Pillar Search is honored to partner with JVS on the search for their new Chief Program Officer (CPO). Reporting to JVS’ CEO, Kira Khazatsky, the CPO leads the core of JVS’ work – the development, quality, and delivery of JVS’s services, and oversee JVS’s team of programmatic vice presidents.

PLEASE NOTE: The application deadline for this position is Monday, May 1, 2023.

ABOUT JVS: JVS is a non-profit, non-sectarian agency. Their mission is to empower individuals from diverse communities to find employment and build careers; and to partner with employers to hire, develop, and retain productive workforces. JVS provides a broad range of workforce development services including adult education, skills training, job readiness training, job placement, and support, and access to post-secondary education. JVS assists employers in their search for well-qualified job applicants and their initiatives to upgrade the skills of their incumbent workforce. JVS’s unique education and career pathway model has been widely recognized by funders, policy makers, and practitioners in Massachusetts and nationally.

Learn more about JVS at www.jvs-boston.org.

POSITION SUMMARY: The CPO oversees programmatic aspects of the organization and provides strategic leadership to the programmatic Vice President team to ensure alignment with the organization’s mission and goals. The CPO supervises, supports, and develops the programmatic VP team to achieve programmatic outcomes and manages programmatic budgets. The CPO collaborates with other principal executives to ensure long-term strategic planning and board management align with the organization’s mission and goals. Essential functions include:

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Programmatic Leadership and Team Management:

• Provide programmatic leadership that reinforces agency mission and values and demonstrates commitment to clients.
• Supervise, support, and develop the programmatic VP team to achieve programmatic outcomes.
• Collaborate with the programmatic VP team to identify and address programmatic challenges.
• Coach and supervise all programmatic VP teams.
• Oversee the programmatic VP team on programmatic goal setting and budget development in support of overall agency goals.

Programmatic Budget Management:

• Develop, implement, and manage programmatic budgets in collaboration with the finance team.
• Ensure the programmatic budget aligns with the organization’s strategic plan and programs’ goals.
• Provide regular updates on programmatic budget status and variances to the management team and board of directors.
• Collaborate with the programmatic VP team to identify and address budgetary challenges.

Programmatic Design and Approval:

• Provide final approval for all programmatic design and delivery models.
• Ensure programmatic design aligns with the organization’s mission, vision, and goals.
• Ensure the programmatic design aligns with funder and employer expectations.
• Collaborate with the programmatic VP team to identify and address programmatic design challenges.

Funder and Stakeholder Relationship Management:

• Manage funder relationships in collaboration with the development team.
• Ensure programmatic reporting and outcomes align with funder expectations.
• Collaborate with the development team to identify and address funder relationship challenges.
• Collaborate with the CEO, CFO, CIO, and CDO in setting agency agendas and priorities.
• Work with the Chief Executive Officer on the programmatic board agendas

Programmatic Efficiency and Systems: 

• Identify and implement programmatic efficiencies and systems.
• Collaborate with the operations team to streamline programmatic processes.
• Ensure programmatic efficiency aligns with the organization’s strategic plan and programmatic goals.
• Facilitate and/or co-facilitate and direct the vision for programmatic committee meetings, task forces, and groups, and support the Staff & Board Chairperson for Client Services and Employer Services Committees.
• Work with the Chief Executive Officer in programmatic strategic planning, implementation, reaching outcomes, leading, and tracking progress.

In addition, the CPO will perform projects as required by the Chief Executive Officer.

The CPO is a member of the leadership team, serving as a strategic thought leader.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 10+ years of experience in programmatic leadership and management.
• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in a related field or demonstrated equivalent work experience required.
• Strong knowledge of budgeting and finance, program design, and stakeholder relationship management.
• Experience working with funders to ensure ongoing support for programs.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong team management and leadership skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with multiple stakeholders.
• Experience with strategic planning, implementation, and tracking progress.
• Strong understanding of program design, delivery, and reporting.
• Excellent budget management skills.
• Proficient in Salesforce or other CRM systems

