VP of Programs at Inner Spark Learning Lab

Los Angeles, California, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

22 Jun, 26

Salary

135000.0

Posted On

24 Mar, 26

Experience

5 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

People Leadership, Program Portfolio Management, Liberatory Education, Strategy Translation, Systems Thinking, Cross-Team Integration, Performance Reviews, Stakeholder Management, Knowledge Generation, Budget Planning, Curriculum Iteration, Evaluation Data Analysis, Strategic Alignment, Visitor Strategy Execution, Consultant Coordination, High Emotional Quotient

Industry

Non-profit Organizations

Description

Role Overview: We are seeking a VP of Programs to lead ISLL's full program portfolio as a coherent, high-impact system. This is a senior leadership role at the intersection of pedagogy, strategy, and operations. The ideal candidate brings a deep belief in liberatory education, strong instincts for people leadership, and the ability to translate mission into systems that actually work. The VP of Programs is accountable for ensuring that every ISLL program reflects student-centered values, generates knowledge that informs the field, and is led by a team that feels clear, supported, and connected to shared goals. What you'll do: People Leadership & Management Directly manage the Director of Labs and additional program directors as the portfolio grows Lead a standing monthly Directors meeting to surface cross-team dependencies, share insights, and coordinate priorities Maintain a non-negotiable weekly 1:1 cadence with all direct reports Conduct quarterly performance reviews for all Directors with written documentation Coordinate an extended team of consultants and researchers, setting clear scopes, aligning deliverables, and integrating their work into the broader program system Cross-Team Integration Own the integration architecture across Labs, Curriculum, Evaluation, and Professional Development functions Ensure Lab learnings feed curriculum iteration quarterly; translate curriculum innovations into PD offerings twice per year Share evaluation data summaries monthly with action items tracked across teams Ensure all programmatic narratives and data are available to the Development team 30 days before major fundraising asks Strategic Priorities Lead execution of the Lab Visitor Strategy: host 100+ educators, researchers, policymakers, and storytellers in ISLL learning environments by Year 3 Oversee knowledge generation, ensuring ISLL produces at least 2 internal learning briefs per year, 1 external-facing report or white paper annually, and ongoing case studies from lab environments Partner weekly with the Executive Director on strategic alignment, budget and resource planning, and board-level programmatic updates Our ideal candidate will have: Demonstrated senior leadership experience in a mission-driven educational or youth development organization Deep fluency in liberatory pedagogy and student-centered program design Proven experience managing directors or senior staff, not just coordinating, but genuinely developing people Strong systems thinking: the ability to see how programs, people, and data connect across a portfolio A track record of producing knowledge artifacts (reports, briefs, or publications) that move beyond internal use High EQ paired with clear expectations; someone who holds people accountable without losing the relationship It's a bonus if you have: Experience managing contracted consultants and researchers as part of an integrated team Background in evaluation, learning science, or curriculum development Experience building or scaling a lab or innovation-focused learning environment Existing relationships with researchers, policymakers, or storytellers in the education space Success in Your First 90 Days Looks Like: You have built strong working relationships with the Director of Labs, all program directors, and key consultants and researchers You have conducted at least one lab observation and delivered meaningful feedback You have launched the monthly Directors meeting with a clear cadence and distributed summaries within 48 hours You have mapped cross-team integration points, including how consultants and researchers connect to each team, and identified current gaps The Executive Director views you as a strategic, proactive partner You have articulated 2 to 3 strategic priorities for the program portfolio Compensation & Benefits Competitive salary commensurate with experience Medical, Dental, Vision, Chiropractic/Acupuncture, and Life Insurance (100% covered by the organization) Annual learning stipend Monthly housing and wellness stipends Pay Scale: Salary: $110,000 - $135,000 Medical, Dental, Vision, Chiropractic/Acupuncture, and Life Insurance (100% covered for select plans) Annual learning stipend Monthly housing and wellness stipends

Responsibilities

The VP of Programs will lead the entire program portfolio to function as a high-impact system, ensuring all programs reflect student-centered values and generate field-informing knowledge. This involves direct people leadership, managing cross-team integration across labs, curriculum, evaluation, and professional development, and driving strategic priorities like the Lab Visitor Strategy.