Chief Program Officer, Gradient Learning

Gradient Learning is a nonprofit organization that began nearly a decade ago when a group of educators had a vision for a better future. A vision where educators have the support they need to thrive. Where administrators and teachers work collaboratively with a common set of practices. And where education technology is integrated and accessible to the schools that need it—from teachers and principals to students and parents.

At Gradient Learning, we offer the Gradient Learning Program, which offers schools a Whole Student System to help realize their vision for Whole-Student Development.  The Whole Student System brings together a curated and integrated suite of research-based tools and resources, including rigorous curricula, teacher and leader resources and trainings, whole student assessments and data displays, as well as ongoing, customized coaching for school leadership teams. The Whole System is an approach that brings together academics and life skills to drive a stronger sense of self, a greater ability to learn, and better life outcomes. The program is utilized by hundreds of schools across the U.S. to fuel their Whole Student Development. 

At Gradient Learning, our work is guided by a set of core values as well as our belief in the possibility of change, appreciation for the power of partnership, and commitment to creating an inclusive place where everyone thrives. 

To learn more about the expectations we have for all team members, please check out the What We Expect From You section. We hold these principles as a standard for every member of our team.

Job Summary 

The Gradient Learning Program offers schools a Whole Student System to help schools realize their vision for Whole Student growth. The Whole Student System is a curated and integrated suite of research-based tools and resources, including rigorous curricula, teacher and leader resources and trainings, whole student assessments, and data displays, housed on a customized learning platform (powered by the Canvas learning management system). This suite of tools and resources is supplemented by ongoing, customized coaching for school leadership teams. 

The Chief Program Officer will lead a talented program team of 35 members to define a long-term strategic direction and vision, create systems and structures for ongoing program iteration and refinement, and ensure impact across hundreds of schools. More specifically, the CPO will lead three functions of the Gradient Learning program team: 

• The Program Delivery team is responsible for designing and delivering our product (i.e., our Whole Student System), which includes rigorous curricula, a curated set of tools and technologies, whole student assessments and data displays, and a library of teacher and leader resources and training. 
• The Program Success team ensures the program's success at the school level via leader coaching and account management activities. Additionally, this team is responsible for culling and synthesizing partner school feedback to drive iteration and refinements to the program model. 
• The Program Research & Design team is responsible for integrating the latest learning science - especially around Whole Student principles - into all aspects of the Program Model.

Reporting directly to the Executive Director and playing a key role on the executive team, the Chief Program Officer will oversee the Gradient Learning Program, continuously assessing and refining the Program Model / Product to maximize its effectiveness and alignment with the organization’s mission and vision. In this role, you will be expected to set the long-term vision, drive the teams to deliver a product that delivers on that vision, and rally internal and external stakeholders required to do this important work. 

As a champion of this work, the Chief Program Officer will bring a deep commitment to the whole-student system and holistic development, empowering the team to deliver impactful programming to our partner schools. This visionary leader will drive the organization’s core functions by designing an innovative program that propels Gradient Learning forward and creates a meaningful, measurable impact on student success.  

What You’ll Do (Responsibilities) 

Set and implement the program vision and strategy 

• Develop and operationalize a program vision and strategy that creates a clear roadmap that aligns both short-term and long-term goals and objectives to contribute to the organization's overall mission and vision.
• Collaborate with various stakeholders to ensure that the Program Model supports organizational outcomes.
• Lead the development, execution, and continuous improvement of the Program Model.
• Effectively monitor financial resources, ensuring maximum return on investment.

Effectively design and execute a product that meets the needs of users and learners

• Oversee the ongoing iteration of our Whole Student System (i.e., our “Product”), including a regular update cycle (similar to software update cycles).
• Oversee the creation and ongoing iteration of internally developed tech components of the Whole Student System (i.e., Student Check-In App, Whole Student Data Insights Tool).
• Develop and implement systems for evaluating the effectiveness of the Program Model/Product to ensure that it meets the needs of learners and achieves the desired outcomes. 
• Stay informed about trends in educational technology and pedagogy, integrating innovative solutions into the Program Model/Product.
• Lead efforts to pilot new program approaches and to scale or discontinue when appropriate.
• Ensure all programming complies with the organization’s educational standards, regulations, and laws.
• Oversee the collection, review, and analysis of program data to measure impact, and track performance, design, scaling, and improvements.

Serve as a visible culture builder that strengthens and cultivates collaborative teams, empowering them to deliver high-quality results 

• Be a galvanizer and visible model for bringing joy to the work and celebrating individual and team successes.
• Serve as a daily role model for program team staff, demonstrating authenticity, humanity, empathy, accountability, and collaboration in every interaction.
• Inspire and engage employees by being visible, recognizing contributions, providing regular, honest, actionable, and timely feedback, and creating opportunities for professional growth and personal development.
• Build trust through clear and open communication and ensure transparency in decision-making processes, promoting a culture of honesty and reliability.
• Hold all members of the program team to high standards of accountability, promoting shared responsibility for achieving both individual and team goals. 

