Pennsylvania Program Director, Affinity Group

About the role

The Program Director will lead the Philadelphia Affinity Group Network, a program aimed at strengthening educators of color and those entering the education workforce. Reporting to the Pennsylvania Managing Director of Programs, the role involves building teacher leaders' capacity, supporting retention efforts, and fostering high-quality program implementation.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the Affinity Group Network, ensuring long-term sustainability and scalability beyond the current grant period.
• Strengthen the network's visibility and impact across Philadelphia through strategic partnerships with district, charter, and community stakeholders.
• Represent Teach Plus and the Affinity Group Network at school, district, and community events to advance awareness, recruitment, and engagement.
• Collaborate with the Steering Committee and program stakeholders to guide strategic direction and align implementation with organizational goals.
• Maintain program quality, implementation fidelity, and emerging trends across affinity groups to develop citywide recommendations that advance teacher retention and well-being.
• Support district and network leaders in building the internal capacity needed to sustain this work over time.
• Partner with funders and stakeholders to ensure grant compliance, reporting, and successful execution of program deliverables.
• Coach and support Affinity Group Facilitators through ongoing feedback, professional learning, and collaboration opportunities to foster high-impact teacher-led affinity spaces.
• Design and implement facilitator learning experiences, including curriculum, scope and sequence, and differentiated supports aligned to cohort needs.
• Collaborate with the part-time coach to ensure facilitators receive consistent, high-quality coaching and support.
• Observe and, when appropriate, contribute to affinity group meetings to strengthen facilitation quality and participant engagement.
• Lead facilitator and participant recruitment, selection, and onboarding efforts.
• Serve as lead for program operations and logistics, including planning and execution of virtual and in-person meetings, convenings, professional learning sessions, recruitment activities, budget and expense tracking, and program data management systems.
• Support the collection and elevation of educator perspectives through surveys, focus groups, discussions, and written recommendations.
• Empower affinity group members to advocate for policy and practice changes, or coordinate advocacy support when direct participation may not feel safe or appropriate.
• Collaborate with facilitators and the Steering Committee to expand and strengthen the Affinity Group Network across Philadelphia.
• Support pathways for paraprofessionals in Grow Your Own programs and student teachers transitioning into full-time teaching roles to participate in the network.

Requirements

• 6+ years of experience in the education field, including experience teaching, coaching teachers, and/or school leaders, and demonstrated success leading impactful programs, initiatives, or professional learning experiences and initiatives in diverse school environments.
• Deep commitment to advancing racial equity, teacher diversity, and inclusive educational practices.
• Experience participating in, leading, or designing affinity spaces or identity-centered professional learning communities.
• Strong understanding of the K–12 education landscape, including teacher retention challenges and systemic factors impacting educators of color.
• Experience designing and facilitating professional development and leadership development materials and training.
• Strong relationship-building and collaboration skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders, including educators, school leaders, district partners, and community organizations.
• Strong project and program management skills, including managing logistics, tracking deliverables and program metrics, and using qualitative and quantitative data to inform continuous improvement.
• Excellent written, verbal, facilitation, and presentation skills, including comfort representing the organization with external stakeholders and at conferences or public events.
• Familiarity with the Philadelphia education ecosystem, including the School District of Philadelphia, charter networks, and community stakeholders, is strongly preferred.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in education, social justice, or related field.
• Experience working with and advocating for educators of color.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with diverse teams.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.

Benefits

Total Rewards: Starting salary of $108,000, with a competitive benefits package including generous paid time off, shared summer and winter breaks, Summer Half-Day Fridays, comprehensive health coverage, retirement contributions with immediate vesting, paid parental leave for all caregivers, and a four-week paid sabbatical after five years of service.