description
Digi-Bridge works to bridge the digital divide in Charlotte by providing hands-on STEAM coursework for K-8th grade scholars, hardware-agnostic tech consultancy to local schools, and advocating for digital equity through community action. Since 2015, Digi-Bridge has been providing K-8 scholars throughout Mecklenburg County with STEAM learning experiences serving more than 15,000 students and twenty partner schools.
Position Summary:
Digi-Bridge’s Program Manager will oversee the full scope of organizational program offerings both in schools and in the community. This position will also be responsible for the content and curricular elements of all programs. This position will require in-person work at various locations (pending health guidelines) and many functions may not be performed remotely. This position reports to the CEO. The start date for this position can be flexible between June 1 or July 1, 2021.
Program Offerings:
- Our #STEAMSaturdays courses provide K-8 learners with opportunities to explore hands-on, tech-infused lessons outside of the typical academic day. Due to COVID-19, our program pivoted to STEAMLab, a virtual STEAM experience. Our current virtual model will be in place until we receive directive from the school district to be able to support in-person learning.
- In 2019, Digi-Bridge launched a multi-site programming and robotics initiative that has been paused due to COVID-19. Digi-Bridge is reimaging the planned program into a new experience to serve students and advance goals of the program.
- Digi-Bridge’s work extends well past four walls and deep into communities to meet students where they are. We work with community partners to advance the goals of the organization to expose students to STEAM topics through after school clubs, neighborhood initiatives, and summer camps and more.
- Digi-Bridge has an earned revenue initiative offering courses in our programming space, Innovation Alley, and in the community. We provide facilitation, content, and experiences for a fee in the community through a variety of outreach opportunities year round.
Curriculum Design:
Digi-Bridge develops its own curriculum called “Digi-Bins” to be implemented across program sites. Additionally, we create STEAM experience lessons to be used at community and fee for service sites. We create and update curriculum based on student interest, science standards, industry expertise, and feedback. Topics of curriculum range from robotics, 3D designing and
printing, body systems, aerospace, physical science and more. Since COVID-19, we have
deployed STEAM kits into the community and created several content experiences for students.
Major Responsibilities:
Digi-Bridge needs a qualified individual to lead all programmatic efforts and curriculum design, ensuring it supports school and student needs with researched proven strategies to support learners in STEAM.
Duties include but are not limited to:
- Develop and oversee all programming, ensuring that each have the resources and support they need to succeed
- Project manage all aspects of program implementation
- Hire, train and onboard of all facilitator staff
- Select for and inspire energy, excitement and passion for the Digi-Bridge mission in its facilitators
- Lead a team of facilitators to deploy all types of Digi-Bridge programs
- Handle logistics for various program implementation and redesign based on current health standards and ongoing feedback
- Manage budgets to ensure program responsibility and efficiency
- Ensure that all evaluation components are completed
- Set and attain program growth goals
- Support school/community partners outside of Digi-Bridge partnership
- Create long lasting goal-centered relationships with leaders and educators
- Delegate program needs to Operations Associate and office staff
- Create Digi-Bin curriculum series/experiences on a range of STEAM topics based on student interest, learning standards and industry expertise
- Serve as education content expert on STEAM-based curriculum
- Facilitate lessons as needed
The foregoing description is not intended and should not be construed to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities of this job. Other duties may be assigned. This job description may be changed to include new responsibilities and tasks or change existing ones as management deems necessary.
Experience and Skills Necessary:
- At least three (3) years in K-12 education with evidence of school to community outreach work
- Knowledge of and experience in Charlotte-Mecklenburg School system is a bonus (Background in education or related field preferred)
- Experience developing STEAM content/curriculum preferred
- Willingness to rethink traditional pedagogy
- Attentiveness to the needs of 21st century learners
- Strong computer skills
- Ability to work independently as well as in a team environment (Superior problem-solving and analytical skills)
- Excellent organizational skills
The ideal candidate is comfortable:
- Setting an audacious vision for the future and working towards fulfillment (Leading laterally)
- Interacting with public, private and nonprofit partners to advance our mission (Managing school and community-based relationships)
- Overseeing the development of high-quality, technology-centric learning modules (Identifying specific community education needs)
- Collecting qualitative and quantitative program data
- Working nontraditional hours as the job requires *most Saturday mornings
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The employee must be able to regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Employee must be able to stand for extended periods. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle or feel, reach with hands and arms, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, and talk or hear.
Compensation and Benefits
This is a full-time exempt position. Salary range is $50,000-$55,000. Digi-Bridge offers a supplementary stipend for benefits in addition to paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave.
Digi-Bridge will provide equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, gender, age, disability, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, ancestry, political belief or activity, or status as a veteran.
To apply, please send a one paragraph introduction and resume to ericka@digi-bridge.org.
No calls please. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and received until April 30, 2021.
