ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

Mathematically-intensive summer enrichment programs have played an important role in math access for over 50 years, providing students in middle and high school the opportunity to discover a passion for math, connect with peers who share this passion, and deeply study math that simply does not appear in school. The new Summer Mathematics Programs Consortium ("the Consortium") is the first cross-program membership organization between summer math enrichment programs, working collaboratively to advance the entire ecosystem and through it access to mathematics in the United States. Through our work, we help the ecosystem thrive by creating and nurturing a shared community of member programs, and in turn strengthening all of our work as well as creating new paths for more people to get involved.

The Consortium is currently a project of the Mathematics Foundation of America (which runs Canada/USA Mathcamp). An early project is to launch the Consortium as an independent 501(c)(3). 

You can learn more by visiting our website.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Since its creation in 2023, the Consortium has been run entirely by volunteers. That group of volunteers led the formation of a thriving, collaborative community of 15 member programs, 13 affiliate programs, 4 affiliate individuals, and 2 programs in the Consortium's Incubator. The current leadership of the Consortium is a small volunteer Steering Committee, which guides the vision and supports day-to-day operations. The Steering Committee recently led a strategic planning process to map out the next phase of the Consortium's work. As a critical step to create a sustainable organization with the capacity to have even greater impact, we are hiring the first-ever dedicated leader for the organization: a full-time Executive Director (ED).

This leader will implement our new strategy to advocate for the math summer programs ecosystem with external stakeholders, especially mathematicians and STEM professionals, math teachers and educators, and parents and students. As our first paid staff member for the Consortium, the ED will be building the organization's infrastructure from the ground up (and potentially hiring additional staff as our funding grows). As the organization develops, the ED will be the public face of the summer math programs ecosystem, coordinate the collective work of our membership, and lead every aspect of a growing, thriving organization.

The ED will report to and work closely with an engaged, supportive Board of Directors (which will be initially composed of the current Steering Committee), and will supervise about 50 active volunteers.

One special note about the Consortium is how dynamic we are as a group. Our member programs eagerly work together and contribute to the overall work of the organization. We are looking for someone who can both sustain and inspire this spirit!

THE FIRST YEAR

The ED's first year with the Consortium will be a phase of introduction to the organization, building strong relationships with all of the member programs as well as the Board of Directors, and thoughtfully transitioning the Consortium from a volunteer-led model to a professionally staffed organization.

Some near-term goals of our organization include:

• Establishing the Consortium as a new 501(c)(3) organization, and creating the systems for a sound operational infrastructure.

• Cultivating, soliciting, and securing funding partnerships with new and existing major donors in order to ensure a financially sustainable organization.

• Leading the Consortium's major projects in collaboration with volunteer committees, including our annual conference, Incubator for new programs, and Online Hub for potential students or staff to learn about the programs.

• Advancing recognition of the work of the Consortium and our member programs in various constituencies (especially mathematicians and math educators).

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

As employee #1, the ED will do everything it takes to make the organization run successfully, from big-picture strategy and representing the organization publicly all the way down to booking venues for our annual conference and replying to emails. This is a great role for someone eager to "do it all" and who is excited to be part of a growing, developing organization with a highly collaborative culture.

Although the role will naturally evolve with time, we expect responsibilities to initially divide as follows:

Organizational Leadership and Development (20%)

• Develop and implement the organization's strategy in support of our mission. (We have a three-year strategic plan for 2025–2028, and anticipate that the ED's work will begin within this framework and will expand from there over time.)

• Inspire our highly engaged membership to support our work (see below for more on their volunteer roles).

• Provide strategic guidance and support to Consortium Committees.

• Guide the organization's transition from volunteer-led to ED-led, and develop decision-making systems that balance inclusivity and efficiency.

• Serve ex officio on the Board, and actively engage the Board on strategic questions about the future of the Consortium.

• Ensure sustainable funding for the Consortium through grants, donations, and other revenue streams.

Advocacy and External Relations (15%)

• Serve as the public face of the Consortium.

• Cultivate relationships with potential members, potential affiliates, and others in the broader math enrichment ecosystem, on behalf of the Consortium.

