Deputy Program Director

About the role

The Deputy Program Director (DPD) serves as the designated successor to the Program Director (PD) and, under the direct supervision and mentorship of the PD, will progressively assume responsibility for all aspects of program leadership during an approximately one‑fiscal‑year transition period. During this time, the DPD will develop the knowledge, relationships, and leadership necessary to independently fulfill the responsibilities of the PD while providing increasing operational leadership across the program.

Responsibilities

• Be a full‑time Friend to one child.
• Develop the knowledge and leadership necessary to inspire, develop, and evaluate the efforts of the Program team.
• Work alongside the PD as a role model and mentor for Program team members and ensure they have the resources needed to perform their jobs.
• Partner with the PD in overseeing Program team performance and conduct annual performance appraisals for all direct reports.
• Hold Program team members accountable for work performance (time spent with youth, quality and diversity of activities, administrative/reporting responsibilities), progressively assuming these functions under PD guidance.
• Participate with senior management while developing skills in strategic planning, budget development and monitoring, and organizational decision‑making and policy implementation.
• Assist the PD in designing and implementing initial Friends training, ongoing training, and required performance‑improvement activities.
• Develop a thorough understanding of families’ needs and ensure Roadmaps, Transition Plans, and other youth‑development expectations are met.
• Participate in monthly Program Manager meetings and co‑facilitate Friends staff meetings, progressively assuming leadership of these meetings.
• Partner with the PD in overseeing implementation and adherence to the Program Fidelity Agreement.
• Participate in regular Network PD meetings and develop relationships with national and other Friends of the Children chapters.
• Research, develop, implement, and sustain best‑practice programming to meet current and future organizational needs.
• Manage the child identification and selection process, creating a robust formalized process and training/supervising participants.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with partner schools and community selection partners to ensure effective program implementation and sustainability.
• Design and deliver regular trainings for new staff on referral partners and monitor referral partners’ Program Manager assignments.
• Utilize program data to develop, implement, and sustain enrichment activities and program excellence.
• Commit to ensuring youth achieve their long‑term outcomes.
• Work with the PD and Executive Director to ensure compliance with budgets and program guidelines.
• Maintain communication with all school districts, charter schools, and private schools attended by youth to facilitate access.
• Shadow supervision and development of activities, data utilization, and decisions for literacy efforts and 2‑Gen services.
• Partner with the PD in overseeing recruiting, selection, and hiring of new Friends and other staff, progressively assuming responsibility.
• Develop trusting, supportive relationships with families and guardians, progressively assuming responsibility for cultivating and maintaining these relationships.
• Partner with the PD in overseeing resolution of critical issues that arise with youth.
• Develop the knowledge necessary to ensure quality, integrity, and timely entry of program data.
• Ensure compliance with and accountability to the organization’s policies, procedures, and practices as outlined in the Employee Manual and Friends Handbook, contributing to their development as needed.
• Inspire others to embrace the organization’s mission, vision, values, and principles and articulate its function.
• Serve as an effective and compelling spokesperson for the organization, progressively assuming representation responsibilities.
• Attend Board meetings with the PD, present as appropriate, and progressively assume program reporting and presentation duties.
• Work in the Friends Austin office at least three days a week.
• Develop, implement, and oversee other projects as required under PD guidance.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Progressively assume supervisory responsibility for the Senior Program Manager, Program Managers, Family