Bridge to Enter Advanced Mathematics (BEAM)

Program ID: 3146-CPO [#22383]
Program Title: Chief Programs Officer
Program Type: Student programs
Program Location: New York, NewYork 10005, United States [map] sort by distance
Compensation: $170,000-$195,000
Application Deadline: 2023/05/31 11:59PMhelp popup finished (2023/04/21, finished 2023/12/02, listed until 2023/06/30)
Program Description:   Remote  

*** this program has been closed. ***

About BEAM

The mission of BEAM is to create pathways for students from low-income and historically marginalized communities to become scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and computer scientists. Led by staff with these same technical backgrounds, BEAM believes that pathways to STEM careers are created through community, individual support, and access to advanced work that typically lies outside most school curricula. We work to directly support students and to transition them to other supportive enrichment programs that enable their future success.

BEAM's model provides continuous support from middle school through college graduation, including intense academic summer programs for middle school students (after 6th and 7th grade), weekend classes and mentoring, and STEM-focused support through college. Our program includes not just access to learning advanced math but also support finding and applying to other opportunities, including support with college admissions and financial aid. In addition to our academic content, bringing students into community is a key part of our mission and all of our work is designed to support that goal.

BEAM has grown from a small summer program serving 17 students in the summer of 2011 to a year-round, national program, serving 420+ students at six summer program sites and 600+ students in year-round programming in New York City and Los Angeles this school year. In addition, our BEAM National pilot program now reaches over 500 elementary-aged students in seven different states, working to create a new nationwide pathway modeled on our local work.

With our recent strategic plan, our team has committed to transforming the organization from a successful startup to a more mature and scalable organization that can drive change across the country.

 

About the role

The Chief Programs Officer (CPO) leads our Programs Division, capitalizing on the lessons of our first decade to drive excellent outcomes and position the organization for future scaling and growth. 

In the first 2–3 years, the work will focus on maturing the organization: building out the team for greater impact, creating processes and structure, and defining how our programs work. Beginning in 2026, the work will shift to growing our reach to new cities while sustaining excellence in our programs and fidelity to our model. 

As a senior leader at BEAM, the CPO reports directly to the CEO and leads the Programs Division, which comprises several departments:  

  • Learning & Evaluation 
  • Math & Pedagogy 
  • Program Design 
  • Local Programs in both Los Angeles and New York City 
  • Central Services (which supports local program implementation).  

The CPO’s role also includes working with the CEO to develop programmatic vision and strategy, leading the division in its work, and managing the division's budget (currently $5.5m). The Programs Division currently has 21 (and growing) full-time staff members, and about 150 temporary/seasonal staff, mostly at our summer programs. One of the exciting aspects of this work is the opportunity to build out a relatively new team for greater impact: as part of our organizational transition, many of the departments above are in the very early stages of being developed. 

The ideal candidate for this position will be excited about the challenge and the opportunity to lead our programs to the next stage; will be an ambitious, experienced, and entrepreneurial team leader; and will enjoy creating the structure for growing organizations to succeed. Given that the CPO will oversee the design and implementation of BEAM’s mathematical program, we also seek a candidate who has a deep love for and strong background in mathematics and understands how mathematics is a key step in pathways to success in STEM. 

Key Responsibilities: 

Strategy & leadership 

  • Work in partnership with the CEO to develop the programmatic vision and strategy that will position BEAM's work to be highly effective, sustainable, and scalable. 
  • Set annual goals and metrics for the division in line with organizational goals. 
  • Build, lead, and motivate a high-performance team (six direct reports) with an impact focused mindset. Attract, recruit, mentor, and retain key members of the team. 
  • Develop a team culture in line with BEAM's values, fostering a collaborative work environment that emphasizes exceptional work, inclusive decision-making, and mutual respect as key principles. 

Program oversight & evaluation 

  • Continue to develop the structure and systems of the Program Division to leverage our learnings over the last 10 years and effectively scale BEAM's impact. 
  • Develop the departments within the Programs Division: 
    • Develop strategy for the Learning & Evaluation Department; support its work to create clear metrics of success and dashboards to support program impact. 
    • Launch the Central Services Department within the Programs Division to provide key resources from HQ to local chapters. 
    • Manage and provide vision for the Program Design Department in their work updating BEAM's programs for greater impact and scalability. 
    • Manage the Math & Pedagogy Department in their two main functions: hiring summer staff and the creation of mathematical tools, guides, and resources to strengthen math across the organization. 
  • Support local program leadership (in Los Angeles and New York City) with the resources to thrive and implement BEAM's work. 
  • Oversee the development of guidelines, policies, and procedures for the operation of BEAM's local programs. Ensure programs run in line with BEAM's organizational and programmatic values, with a particular focus on inclusiveness and DEI more broadly. 