• Develop messaging for outside communications in partnership with the External Relations Committee, and write materials (documents, our website, etc.) based on that messaging.

Volunteer Engagement and Leadership (50%)

The Consortium functions through the engagement of its members in a series of committees (the "Consortium Committees") that are positioned to leverage members' expertise to advance our work. As Executive Director, you will participate on each committee and provide strategic coordination between them.

• Manage the annual member and affiliate application process, and recruit Consortium committee members and chairs from among member programs.

• Ensure collaboration and synergies among the different Consortium committees.

• Prioritize among multiple committee-led projects when assigning Consortium resources, in alignment with the organization’s strategic goals, while supporting autonomy to maintain volunteers' sense of ownership.

• Support committee work by taking point on behind-the-scenes tasks, from engaging vendors to communicating with program member representatives.

• Support individual member representatives in contributing projects that create resources by reviewing project proposals, connecting approved proposals to appropriate supports, and monitoring progress throughout each project.

Operations (15%)

• In the first year, set up the new organization's infrastructure, including successfully applying for 501(c)(3) status.

• Prepare and manage the budget, and provide regular financial reports to the Board.

• Collaborate closely with the Board Chair to support the Board of Directors.

• Ensure that the Consortium is not only meeting compliance obligations, but striving for best practices as a non-profit organization.

QUALIFICATIONS

We are seeking a leader who is proactive and adaptable, ready to dive into the role and excited to grow with a young organization coming into its own. Specific qualifications include:

• Experience leading a team or organization including prior experience setting and meeting strategic goals.

• Demonstrated ability to manage a budget, oversee expenses, and effectively allocate resources. Prior fundraising experience is a significant plus.

• Management experience: ready to motivate and coordinate teams of volunteers, helping define achievable goals and deadlines to make the most of volunteer time. Demonstrated capacity for coordinating groups of people to collective accomplishments. Experience with smaller and more nimble teams is a plus.

• A roll-up-your-sleeves attitude, with readiness to do everything from big-picture strategy to carrying out routine work.

• Strong communication skills, and the ability to engage with a broad range of stakeholders, both internal (such as current and prospective member/affiliate programs and Consortium funders) and external (such as students, families, mathematicians, and educators). Prior experience representing an organization is a big plus. Strong writing skills for crafting messages tailored to different stakeholders, including our public-facing website as well as internal documentation.

• Reliability and consistency. Demonstrated ability to delegate and manage several simultaneous projects with different cycles and timelines.

• Sound judgement and problem-solving skills. Readiness to engage with a diverse membership on challenging questions with sensitivity and nuance.

• Passion for the mission of the Consortium is a must! Experience with math enrichment education is preferred (either as a teacher, student, staff member, or volunteer), and a background in mathematics is a plus.

POSITION DETAILS

Start date: We are flexible on the exact start date but prefer as soon as possible. Ideally, the selected candidate will be able to participate in our annual conference (November 14–16, 2025) even if this is before the official start date.

Location: The ED is a fully remote position (but must be in the US, with US work authorization), with travel required to the annual Consortium conference in the fall, participation in other national conferences, and visiting summer programs as needed (but especially in the first year). Technology for remote work and required travel are both funded.

Hours: This is a full-time, exempt position. The role has flexible working hours, with occasional evening commitments (such as for meetings) and weekend commitments (such as for conferences).

Salary Range: $100,000–$120,000

Benefits: Benefits begin matched with those of the Mathematics Foundation of America, the current host organization for the Consortium: flexible vacation time; generous health, dental, and vision benefits; and 401(k) with 6% employer matching. When the organization is set up and independent, the ED will propose to the Board a benefits package for Consortium employees.

HOW TO APPLY

The hiring process will be conducted by the Consortium's current Steering Committee. To apply, please visit https://mfoa.fillout.com/consortium-ed-application. We will review applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

We are committed to building an inclusive organization with representation among our staff, Board, and volunteers that gives voice to and meets the needs of the students, families, and communities that our member programs serve. Members of groups historically excluded from mathematics are especially encouraged to apply. MFOA is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and does not discriminate on any basis prohibited by applicable law.