SMASH Program Director, Northeast Region

ABOUT SMASH

SMASH is committed to increasing racial equity in K-12 computer science (CS) education and the next generation of our workforce by building interest, knowledge, and aspirations in computing among underrepresented identities in the field.

After operating for more than 20 years and inspiring thousands of students of color to pursue careers in STEM, the SMASH Board has spent the better part of 2022-2023 reimagining SMASH in alignment with educational and economic shifts.

In this next phase of the organization, SMASH aspires to engage even more students from underrepresented backgrounds through a more intensively CS-focused curriculum and across a wider variety of formats. Innovative in-person and virtual programs aim to provide early exposure to CS concepts and careers to students of all ages, with deep-impact programming specifically for high school students.

Programming will continue to center on SMASH Academy, a three-week, cost-free, residential on-campus summer experience which helps students develop critical thinking, civic and social awareness, and leadership skills. Initially available at five partner sites across the country, this next phase of Academy supports rising 11th and 12th graders in developing CS skills and credentials.

With the support of partners, SMASH plans to offer additional in-person experiences for high school and college students with Hackathons and Open Innovation Challenges, which will provide early exposure to computer science (CS), empower youth to address pressing community challenges through CS, design thinking, and rapid prototyping.

To bring the SMASH experience to a national audience, we also plan to develop digital programs to support students nationwide in developing their CS knowledge and support their college and career navigation journey. SMASH digital resources will be open to students nationwide, while in-person programming serves students throughout the Bay Area, greater Atlanta, Detroit, and Boston regions.

This is a pivotal time for SMASH as SMASH builds on the success of our programs. Working at SMASH is about rapid growth, grit, personal commitment, accountability, and courage to challenge the status quo. If you have what it takes to change the computer science landscape, we want to hear from you.

SMASH is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization operating under the umbrella of the Kapor Center family of organizations.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Reporting to the Head of Experiential Programs + Alumni Engagement, the SMASH Program Director, Northeast Region (PD) will serve our scholars at Northeastern University. The PD is responsible for building, sustaining, and improving the transformative experience integral to scholars pursuing, persisting, and succeeding in CS careers. They will also be accountable for scholar and staff recruitment to support our signature summer program as well as wraparound programming opportunities during the year. The PD provides leadership, support, and direction to SMASH scholars, families, and community partners in alignment with the SMASH goals, mission, and vision.

SMASH is headquartered in Oakland, CA, though the incumbent will be located at their respective site region. Occasional travel is required throughout the year.

Responsibilities:

Key responsibilities include but are not limited to those listed below.

Program Implementation

• Recruit, select + onboard a cohort of 100 qualified 11th and 12th grade scholars to participate in summer residential programming
• Manage implementation of national programming at the site level, ensuring fidelity, cross-functional alignment + proper record keeping for quality assessment
• Build and manage site-specific wraparound programming (i.e. residential events, CS career exploration activities, electives) to maintain scholar engagement year-round
• Support and manage annual hackathons and other events at the regional level
• Manage communication with parents and scholars
• Manage + reconcile site budget
• Ensure programmatic metrics are met

People Management

• Recruit and hire seasonal staff for the site in alignment with company policy and practice
• Onboard and manage seasonal staff adhering to organizational expectations and requirements
• Ensure proper data collection for scholars and seasonal staff (i.e. deliverables, transcripts, surveys, etc)

University Partner Relations Management

• Primary point of contact and representative of SMASH for the site university partner relationship
• Develop new site-specific partnerships in alignment with national organizational goals
• Support SMASH and university partner funder relationships + grants