Cross-functional collaboration and financial management 

  • Contribute to strategic decisions and support collaboration across the organization as a member of the executive team at BEAM. 
  • Develop and monitor an annual budget for the Programs Division, and assist department directors in developing their budgets in accordance with the Division budget. 
  • Support BEAM's fundraising by (a) reviewing non-regional grants and grant reports, (b) reviewing other major development communications, (c) attending meetings with non regional funders as requested by Advancement, (d) providing input and feedback on program operations to the Advancement team, and (e) participating in periodic Advancement meetings. 
  • Support BEAM's dissemination work as well as broader visibility through conference presentations, papers, talks, media, etc. (For example, our Resource Hub.) 
  • Collaborate with the Chief Growth Officer to develop the BEAM National prototype/pilot program in line with BEAM's programmatic vision. If the initiative is established as successful in future years, then support its migration to the Programs Division. 
  • Provide support to developing new initiatives (such as BEAM National) by sharing mathematical resources, programmatic knowledge, and providing input on their development to align with BEAM's principles. 
  • In collaboration with the Operations Division, develop programmatic guidelines and ensure operations are in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and best practices. 

The Person: 

In all hiring at BEAM, we seek people who make things happen and who do it well, who love working with youth, who work well independently and collaboratively, and who are devoted to the equity-based work that we do. 

Leadership and organization building: 

  • 10+ years of professional experience, including proven success in a leadership role in an organization of comparable or greater size and scope to BEAM. 
  • Leadership experience within an education, math, or equity-focused organization preferred. 
  • Demonstrated ability to manage the strategic, programmatic, financial, leadership, and operational demands of a dynamic team.
  • Experience developing systems to support the effective functioning of a larger team and drive projects forward efficiently. 
  • Experience leading with a DEI lens and building a positive organizational culture.
  • Experience with program feedback and evaluation, including both formative feedback and summative evaluation geared towards funders. 

Mathematics, pedagogy, and equity: 

  • A deep understanding of mathematics, enrichment mathematics, and the math and problem solving experience that drives success in a STEM major. 
  • Experience with and engagement with the pedagogy and teaching of mathematics; a critical thinker about different approaches and their impacts on students and learning.
  • Experience working to increase equity and access, ideally working with Black and Latino/a/x middle school, high school, or college students in an educational setting. 

Skills/Approach to Work: 

  • Ambitious and eager to have a powerful impact through execution on a big vision; able to inspire team members and build buy-in towards the realization of that vision. A builder who is excited about developing the Programs Division within BEAM and is skilled at change management for a rapidly evolving organization. 
  • A strong believer in the potential and excellence of our students; the belief that we can enable students to help them earn STEM degrees and become leaders in their fields.
  • An effective decision-maker: 
    • A strategic thinker with an analytical mind and a sharp eye for data; able to get to the core of complicated issues and find and justify clear-eyed paths forward.
    • A strong collaborative mindset; able to lead a team in making decisions, leveraging each person's perspective and skills and building buy-in. 
    • Curious, with a growth mindset; a flexible thinker open to a variety of perspectives without latching too strongly onto preconceptions. 
  • Additionally: 
    • Humility and openness to the views of others; a positive and eager approach to our work and improving the world; empathy, patience, and the ability to actively listen.
    • Strong communication skills, both to internal and external audiences.
    • Able to process a large volume of information involving complex programs and data.
    • Comfortable with technology and remote communication: Google Suite, Office Suite, Slack, Zoom, etc. Able to dive into a spreadsheet. 

Optional pluses 

  • Prior teaching experience. 
  • Experience working as part of a growing or expanding organization, and building structure within that organization. 
  • Experience working with an organization's founder and collaborating on the vision of the organization.

SALARY, BENEFITS AND OTHER DETAILS

The expected salary range for this position is $170,000-$195,000, depending on experience, background, and geographic location. 

BEAM provides a number of benefits including:

  • Flexible working hours
  • Health, dental and vision benefits including health plan options that are free for individuals
  • 12 paid holidays including an office closure 
  • 15 days of paid annual leave to start, and will increase by one day for each year worked for your first 5 years of employment
  • Paid sick leave
  • 12 weeks paid maternity/paternity leave
  • 403(b) Retirement Plan
  • Student loan reimbursement
  • Pre-tax commuter benefits

Location

Ideally, this leader will be based within commuting range to New York City to enable easy collaboration with BEAM's CEO in New York City. For the right candidate, we are also open to a remote position with travel to NYC as needed (likely monthly or twice a month).

COVID-19 Note

Proof of COVID vaccination (and a booster shot when eligible) will be required before working in-person at the office or BEAM events/programming. Other precautions for student and staff safety (including updated boosters) may be taken as needed, especially for work at our residential programs. 

Additional Information

BEAM's work has been featured in the New York Times and the Atlantic. The Times article, in particular, is a good description of the experience for students. You may also find it helpful to view our most recent annual report.

APPLICATION PROCESS

The initial step is to submit your application, including resume, cover letter and responses to a few short application questions, via our online portal. When your application is complete, we will follow up with next steps.

For accommodation requests related to the job application process, please email accommodations@beammath.org

We believe strongly in communication and collaboration. In the spirit of that collaborative atmosphere, we strongly encourage you to ask questions about the position! You can contact hiring@beammath.org.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

BEAM believes that our staff, at all levels and across all roles, should represent the backgrounds of the students we serve. We are committed to creating a supportive and inclusive environment. Beyond a commitment to nondiscrimination, we strongly encourage applications from underrepresented and marginalized communities.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY 

BEAM is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, or current employment status.


We are not accepting applications for this job through MathJobs.Org right now. Please apply at https://grnh.se/c96142055us external link.
Contact: Ashley Brown
Email: email address
Postal Mail:
55 Exchange Place, Suite 603
Web Page: https://www.beammath.org/work-at-beam