Director, National Operations
About the role
The Director of National Operations is a strategic leader responsible for leading and managing operational plans and processes across Year Up United’s regions. Reporting to the Senior Director, Program Strategy and Operations, this role oversees a team of Operations leaders who manage day-to-day hybrid and in-office operations across multiple locations in direct support of Year Up United programming. In collaboration with stakeholders, the Director will design and implement strategies to enhance in-person student engagement, drive process standardization, and ensure operational excellence across geographies. They will focus on delivering a high-quality, consistent experience for students, staff, and strategic partners while continuously streamlining operations to improve efficiency and effectiveness and reduce cost to serve.
Success in this role requires a forward-thinking, proactive leader with a strong track record in operational management, process improvement, and team leadership. The ideal candidate will excel in a fast-paced environment, foster cross-functional collaboration, and bring exceptional communication skills and a customer-focused mindset to plan and advance organizational goals. This is an in-person role requiring 5 days in office engagement to the designated Year Up United location. Applicants must live within a reasonable commutable distance to a Year Up United location.
Responsibilities
- Lead Standards for Exceptional Management of National Portfolio of Sites
- Lead facilities operations across multiple states.
- Develop and execute operational strategies that improve efficiency, service quality, and cost performance.
- Manage operating budgets and capital improvement programs.
- Direct regional operations teams, building facilities managers, and vendor partners.
- Oversee preventive maintenance, compliance, safety, and risk management.
- Negotiate and manage national service contracts.
- Drive workplace experience, sustainability, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Establish KPIs, performance dashboards, and operational reporting for executive leadership.
- Manage Real Estate Planning
- Lead the end-to-end real estate planning and execution process to support national business operations, including identifying and evaluating potential sites, overseeing location selection, and all aspects of office moves and transitions.
- Assess prospective spaces by evaluating operational requirements, workforce and training capacity needs, accessibility, regulatory considerations, and financial feasibility with key stakeholders.
- Partner with cross-functional teams, including Finance and Legal, to develop and advance plans for new locations, relocations, and lease renewals.
- Develop transition planning and operational readiness for new sites, ensuring alignment across all business functions before launch.
- Coordinate cross-functional planning with Legal, IT, Marketing, and external teams to ensure seamless execution for occupancy and operational readiness.
- Establish project timelines, governance, and performance metrics to ensure on-time, on-budget delivery of new locations and facility initiatives.
- Drive portfolio optimization by analyzing utilization, capacity, operating costs, and strategic needs, and long-range facility plans.
- Develop and maintain long-term real estate strategies that support organizational objectives, operational efficiency, and workforce requirements.
- Operations, Process Improvement, and Leadership
- Develop and implement a comprehensive operational framework and strategic plan for operating across geographies, collaborating with leadership to streamline, standardize, and optimize processes for greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
- Responsible for leading the Student Centralized Asset Management Program (CAM) across all geographies in which we serve students.
- Lead initiatives within Enterprise Health and Safety (EHS) needs of the organization.
- Manage and mentor a multi-geography team to deliver high-quality hybrid and in-person operations while fostering a culture of accountability and excellence.
- Cultivate and maintain productive relationships with external partners (including colleges, CBOs, and corporate partners), service providers, and vendors to support operational goals.
- Regularly evaluate and report operational performance, identifying opportunities to improve resource utilization and meet organizational objectives.
- Manage the annual budget, implementing effective tracking systems to ensure financial accountability.
- Lead special projects focused on increasing operational effectiveness and efficiency.
- Program, Community, and Volunteer Engagement
- Collaborate with leaders across the organization managing Year Up United offerings to shape and execute a vision for in-person student engagement that maximizes success.
- Partner with National Teams (Events, Development, Corporate Engagement, and Talent Networks) to elevate the Year Up United brand and align programming with revenue and mission goals.
- Coordinate and execute high-impact volunteer and partner programming, including guest speaker series, Fireside Chats, Manager Meet and Greets, and mock interviews, in partnership with Development, Corporate Engagement, and Events teams.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring alignment between service delivery and business objectives.
- Conduct post-program reviews and provide key metric reports to assess and improve in-person programming outcomes.
- Change Management and Growth Initiatives
- Lead initiatives to align operational practices across offerings, enhancing organizational capability and consistency.
- Focus on improving customer experience and staff productivity through technology and process innovations.
- Identify and lead special projects to increase effectiveness and efficiency.
- Learning Community Member
- Actively participate in Year Up United’s Learning Community, supporting students as a coach, facilitator, and/or mentor.
- Engage in weekly group sessions with students and contribute to a positive, inclusive educational environment.
- Participate in staff meetings, training, and ongoing professional development initiatives.
Qualifications
- 5+ years of real estate and facilities management experience.
- 6-7 years of experience in operational and strategic roles within high-performing organizations.
- 2-3 years of management experience.
- This is an in-person role requiring 5 days in office engagement to the designated Year Up United location. Applicants must live within a reasonable commutable distance to a Year Up United location.
- Strong decision-making skills with orientation to flawless execution in dynamic environments.
- Excellent project management and budget management skills.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Customer service mindset with strong relationship skills to support and engage with internal and external stakeholders, including high-stakes partners.
- Strong organizational and time management skills with exceptional attention to detail.
- Collaborative leadership style with strong problem-solving abilities.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Salesforce preferred.
- A passion for working with young adults, an unshakable belief in their potential, and a strong commitment to the mission of Year Up United.
- Understanding of the Opportunity Divide and its drivers.
- Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Pay
Salary Range: $120,000 - $145,000
Schedule
Starting January 5, 2026, employees are expected to work on-site at least two days per week (Monday through Thursday dependent on job requirements). This is an in-person role requiring 5 days in office engagement to the designated Year Up United location.
Benefits
- Comprehensive healthcare options and dental coverage.
- 401(k) match for eligible participants.
- Vacation: Earn three weeks paid vacation in first year of employment; four weeks after initial year.
Note: This is an exempt role (paid on a salaried basis).