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Program Management: Demonstrated ability to manage complex programs with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities, including project planning, budget management, and ensuring programs are delivered on time and within scope.
• Strategic Planning: Proven ability to develop and implement programmatic strategies that align with the organization’s mission and vision, identify opportunities for growth and innovation, and experience with strategic planning processes.
• Relationship Management: Strong relationship management skills, including the ability to cultivate and maintain relationships with external stakeholders, effectively communicate the organization’s mission and programmatic impact to diverse audiences, including donors and funders.
• Financial Management: Deep understanding of nonprofit finance and budget management, experience managing budgets of at least $10 million, and ability to make strategic decisions about resource allocation and financial planning.
• Board Engagement: Ability to engage with the board of directors, present programmatic updates, and work with board committees, including employer engagement, client services, and budget and finance.
• Innovative Thinking: The ability to think creatively and innovatively, keep up with the changing philanthropic and programmatic environment, and push the team to innovate and come up with new ideas to solve problems.
• Listening Skills: Excellent listener, able to create a safe and collaborative environment for the team to share ideas and work together. Ability to take feedback constructively and make changes to improve team performance.
• Adaptability: The ability to navigate change effectively, adjust strategies and plans as needed to respond to new challenges and opportunities, and be adaptable to changing circumstances.
• Communication Proficiency: Excellent communication skills, able to convey complex ideas in a clear and concise manner, build relationships with stakeholders, and represent the organization effectively in public.
• Ethical Conduct: Demonstrated commitment to ethical conduct and integrity, including adherence to organizational policies and procedures and ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Leadership: Proven leadership skills, able to lead and inspire teams to achieve organizational goals, and provide direction and support as needed.
• Problem Solving/Analysis: Excellent problem-solving skills, able to define issues, gather data, and push the team to come up with effective solutions. Ability to make difficult decisions when necessary and have the confidence to move the team forward.
• Personal Effectiveness/Credibility: Demonstrated personal effectiveness and credibility, including the ability to build trust, maintain confidentiality, and handle sensitive issues with tact and diplomacy.
• Presentation Skills: Strong presentation skills, able to present complex information in a compelling and engaging way to diverse audiences.
• Technical Capacity: Strong technical capacity and knowledge of relevant technologies, tools, and systems to support program delivery and management.

Measurable Outcomes  

• Program impact: The CPO should ensure that programs have a measurable impact on the intended target population. This may include changes in knowledge, behavior, or other outcomes that are directly related to the program’s goals.
• Results-oriented: The CPO should have a strong focus on outcomes and measurable metrics to ensure programs achieve their intended goals. This requires setting clear objectives, developing strategies to achieve them, and regularly evaluating progress towards achieving them.
• Analytical skills: The CPO must be able to analyze complex data and information to make informed decisions about program design, implementation, and evaluation. This requires the ability to synthesize information from multiple sources and identify trends and patterns to inform programmatic decisions.
• Program efficiency: The CPO should ensure that programs are delivered efficiently, using resources effectively to achieve program goals. This may include monitoring program expenditures, ensuring that resources are allocated appropriately, and identifying opportunities to improve program efficiency.
• Program reach: The CPO should ensure that programs reach the intended target population; this may include tracking program participation rates, identifying barriers to access, and developing strategies to increase program reach.
• Program quality: The CPO should ensure that programs are of high quality, with a focus on program design, implementation, and evaluation. This may include monitoring program fidelity, ensuring that programs are evidence-based, and using data to inform programmatic decisions.
• Staff development: The CPO should ensure that staff are supported and developed to achieve programmatic outcomes. This may include providing training and professional development opportunities, offering performance feedback and support, and creating a positive work environment that supports programmatic success.

This is a hybrid, full-time, exempt role. The JVS office is located in Boston’s Financial District.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY: JVS is strongly committed to diversity and a workplace environment that respects, appreciates and values employee differences and similarities.  By providing and supporting a work culture that fosters and builds upon diversity and its strengths, JVS will better serve our local communities and continue to provide quality services.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: JVS is an employment at-will organization and an equal opportunity employer committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital/civil union status, ancestry, place of birth, age, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation, genetic information or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws. Additionally, JVS prohibits retaliation against an applicant or employee because he or she has engaged in protected activity under the statutes prohibiting discrimination in the workplace.

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TO APPLY:  JVS has partnered with Cindy Joyce of Pillar Search & HR Consulting in the search for the Chief Program Officer. Please submit your cover letter and resume to Cindy at cindy@pillarsearch.com