Develop and foster collaborative, cross-functional, high-impact program teams 

• Provide strategic direction and coaching to program directors, empowering their teams to achieve program goals and drive measurable impact.
• Design systems of knowledge-sharing and documentation of internal learnings across program teams to enhance capacity and scale effective strategies.   
• Collaborate with colleagues across the organization to assess and measure program effectiveness and overall impact, and implement efforts for continual improvement.
• Strengthen capacity builders through intentional coaching, mentorship and collaborative problem-solving.
• Embrace leadership with humility and demonstrate active listening to build positive relationships, engaging others through an equitable and empowering approach while encouraging diverse perspectives

Lead with influence and innovation to create transformative outcomes 

• Serve as a champion and advocate for whole-student outcomes, effectively communicating its positive impact on students.  
• Embody passion and commitment towards this work to motivate internal and external stakeholders to deliver transformative results.
• Authentically develop partnerships with existing and new partner schools to expand the program’s reach and impact. 
• Stay informed on the sector’s advancements to develop innovative programs and pilot programs that address the evolving needs of students and school systems.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director, Chief Partnerships & Impact Officer, and Chief Operations Officer to lead organizational strategy, planning, and culture 

What Skills You’ll Need to be Successful (Competencies)

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following:

Instructional Expertise 

• An understanding of instructional best practices and research, especially related to academic or socio-emotional development.
• Experience coaching teachers or school leaders to improve student outcomes, specifically around curriculum implementation, instruction, program adoption, whole school model adoption, and/or life skills/socio-emotional development. 
• Experience building, refining, and/or utilizing ed tech products to improve student outcomes.  
• Experience and/or deep interest in utilizing AI to improve how students, teachers, and school leaders are supported.

Strategic Thinker  

• Exceptional strategic thinking skills, including the ability to co-create strategic visions with a range of stakeholders and to drive teams to achieve that vision. 
• Demonstrated use of research and data analytics to support the adoption of innovative educational strategies. 
• Experience identifying key issues and thinking creatively to create sustainable solutions.
• Ability to develop plans that align with current organizational goals while anticipating future trends, challenges, and opportunities, ensuring decisions contribute to long-term success.
• Demonstrated knowledge and expertise in adjusting strategies and plans based on a changing environment; extremely comfortable leading through ambiguity and complexity.
• Laser-like focus on “beginning with the end in mind” and asking “to what end” to ensure strategic alignment.

Systems Leader 

• Strong ability to hold a holistic vision of the work, seeing the interconnectedness of all parts within the organization, and how they may influence one another.
• Experience setting and refining systems and structures across teams and organizations to deliver outcomes.
• Excellent communication skills to convey program vision, operational demands, and success criteria to various stakeholders.
• Skillfully enable systems that create cross-functional teams where shared responsibility and ownership are prioritized.
• Ability to approach problems with a systems thinking mindset, considering the internal and external factors contributing to an issue and addressing those factors to create lasting change.

Visionary and Strategic Change Leadership

• Ability to develop and communicate a compelling long-term vision that aligns with organizational goals and inspires action. 
• Strong ability to communicate the rationale behind changes through transparent messaging and strategic framing of evolving priorities. 
• Capable of setting and refining long-term and short-term goals with flexibility to make both incremental and significant changes as needed.  
• Skilled at making well-informed decisions and providing direction and clarity to teams by setting clear milestones, measuring progress, and ensuring accountability for results.  
• Effectively leading with clarity and confidence in dynamic environments, navigating ambiguity and emerging challenges while maintaining focus or momentum. 

Extraordinary Influencer, Connector & Communicator

• Ability to inspire and influence others by generating excitement, cultivating buy-in, and energizing teams towards achieving shared goals. 
• Skilled at engaging diverse staff, leadership, and constituents to promote trust, collaboration, and partnerships, both internal and external to the organization.
• Ability to lead from multiple perspectives— service provider, strategic leader, thought partner, and capacity-builder for program team members.
• Demonstrate transparency and authenticity in communication with stakeholders at every level. Invites, includes, and engages others in the spirit of inclusion and empowerment.
• Ability to recognize and leverage the interconnectedness of work across program areas, fostering collaboration to drive collective success.

Minimum Requirements

• Commitment to uphold Gradient Learning values. 
• Bachelor's degree in a related field (preferred). 
• 12 years+ of experience in ed tech product development, program management, educational coaching or consulting, and/or school/district leadership is required. (Experience doing this work within an educational nonprofit setting, specifically for a national educational technology or coaching organization, is strongly preferred.) 
• 10 years+ of people management experience is required. 3 years+ of experience at the executive team level is strongly preferred. 
• A proven track record of impact on student outcomes is strongly preferred. 
• Proficiency in Google Platforms, i.e., Google Drive, Google Sheets, Google Docs, and Google Slides. 
• A clear health and background check. 
• An ability to travel 30-40%.

Location:

Our work is national in scope, and our team is virtual. The location for this role is flexible within the United States.

Compensation

Gradient Learning offers full-time employees competitive salaries and benefits. Individuals hired in this role will start within the following range: $200,000-$235,000, with candidates typically starting at the beginning of the range. The actual placement of the range depends on the candidate's qualifications, internal equity considerations, and the budget earmarked for this role. 

Candidates living in the following areas will receive a cost of labor increase of:

• SF Bay Area: +10%
• New York Metro Area:  +5%  

Gradient Learning values transparency and internal equity in our compensation system and decisions. To support these goals we share and adhere to defined scales for each job class and do not negotiate salaries. 

To learn more about our benefits, visit our careers website at www.gradientlearning.org/careers/

Disclaimer

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. 

Nondiscrimination

We strive to recruit a diverse team. Gradient Learning is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, military status, pregnancy, parenthood, citizenship status, creed, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. We will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.  People from all diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.